Tag: Consumer

Release – FAT Brands Announces Two Additional Board Members

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Research News and Market Data on FAT

09/28/2023

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 28, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc . announces the appointment of two new Directors to its Board, James G. Ellis and John M. Allen. With the additions, the Board size will increase from 12 to 14. Mr. Ellis and Mr. Allen will serve as independent directors, with Mr. Ellis also joining the Audit Committee of the Board.

Mr. Ellis served as the Dean of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California from 2007 until June 2019. Prior to his appointment as Dean in April 2007, Mr. Ellis was the Vice Provost, Globalization, for USC and prior to that was Vice Dean, External Relations. Mr. Ellis was also a professor in the Marketing Department of the Marshall School of Business from 1997 until his retirement in 2021. Mr. Ellis continues to serve on the boards of directors of a number of other public and private companies. Mr. Ellis received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of New Mexico and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Mr. Allen is a retired restaurant operator, having served as the founder, owner and operator of Pacific Way Bakery & Café. Mr. Allen received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Illinois.

“Jim and John bring valuable insight and are both deeply respected in their communities,” said Andy Wiederhorn, Chairman of FAT Brands. “We are grateful to have them on the team and look forward to leveraging their insights to continue growth for our franchisees and returns for our shareholders.”

For more information on FAT Brands, visit www.fatbrands.com.

About FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands
FAT Brands (NASDAQ: FAT) is a leading global franchising company that strategically acquires, markets, and develops fast casual, quick-service, casual dining, and polished casual dining concepts around the world. The Company currently owns 18 restaurant brands: Round Table Pizza, Fatburger, Marble Slab Creamery, Johnny Rockets, Fazoli’s, Twin Peaks, Great American Cookies, Hot Dog on a Stick, Buffalo’s Cafe & Express, Hurricane Grill & Wings, Pretzelmaker, Elevation Burger, Smokey Bones, Native Grill & Wings, Yalla Mediterranean and Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses, and franchises and owns over 2,300 units worldwide. For more information on FAT Brands, please visit fatbrands.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s expectations concerning the future and are subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks, uncertainties and contingencies. These risks, uncertainties and contingencies are difficult to predict and beyond our control, and could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. We refer you to the documents that the Company files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, such as our reports on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K, for a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Ali Lloyd, FAT Brands
[email protected]
435-760-6168

Source: FAT Brands Inc.

Instacart Founder Exits With $1.1 Billion Fortune After IPO

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Apoorva Mehta’s path to becoming a billionaire was paved with determination and grit. The 37-year-old founder of grocery delivery app Instacart debuted his company on the public market this week, earning a personal net worth of $1.1 billion.

Mehta’s road to success was not straightforward. After quitting his job as a supply chain engineer at Amazon in 2010, Mehta attempted to launch over 20 startups in San Francisco, all of which failed. “I wanted to become an entrepreneur. I didn’t know what my idea was going to be,” Mehta told CNBC.

Undeterred by his string of failures, Mehta found inspiration from his own empty refrigerator and launched Instacart in 2012 to disrupt the grocery delivery industry. Instacart struggled at first, with Mehta even missing Y Combinator’s application deadline. But he managed to impress the famed accelerator’s partners by personally delivering beer to their office using his new app. With Y Combinator’s backing and $2.3 million in early funding, Instacart began spreading beyond San Francisco.

In just over a decade, Mehta has grown Instacart into a grocery delivery behemoth operating in over 14,000 cities across North America. The company has facilitated the delivery of over 900 million grocery orders and 20 billion items since its founding. Instacart now delivers groceries from over 80,000 stores, including major chains like Kroger, Costco, and Wegmans.

With Instacart’s successful IPO and $8.8 billion valuation, Mehta is transitioning from his role as executive chairman. His 11-year journey founding and leading Instacart has earned him billionaire status, proving that persistence and vision can turn startup failures into phenomenal success.

Mehta’s determination to solve a personal need despite multiple failed attempts speaks to his perseverance and self-belief. “Being an entrepreneur is about solving problems,” Mehta told Forbes India. “If you are solving problems, you are doing something meaningful.”

This tireless problem-solving ethic kept Mehta persevering through over 20 doomed startups before finding his billion-dollar idea. “I wanted to build something that really moved the needle,” Mehta told Entrepreneur. “Part of the reason I kept trying was because I wasn’t succeeding.”

