Shares of Chipotle had their best day in more than four years. Despite the surge, the stock is still way off its all-time high of nearly $760. Jeff Bernstein, Senior Restaurant Analyst at Barclays, was with us to discuss whether the hiring of its new CEO will be enough to fuel a turnaround for Chipotle.
Chipotle tapped Taco Bell's CEO, Brian Niccols. Investors were on board with the move, sending shares soaring. Bernstein said it will take some time for consumers to jump on board. Chipotle is not a major media advertiser, so getting the new message across won't be immediate, the analyst adds.
During his time at Taco Bell, Mr. Niccol played a key role in bringing life back to the brand, bringing innovative food items to the menu. His marketing background helped get consumers excited about items such as Quesarito, Naked Chicken Chalupa and Nacho Fries. Bernstein said he expects to see some new product news at Chipotle, but acknowledges the assembly-line structure will keep them somewhat limited.
Chair Jerome Powell says the Federal Reserve only expects to cut rates once in 2024. But at least, as one economist says, ‘rate hikes are off the table.’
With the Fed likely set to leave rates unchanged, lower and middle income Americans will continue dealing with higher credit card interest and expenses.
