Wendy’s/Arby’s Group, Inc. (WEN), the third largest fast-food restaurant operator, recently reported third-quarter 2009 results. The quarterly earnings of 6 cents a share were in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The company had reported a loss of 14 cents in the prior-year quarter, excluding income from discontinued operations. Lower commodity prices and cost-cutting initiatives have driven earnings.   Consolidated revenue surged 191% year-on-year to $903.2 million due to Wendy’s merger, which added 6,608 restaurants as of Sep 27, 2009, and contributed $613.5 million in total revenue during the quarter. The merger between Triarc Companies, the franchisor of the Arby’s restaurant chain and Wendy's International was completed in Sep 2008.  The quick-service food chain is trying to lure consumers by offering $5.01 combo meals, and plans to make $1 menu available at most of its restaurants to compete with big players like McDonald’s Corporation (MCD) and ...

There’s a fine line between personal care (your health and well being) and what could be considered personal pampering. That $100 luxury massage could be viewed as a much needed muscle relaxing exercise to help your back. And, if looks are important to your career, you might be able to write off that anti-aging skin cream as a business expense, even though there are some that cost $400 per ounce. The fact is that people will go to remarkable lengths to take care of themselves, even if what they are trying does more for their mind than for the rest of their body.

Beauty and youth are concepts that have always been closely tied to the personal care industry. With a market in the hundreds of billions of dollars, nobody doubts the demand; although the question of whether the market has

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The operator of Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC fast food chains -- Yum! Brands, Inc. (YUM) -- recently reported better-than-expected third-quarter 2009 results buoyed by commodity deflation, lower costs and strong performance by its China division. Yum!’s quarterly earnings of 70 cents a share (excluding special charges) comfortably surpasses the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 59 cents, and surged 21.0% year-on-year from 58 cents posted in the prior-year quarter. Lower labor (down 9.0%) and food costs (down 7.0%), slide in G&A expenses (down 9.0%), and operating profit growth in both China (up 32.0%; up 31.0% excluding FX [foreign exchange] impact) and the U.S. (up 18.0%) divisions drove the earnings. These were partially offset by a 13.0% decline in Yum! Restaurants International Division’s (YRI) operating profit and a negative impact of 2 cents a share from foreign currency translation. The strength in the China division and ...

  After McDonald’s Corporation (MCD) announced an increase in its quarterly dividend by 10% to 55 cents a share last week, another fast food company, Yum! Brands Inc. (YUM) followed the suit. Yum!, the operator of Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC fast food chains, recently raised its quarterly dividend by 11% to 21 cents a share. This marks the fifth annual increase since the inception of dividend program in 2004. Since then, the company has returned over $1 billion to shareholders. The increased dividend is payable on Nov. 6, 2009 to shareholders of record as on Oct. 16, 2009. Yum!’s Board of Directors also authorized the company to repurchase shares worth $300 million. Over a decade, the company has returned more than $6 billion to shareholders via share buybacks. We believe that despite economic headwinds, Yum! is actively managing its capital, returning much ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – September 18, 2009 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: CKE Restaurants, Inc. (CKR), McDonald’s Corporation (MCD), Burger King Holdings (BKC), Yum! Brands (YUM) and Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG).

Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5513

Here are highlights from Thursday’s Analyst Blog:

CKE Profit Slides Marginally

CKE Restaurants, Inc. (CKR) recently reported second-quarter 2010 results amid a crumbling economy, plagued by rising unemployment and waning consumer discretionary spending.

The operator of Carl's Jr. and Hardee's fast food chains’ second quarter profit slid less than a percent

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – August 24, 2009 – Zacks Equity Research highlights Yum! Brands (YUM) as the Bull of the Day and Sunoco (SUN) the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Sherwin Williams (SHW), La-Z-Boy (LZB) and Mohawk (MHK).

Full analysis of all these stocks is available at http://at.zacks.com/?id=2676

Here is a synopsis of all five stocks:

Bull of the Day:

The operator of Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC fast food chains, Yum! Brands (YUM), reported second quarter results, with double-digit growth in the bottom-line. Earnings per share grew 11% to 50 cents, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 43 cents

Driving growth is the company's overseas divisions (China and Yum Restaurants International), which constitute the only stable segment of the entire restaurant industry. Both the divisions are on track to grow

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McDonalds Corp. (MCD) continues to rack up impressive gains, distinguishing itself as a steady player in a very choppy market.

Company Description

McDonalds Corp, operates one of the world's largest fast food chains, with over 35,000 restaurants world wide. The company has a market cap of $63 billion.

McDonalds is set to report its second-quarter results on July 15, and if the company's first-quarter results, reported on Apr 22 are any indication, investors should be pleased.

First-Quarter Results

Although sales were down 10% from last year, income was up to $979.5 million from $946.1 million last year. Earnings came in at 83 cents, one penny better than the consensus.

Global same-store sales were up 4.3%, with Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa regions leading the way at 5.5%.

McDonalds also noted that its McCafe initiative was trending ahead of schedule

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Wendy's Adapts with Value Offerings, Arby's Lags Lean TimesThe sinking economy necessitates that restaurants adapt to survive. First quarter financial results at Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc. (WEN) indicate Wendy's is adapting well to the lean times, attracting cash-squeezed consumers with a "Value Trio" of 99-cent sandwiches, while Arby's $5.95 bundling value packages is driving them to cheaper fare at McDonald's (MCD), Taco Bell -- a Yum Brands Inc. (YUM) concept, and Jack in the Box Inc. (JACK).Wendy's/Arby's Group, formed in September through the merger of Arby's parent, Triarc, and Wendy's, reported that 1Q09 system-wide same-store sales at its Wendy's fast-food hamburger chain rose 1.0%, but fell 8.7% at the pricier Arby's roast beef take-out chain. Wendy's comps would have been stronger, but 300 of its units stopped serving breakfast.Excluding one-time charges, 1Q09 EPS was $0.01, missing our estimate of $0.04 ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL - April 24, 2009 - Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: eBay, Inc. (EBAY), Qualcomm, Inc. (QCOM), Broadcom Corp. (BRCM), Yum! Brands Inc. (YUM) and Texas Capital Bancshares Inc. (TCBI).

Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=4579.

Here are highlights from Thursday's Analyst Blog:

eBay Beats on Top & Bottom Lines

After the bell today, eBay, Inc. (EBAY) reported better-than-expected results for the first quarter, beating on the top and bottom lines. The company reported net revenue of $2.02 billion, well above our estimate of

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Highlights include Yum! Brands Inc. (YUM) and McDonald's Corp. (MCD).Yum! - Growth in China & Cost Cuts Drive EarningsYum! Brands Inc. (YUM) is on track to meet or exceed its earnings growth guidance of 10% in 2009.After the market closed yesterday, the operator of the Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC fast food chains reported that 1Q09 EPS excluding special charges grew 14% to $0.48 for 1Q09, surpassing our estimate of $0.42 and the consensus of $0.40.Stringent cost controls, moderating commodity prices, unit expansion, share repurchases and modest same-store sales growth more than offset the negative effect ($0.02) of currency translation.Cost containment was particularly impressive in an environment of moderating same-store sales. As a percentage of company-owned unit sales, labor contracted 170 basis points, occupancy declined 80 basis points, and G&A expenses fell 270 basis points....