Now valued at nearly $9 billion, Instacart succeeded in moving the needle for online grocery delivery in a massive way. “I’m most excited about the impact we can have on the grocery industry,” Mehta told Forbes of his goals looking forward.

As Mehta departs his executive chairman role, his grocery delivery empire promises to change how people access fresh food for years to come. Under new CEO Fidji Simo, formally of Facebook, Instacart is poised for continued innovation and growth.

Mehta’s journey underscores how entrepreneurs should not measure success purely in financial terms. “It’s about solving problems, inventing things and making an impact – not for the sake of making money but because it’s a challenge,” Mehta told Entrepreneur India. For him, impact and problem solving are the true markers of success.

After over 20 failures, Mehta never gave up on his goal of building something meaningful. His unflagging determination and vision turned a simple grocery delivery app into a multibillion-dollar public company. Mehta’s inspiring rise from failed startups to billionaire success shows how persistence and grit can overcome early stumbles to eventually change an entire industry.

FAT Brands Inc. (FAT) – Management Discussions on Smokey Bones Acquisition

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Thursday, September 28, 2023

FAT Brands (NASDAQ: FAT) is a leading global franchising company that strategically acquires, markets, and develops fast casual, quick-service, casual dining, and polished casual dining concepts around the world. The Company currently owns 17 restaurant brands: Round Table Pizza, Fatburger, Marble Slab Creamery, Johnny Rockets, Fazoli’s, Twin Peaks, Great American Cookies, Hot Dog on a Stick, Buffalo’s Cafe & Express, Hurricane Grill & Wings, Pretzelmaker, Elevation Burger, Native Grill & Wings, Yalla Mediterranean and Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses, and franchises and owns over 2,300 units worldwide. For more information on FAT Brands, please visit www.fatbrands.com.

Joe Gomes, Managing Director, Equity Research Analyst, Generalist , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Joshua Zoepfel, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

Management Conversation. We had an opportunity to speak with FAT Brands Chairman of the Board Andy Wiederhorn regarding the Smokey Bones acquisition. As we highlighted in our Tuesday report, the acquisition adds 61 corporate owned locations and adds the barbeque vertical to Fat Brands portfolio. But, we believe the acquisition will add even more.

A Better Price. FAT Brands had been eyeing Smokey Bones for a while and, in fact, had almost closed the deal over a year ago, but at a much higher price than the $30 million deal. Based on a $10 million annual adjusted EBITDA run rate, the chain was acquired at 3x, which will help lower FAT Brands’ overall leverage ratio by nearly a turn. According to Mr. Wiederhorn, annual revenue is in the $170-$180 million range.


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Equity Research is available at no cost to Registered users of Channelchek. Not a Member? Click ‘Join’ to join the Channelchek Community. There is no cost to register, and we never collect credit card information.

This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).

*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision. 

Release – FAT Brands Announces Acquisition Of Smokey Bones Barbecue Chain

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Research News and Market Data on FAT

09/25/2023

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Global Franchisor Doubles Down on Polished Dining Segment

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 25, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc. (NASDAQ: FAT) (“FAT Brands” or the “Company”) today announces it has acquired the Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill restaurant chain from an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners, Inc. The acquisition marks the Company’s first foray into barbecue and expands FAT Brands’ portfolio of polished dining chains, which currently includes Twin Peaks. The purchase is expected to increase annual adjusted EBITDA by approximately $10 million, and bring 61 new corporate locations under FAT Brands’ umbrella. The $30 million transaction was funded from the Company’s existing securitization facilities.

“We continue to be selective and opportunistic in our acquisition strategy, targeting brands that are both scalable and synergistic with our existing platform,” said Rob Rosen, Co-CEO of FAT Brands. “We are pleased to add another polished dining brand, which will provide more options for our sales team to offer our franchise partners to further their new unit development.”

“As we have spent the year focusing on digesting past acquisitions, we’ve also been amplifying the explosive growth in our polished dining vertical,” said Andy Wiederhorn, Chairman and Founder of FAT Brands. “Having a strong player in the barbecue space provides another arrow in our quiver for the polished dining segment and opens the door for additional growth strategies for our sister brands. We look forward to generating impressive results, similar to our Johnny Rockets integration, which we also acquired from an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners.”

