Will Slabaugh

Analysts at Stephens continue to hold a bullish view on McDonald's Corporation (NYSE: MCD) heading into earnings season for the restaurant group. The firm's Will Slabaugh maintains an Overweight rating on McDonald's stock with an unchanged $175 price target after conducting first-hand industry...

Analysts at Stephens acknowledge that Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) remains one of the few consumer brands in existence that can consistently grow its square footage and same-store sales — but this alone isn't sufficient reason to buy shares of the java giant.  Stephens'...

Shares of Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: DRI) were trading lower by around 4 percent early Tuesday morning after the company reported its fiscal first-quarter earnings report. The restaurant operator reported that it earned 99 cents per share in the quarter, which was in-line with the $1.00 per...

The shock waves from Hurricane Harvey — which has caused a diaspora of great magnitude and the deaths of at least 30 people — are continuing to reverberate in the market. Oil refineries have halted operations, prompting surges in national gas prices. Vehicles are underwater and...

After hitting a new multi-year low of $296 per share Wednesday, analysts at Stephens felt it was time to upgrade Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG). The firm's Will Slabaugh upgraded the stock rating from Underweight to Equal Weight, but he lowered the price target from $350 to $325....

“Growth potential as strong as the coffee,” one analyst noted even after Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX)'s disappointing third-quarter earnings call. But, that did not stop the majority of Wall Street analysts from slashing their ratings and price targets on Starbucks, as it...

Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) reported third-quarter earnings in line with consensus on Thursday, with EPS coming in at $0.55 and $5.7 billion in sales. Comps were just below the Street’s expectations, growing 5 percent in the Americas compared to 5.2 percent consensus. The stock...

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) has suffered its share of problems since last week, causing shares to reach a new four-year low. However, in some positive news, the company reported a second-quarter an earnings beat after Tuesday's close. Chipotle delivered Q2 earnings of $2.32 per...

Another analyst is left puzzled and waiting after Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD)’s lost proxy war with activist investor Marcato Capital Management in early June. Stephen’s Will Slabaugh downgraded shares of Buffalo Wild Wings from Overweight to Equal Weight and reduced its price...

Shares of Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: DRI) were trading higher by more than 3 percent early Tuesday morning after the company reported its fiscal fourth-quarter results and issued guidance for the coming year. Darden Restaurants, the parent company of Olive Garden and other restaurant chains,...

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) released a regulatory 8-k filing after Monday's market close to "reaffirm and clarify" certain financial and operating metrics. Chipotle said it still expects food costs for the second quarter to be approximately 34.2 percent of sales. Moreover, marketing...

Reviewing the first-quarter results of Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. (NASDAQ: RRGB), Stephens said the quarter was solid and that the earnings guidance was beatable. Analyst Will Slabaugh noted that Red Robin Gourmet reported better-than-expected results, with a same-store sales drop of 1.2...

Wendys Co (NASDAQ: WEN)'s earnings report on Wednesday helped boost shares to an all-time high of $16.12 and received a nod of approval from one of the Street's most notable restaurant analysts. Stephens' Will Slabaugh maintains an Overweight rating on Wendy's stock with a price target boosted from...

Fiesta Restaurant Group Inc (NASDAQ: FRGI), the parent company of fast-casual restaurant brands including Pollo Tropical and Taco Cabana, disappointed investors in its first-quarter report, which consisted of top- and bottom-line misses. Following the report, Will Slabaugh of Stephens downgraded...

Wingstop Inc (NASDAQ: WING) reported a first-quarter top-line beat with same-store sales declining less than expected — and Stephens analyst Will Slabaugh expects the firm’s nascent advertising push to drive continued acceleration. Slabaugh attributed the sales performance to media-...