Key Takeaways FCPT acquired the LongHorn Steakhouse property in Michigan for $2.5 million to expand its portfolio The property was bought at a 6.5% cap rate and is corporate-operated under a long-term triple-net lease. This move supports FCPT's diversification strategy and aims to drive future revenue growth.Four Corners Property Trust (FCPT) recently announced the acquisition of LongHorn Steakhouse property for $2.5 million. This acquisition highlights the company’s expansionary and diversification effor ...

RT Min Choi (@minchoi)I asked Google Veo 3 for food cooking ASMR.Results are wild1. Steak https://t.co/Z0JJYrCWWf ...

Core Viewpoint - Several companies are significantly increasing their share buyback programs, collectively adding over $10 billion in repurchase capacity to the stock market, signaling a commitment to reward shareholders and potentially reduce outstanding shares [1]. Company Summaries Trump Media and Technology Group (DJT) - Announced a $400 million share buyback program, representing approximately 8.3% of its $4.8 billion market capitalization [2]. - The company raised $2.5 billion to create a large Bitcoin treasury, increasing its liquid assets to over $3 billion, despite generating under $4 million in revenues and having operating expenses exceeding $127 million [3]. Johnson Controls International (JCI) - Increased its share buyback authorization to $9 billion, totaling $10.1 billion in repurchase capacity, which is about 14.6% of its $69 billion market capitalization [6][7]. - Plans to return $5 billion in capital in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, potentially reducing its share count by around 7% and enhancing earnings per share [7]. Darden Restaurants (DRI) - Announced a $1 billion share buyback program, equating to just under 4% of its over $25 billion market capitalization, following a total return of approximately 17% in 2025 [9][10]. - Increased its quarterly dividend by 7.1%, with a solid indicated dividend yield of around 2.8%, one of the highest among U.S. restaurant stocks [10]. Broader Corporate Trend - The substantial buyback announcements from DJT, JCI, and DRI reflect a broader trend of companies returning capital to shareholders, whether to offset stock declines, reinforce confidence, or enhance earnings metrics [11]. - The end result of these buybacks is expected to be reduced share counts and potentially stronger shareholder returns, emphasizing the importance of execution speed and effectiveness in the coming quarters [12].

Group 1: CAVA Group, Inc. Marketing Strategy - CAVA Group, Inc. is implementing a disciplined and sophisticated marketing strategy to enhance engagement while maintaining operational balance, exemplified by its Spice World campaign [1][3] - The Spice World campaign introduced limited-time menu items like Hot Harissa Pita Chips and new chef-curated bowls, designed to align with seasonal flavor preferences and leverage existing pantry items [2][9] - The campaign resulted in record app traffic and over 130% increase in reward redemptions, showcasing its effectiveness in driving customer engagement [3][9] Group 2: Future Initiatives and Competitors - CAVA plans to follow the Spice World campaign with another major initiative later this year, likely focused on a new protein offering, currently in the development process [4] - Competitors like Chipotle Mexican Grill are also executing multi-layered marketing strategies, with recent menu innovations and increased summer marketing spend to engage customers [5] - BJ's Restaurants is leveraging social media trends to enhance brand relevance, with successful products like the Pizookie Platter generating significant sales and impressions [6] Group 3: Financial Performance and Valuation - CAVA's stock has decreased by 9.9% over the past three months, compared to a 2.1% decline in the industry [7] - The company trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 6.82X, which is significantly higher than the industry's 4.04X [10] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CAVA's earnings in 2025 and 2026 indicates a year-over-year increase of 38.1% and 17%, respectively, with positive revisions in the past 60 days [12]

Bold Korean-Inspired Flavor Hits Menus Nationwide July 2, with a Special BOGO Offer on July 14 to Celebrate National Mac & Cheese DayBROOMFIELD, Colo., June 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Noodles & Company (NASDAQ: NDLS), the fast-casual favorite known for its globally inspired noodle bowls and legendary Mac Menu, is turning up the heat this summer with the launch of Bulgogi Steak Mac & Cheese. Available for a limited time beginning July 2, this bold new bowl fuses the creamy comfort of Noodles' iconic Creamy Mac ...