“We are excited to become a part of the FAT Brands family and benefit from their purchasing power and scale,” said Hal Lawlor, President of Smokey Bones. “Additionally, we see great opportunity in being a part of a leading global franchising company to further our growth with new franchised locations.”

Kroll Investment Banking acted as exclusive sell-side M&A advisor to Smokey Bones and Sun Capital Partners on the transaction.

For more information, visit www.fatbrands.com.

About FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands
FAT Brands (NASDAQ: FAT) is a leading global franchising company that strategically acquires, markets, and develops fast casual, quick-service, casual dining, and polished casual dining concepts around the world. The Company currently owns 17 restaurant brands: Round Table Pizza, Fatburger, Marble Slab Creamery, Johnny Rockets, Fazoli’s, Twin Peaks, Great American Cookies, Hot Dog on a Stick, Buffalo’s Cafe & Express, Hurricane Grill & Wings, Pretzelmaker, Elevation Burger, Native Grill & Wings, Yalla Mediterranean and Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses, and franchises and owns approximately 2,300 units worldwide. For more information, please visit www.fatbrands.com.

About Smokey Bones
The Masters of Meat. Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill is a full-service restaurant chain delivering great barbecue, award-winning ribs, perfectly seared steaks and memorable moments in 61 locations across 16 states. Smokey Bones serves lunch, dinner, and late night, and has a full bar featuring a variety of bourbons and whiskeys, a selection of domestic, import and local craft beers, and several signature handcrafted cocktails. Smokey Bones offers a variety of meats that are slow-smoked, fire-grilled, and available for dine-in, pick-up, online ordering, catering, and delivery. Smokey Bones offers a 10 percent discount to active duty and veterans with ID. For additional information and a list of locations nationwide, please visit www.SmokeyBones.com. Smokey Bones, Meat is What We Do!

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements relating to the Company’s future financial performance and growth following the acquisition of Smokey Bones, including expectations of changes in the Company’s adjusted EBITDA, and the Company’s ability to conduct future accretive and successful acquisitions. Forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s expectations concerning the future and are subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks, uncertainties and contingencies including, but not limited to, the Company’s ability to successfully integrate and exploit the synergies of the acquisition of Smokey Bones, and the Company’s ability to grow and expand sales and earnings following the acquisition. These risks, uncertainties and contingencies are difficult to predict and beyond our control, and could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. We refer you to the documents that the Company files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, such as our reports on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K, for a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release.

About Non-GAAP Projected Financial Measures
This press release includes projections of changes in future EBITDA, a financial measure that is not prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). EBITDA is defined as net income (loss), before interest expense, income tax expense (benefit), depreciation and amortization expense. EBITDA is not a measurement of the Company’s financial performance under GAAP, and should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to net income (loss) as a measure of financial performance, cash flows from operating activities as a measure of liquidity, or any other performance measure derived in accordance with GAAP. The Company believes that EBITDA is an important supplemental measure of its operating performance because it eliminates the impact of expenses that do not relate to business performance. The Company also believes that this non-GAAP measure is useful to investors because it and similar measures are frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties to evaluate companies in our industry and provide additional information regarding growth rates on a more comparable basis than would be provided without such adjustments.

The Company prepared the information included in this press release based upon available information and assumptions and estimates that it believes are reasonable. The Company cannot assure you that its estimates and assumptions will prove to be accurate. Additionally, to the extent that forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures are provided, they are presented on a non-GAAP basis without reconciliations of such forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures due to the inherent difficulty in forecasting and quantifying certain amounts that are necessary for such reconciliation.

Investor Relations:
ICR
Michelle Michalski
[email protected]
646-277-1224

Media Relations:
Ali Lloyd
[email protected]
435-760-6168

Source: FAT Brands Inc.

FAT Brands Inc. (FAT) – Expanding Into BBQ

Posted on by [email protected]


Tuesday, September 26, 2023

FAT Brands (NASDAQ: FAT) is a leading global franchising company that strategically acquires, markets, and develops fast casual, quick-service, casual dining, and polished casual dining concepts around the world. The Company currently owns 17 restaurant brands: Round Table Pizza, Fatburger, Marble Slab Creamery, Johnny Rockets, Fazoli’s, Twin Peaks, Great American Cookies, Hot Dog on a Stick, Buffalo’s Cafe & Express, Hurricane Grill & Wings, Pretzelmaker, Elevation Burger, Native Grill & Wings, Yalla Mediterranean and Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses, and franchises and owns over 2,300 units worldwide. For more information on FAT Brands, please visit www.fatbrands.com.

