Key Takeaways BJRI's comparable sales grew 2.9% y/y in Q2 2025, supported by 3.3% traffic gains.Better labor scheduling, fewer comped meals and higher guest satisfaction fuel BJRI's long-term growth.Digital initiatives like DineTime integration and POS/KDS upgrades boosted efficiency and guest experience.BJ's Restaurants, Inc. (BJRI) has been benefiting from increased traffic growth, improved operational efficiency and the success of the Pizookie Meal Deal. Moreover, better labor scheduling, reduced comped ...

Investors interested in Retail-Wholesale stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Has Potbelly (PBPB) been one of those stocks this year? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Retail-Wholesale sector should help us answer this question.Potbelly is a member of our Retail-Wholesale group, which includes 202 different companies and currently sits at #10 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank gauges the stren ...

Dutch Bros is a member of the Retail-Wholesale sector. This group includes 202 individual stocks and currently holds a Zacks Sector Rank of #13. The Zacks Sector Rank considers 16 different groups, measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the sector to gauge the strength of each group. The Zacks Rank is a proven system that emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions, highlighting a variety of stocks that are displaying the right characteristics to beat the market over the n ...

Core Insights - Chipotle and Cava Group have experienced significant stock declines, reaching 52-week lows due to disappointing Q2 results, amidst a broader slowdown in the fast casual dining sector [1][2] Company Performance - Chipotle's same-store sales growth guidance has been revised to flat for the full year, down from a low-single digit increase, with a 5% decline in store traffic contributing to a 4% drop in same-store sales during Q2 [3] - Cava has lowered its full-year same-store sales growth forecast to 3-4%, down from 4-6%, despite a 2% increase in same-store sales during Q2, with flat traffic trends for the quarter [4] Expansion Plans - Chipotle aims to expand to 7,000 North American locations, currently operating over 3,700 stores, with plans to open 345 new restaurants this year [5] - Chipotle is also focusing on international expansion, particularly in the Middle East, with new locations planned in Kuwait and Dubai [6] - Cava, with nearly 400 locations in the U.S., targets 1,000 restaurants by 2032, and is investing in automation to enhance operations [7][8] Financial Projections - Chipotle's total sales are expected to increase by 7% this year and by 13% in fiscal 2026, reaching $13.67 billion, with annual earnings projected to rise 8% in FY25 and 17% in FY26 to $1.42 per share [10] - Cava's total sales are projected to grow over 20% in FY25 and FY26, nearing $1.45 billion, with EPS expected to increase by 36% in FY25 and another 17% next year to $0.67 per share [11] Stock Performance - Year-to-date, Chipotle's stock has declined nearly 30%, while Cava's shares have fallen roughly 40%, underperforming the S&P 500's +10% return [13] - Despite recent declines, Cava's stock has gained over +40% in the last two years, while Chipotle's shares are up +15% [13] Valuation Metrics - Chipotle is currently trading at over $40 with a forward P/E ratio of 35.9X, which is a premium compared to the benchmark's 24.7X and the industry average of 19.4X, while Cava trades at 124.6X [14] - Cava's forward P/S ratio is 6.8X, significantly higher than the industry average of less than 1X, while Chipotle's is at 4.8X [15] Investment Outlook - While both stocks are near their 52-week lows, there may be better buying opportunities ahead, particularly for Cava, which has a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell) due to its high valuation amid weaker demand [19] - Chipotle holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) and may present better long-term value, especially considering its international expansion and stronger balance sheet [20]

Red Robin (RRGB) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.26 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.25 per share. This compares to a loss of $0.48 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track rec ...

Financial Performance - Cava Group reported quarterly earnings of $0.16 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.13 per share, but down from $0.17 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of +23.08% [1] - The company posted revenues of $280.62 million for the quarter ended June 2025, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.07%, compared to year-ago revenues of $233.49 million [2] - Over the last four quarters, Cava has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times and topped consensus revenue estimates three times [2] Stock Performance and Outlook - Cava shares have declined approximately 27% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P 500 has gained 8.4% [3] - The company's earnings outlook will be crucial for future stock performance, with current consensus EPS estimates at $0.16 for the coming quarter and $0.58 for the current fiscal year [4][7] - The estimate revisions trend for Cava was unfavorable ahead of the earnings release, resulting in a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell) for the stock, indicating expected underperformance in the near future [6] Industry Context - The Retail - Restaurants industry, to which Cava belongs, is currently in the bottom 24% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting that the industry's outlook can significantly impact stock performance [8] - Empirical research indicates a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which can be tracked by investors [5]

