For those looking to find strong Retail-Wholesale stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. BJ's Restaurants (BJRI) is a stock that can certainly grab the attention of many investors, but do its recent returns compare favorably to the sector as a whole? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Retail-Wholesale sector should help us answer this question.BJ's Restaurants is a member of our Retail-Wholesale gr ...

Momentum investing is essentially the opposite of the tried-and-tested Wall Street adage -- "buy low and sell high." Investors following this investing style typically avoid betting on cheap stocks and waiting long for them to recover. They believe instead that one could make far more money in lesser time by "buying high and selling higher."Who doesn't like betting on fast-moving trending stocks? But determining the right entry point isn't easy. Often, these stocks lose momentum once their valuation moves a ...

The Zacks Retail – Restaurants industry continues to navigate a challenging macroeconomic environment, high costs and dismal traffic. However, the industry is benefiting from an increase in sales driven by rapid menu price hikes, average check growth and expansion efforts. Industry participants also benefit from partnerships with delivery channels and digital platforms. Stocks like CAVA Group, Inc. (CAVA) , Wingstop Inc. (WING) and BJ's Restaurants, Inc. (BJRI) are well-poised to benefit from the aforementi ...

Retail Sales Overview - U.S. retail sales increased by 0.1% in April following a revised 1.7% increase in March, contrary to economists' expectations of no change [1] - The March increase was influenced by consumers making purchases in anticipation of tariff announcements [1] Sector Performance - The largest increases in April were in food services and drinking places (1.2%), building material and garden equipment supplies (0.8%), furniture (0.3%), and electronics and appliances stores (0.3%) [2] - Sales excluding food services, auto dealers, building materials stores, and gasoline stations decreased by 0.2%, below the revised 0.5% gain in March and forecasts of a 0.3% rise [2] Winning Areas Food Services and Drinking Places - Sales in this sector rose by 1.2% sequentially in April and 7.8% year over year [4] - AdvisorShares Restaurant ETF (EATZ) focuses on companies deriving at least 50% of their revenue from the restaurant business [4] - BJ's Restaurants (BJRI) operates high-end casual dining restaurants and has a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) [5] Building Material & Garden Equipment & Supplies Dealers - This segment experienced a 0.8% sequential sales gain and a 3.2% year-over-year increase [6] - Broad-based retail ETFs like Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) and VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) are relevant for this sector [6] - Vulcan Materials (VMC) is the largest supplier of construction aggregates in the U.S. and has a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) [7] Electronics & Appliance Stores - Sales in this category increased by 0.3% sequentially in April and 0.1% year over year [8] - The rise in electronics sales is expected to benefit semiconductor funds and stocks [8] - VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMH) tracks companies involved in semiconductor production and charges 35 bps in fees [8] - Universal Electronics (UEIC) is a leader in universal control and sensing technologies for smart homes and has a Zacks Rank 3 [9]

Momentum investing is all about the idea of following a stock's recent trend, which can be in either direction. In the 'long' context, investors will essentially be "buying high, but hoping to sell even higher." And for investors following this methodology, taking advantage of trends in a stock's price is key; once a stock establishes a course, it is more than likely to continue moving in that direction. The goal is that once a stock heads down a fixed path, it will lead to timely and profitable trades.Whil ...

Investors interested in Retail - Restaurants stocks are likely familiar with BJ's Restaurants (BJRI) and Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look.There are plenty of strategies for discovering value stocks, but we have found that pairing a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system produces the best returns. The proven Zacks Rank emphasizes companies w ...