Joe Gomes, Managing Director, Equity Research Analyst, Generalist , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Joshua Zoepfel, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

Adding Smokey Bones. Last night, FAT Brands announced the acquisition of the Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill chain for $30 million from Sun Capital Partners. Smokey Bones not only expands FAT Brands into the BBQ space, but also amplifies the Company’s polished dining vertical, in our view.

Smokey Bones. Smokey Bones operates 61 award winning locations across 16 states. With a focus on BBQ, Smokey Bones is a casual dining restaurant with a sports bar scene. Smokey Bones serves lunch, dinner, and late night, and has a full bar featuring a variety of bourbons and whiskeys, a selection of domestic, import, and local craft beers, and several signature handcrafted cocktails.


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Equity Research is available at no cost to Registered users of Channelchek. Not a Member? Click ‘Join’ to join the Channelchek Community. There is no cost to register, and we never collect credit card information.

This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).

*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision. 

Lifeway Foods (LWAY) – Stock Price Momentum Continues, Moving to Market Perform

Posted on by [email protected]


Monday, September 25, 2023

Joe Gomes, Managing Director, Equity Research Analyst, Generalist , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Joshua Zoepfel, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

Price Momentum. LWAY shares continue their rise, closing last Friday at $12.42, above our recently raised $12 price target. LWAY shares are up 97% since closing at $6.30 the Friday before the August 14th 2Q23 earnings release and are up nearly 124% YTD. Notably, volume continues to show strong momentum, with the ADV since August 14 at 136,522 shares, compared to a 90 day ADV of 15,430 shares just prior to the August 14th earnings release.

Rationale. With the sharp price rise, LWAY shares are likely to enter a consolidation phase, in our view. Further significant price appreciation leans towards operating results exceeding expectations and/or a potential acquisition of the Company, in our view. With insiders controlling nearly 50% of the outstanding shares, we do not believe a sale of the Company is in the cards. 


Get the Full Report

Equity Research is available at no cost to Registered users of Channelchek. Not a Member? Click ‘Join’ to join the Channelchek Community. There is no cost to register, and we never collect credit card information.

This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).

*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision. 

Release – Great American Cookies And Marble Slab Creamery Announce March Of Dimes Partnership Spotlighting NICU Awareness Month

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Research News and Market Data on FAT

09/21/2023

Milestones Matter! Cookie and Ice Cream Franchises Announce Partnership to Support Mom and Baby Nonprofit

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 21, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Great American Cookies, the Original Cookie Cake franchise, and Marble Slab Creamery, the imaginative small-batch ice cream brand, proudly announce their partnership with March of Dimes, the leading nonprofit fighting for the health of moms and babies. Tapping into the brands’ synergies of celebrating family milestones, the three organizations will join forces to honor Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) patients, their families, and the healthcare professionals caring for them.

To celebrate heroic NICU employees on Sept. 28, NICU Staff Appreciation Day, Great American Cookies and Marble Slab Creamery will provide a sweet surprise to select NICU teams around the country by delivering Original Cookie Cakes and Ice Cream Cakes. In honor of NICU Awareness Day on Sept. 30, Great American Cookies and Marble Slab Creamery will donate $1 to March of Dimes for every purchase made in-store or online. Additionally, customers who order Cookie Cakes or Ice Cream Cakes online on Sept. 30 (and pick up no later than Oct. 7) receive $3 off their Cookie Cake or IceCream Cake with code.

Many babies will spend their earliest days in the NICU due to preterm birth, birth defects, surgical or genetic conditions, or other diagnosis. This time can be stressful and overwhelming for families. The funds raised will help further March of Dimes’ critical support for families through programs like the NICU Family Support® program, which offers family education, staff training on family-centered care and an improved patient experience.

“With 1 in 10 babies born preterm each year, many of whom will spend time in the NICU, we appreciate the remarkable impact NICU staff have on families,” said Jenn Johnston, Chief Marketing Officer at FAT Brands, Inc. “At Marble Slab Creamery and Great American Cookies, we love sharing milestone moments with families, whether it’s a birthday or first steps – every milestone is worth celebrating. We have the perfect Cookie Cakes and Ice Cream Cakes to do just that! We are proud to raise funds to further the March of Dimes mission to improve the health of all moms and babies.”

