Even though it is, and will probably always be, the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants in the world, the forecast for this company's growth has started to look a little bleak, writes MoneyShow's Jim Jubak, also of Jubak's Picks.
McDonald's (MCD) customers are getting squeezed and so, therefore, is McDonald's.
For the third quarter, comparable store sales grew by just 0.7% in the United States. That's down from 1% comparable store sales growth in the second quarter. Global comparable sales climbed by 0.9%. Wall Street had been expecting 1% growth.
McDonald's did beat analyst earnings estimates of $1.52 a share by a penny, but that wasn't enough to offset a rather gloomy forecast for growth. In October, the company said it expects flat comparable store sales. The shares finished down 0.64% at the close on October 21.
In the United States, new menu items such as pumpkin-spice lattes and Mighty Wings didn't draw enough new spending to offset the company's need to focus on value pricing, as lower income customers continue to cut their spending. The problem seems to be worse, though, than at competitors. Wall Street analysts project that McDonald's will grow revenue by just 2.4% in 2013, compared to the National Restaurant Association's estimate of 4.9% growth for the US quick-service dining sector.
Top 5 Penny Companies To Watch For 2014: Select Comfort Corporation(SCSS)
Select Comfort Corporation develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes adjustable-firmness beds and other sleep-related accessory products in the United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, and Australia. It offers its mattresses under the Sleep Number brand name. The company also provides a line of accessory bedding products, including specialty pillows, mattress pads, comforters, sheets, and leg options. Select Comfort Corporation distributes its products through retail, direct marketing, and e-commerce channels. As of January 2, 2010, it had 403 company-owned stores and 146 retail partner doors. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dan Caplinger]
But Mattress Firm has to deal with competitors that are highly motivated to thwart its growth plans. On one hand, Tempur-Pedic's (NYSE: TPX ) now-completed acquisition of Sealy has broadened the former high-end mattress specialist's product line to cover more of the lower-end business that Mattress Firm has historically focused on. At the same time, Select Comfort (NASDAQ: SCSS ) has managed to take over its primary competitor in the air-filled mattress market, giving it sole control of that segment of the overall mattress market.
- [By Wallace Witkowski]
Shares of Select Comfort Corp. (SCSS) �plunged 24% to $18.39 on heavy volume after the maker of Sleep Number beds reported disappointing third-quarter results and cut its outlook for the year.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Others, however, gave back six months of gains in one week. That was the case for Select Comfort (SCSS), which plunged 29% to $18.60 this week after missing earnings forecasts and cutting guidance for the second time in 2013. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK), meanwhile, fell 15% to $77.16 after it beat earnings but lowered its guidance. It blamed weak margins in its security business, emerging markets and…wait for it…the government shutdown.
- [By Sean Williams]
What: Shares of Select Comfort (NASDAQ: SCSS ) , a retailer of mattresses and other sleep-related products, dipped as much as 10% after reporting disappointing second-quarter results.
Top 5 Penny Companies To Watch For 2014: Universal Travel Group(UTA)
Universal Travel Group, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a travel service provider offering air ticketing and hotel booking services, as well as domestic and international packaged tourism services via the Internet, customer representatives, and kiosks in the People?s Republic of China. It also provides technological solutions to travel reservations, and tour planning and tour guide services. In addition, the company operates TRIPEASY Kiosks, which are placed in hotels, office buildings, banks, shopping malls, and MTR stations for travel booking with credit cards or bank debit cards. Universal Travel Group is headquartered in Shenzhen, the People?s Republic of China.
