RICHMOND, Va., Feb. 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ARKO Corp. (Nasdaq: ARKO), a Fortune 500 company and one of the largest convenience store operators in the United States, is pleased to announce the opening of its newest Pride location in Agawam, MA, located at 395 Main Street. This New-to-Industry (NTI) store reflects ARKO’s continued commitment to investing in modern, food forward, customer‑centric convenience stores across its national footprint. The new Pride store features a Pride Kitchen, offering fres ...

Core Insights - Casey's General Stores reported strong year-over-year growth in its second-quarter fiscal 2026 results, with earnings per share of $5.53, surpassing estimates, but total revenues of $4,506.1 million fell short of expectations [2][3]. Financial Performance - The company achieved a 14% increase in earnings per share from $4.85 in the prior-year quarter [3]. - Total revenues increased by 14.2% from $3,946.8 million in the year-ago period, despite missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4,553 million [3]. - Inside sales rose 13% year over year to $1.66 billion, with same-store sales increasing by 3.3% [4]. Margins and Expenses - Gross profit increased to $1.12 billion, up 17% year over year, with gross margin expanding by 60 basis points to 24.9% [5]. - EBITDA rose 17.5% year over year to $410.1 million, with an EBITDA margin of 9.1%, reflecting a 30 basis point increase [6]. - Operating expenses increased by 16.7% to $711.6 million, primarily due to the operation of 236 additional stores [7]. Segment Performance - Prepared Food & Dispensed Beverage sales grew 12% year over year to $467.8 million, with same-store sales increasing by 4.8% [8]. - Grocery & General Merchandise sales rose 13.4% to $1.19 billion, with same-store sales advancing by 2.7% [9]. - Fuel sales increased by 11.3% year over year to $2.69 billion, with fuel gallons sold jumping 16.8% to 906.7 million [10]. Financial Snapshot - As of October 31, 2025, Casey's operated 2,921 stores, with cash and cash equivalents of $492 million and long-term debt of $2.35 billion [11]. - The company declared a quarterly dividend of 57 cents per share, continuing its track record of dividend payments [12]. Outlook - For fiscal 2026, management expects EBITDA growth of 15-17% and total operating expenses to increase by 8-10% [13]. - Inside same-store sales are anticipated to grow by 3-4%, with an expected inside margin of 41-42% [14]. - The consensus estimate has shifted upward by 8.32% in the past month, indicating positive investor sentiment [15].

Core Insights - Casey's General Stores, Inc. (CASY) is expected to report a revenue increase of 10.3% year over year for Q4 fiscal 2025, with projected revenues of $3,969 million [1][9] - Earnings per share (EPS) are anticipated to decline by 17.5% year over year, with a consensus estimate of $1.93 per share [2][9] Revenue Drivers - The company's strong performance is attributed to its resilient business model, enhanced omnichannel capabilities, and exclusive private-label offerings [3] - Significant growth is expected in the prepared food and dispensed beverage segments, with a projected revenue increase of 13.2% [4] - Grocery and general merchandise categories are also expected to see a 12.7% increase in sales, driven by trending items like energy drinks [5] - Inside sales are projected to rise by 12.8%, with same-store sales growing by 2.6%, reflecting strong foodservice innovation and effective promotions [6] Challenges - The anticipated decline in earnings is primarily due to the dilutive impact of the Fikes acquisition, which has led to higher interest expenses and additional integration costs [7][9] - Other factors affecting profitability include the absence of the leap day benefit from the previous year and adverse weather conditions impacting February sales [7][9] - Operating expenses are expected to increase by 14.9% for the quarter [7]