“For more than 20 years, March of Dimes has been there for families with a baby in the NICU and as they transition home, offering the support and education they need, right when they need it,” said Kelly Ernst, March of Dimes Senior Vice President, Chief Revenue and Impact Officer. “This NICU Awareness Month, we are inspired by Great American Cookies and Marble Slab Creamery’s commitment to celebrate the dedicated staff that work so hard to take care of thousands of families each year with support from our hospital partners across the country as part of their exciting Milestones Matter initiative.”

For nearly 40 years, Marble Slab Creamery has been an innovator in the ice cream space, dreaming up the frozen slab technique and offering homemade, small-batch ice cream with free unlimited mix-ins, shakes in a variety of flavors, and ice cream cakes.

Since 1977, Great American Cookies has baked up a reputation for not only being the creator of the Original Cookie Cake, but also for its famous chocolate chip cookie recipe. Other craveable menu items include brownies and Double Doozies™, made with delectable icing sandwiched between two cookies.

To donate directly to the cause, please visit the brands’ Milestones Matter website. For more information on Great American Cookies, visit www.greatamericancookies.com. For more information on Marble Slab Creamery, visit www.marbleslab.com. The brands are thankful to partners Southern Champion Tray and Specialty Box & PACKING CO. for enabling this partnership and donation.

About FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands
FAT Brands (NASDAQ: FAT) is a leading global franchising company that strategically acquires, markets, and develops fast casual, quick-service, casual dining, and polished casual dining concepts around the world. The Company currently owns 17 restaurant brands: Round Table Pizza, Fatburger, Marble Slab Creamery, Johnny Rockets, Fazoli’s, Twin Peaks, Great American Cookies, Hot Dog on a Stick, Buffalo’s Cafe & Express, Hurricane Grill & Wings, Pretzelmaker, Elevation Burger, Native Grill & Wings, Yalla Mediterranean and Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses, and franchises and owns over 2,300 units worldwide. For more information on FAT Brands, please visit www.fatbrands.com.

About Great American Cookies
Founded on a family chocolate chip cookie recipe in 1977, Great American Cookies believes that pure, simple delight is part of living a full life. Serving the Original Cookie Cake, fresh baked cookies in a variety of flavors, brownies, and Double Doozies™, we promise to treat you to bites of bliss that prove how sweet life can be. With more than 400 bakeries across the country and internationally in Bahrain, Guam, Saudi Arabia, and treats available to ship right to your door, the sweet spot is always close to home. For more information, visit www.greatamericancookies.com.

About Marble Slab Creamery
Since dreaming up the frozen slab technique and serving fresh homemade, small-batch Ice Cream in-store since 1983, Marble Slab Creamery has always known how to dream big. We sprinkle our customers with imagination and promise to inspire with infinite Ice Cream possibilities to feed your curiosity and capture cravings. With our always free mix-in philosophy, delicious Ice Cream and Shakes in a variety of flavors, hand-rolled waffle cones, and Ice Cream Cakes, imagination has no limits. Today, Marble Slab Creamery is enjoyed by consumers across the globe with locations in Bahrain, Canada, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the United States. For more information, visit www.marbleslab.com.

About March of Dimes
March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. We support research, lead programs, and provide education and advocacy so that every family can have the best possible start. Building on a successful 85-year legacy, we support every pregnant person and every family. To learn more about March of Dimes, please visit marchofdimes.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Ali Lloyd, FAT Brands
[email protected]
435-760-6168

Source: FAT Brands Inc.

QuantaSing Group Limited (QSG) – A Favorable Course For Revenue and Cash Flow Growth

Posted on by [email protected]


Thursday, September 21, 2023

QuantaSing is a leading online service provider in China dedicated to improving people’s quality of life and well-being by providing lifelong personal learning and development opportunities. The Company is the largest service provider in China’s online adult learning market and China’s adult personal interest learning market in terms of revenue, according to a report by Frost & Sullivan based on data from 2022. By leveraging its proprietary tools and technology, QuantaSing offers easy-to-understand, affordable, and accessible online courses to adult learners under a variety of brands, including QiNiu, JiangZhen and QianChi, empowering users to pursue personal development. Leveraging its extensive experience in individual online learning services, the Company has also expanded its services to corporate clients including, among others, marketing services and enterprise talent management services.