Core Insights - CAVA Group, Inc. is implementing a modest 1.7% menu price increase at the start of 2025, reflecting a cautious pricing strategy amid ongoing inflationary pressures in the restaurant industry [1][10] - In Q1 of fiscal 2025, food, beverage, and packaging costs accounted for 29.3% of revenues, an increase of 110 basis points year-over-year, primarily due to the introduction of grilled steak [2][10] - CAVA is managing its supply chain effectively, with limited exposure to tariff-related disruptions, as most ingredients are domestically sourced or secured under existing contracts [3] - The company has raised menu prices by approximately 15% from 2019 to 2024, which is significantly lower than the 23% increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the 30% increase in the broader fast-food segment [4] - Despite cost pressures, CAVA is optimistic about protecting restaurant-level margins through operational efficiency and strong sales leverage, with no additional price increases planned for the remainder of the year [5] Comparisons With Peers - Shake Shack Inc. has increased in-Shack menu prices by 2% year-over-year while focusing on operational efficiency and supply chain productivity to improve profitability [6] - Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. executed a 4.9% menu price increase in Q3 of fiscal 2025, combining carryover and new pricing strategies to offset cost pressures [7] Stock Performance and Valuation - CAVA's shares have decreased by 16.6% over the past three months, compared to a 2.3% decline in the industry [8] - CAVA trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 6.60X, which is significantly higher than the industry's 4.00X [12] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CAVA's earnings in 2025 and 2026 indicates a year-over-year increase of 38.1% and 17.7%, respectively, with the 2025 estimate showing positive revisions in the past 60 days [15]

Hey, I'm Kramer. Welcome to Bad Money. Welcome to Cra. I make friends. I'm just trying to make a little money. My job, okay? Not just to teach and entertain, but I am going to give you a lesson tonight about what not to do when these bombs start flying. So, call me at 1800 743 CBC or between me, Jim Kramer. Nobody honestly expected that Iran would do nothing to retaliate against the United States, right? The arsenal of theocracy seems to have more missiles than people. Certainly more than we seem to have ou ...

Core Insights - Darden Restaurants Inc. reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter financial results, with adjusted earnings per share of $2.98, surpassing the analyst consensus estimate of $2.97, and quarterly sales of $3.27 billion, exceeding the consensus estimate of $3.26 billion [1][2] Financial Performance - The company experienced a consolidated same-restaurant sales increase of 4.6%, with Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse rising by 6.9% and 6.7%, respectively. However, Fine Dining saw a decline of 3.3%, while Other Business grew by 1.2% [2] - Darden expects fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS to be between $10.50 and $10.70, which is below the consensus estimate of $10.75. The company projects total sales growth of 7% to 8% for the year [3] Market Reaction - Following the earnings announcement, Darden shares fell by 5.1% to trade at $214.17 [4] Analyst Ratings and Price Targets - Analysts have made various adjustments to their price targets for Darden Restaurants: - Stephens & Co. raised the price target from $200 to $212 while maintaining an Equal-Weight rating - Baird raised the price target from $218 to $230 with a Neutral rating - Keybanc increased the price target from $230 to $245 with an Overweight rating - B of A Securities raised the price target from $252 to $253 while maintaining a Buy rating - TD Securities boosted the price target from $215 to $235 with a Hold rating - Barclays raised the price target from $235 to $255 with an Overweight rating - Citigroup increased the price target from $245 to $253 while maintaining a Buy rating [6]

A new steakhouse coming to Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin is going to require guests to change out of their typical resort attire. Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina started accepting reservations last week, and its website makes clear that guests may need to change if they spent the day at a park."This restaurant is one of our Signature Dining experiences," its website reads. "Guests are expected to dress accordingly in attire that respects the restaurant’s sophisticated and upscale aesthetic. Clothing shou ...

Core Insights - Darden Restaurants exceeded Wall Street's earnings and revenue expectations, predicting solid growth for fiscal year 2026 [1][2] - The company's stock rose over 2% in premarket trading following the earnings report [1] Financial Performance - Darden reported fiscal fourth-quarter net income of $303.8 million, or $2.58 per share, compared to $308.1 million, or $2.58 per share, a year earlier [1] - Excluding costs from the Chuy's Tex Mex acquisition, adjusted earnings were $2.98 per share for the fiscal fourth quarter [2] - Net sales increased by 10.6% to $3.3 billion, driven by the acquisition of 103 Chuy's restaurants and 25 net new restaurants [2] - Same-store sales rose 4.6%, surpassing StreetAccount estimates of 3.5% [2] Future Outlook - For fiscal year 2026, Darden forecasts revenue growth of 7% to 8%, including approximately 2% growth from an extra week in the year [3] - Adjusted earnings are expected to be in the range of $10.50 to $10.70 per share, including 20 cents related to the additional week [3] Brand Performance - Olive Garden, accounting for roughly 40% of Darden's quarterly revenue, reported same-store sales growth of 6.9%, exceeding expectations of 4.6% [5] - LongHorn Steakhouse's same-store sales increased by 6.7%, beating the anticipated growth of 5.3% [5] - The fine dining segment, including Ruth's Chris Steak House and The Capital Grille, experienced a same-store sales decline of 3.3%, compared to the expected decline of 0.2% [6] - The remaining segment, which includes Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen and Yard House, saw same-store sales growth of 1.2%, slightly above estimates of 1.1% [6] Strategic Initiatives - Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen is piloting on-demand delivery through a partnership with Uber Direct in 10 of its restaurants [7] - Darden's board of directors authorized a $1 billion share repurchase program, replacing the previous authorization [7] Stock Performance - Darden Restaurants' stock has increased approximately 19% year-to-date [8]