On Friday, RBC Capital Markets adjusted its outlook on Driven Brands Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: DRVN), raising the price target to $16.00 from $14.00 while maintaining an Outperform rating on the stock.
The firm highlighted that despite a subdued top-line outlook for the company, there has been notable progress in cost management, indicating a gradual movement in the right direction for the business.
Driven Brands, a leading automotive services company, is navigating through a period marked by investor caution, particularly due to uncertainties surrounding its car wash segment and the potential for revisions to long-term targets following the announcement of a new Chief Financial Officer.
Despite these concerns, RBC Capital Markets has revised its revenue growth estimates for fiscal years 2024 and 2025 to 2.6% and 8.1%, respectively, up from the previous forecasts of 3.9% and 8.0%.
The firm also updated its projections for adjusted EBITDA, setting them at $555 million for fiscal year 2024 and $622 million for fiscal year 2025, slightly increased from the prior estimates of $553 million and $621 million. T
"The top-line outlook remains muted, but cost progress is being made, and it feels like the business is slowly moving in the right direction," the analyst stated.
Meanwhile, Driven Brands recently appointed Michael Diamond as its new Chief Financial Officer, succeeding interim CFO Joel Arnao. Diamond brings a wealth of financial expertise to the role, having previously served as CFO of The Michaels Companies (NASDAQ:MIK) and held senior finance roles at Yum! Brands (NYSE:YUM).
The firm also secured $675 million in funding through two series of senior secured notes, providing the company with additional financial flexibility. The company also reported a modest revenue increase of 1.7% year-over-year in its Q1 2024 earnings call, aided by the addition of 144 net new stores and a 0.7% growth in same-store sales.
InvestingPro Insights
Driven Brands Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:DRVN) is currently evaluated with a market capitalization of $2.38 billion, reflecting its standing in the automotive services industry. Despite a negative P/E ratio of -2.81, which often indicates investor skepticism about future earnings potential, the company has demonstrated a steady revenue growth of 4.18% in the last twelve months as of Q2 2024, underpinning the cautious optimism expressed by RBC Capital Markets.
InvestingPro Tips reveal that Driven Brands has maintained a Gross Profit Margin of 41.13% during the same period, which is a strong indicator of its cost management capabilities and aligns with RBC's notes on the company's progress in this area. Furthermore, the company's stock has shown resilience with a 1 Month Price Total Return of 10.51%, suggesting that investors may be reacting positively to its strategic initiatives and cost-efficiency measures.
For those seeking a deeper analysis, InvestingPro offers 15 additional tips that provide further insights into Driven Brands' financial health and market performance. The company is also approaching its next earnings date on October 23, 2024, a crucial moment for investors to assess whether the company continues to align with RBC's revised expectations and its own long-term targets.
With an InvestingPro Fair Value estimate of $12.11, compared to the analyst target of $16.50, investors are equipped with varied perspectives to gauge the company's valuation and potential investment opportunities.
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