Michael Kupinski, Director of Research, Equity Research Analyst, Digital, Media & Technology , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Patrick McCann, CFA, Research Analyst, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

Initiating coverage with an Outperform rating and a $10 price target. QuantaSing is the largest online individual learning service provider in China, by revenue. It launched in 2019 with a focus on adult financial literacy courses, before expanding to personal interest courses. Additionally, the company operates an e-commerce platform focused on liquor, which could expand product offerings in the future. Our favorable rating is based on the company’s positive cash flow growth outlook.

Scalable business model. The company acquires customers at a low cost by offering free introductory courses advertised through online sources, providing a large audience to which it can sell its premium courses, Currently, the company has over 94 million total registered users on its free course offerings. Notably, the company can quickly develop new courses tailored to customer needs, which provides flexible monetization opportunities. 


Get the Full Report

Equity Research is available at no cost to Registered users of Channelchek. Not a Member? Click ‘Join’ to join the Channelchek Community. There is no cost to register, and we never collect credit card information.

This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).

*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision. 

Release – Fazoli’s Opens Second Little Rock Location

Posted on by [email protected]

Research News and Market Data on FAT

09/20/2023

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Hot and Fresh Breadsticks Now Cooking on the West Side

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 20, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fazoli’s, America’s favorite fast and fresh Italian chain, has opened its second location in Little Rock. Located at 11410 W. Markham St., the location is now serving up its beloved hot and buttery breadsticks and signature Italian dishes including pasta, subs, salads and pizzas. 

“We have loved serving the Little Rock community and look forward to making our fast and fresh Italian offerings more convenient to the west side of town,” said Doug Bostick, President at Fazoli’s. “Our second location in Little Rock is just the beginning of our commitment to growth in Arkansas, so stay tuned for more updates.” 

Since 1988, Fazoli’s has been committed to serving quality Italian food, fast, fresh, and friendly. From unlimited signature breadsticks to freshly prepared pasta entrees, the chain prides itself on serving high-quality menu offerings, all at an affordable price. 

The Little Rock Fazoli’s is located at 11410 W. Markham St. Little Rock, AR 72212. Drive-thru and dine-in are open 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. 

For more information, visit Fazolis.com. 

About FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands

FAT Brands (NASDAQ: FAT) is a leading global franchising company that strategically acquires, markets, and develops fast casual, quick-service, casual dining, and polished casual dining concepts around the world. The Company currently owns 17 restaurant brands: Round Table Pizza, Fatburger, Marble Slab Creamery, Johnny Rockets, Fazoli’s, Twin Peaks, Great American Cookies, Hot Dog on a Stick, Buffalo’s Cafe & Express, Hurricane Grill & Wings, Pretzelmaker, Elevation Burger, Native Grill & Wings, Yalla Mediterranean and Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses, and franchises and owns over 2,300 units worldwide. For more information on FAT Brands, please visit fatbrands.com. 

About Fazoli’s

Fast. Fresh. Italian. Founded in 1988 in Lexington, Ky., Fazoli’s owns and operates nearly 220 restaurants in 27 states, making it the largest QSR Italian chain in America. Fazoli’s prides itself on serving quality Italian food, fast, fresh and friendly. Menu offerings include freshly prepared pasta entrees, sub sandwiches, salads, pizza and desserts – along with its unlimited signature breadsticks. For more information, visit www.Fazolis.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Ali Lloyd, FAT Brands
[email protected]
435-760-6168

The Perfect Storm Brewing in US Housing

Posted on by [email protected]

A perfect storm is brewing in the US housing market. Mortgage rates have surged above 7% just as millennials, the largest generation, reach peak homebuying age. This collision of rising interest rates and unmet demand is causing substantial disruption, as seen in the sharp decline in home sales, cautious builders and a looming affordability crisis that threatens the broader economy.

Mortgage rates have taken off as the Federal Reserve aggressively raises interest rates to fight inflation. The average 30-year fixed rate recently hit 7.18%, according to Freddie Mac, the highest level since 2001. This has severely hampered housing affordability and demand. Fannie Mae, the mortgage finance giant, forecasts total home sales will drop to 4.8 million this year, the slowest pace since 2011 when the housing market was still recovering from the Great Recession.

