Technology advances and fast food have always gone hand in hand. But, today, a shocking technology shift is happening in this sector. AI, automation, and data-driven decision-making are quickly transforming the fast food industry.
CAVA Group posted amazing 21% YoY same restaurant sales in Q4, crushing Chipotle's 5.4% and Sweetgreen's 4% comps growth, yet shares fell 10% in reaction.
Casual salad chain Sweetgreen (NYSESG) met Wall Street’s revenue expectations in Q4 CY2024, with sales up 5.1% year on year to $160.9 million. On the other hand, next quarter’s revenue guidance of $164.5 million was less impressive, coming in 7.7% below analysts’ estimates. Its GAAP loss of $0.25 per share was 16.4% below analysts’ consensus estimates.
Let's have a look at what is happening on the US markets after the closing bell on Wednesday. Below you can find the top gainers and losers in today's after hours session.
According to Citi, risks to Sweetgreen's Q4 and Q1-to-date same-store-sales come from "discrete events" such as holiday shifts, winter storms, and the wildfires.
Restaurants increase convenience and give many people a place to unwind. It also feels like demand is strong as consumers always seem to be chasing the next hot place or viral fast food creation on social media.
No surprise the industry has returned 25.6% over the past six months, beating the S&P 500 by 10.1 percentage points.
Fast casual "build-your-bowl" (BRB) format restaurants had a big 2024, but one stock leads the pack into 2025 as Mediterranean may be the new cuisine trend.
Sweetgreen has had an impressive run over the past six months as its shares have beaten the S&P 500 by 7.3%. The stock now trades at $32.06, marking a 14.6% gain. This performance may have investors wondering how to approach the situation.