Revenue and Sales Performance - Total revenues increased by $10.6 million, or 3.2%, to $348.0 million for the thirteen weeks ended April 1, 2025, compared to $337.3 million for the same period in 2024[79] - Comparable restaurant sales rose by 1.7%, or $5.7 million, driven by a guest traffic increase of approximately 2.7%, despite a 1.0% decrease in average check[79] Cost and Expense Management - Cost of sales increased by $1.9 million, or 2.2%, to $86.8 million, with cost of sales as a percentage of revenues decreasing to 25.0% from 25.2%[80] - Labor and benefit costs rose by $0.6 million, or 0.5%, to $125.7 million, with labor and benefit costs as a percentage of revenues decreasing to 36.1% from 37.1%[81] - Occupancy and operating expenses increased by $3.1 million, or 4.0%, to $79.9 million, with occupancy and operating expenses as a percentage of revenues increasing to 23.0% from 22.8%[82] - General and administrative expenses decreased by $1.2 million, or 5.4%, to $21.8 million, with general and administrative expenses as a percentage of revenues decreasing to 6.3% from 6.8%[84] - Depreciation and amortization increased by $0.4 million, or 2.3%, to $18.3 million, remaining consistent at 5.3% of revenues[85] - Restaurant opening expenses decreased by $0.2 million, or 25.8%, to $0.4 million due to the timing of openings[86] Profitability and Income - Net income for the thirteen weeks ended April 1, 2025, was 3.9%, compared to 2.3% for the same period in 2024[78] Capital Expenditures and Future Plans - The company expects to accelerate restaurant openings in 2026, with capital expenditures in 2025 dependent on the development of a robust pipeline for new locations[91] - Total capital expenditures for the thirteen weeks ended April 1, 2025, were $16.7 million, down from $21.9 million in the same period in 2024[96] - The company plans to remodel up to 30 existing locations in fiscal 2025 and anticipates total capital expenditures of approximately $65 million to $75 million for the fiscal year[96] Cash Flow and Financing Activities - Net cash provided by operating activities was $4.6 million for the thirteen weeks ended April 1, 2025, a decrease of $17.7 million from $22.3 million for the same period in 2024[95] - Net cash used in investing activities was $16.6 million for the thirteen weeks ended April 1, 2025, a decrease of $5.2 million from $21.9 million in the prior year[96] - Net cash provided by financing activities was $4.9 million for the thirteen weeks ended April 1, 2025, an increase of $15.6 million from a net cash outflow of $10.7 million in the prior year[97] - The company has a $215 million Credit Facility, with $85.5 million outstanding as of April 1, 2025, which carries a floating interest rate[104] - A hypothetical 1% change in interest rates under the Credit Facility would have an approximate $0.6 million annual impact on net income[105] Operational Challenges and Strategies - Inflation has affected operations and new restaurant construction, with the company partially offsetting these costs through menu price increases and improved purchasing practices[99] - The company has successfully upgraded to a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, which impacted accounts payable and operating cash flow[95] - The company does not participate in off-balance sheet arrangements and is not involved with unconsolidated entities as of April 1, 2025[98]

Core Insights - BJ's Restaurants (NASDAQ: BJRI) has released its earnings report, showing resilience despite softer consumer spending early in the year [1] Financial Performance - The company is performing well in the current economic climate, which is notable given the challenges faced by the restaurant industry [1] Industry Context - The report highlights the broader context of consumer spending trends affecting the restaurant sector, indicating that BJ's Restaurants is managing to hold its ground [1]

Momentum investing is essentially an exception to the idea of "buying low and selling high." Investors following this style of investing are usually not interested in betting on cheap stocks and waiting long for them to recover. Instead, they believe that "buying high and selling higher" is the way to make far more money in lesser time.Who doesn't like betting on fast-moving trending stocks? But determining the right entry point isn't easy. Often, these stocks lose momentum once their valuation moves ahead ...

Group 1 - BJ's Restaurants experienced a significant increase in share price, closing up 13.2% on May 2nd following the announcement of its financial results for the first quarter [1] - The positive market reaction indicates strong investor confidence in the company's performance and future prospects [1] Group 2 - Crude Value Insights provides an investment service focused on oil and natural gas, emphasizing cash flow and companies that generate it [2] - Subscribers benefit from a comprehensive stock model account, detailed cash flow analyses of exploration and production firms, and live discussions about the sector [2]