As the Q1 earnings season wraps, let’s dig into this quarter’s best and worst performers in the traditional fast food industry, including Domino's (NASDAQ: DPZ) and its peers.
Traditional fast-food restaurants are renowned for their speed and convenience, boasting menus filled with familiar and budget-friendly items. Their reputations for on-the-go consumption make them favored destinations for individuals and families needing a quick meal. This class of restaurants, however, is fighting the perception that their meals are unhealthy and made with inferior ingredients, a battle that's especially relevant today given the consumers increasing focus on health and wellness.
The 14 traditional fast food stocks we track reported a slower Q1. As a group, revenues missed analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.3% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was in line.
In light of this news, share prices of the companies have held steady as they are up 1.1% on average since the latest earnings results.
Best Q1: Domino's (NASDAQ: DPZ)
Founded by two brothers in Michigan, Domino’s (NYSE: DPZ) is a globally recognized pizza chain known for its creative marketing and fast delivery.
Domino's reported revenues of $1.11 billion, up 2.5% year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 1.2%. Overall, it was a mixed quarter for the company with a narrow beat of analysts’ same-store sales estimates but a miss of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.
"Domino's Q1 results demonstrate that our Hungry for MORE strategy continues to drive market share growth in QSR Pizza across both our US and international businesses," said Russell Weiner, Domino's Chief Executive Officer.
The market was likely pricing in the results, and the stock is flat since reporting. It currently trades at $490.24.
Read our full report on Domino's here, it’s free.
Arcos Dorados (NYSE: ARCO)
Translating to “Golden Arches” in Spanish, Arcos Dorados (NYSE: ARCO) is the master franchisee of the McDonald's brand in Latin America and the Caribbean, responsible for its operations and growth in over 20 countries.
Arcos Dorados reported revenues of $1.08 billion, flat year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 3.6%. The business performed better than its peers, but it was unfortunately a disappointing quarter with a significant miss of analysts’ same-store sales and EPS estimates.
The stock is down 9.4% since reporting. It currently trades at $7.39.
Is now the time to buy Arcos Dorados? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.
Weakest Q1: Krispy Kreme (NASDAQ: DNUT)
Famous for its Original Glazed doughnuts and parent company of Insomnia Cookies, Krispy Kreme (NASDAQ: DNUT) is one of the most beloved and well-known fast-food chains in the world.
Krispy Kreme reported revenues of $375.2 million, down 15.3% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 2.2%. It was a softer quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.
Krispy Kreme delivered the slowest revenue growth in the group. As expected, the stock is down 25.9% since the results and currently trades at $3.19.
Read our full analysis of Krispy Kreme’s results here.
Dutch Bros (NYSE: BROS)
Started in 1992 by two brothers as a single pushcart, Dutch Bros (NYSE: BROS) is a dynamic coffee chain that’s captured the hearts of coffee enthusiasts across the United States.
Dutch Bros reported revenues of $355.2 million, up 29.1% year on year. This result surpassed analysts’ expectations by 3%. Overall, it was a strong quarter as it also logged a solid beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.
Dutch Bros delivered the biggest analyst estimates beat and fastest revenue growth among its peers. The stock is up 20.1% since reporting and currently trades at $71.
Read our full, actionable report on Dutch Bros here, it’s free.
McDonald's (NYSE: MCD)
With nicknames spanning Mickey D's in the U.S. to Makku in Japan, McDonald’s (NYSE: MCD) is a fast-food behemoth known for its convenience and broken ice cream machines.
McDonald's reported revenues of $5.96 billion, down 3.5% year on year. This print missed analysts’ expectations by 2.7%. Overall, it was a softer quarter as it also recorded a slight miss of analysts’ same-store sales and EBITDA estimates.
The stock is down 1.6% since reporting and currently trades at $314.45.
Read our full, actionable report on McDonald's here, it’s free.
Market Update
Thanks to the Fed’s series of rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has cooled significantly from its post-pandemic highs, drawing closer to the 2% goal. This disinflation has occurred without severely impacting economic growth, suggesting the success of a soft landing. The stock market thrived in 2024, spurred by recent rate cuts (0.5% in September and 0.25% in November), and a notable surge followed Donald Trump’s presidential election win in November, propelling indices to historic highs. Nonetheless, the outlook for 2025 remains clouded by potential trade policy changes and corporate tax discussions, which could impact business confidence and growth. The path forward holds both optimism and caution as new policies take shape.
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