Top 10 Safest Companies To Own In Right Now: Mad Catz Interactive Inc(MCZ)
Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. designs, manufactures, markets, sells, and distributes accessories for videogame platforms and personal computers (PC), as well as for iPod and other audio devices. Its products include videogame, PC, and audio accessories, such as control pads, video cables, steering wheels, joysticks, memory cards, light guns, flight sticks, dance pads, microphones, car adapters, carry cases, mice, keyboards, and headsets. It markets its products primarily under the Mad Catz, Saitek, Cyborg, Eclipse, Joytech, GameShark, Tritton, and AirDrives brands. The company also develops flight simulation software; operates flight simulation centers under its Saitek brand; operates a videogame content Website under its GameShark brand; publishes games under its Mad Catz brand; and distributes games and videogame products for third parties. It distributes its products through retailers in the United States, Europe, and Canada, as well as in Australia, Japan, Korea, New Zeal and, and Singapore. The company was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in San Diego, California
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Bryan Murphy]
If the name Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. (NYSEMKT:MCZ) rings a bell, it might be because yours truly penned some bullish thoughts on the video-gaming hardware (joysticks, control pads, headsets, etc.) back on August 20th. Neither MCZ nor my write-up were received as anything partially special at the time - it was just another stock dissected by just another guy, and you may or may not have given it a second thought. The 37% rally in the meantime, however, may garner a little more attention.
Top 5 Penny Companies To Watch For 2014: Tutor Perini Corporation(TPC)
Tutor Perini Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides diversified general contracting, construction management, and design-build services to private clients and public agencies worldwide. It operates in three segments: Civil, Building, and Management Services. The Civil segment involves in public works construction, and the repair, replacement, and reconstruction of infrastructure. This segment?s civil contracting services include construction and rehabilitation of highways, bridges, mass transit systems, and wastewater treatment facilities. The Building segment provides services to various specialized building markets for private and public works clients, such as the hospitality and gaming, transportation, healthcare, municipal offices, sports and entertainment, education, correctional facilities, biotech, pharmaceutical, industrial and high-tech markets, electrical and mechanical, plumbing, and HVAC services. The Management Services Segment offers diversifie d construction and design-build services to the United States military and government agencies, surety companies, and multi-national corporations in the United States and internationally. This segment also provides rapid response and contract completion services; and management or general contracting services to fulfill the contractual and financial obligations of the surety on notification from the surety of a contractor bond default. The company was founded in 1894 and is headquartered in Sylmar, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Smith]
On Wednesday, civil engineering firm Tutor Perini Corp. (NYSE: TPC ) said the California High-Speed Rail Authority has identified its $985 million bid to design the initial Madera-to-Fresno segment�of California's high-speed railway as the "apparent best value" of all bids received.
- [By Rich Smith]
Following up on the news that it's the likely winner of a $985 million contract to design the Madera-to-Fresno segment�of California's new high-speed railway, civil engineering firm Tutor Perini� (NYSE: TPC ) announced Tuesday that it's scored a second major contract win.
Top 5 Penny Companies To Watch For 2014: Westinghouse Solar Inc.(WEST)
Westinghouse Solar, Inc. engages in the design, manufacture, integration, and installation of solar power systems under the Westinghouse name. It offers its solar power systems for residential and commercial customers. The company also designs and distributes solar panels with integrated micro inverters (called as AC solar panels). The company sells its AC solar panels to solar installers, trade workers, and do-it-yourself customers through distribution partnerships, dealer network, and retail outlets. It has a strategic partnership with Real Goods Solar, whereby Real Goods Solar operates as an authorized dealer for westinghouse solar power systems for sale to its customers in California and Colorado markets. The company was formerly known as Akeena Solar, Inc. and changed its name to Westinghouse Solar, Inc. on Apr 14, 2011. Westinghouse Solar, Inc. was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Campbell, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Bryan Murphy]
My enthusiasm regarding Real Goods Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:RSOL) and Westinghouse Solar Inc. (OTCMKTS:WEST) hasn't exactly been a veiled secret. Though I've favored one over the other at various times since the entire solar panel industry went back into high gear in the middle of the second quarter, I've been a fan of both RSOL as well as WEST for a while. The trick has been finding the right entry spot for both of these volatile stocks.
- [By Bryan Murphy]
It's fun to be right, but that doesn't always mean it's fruitful. I was right about Westinghouse Solar Inc. (OTCMKTS:WEST) being a breakout candidate when I explained the chart's most likely technical outcome. Though it took a little more than a week for WEST to actually perform as expected, it got there. Problem: It got there in spades, solving one problem but creating another. Though I'm still bullish on this solar play, we need a new roadmap.
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