Fannie Mae expects sales to struggle through 2024 as rates remain elevated. It predicts the US economy will enter a recession in early 2024, further dragging down the housing market. Home prices are also likely to drop as high rates impede sales. This could hurt consumer confidence and discretionary spending, considering the critical role housing plays in household wealth.

Higher rates have pumped up monthly mortgage payments and made homes less affordable. Take a $500,000 home purchased with a 20% down payment. At a 2.86% mortgage rate two years ago, the monthly payment would have been $1,656. With rates now at 7.18%, that same home has a monthly cost of $3,077, according to calculations by Axios. That 87% payment surge makes purchasing unattainable for many buyers.

These affordability challenges are hitting just as millennials reach peak homebuying age. The largest cohorts of this generation were born in the late 1980s and early 1990s, making them between 32 and 34 years old today. That’s when marriage, childbearing and demand for living space typically accelerate.

However, homebuilders have been reluctant to significantly ramp up construction with rates so high. Housing starts experienced a significant decline of 11.3% in August, according to Census Bureau data, driven by a decline in apartment buildings. Single-family starts dipped 4.3% to an annual pace of 941,000, 16% below the average from mid-2020 to mid-2022. Homebuilder sentiment has also plunged, according to the National Association of Home Builders.

Take a look at Orion Group Holdings Inc., a leading specialty construction company servicing the infrastructure, industrial and building sectors.

This pullback in new construction comes even as there is strong interest from millennials and other buyers. Though mortgage rates moderated the overheated housing market earlier this year, national home prices remain just below their all-time highs, up 13.5% from two years ago, according to the S&P Case-Shiller index.

Some analysts say the only solution is to significantly boost supply. But that seems unlikely with builders cautious and financing costs high. The housing crisis has no quick fix and will continue to be an anchor on the broader economy. Millennials coming of age and mortgage rates spiraling upwards have sparked a perfect storm, broken the housing market, and darkened the country’s economic outlook.

High Gas Prices Return, Complicating Inflation Fight

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Pain at the pump has made an unwelcome return, with gas prices rapidly rising across the United States. The national average recently climbed to $3.88 per gallon, while some states now face prices approaching or exceeding $6 per gallon.

In California, gas prices have spiked to $5.79 on average, up 31 cents in just the past week. It’s even worse in metro Los Angeles where prices hit $6.07, a 49 cent weekly jump. Besides California, drivers in 11 states now face average gas prices of $4 or more.

This resurgence complicates the Federal Reserve’s fight against high inflation. Oil prices are the key driver of retail gas costs. With oil climbing back to $90 per barrel, pushed up by supply cuts abroad, gas prices have followed.

West Texas Intermediate crude rose to $93.74 on Tuesday, its highest level in 10 months, before retreating below $91 on Wednesday. The international benchmark Brent crude hit highs above $96 per barrel. Goldman Sachs warned Brent could reach $107 if OPEC+ nations don’t unwind production cuts.

For consumers, higher gas prices add costs and sap purchasing power, especially for lower-income families. Drivers once again face pain filling up their tanks. Households paid an average of $445 a month on gas during the June peak when prices topped $5 a gallon. That figure dropped to $400 in September but is rising again.

Politically, high gas also causes headaches for the Biden administration. Midterm voters tend to blame whoever occupies the White House for pain at the pump, whether justified or not. President Biden has few tools to immediately lower prices set by global markets.

Take a look at other energy companies by taking a look at Noble Capital Markets Research Analyst Michael Heim’s coverage list.

However, economists say oil and gas prices must rise significantly further to seriously jeopardize the U.S. economy. Past recessions only followed massive oil price spikes of at least 100% within a year. Oil would need to double from current levels, to around $140 per barrel, to inevitably tip the economy into recession, according to analysis.

Nonetheless, the energy resurgence does present challenges for the Fed’s inflation fight. While core inflation has cooled lately, headline inflation has rebounded in part due to pricier gas. Consumer prices rose 0.1% in August, defying expectations of a drop, largely because of rising shelter and energy costs.

This complicates the Fed’s mission to cool inflation through interest rate hikes. Some economists believe the energy volatility will lead the Fed to pencil in an additional quarter-point rate hike this year to around 4.5%. However, a dramatic policy response is unlikely with oil still below $100 per barrel.

