CPE invested $350 million of primary capital to grow Burger King China to over 4,000 restaurants by 2035 Accelerated development at Burger King China furthers RBI's long-term global growth ambitions MIAMI, Feb. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Restaurant Brands International Inc. (NYSE: QSR) (TSX: QSR) (TSX: QSP) ("RBI"), the parent company of the Burger King brand, and CPE today announced the completion of their previously announced joint venture, marking an important step forward in Burger King China's next phase o ...

Core Insights - Jack in the Box is celebrating its 75th anniversary through a collaboration with streetwear brand The Hundreds, emphasizing street culture and community engagement [1] Company Collaboration - The collaboration will feature the "Jack Was Here!" collection, launching on January 28, which is the first of four limited-edition drops planned throughout 2026 [1] Cultural Significance - The partnership aims to merge the iconic Jack Box character with The Hundreds' Adam Bomb, highlighting the fun and creativity that occurs outside traditional boundaries [1]

Group 1: RBL Bank Transaction - BofA Securities acquired a 0.97% stake in RBL Bank from BNP Paribas Financial Markets for approximately ₹178 crore through an open market transaction [1] - The acquisition involved 60 lakh shares purchased at an average price of ₹296 each, totaling ₹177.60 crore [1] - Following the transaction, RBL Bank's shares increased by 1.31% to close at ₹297.55 on the BSE [2] Group 2: Adani Green Transaction - Goldman Sachs and Societe Generale collectively purchased 15.49 lakh shares of Adani Green from BNP Paribas for ₹136 crore [2] - Goldman Sachs acquired 10 lakh shares while Societe Generale bought 5.49 lakh shares, with prices ranging from ₹879.5 to ₹883.3 per share [3] - Adani Green's shares fell by 0.42% to settle at ₹879.60 on the BSE [3] Group 3: Restaurant Brands Asia Transaction - Massachusetts Institute of Technology and its affiliate sold a combined 2.6% stake in Restaurant Brands Asia for nearly ₹96 crore through open market transactions [4] - A total of 1,51,34,980 equity shares were offloaded at an average price of ₹63.31 each, resulting in a deal value of ₹95.82 crore [5] - Restaurant Brands Asia's shares rose by 1.46% to close at ₹64.61 on the NSE [6]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company experienced a slow start in Q1 2025 but gained momentum throughout the year, achieving nearly 5% comparable sales growth in Q3 with over 2% traffic growth [3][4] - Despite challenges in December due to weather, the company still delivered positive comparable sales and traffic in Q4 [4] - The company increased its margins while improving guest and team member experiences, indicating a strong operational foundation for future growth [4][5] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The average build cost for new locations decreased from approximately $2.4 million two years ago to under $2 million this year, without compromising quality [5][6] - The international business grew at a rate consistent with revenue growth in North America, highlighting effective global partnerships [6] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company is focusing on targeted digital media marketing, which has shown positive results, including a 50% increase in app downloads [10] - Digital sales remained strong even during adverse weather conditions that affected in-shack sales, indicating robust brand demand [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to be competitive in the traffic share game within the industry, focusing on operational excellence and marketing effectiveness [5] - There is a commitment to reducing build costs while maintaining quality, which is expected to enhance cash-on-cash returns [5][6] - The company is exploring new kitchen equipment and processes to improve throughput and maintain quality, with potential innovations expected in late 2026 [24][25] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving additional restaurant-level margin expansion in 2026, driven by supply chain improvements and operational efficiencies [23][29] - The company anticipates continued elevated pricing on beef but expects some deflation in other input costs, allowing for margin improvements [29][30] Other Important Information - The company has successfully improved labor deployment, achieving over 90% labor attainment, which has positively impacted guest satisfaction metrics [16][17] - The company is diversifying its supply chain to mitigate risks associated with single sourcing, which is expected to enhance productivity and reduce costs [20][21] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are the key wins for 2025 and outlook for 2026? - Management highlighted the operational improvements and marketing strategies that have laid a strong foundation for growth moving into 2026 [3][4] Question: How is the company addressing marketing investments? - The company is focusing on targeted digital media and strategic promotions to drive app traffic and sales, with a significant increase in app downloads [10] Question: What changes have been made in labor deployment? - The company has improved labor attainment significantly, leading to better guest satisfaction and operational efficiency [16][17] Question: How is the supply chain being optimized? - Management emphasized the importance of quality and consistency in supply chain decisions, with a focus on diversifying suppliers to enhance competition and reduce costs [20][21] Question: What is the outlook for commodity inflation? - The company expects continued elevated beef prices but anticipates deflation in other input costs, supporting margin expansion [29][30]

Core Insights - Papa Johns is the first restaurant to implement Google Cloud's Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience, enhancing its digital ordering capabilities with a unified voice and text AI system [1][2][3] Company Developments - The new Food Ordering agent aims to improve speed, accuracy, and real-time personalization for over 150 million customers globally [1] - Papa Johns is positioning itself as a leader in the "agentic" customer experience by being the launch customer for Google Cloud's omnichannel platform [2][4] - The partnership with Google Cloud reflects Papa Johns' commitment to leveraging technology for a seamless customer experience and operational efficiency [3] Technological Innovations - Key features of the Food Ordering agent include: - Intelligent Deal Wizard that reduces cart abandonment by automatically applying the best value combinations [6] - Advanced Voice & Group Ordering that automates complex orders, ensuring accuracy even for multi-person requests [6] - Seamless reordering flow that identifies returning loyalty customers and facilitates quick reordering [6] Industry Context - The retail industry is transitioning into an era of agentic commerce, where AI serves as a critical driver of business value [4] - Papa Johns is setting a new industry benchmark by moving beyond traditional chatbots to create a more fluid and intelligent customer experience [4]

