Stephens

McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE: MCD) shareholders are cheering the company’s across-the-board Q3 earnings beat released prior to the market open on Friday. Stephens analysts Will Slabaugh expects McDonald's to continue focusing on what is working in Q4: breakfast. McDonald's beat...

Stephens upgraded shares of Restaurant Brands International Inc (NYSE: QSR) to Overweight from Equal Weight, attributing the upgrade to its belief that it is one of the few restaurants where investors can easily draw a multi-year path to margin improvement and earnings upside. Above Consensus 3Q...

Two network security companies issued updates recently, with Barracuda Networks Inc (NYSE: CUDA) delivering better-than-expected results for the second quarter and Fortinet Inc (NASDAQ: FTNT) providing a downbeat forecast for the third quarter. Both the events triggered actions from different...

Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NYSE: LVLT) shares are up 3.6 percent following a potential buyout by Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA). Stephens analyst Barry McCarver says a Comcast bid makes a lot of sense and could provide major upside for Level 3 shares. Up to this point, one of Comcast...

Stephens downgraded Krispy Kreme Doughnuts (NYSE: KKD) to Equal-Weight from Overweight after the company said it agreed to be acquired by by JAB Beech Inc. for $21 a share, or about $1.35 billion in equity value. "We like the valuation of this deal (over 16x '16 EBITDA), which is...

Stephens boosted the price target of Bojangles Inc (NASDAQ: BOJA) to $22 from $20 after the company reported another earnings beat despite the competitive environment. The company reported strong results for the first quarter, including a company-owned SSS growth of +2.7 percent and adj. EPS of $0....

Amid the heavy market selling on Tuesday, restaurant stocks have performed relatively well. Shares of Cheesecake Factory Inc (NASDAQ: CAKE), Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG), McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE: MCD) and Sonic Corporation (NASDAQ: SONC) were all in the green on Tuesday...

Baker Hughes Incorporated (NYSE: BHI) reported its 1Q results, underperforming its peers. Stephens’ Matthew Marietta downgraded the rating on the company from Overweight to Equal-Weight, while lowering the price target from $64 to $39. “While LT potential for stand-alone success remains...

From food-borne illnesses, the subsequent food safety risks and concerns, and dampened consumer sentiments, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) has had its share of difficulties recently. While the stock has rebounded over the last three months from its previous downhill snowballing, the...

Will Slabaugh of Stephens expects a material and ongoing structural change to the margin profile of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) and said it is very difficult to have conviction on the stock at the current valuation. According to a note from Slabaugh, "We have little doubt that CMG...