In fact, some argue the energy spike may even inadvertently help the Fed. By sapping consumer spending power, high gas prices could dampen demand and ease price pressures. If energy costs siphon purchases away from discretionary goods and services, it may allow inflation to fall without more aggressive Fed action.

Morgan Stanley analysis found past energy price shocks had a “small” impact on core inflation but took a “sizable bite out of” consumer spending. While bad for growth, this demand destruction could give the Fed space to cool inflation without triggering serious economic damage.

For now, energy volatility muddies the inflation outlook and complicates the Fed’s delicate task of engineering a soft landing. Gas prices swinging upward once again present both economic and political challenges. But unless oil spikes drastically higher, the energy complex likely won’t force the Fed’s hand. The central bank will keep rates elevated as long as underlying inflation remains stubbornly high.

Release – ACCO Brands Publishes 2022 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report

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Research News and Market Data on ACCO

09/18/2023

LAKE ZURICH, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– ACCO Brands Corporation (NYSE: ACCO) a leading global consumer, technology, and business branded products company, today published its 2022 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report.

“At ACCO Brands, we are committed to operating our business with the highest ethical standards. We foster accountability to our stakeholders with strong governance and risk management policies and practices,” noted Tom Tedford, President, and Chief Operating Officer. “Our ESG report highlights our progress in delivering on our commitments to our employees, the environment, and the communities in which we live and work. Our work is organized under the pillars of People, Planet and Products and is guided by our long-standing values: to act with integrity, embrace diversity and act responsibly in our global community,” concluded Mr. Tedford.

To access the Company’s 2022 ESG Report and learn more about the Company’s ESG efforts, read the full report by clicking here.

About ACCO Brands

ACCO Brands, the Home of Great Brands Built by Great People, designs, manufactures and markets consumer and end-user products that help people work, learn, play and thrive. Our widely recognized brands include AT-A-GLANCE®, Five Star®, Kensington®, Leitz®, Mead®, PowerA®, Swingline®, Tilibra® and many others. More information about ACCO Brands Corporation (NYSE: ACCO) can be found at www.accobrands.com.

Lori Conley
Corporate Communications
[email protected]

Source: ACCO Brands Corporation

The ODP Corporation (ODP) – CEO Takes a Medical Leave

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Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Office Depot, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, supplies a range of office products and services. It offers merchandise, such as general office supplies, computer supplies, business machines and related supplies, and office furniture through its chain of office supply stores under the Office Depot, Foray, Ativa, Break Escapes, Worklife, and Christopher Lowell brand names. The company also provides graphic design, printing, reproduction, mailing, shipping, and other services through design, print, and ship centers. It has operations throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and Central America. The company also sells its products and services through direct mail catalogs, contract sales force, Internet sites, and retail stores, through a mix of company-owned operations, joint ventures, licensing and franchise agreements, alliances, and other arrangements. As of December 31, 2008, Office Depot operated 1,267 North American retail division office supply stores and 162 international division retail stores, as well as participated under licensing and merchandise arrangements in 98 stores. The company was founded in 1986 and is based in Boca Raton, Florida.

Joe Gomes, Managing Director, Equity Research Analyst, Generalist , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Joshua Zoepfel, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

Medical Leave. Yesterday, The ODP Corporation announced that Gerry P. Smith, the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, began a temporary medical leave of absence to undergo a medical procedure that requires several weeks of recovery. Effective immediately, the Board of Directors of the Company appointed Joseph S. Vassalluzzo, the Company’s non-executive Chair of the Board, to assume Mr. Smith’s authority and responsibilities until Mr. Smith returns from his medical leave.

Mr. Vassalluzzo Background. Mr. Vassalluzzo has served as the independent non-executive Chairman of the Board since February 2017 and has served as a member of the Board since August 2013. Mr. Vassalluzzo has extensive industry experience. He was employed by Staples, Inc. from 1989 until 2005 and his duties included worldwide responsibility for all of Staples’ real estate activities, including the development and management of all retail stores; distribution; office and warehouse centers; international operations; engineering, construction and design activities; facilities management; M&A activities; and the Legal Department function. Mr. Vassalluzzo also served as Staples’ vice chairman from 1999 to 2005.


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