Core Thesis - Domino's Pizza, Inc. is positioned strongly in the U.S. pizza market, leveraging its franchisee economics, advertising budget, and supply chain to outmaneuver competitors [2][4] Financial Performance - As of November 28th, Domino's shares were trading at $419.63, with trailing and forward P/E ratios of 24.53 and 21.51 respectively [1] - The company has a return on assets of 34% and a return on invested capital of 85.6%, with cash flow per share nearly tripling since 2017 [4] Market Strategy - Promotions like the 'Best Deal Ever' at $9.99 for any large pizza have successfully attracted value-conscious consumers, enhancing volume and franchisee profitability [3] - Domino's has expanded onto delivery aggregators like Uber Eats and Door Dash while maintaining control over the delivery experience, aiming for similar market share on these platforms as in proprietary channels [4] Growth Outlook - CEO Russell Wiener is confident in achieving 3% same-store sales growth in 2026 and beyond, while continuing to capture market share [2] - The stock is considered to have a strong risk/reward profile, with a potential target of $500 per share by the end of 2026, despite limited downside in recessionary scenarios [5]

Core Insights - FranShares is facilitating access to quick service restaurant (QSR) investments for accredited investors, traditionally reserved for institutional capital [1][4] - The discussion highlighted the resilience and essential demand for QSRs, especially during economic downturns, making them a viable investment option [6][12] Group 1: Investment Opportunities - FranShares packages select portfolios from Tasty Restaurant Group, which operates over 400 restaurants, allowing investors to buy fractional interests at lower minimums compared to acquiring a single unit [2][3] - The platform enables investments in established QSR brands like Burger King and Dunkin', managed by experienced operators, while handling sourcing and structuring [9][13] Group 2: Value Creation in QSRs - Triton Pacific and Tasty Restaurant Group focus on acquiring established units, centralizing operations, and investing in upgrades to enhance store-level economics [7][8] - The strategy emphasizes improving traffic, average ticket size, and labor efficiency, which are critical for long-term profitability [8] Group 3: Market Positioning and Strategy - The discussion contrasted the current enthusiasm for AI and tech stocks with the stable demand for QSRs, suggesting that QSR investments can provide diversification away from volatile public markets [5][6] - Buehler noted that QSRs are easier to underwrite due to their predictable consumer behavior, making them a more stable investment compared to tech stocks [6] Group 4: Investor Access and Education - FranShares is hosting in-person events for accredited investors to learn more about QSR strategies and engage with private equity and franchise operators [4][12] - Investors can utilize self-directed IRAs and solo 401(k)s to allocate funds to QSR investments through FranShares, aligning with long-term retirement strategies [10][11]

Core Insights - McDonald's Corporation is enhancing its value positioning in the U.S. to address declining traffic among lower-income consumers, emphasizing value perception as a key driver of customer choice [1][4] - The company has relaunched its Extra Value Meals (EVMs) with clear price anchors, which represent approximately 30% of U.S. transactions, aiming to restore consistency and predictability in its core menu [2][7] - McDonald's is providing significant financial support to franchise operators during this transition, with a total of $90 million expected in co-investment [3][4] Financial Performance - McDonald's shares have increased by 4.9% this year, contrasting with an 11.2% decline in the industry, while competitors like Starbucks, Sweetgreen, and Chipotle have seen declines of 9.5%, 81.1%, and 49.7% respectively [5][7] - The company trades at a forward price-to-sales (P/S) multiple of 7.72, significantly higher than the industry average of 3.34, with competitors like Starbucks, Sweetgreen, and Chipotle having P/S multiples of 2.41, 0.94, and 3.09 respectively [9] Earnings Projections - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for McDonald's 2026 earnings per share has decreased by 0.8% to $13.28, with projections indicating a 9.5% rise in earnings for that year [10][12] - In comparison, industry peers Sweetgreen and Chipotle are expected to see earnings increases of 15.9% and 5.4% respectively in 2025, while Starbucks is projected to rise by 15% in 2026 [12]

Core Viewpoint - McDonald's Corporation, valued at $213.4 billion, operates over 38,000 restaurants globally, but has underperformed the broader market in stock performance over the past year [1][2]. Financial Performance - McDonald's stock prices have gained 3.4% year-to-date and 1.7% over the past 52 weeks, significantly lagging behind the S&P 500 Index's gains of 14.4% in 2025 and 12.7% over the past year [2]. - The company reported a 6% increase in systemwide sales on a constant currency basis and an 8% increase after forex translation, with comparable sales growing by 3.6% [4]. - Total revenue for the quarter grew 3% year-over-year to $7.1 billion, exceeding market expectations by 15 basis points [4]. - Adjusted EPS declined by 31 basis points to $3.22, missing consensus estimates by 3.9% [4]. Analyst Expectations - For the full fiscal year 2025, analysts project an adjusted EPS of $12.15, reflecting a 3.7% year-over-year increase [5]. - The consensus rating among 36 analysts covering McDonald's stock is a "Moderate Buy," with 14 "Strong Buys," one "Moderate Buy," 20 "Holds," and one "Strong Sell" [5]. Analyst Ratings - On November 6, Baird analyst David Tarantino maintained a "Neutral" rating on McDonald's and raised the price target from $322 to $325 [7].

Morning, Kate. >> Good morning, Carl. So, Sweet Green CEO John Newman saying last night, quote, "I think it's pretty obvious that the consumer is not in a great place overall, but I think it's much more complicated than that." Taking a look at the big picture here, lower income consumers pulling away from quick service chains.McDonald's CEO noting a bifurcated consumer with lower income traffic across the sector down double digits. A similar pullback taking shape this quarter at Wingstop. CNBC viewed a memo ...