Posts for Ticker ‘PZZA’

The 100 Hardest Working Brands In The World

hersheyThere are a number of ways to rank brand values. One of the most important is the level at which a brand contributes to the market value of a public company.

24/7 Wall St. asked Corebrand, the brand research and consulting firm, to look at the top 100 brands based their contribution to market capitalizaton. Using this method, the hardest working brand was Hershey (NYSE:HSY), followed  by Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) and Harley-Davidson (NYSE:HOG)

Corebrand described the process briefly to 24/7 Wall. St.

24/7 Wall St.: Corebard often refers to the brands on this list as the”hardest working brands”. How did you come to that description?

Corebrand: There are a lot of people measuring and examining the “strongest brands” or the “most valuable brands”.  Our opinion is that examining one without the other is somewhat meaningless.  How “strong” a brand is nice to know but not very relevant unless you understand how that strength benefits business.  Similarly, “value” is little more than a measure of corporate size unless you understand the drivers of that value and how to influence it. By examining the strength of the brand and it’s contribution to total market value, we can help companies and their leadership manage that strength and value over time.

24/7 Wall St.: Is there any advantage or disadvantage to having a brand value be a very large percentage of market cap in the present and as an indication of a company’s future performance?

Corebrand: The brand will need to be in balance with the rest of the company’s assets.  A company should strive to have it’s brand strong enough to fend off competitors or changing market conditions but not so strong that it becomes overly dependent on the brand as a single driver of value.  If a company can achieve and maintain its appropriate maximum strength without becoming over-dependent, it will see greater returns in bull markets and retain greater value in bear markets.

The list: Read More »

Cramer’s Execution Face-Offs (DPZ, PZZA, WAG, CVS)

Tonight’s MAD MONEY on CNBC was a different section than the normal stock picking.  Jim Cramer wanted to cover execution of a business model (or business plan):

  • Cramer’s first face-off was in the pizza group of food and restaurants between Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA) and Dominos Pizza Inc. (NYSE:DPZ). 
  • Secondly, Cramer compared CVS Caremark (NYSE:CVS) to Walgreen’s (NYSE:WAG).

In the pizza face-off, Cramer noted how Papa Johns (NASDAQ:PZZA) was confident on the conference call, how they were positive about the environment despite rising food and energy prices and more, while Dominos (NYSE: DPZ) was apathetic and not positive.  He also noted how this will bring about a company that deserves a higher multiple.  Papa John’s fell 2% to $22.64 today but rose almost 1% to $22.80 on his call (52-week trading range $21.76 to $34.86.  Dominos fell 1.5% today to $12.75 and fell another 0.5% to $12.69 in after-hours trading (52-week trading range $12.25 to $35.67 per-dividend).  We noted in the past how Dominos had looted its books to make that one-time shareholder pay-off.

In the second execution comparison for competitors, Cramer noted how Walgreens (NYSE:WAG) used to be the GO-TO stock in the group but has fallen off track.  CVS Caremark (NYSE:CVS) has started executing better and changed its weakness with the Caremark cost containment company to win as patents go from label to generic in the coming years.  Walgreens is a good pharmacy according to Cramer, but CVS now is winning because of execution and now has an extra edge.  CVS is also adding stores more strategically and more thought out.  In the past Cramer noted this as a MAJOR BULL MARKET PICK.

CVS shares closed up almost 1% today at $39.49 and rose another 0.5% to $39.68 after-hours (52-week range $29.44 to $42.60).  Walgreens hasn’t traded in after-hours to speak of and closed down 2.3% today at $36.38 (52-week trading range $35.80 to $49.10).

For those of you always looking for "CRAMER PICKS TO MOVE" you’ll want to count tonight as  "more educational rather than bold stock picking."

Jon C. Ogg
December 19, 2007

Jon Ogg can be reached at jonogg@247wallst.com; he produces the SPECIAL SITUATION newsletter and he does not own securities in the companies he covers.

Short Sellers Lighten Up On Growth Restaurant Chains (RRGB, PZZA, MSSR, BWLD, SBUX, CAKE, TXRH, CBRL, PFCB, PNRA)

We’ve started seeing some of the recent emptier pockets of Joe Q. Consumer, and after a warning yesterday out of McCormick & Schmicks’s we wanted to see how some of the NASDAQ growth restaurant chains were doing as far as short sellers were concerned.  Interstingly enough, of the ones we look at with regularity that get media coverage it seems like there is actually a drop in short selling from August to September.  Below is a list of companies in the sector along with the shares short in September and a percentage change from the August count of the short interest:

  • Red Robin Gourmet (RRGB)         3.304M  -1.13%
  • Papa John’s (PZZA)                         2.245M   -2.91%
  • McCormick & Schmick’s (MSSR)  1.497M   -6.22%
  • Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD)           3.293M    -6.4%
  • Starbucks (SBUX)                          25.725M   -6.98%
  • Cheesecake factory (CAKE)         11.636M   -7.55%
  • Texas Roadhouse (TXRH)                7.066M    -7.93%
  • CBRL Group (CBRL)                       4.727M  -14.92%
  • P.F.Chang’s (PFCB)                         7.051M  +2.54%
  • Panera Bread (PNRA)                      4.688M  +7.91%

Here are some key related articles that may give added insight:

Jon C. Ogg
September 26, 2007

Yesterday’s After-Hours Movers (May 9, 2007)

                                       

Stock Tickers: MDRX, CSCO, CCRT, ERTS, LMIA, PAL, PZZA, FACE, SIRI, SONS, TRLG, DIS

Allscripst Healthcare Solutions (MDRX) is trading down over 6% to$25.25 after eraffirming targets after earnings.  Its shares are stillup 70% in 18 months, so reaffirming may not be enough.

