Industry Analysis: Restaurant Restaurant companies are essentially retailers ofprepared foods, and their operating performance is influenced by many of the same factors that affect traditional retail stores. For the most part, restaurants have business models that are relatively easy to understand, and the array on the Value Line page is the same as that of a standard industrial company. Nonetheless, there are a number of unique factors to consider when making investment decisions regarding this large and segmented industry.
Competition between restaurants is intense, since dining options abound. And, while there are certainly dominant players in this industry (especially among fast-food purveyors), no one company has the market cornered. Indeed, virtually every restaurant location must compete not only against other publicly traded chains, but also a wide array of small, local establishments. Competitors include everything from delis and pizzerias to fine-dining restaurants. And, of course, it is relatively easy to forgo prepared foods, altogether, in favor of home cooking, which is usually a less expensive option. Thus, restaurant meals are discretionary purchases, and the industry tends to be highly cyclical.
Sales
Top-line growth is typically generated in two ways, opening locations and boosting same-store sales. Opening new doors is a straightforward strategy, and usually the main driver of revenue when a company is in its early stages. As a chain grows in size, however, it becomes increasingly difficult to capture benefits. The best, most profitable locations are established first, and then managers must be careful not to place restaurants too close together, lest they cannibalize each other's sales.
Comparable-store sales, or "comps", is a valuable metric to examine when analyzing restaurants. Comps are particularly important once a company reaches