Chefs’ Warehouse (NASDAQ:CHEF) Issues Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.04 EPS

Chefs’ Warehouse (NASDAQ:CHEF) issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The company reported $0.55 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.51 by $0.04, Zacks reports. Chefs’ Warehouse had a return on equity of 12.67% and a net margin of 1.28%.

Chefs’ Warehouse Price Performance

Shares of Chefs’ Warehouse stock traded up $6.74 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $61.22. 525,437 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 369,275. The company has a quick ratio of 1.06, a current ratio of 1.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.39. The stock has a market cap of $2.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 53.68 and a beta of 2.29. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $51.03 and its 200-day moving average is $44.40. Chefs’ Warehouse has a 52 week low of $31.96 and a 52 week high of $61.49.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have weighed in on CHEF. BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on Chefs’ Warehouse from $50.00 to $55.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, October 31st. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price target on Chefs’ Warehouse from $58.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 15th. Finally, Lake Street Capital raised their price target on Chefs’ Warehouse from $48.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, December 16th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $53.80.

Insider Activity

In related news, General Counsel Alexandros Aldous sold 5,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $45.00, for a total transaction of $225,000.00. Following the transaction, the general counsel now directly owns 114,342 shares in the company, valued at $5,145,390. This trade represents a 4.19 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CFO James Leddy sold 4,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $48.85, for a total value of $195,400.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 145,589 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,112,022.65. The trade was a 2.67 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 11.90% of the company’s stock.

About Chefs’ Warehouse

The Chefs’ Warehouse, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, distributes specialty food and center-of-the-plate products in the United States, the Middle East, and Canada. The company’s product portfolio includes specialty food products, such as artisan charcuterie, specialty cheeses, unique oils and vinegars, truffles, caviar, chocolate, and pastry products; and center-of-the-plate products consisting of custom cut beef, seafood, and hormone-free poultry, as well as broadline food products comprising cooking oils, butter, eggs, milk, and flour.