earnings

Financing

High dairy costs and low sales give Dutch Bros heartburn

The drive-thru beverage chain’s stock price plunged 30% Wednesday after the company said sales declined in April due to rising gas prices and profits thinned because of higher dairy costs.

Financing

Sales rise at First Watch, and margins follow

A March surge helped its restaurants run more efficiently. Now it’s staffing up to meet the higher demand.

Shares of restaurant companies have lost nearly a quarter of their value so far this year amid higher interest rates and recession fears. Winners remain few.

The company is taking share from its competitors as demand for delivery remains strong.

Sales are up, but inflation and supply chain issues continue to cause stress for smaller, publicly traded restaurant chains.

The pizza chain, whose sales continue to outperform its rivals, is raising its development outlook as operators speed up unit growth.

The 71-unit Italian beef chain is working to find more operational efficiencies as “unprecedented” inflation continues to hit its bottom line.

But the salad chain reported Thursday that its same-store sales climbed 35% during the first quarter and earnings rose 67% over the year before.

On-premise visits have returned to 2019 levels, and executives believe there’s room for more.

Shake Shack raised menu prices another 3.5% in March and said more price hikes could be on the way.

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