On Wednesday, Oppenheimer adjusted its financial outlook for Jack In The Box (NASDAQ:JACK), reducing the price target to $75 from the previous $98. The firm retained an Outperform rating on the fast-food company's shares. This revision follows Jack In The Box's reported same-store sales (SSS) downturn in the second quarter of 2024 by 2.5% and a continuing 1% decline in the third quarter to date.
The management of Jack In The Box has projected a stabilization of SSS, anticipating growth to pick up in the second half of 2024. Their plan to achieve this includes the introduction of value promotions, benefitting from easier year-over-year comparisons, and expecting stronger performance in California relative to other regions.
Despite a slight reduction in the SSS outlook for 2024, the company only adjusted the mid-point of its EBITDA and EPS guidance by approximately 1%. This minimal adjustment is attributed to improved margins at Jack In The Box restaurants.
In the second quarter of 2024, the company highlighted the sales performance of its new units as a positive development, with average weekly sales (AWS) around $100,000. This was noted as a key takeaway from the company's recent financial update.
Following these developments, Oppenheimer has also slightly lowered its EBITDA estimates for Jack In The Box through 2025. The revised price target of $75 reflects these updated expectations and takes into account the current challenges faced by the industry as well as the company's strategic responses.
InvestingPro Insights
As Jack In The Box (NASDAQ:JACK) navigates through its current financial landscape, real-time data from InvestingPro offers a deeper look into the company's performance and market position. The adjusted market capitalization stands at $1.04 billion, with a P/E ratio that has been modest at 9.39, reflecting investor sentiment and the company's earnings capabilities. Looking at the last twelve months as of Q1 2024, the P/E ratio slightly improved to 8.99, hinting at a potential undervaluation of the stock compared to its earnings.
Despite recent sales downturns, Jack In The Box has maintained a consistent dividend payout, with a current dividend yield of 3.32%, which can be attractive for income-focused investors. Additionally, an InvestingPro Tip suggests that management's aggressive share buybacks and high shareholder yield are signs of confidence in the company's value proposition. Moreover, the stock's RSI indicates it may be in oversold territory, potentially offering a buying opportunity for contrarian investors.
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