Cisco Systems (CSCO) trading down 5.5% to $26.75 after estimates and guidance failed on a "wow-factor" like in prior quarters.

CompuCredit (CCRT) is getting shelled 8% in after-hours to $35.00after posting a loss in the quarter.  It still sees $4.00 or higher EPSfor 2007, but you have to trust them, and their customers are the"undesireables" compared to most financial institutions.

Electronic Arts (ERTS) trading down close to 3% at $51.50 after nextquarter guidance is not up to snuff.  The full year for fiscalMarch-2008 looks ahead, but you have to trust they will deliver in thesame two quarters that Halo 3 and Grand Theft Auto releases will becoming.

LMI Aerospace (LMIA) fell 9% on thin volume after posting lower earnings.

North American Palladium (PAL) rose 9% to $11.11 after Cramer toutedit as a stealthy way to speculate on a nickel play with 22% of itsrevenues coming from nickel.

Papa John’s International (PZZA) traded up 2.2% to $32.50 inafter-hours. Earnings wer elower than last year but guidance had beenbrought in enough that they were able to raise their outlook.

Physicians Formula (FACE) fell nearly 10% after beating guidance but guiding lower for the coming quarter.

Sirius Satellite Radio (SIRI) traded up 1.7% after Cramer noted itin the lightning round as a positive if the governemnt will approve themerger.

Sonus Networks (SONS) traded up 5.7% in normal trading and went upanother 2% in after-hours to $7.95.  Revenues looked a bit light, sothis one is worth a look.

True Religion Apparel (TRLG) traded up almost 4% to $16.27 afterclosing up 3.5% in normal trading.  The company did reiterate 20% salesgrowth for 2007 and put EPS at $1.24 to $1.27 for 2007.

Walt Disney (DIS) fell 2% after meeting expectations, but that’safter trading up almost 1.4% in regular trading.  Shares were close torecent highs.

Jon C. Ogg
May 9, 2007

Jon Ogg can be reached at jonogg@247wallst.com; he does not own securities in any of the companies he covers.

                               

After-Hours Movers & Shakers (May 8, 2007)

Stock Tickers: MDRX, CSCO, CCRT, ERTS, LMIA, PAL, PZZA, FACE, SIRI, SONS, TRLG, DIS

Allscripst Healthcare Solutions (MDRX) is trading down over 6% to $25.25 after eraffirming targets after earnings.  Its shares are still up 70% in 18 months, so reaffirming may not be enough.

Cisco Systems (CSCO) trading down 5.5% to $26.75 after estimates and guidance failed on a "wow-factor" like in prior quarters.

CompuCredit (CCRT) is getting shelled 8% in after-hours to $35.00 after posting a loss in the quarter.  It still sees $4.00 or higher EPS for 2007, but you have to trust them, and their customers are the "undesireables" compared to most financial institutions.

Electronic Arts (ERTS) trading down close to 3% at $51.50 after next quarter guidance is not up to snuff.  The full year for fiscal March-2008 looks ahead, but you have to trust they will deliver in the same two quarters that Halo 3 and Grand Theft Auto releases will be coming.

LMI Aerospace (LMIA) fell 9% on thin volume after posting lower earnings.

North American Palladium (PAL) rose 9% to $11.11 after Cramer touted it as a stealthy way to speculate on a nickel play with 22% of its revenues coming from nickel.

Papa John’s International (PZZA) traded up 2.2% to $32.50 in after-hours. Earnings wer elower than last year but guidance had been brought in enough that they were able to raise their outlook.

Physicians Formula (FACE) fell nearly 10% after beating guidance but guiding lower for the coming quarter.

Sirius Satellite Radio (SIRI) traded up 1.7% after Cramer noted it in the lightning round as a positive if the governemnt will approve the merger.

Sonus Networks (SONS) traded up 5.7% in normal trading and went up another 2% in after-hours to $7.95.  Revenues looked a bit light, so this one is worth a look.

True Religion Apparel (TRLG) traded up almost 4% to $16.27 after closing up 3.5% in normal trading.  The company did reiterate 20% sales growth for 2007 and put EPS at $1.24 to $1.27 for 2007.

Walt Disney (DIS) fell 2% after meeting expectations, but that’s after trading up almost 1.4% in regular trading.  Shares were close to recent highs.

Jon C. Ogg
May 8, 2007

Jon Ogg can be reached at jonogg@247wallst.com; he does not own securities in any of the companies he covers.