ky le’dessert

Restaurant companies are essentially retailers of prepared 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.