Group 1 - Potbelly (PBPB) is a strong performer in the Retail-Wholesale sector, with a year-to-date return of 33.8%, significantly outperforming the sector average of 6.2% [4] - The Zacks Rank for Potbelly is 2 (Buy), indicating positive analyst sentiment and a favorable earnings outlook, with a 13% increase in the consensus estimate for full-year earnings over the past quarter [3] - Potbelly belongs to the Retail - Restaurants industry, which has seen a decline of about 4.1% year-to-date, further highlighting Potbelly's strong performance relative to its industry [5] Group 2 - Casey's General Stores (CASY) is another Retail-Wholesale stock that has outperformed the sector, with a year-to-date return of 30.2% [4] - The Retail - Convenience Stores industry, to which Casey's belongs, has a year-to-date increase of 8.2%, ranking 100 in the Zacks Industry Rank [6] - Both Potbelly and Casey's General Stores are recommended for investors interested in Retail-Wholesale stocks due to their solid performance [6]

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store is one of 202 companies in the Retail-Wholesale group. The Retail- Wholesale group currently sits at #10 within the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank gauges the strength of our 16 individual sector groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. The Zacks Rank is a proven system that emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions, highlighting a variety of stocks that are displaying the right characteristics to beat the mar ...

Company Overview - Brinker International (EAT) closed at $151.97, down 4.71% from the previous trading session, underperforming the S&P 500 which gained 0.78% [1] - Over the past month, shares of Brinker International have depreciated by 4.34%, while the Retail-Wholesale sector gained 1.32% and the S&P 500 gained 1.86% [2] Upcoming Financial Results - Brinker International is set to announce its earnings on August 13, 2025, with projected earnings per share (EPS) of $2.43, reflecting a 50.93% increase year-over-year [3] - The consensus estimate for revenue is $1.43 billion, which represents an 18.56% increase from the prior-year quarter [3] Full-Year Estimates - The full-year Zacks Consensus Estimates for Brinker International are earnings of $8.84 per share and revenue of $5.35 billion, indicating year-over-year changes of +115.61% for earnings and 0% for revenue [4] Analyst Estimates and Stock Performance - Recent adjustments to analyst estimates for Brinker International are crucial as they reflect changing business trends, with positive revisions indicating analysts' confidence in performance [4] - The Zacks Rank system, which evaluates estimate changes, currently ranks Brinker International at 3 (Hold) [6] Valuation Metrics - Brinker International has a Forward P/E ratio of 16.32, which is below the industry average Forward P/E of 19.44 [7] - The company has a PEG ratio of 0.38, significantly lower than the Retail - Restaurants industry's average PEG ratio of 2.43 [8] Industry Context - The Retail - Restaurants industry, part of the Retail-Wholesale sector, has a Zacks Industry Rank of 181, placing it in the bottom 27% of all industries [9]

Core Insights - Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (CMG) is investing in enhancing sales performance through innovative equipment aimed at improving culinary quality and efficiency [1][8] - The company plans to roll out a high-efficiency equipment package across more than 100 restaurants by the end of 2025, with a full deployment expected over three years [2][8] - The new strategy is anticipated to positively impact other business segments, such as catering, and position the company for long-term growth [3] Financial Performance - In the second quarter of 2025, comparable sales are projected to decline by 4%, and operating margins are expected to decrease by 150 basis points [4] - Despite recent underperformance, with CMG shares down 14.6% over the past three months, long-term trends are expected to improve [5][9] Competitive Landscape - Chipotle faces competition from CAVA Group, Inc. and Sweetgreen, which have seen their shares decline by 7.1% and 38.4%, respectively, in the past three months [6][9] - The company is currently trading at a forward 12-month price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 4.38, indicating a premium compared to industry peers [10] Earnings Estimates - Earnings estimates for CMG remain unchanged at $1.21 and $1.42 per share for 2025 and 2026, reflecting year-over-year growth of 8% and 17.4%, respectively [12]