Independent Research, US Dominant Players, Investment Talk

Investment Talk

Independent Research, US Dominant Players

Investment Talk is for readers who wish to learn about companies that are potentially outside of their own circle of research, as well as those who are longing to become part of a community of like-minded investors and learn more about investment research. I would describe myself as a long-term investor who typically takes a 3Y to 5Y outlook, before reassessing once that period matures. I follow the adage that one should research, reach a conclusion, and then verify and continue to hold so long as the thesis remains intact. My own investing style is one that seeks to find dominant players within their respective market who have shown signs of monopoly or oligopolistic behaviour, unlikely to be disrupted, in tandem with discovering market disruptors who have a high likelihood of disrupting their respective market. Equally (and weighted accordingly) I seek to discover more nuanced, misunderstood, situations with a shorter time frame.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>It’s a playbook Kura Sushi has performed numerous times before to shore up the balance sheet. In 2021, the company issued 1.1 million shares of stock at $45 netting proceeds of ~$47 million of which $17 million was used to erase the line of credit extended to them during the pandemic from the parent company.</li><li><p>The rest was used for CapEx and operating costs. In 2023, the company issued a further 1.3 million shares at $54 per share, netting ~$65 million in proceeds for CapEx and operating costs.</p></li><li><p>Following the Q4 earnings in November 2024, an announcement to raise (at $85 per share) a further $64.6 million in proceeds surfaced; once again for CapEx and operating costs.</p></li></ul>

It’s a playbook Kura Sushi has performed numerous times before to shore up the balance sheet. In 2021, the company issued 1.1 million shares of stock at $45 netting proceeds of ~$47 million of which $17 million was used to erase the line of credit extended to them during the pandemic from the parent company.The rest was used for CapEx and operating costs. In 2023, the company issued a further 1.3 million shares at $54 per share, netting ~$65 million in proceeds for CapEx and operating costs.Following the Q4 earnings in November 2024, an announcement to raise (at $85 per share) a further $64.6 million in proceeds surfaced; once again for CapEx and operating costs.

Concise Notes to Myself about Companies I Own, Notes To Self

Notes To Self

Concise Notes to Myself about Companies I Own

Notes To Self is a space for me to write… notes to myself… about companies I own in a concise manner. These will not be blow-by-blows; I will only document what I find insightful. The format will be brief, and assume prior knowledge of the company if someone happens to read it. No deep dives, just commentary from a shareholder’s perspective.

<ul><li>Kura Sushi US Weighting as of writing: 4% 5th April 2024 - Q2 FY24 Results On April 4th, Kura Sushi US reported earnings for the second quarter of FY24.</li><li>Nothing major to report and similar themes to previous quarters so will keep this one short. The market valuation is astronomically stupid.</li><li>Average unit volumes at Kura are $4.28 million and have improved significantly; up 22% since 2019.</li></ul>

Kura Sushi US Weighting as of writing: 4% 5th April 2024 - Q2 FY24 Results On April 4th, Kura Sushi US reported earnings for the second quarter of FY24.Nothing major to report and similar themes to previous quarters so will keep this one short. The market valuation is astronomically stupid.Average unit volumes at Kura are $4.28 million and have improved significantly; up 22% since 2019.

KRUS: Successive Guidance Upgrade as Kura Face Tougher Comps

Research from Water Tower Research, Water Tower Research

Water Tower Research

Research from Water Tower Research

Water Tower Research is a leading equity research firm that provides research on micro, small and mid cap companies.

Water Tower Research was founded by Wall Street veterans after witnessing a fundamental shift in the investment research industry with the result being a declining knowledge base among investors, a lack of awareness and a shrinking pool of fundamental research being conducted on companies across the small-cap and micro-cap spectrum. The same issues are now increasingly occurring in the mid-cap space. This sea change within the investment community is impacting not only the companies themselves but also current shareholders and potential investors. With significantly less active sell-side sponsorship by Wall Street, a substantial information gap has developed between companies and various constituents in the financial community. The net result is fewer channels for insight and information to flow between companies and investors.

Equity Research Firm

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<div><div><div><div><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li><p>Monthly report on restaurant and retail companies. At Water Tower Research, we are introducing a new monthly report to focus exclusively on the Restaurant and Retail Industries.</p></li><li><p>Our report will focus on stock performance, short interest, an outlook for restaurant commodity costs, interesting themes, and company interviews.</p></li><li><p>In this note, we interviewed Gary Schnierow, Vice-President of Investor Relations, and Corporate Finance for Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NASDAQ: BBW). </p></li></ul></div></div></div></div>

Monthly report on restaurant and retail companies. At Water Tower Research, we are introducing a new monthly report to focus exclusively on the Restaurant and Retail Industries.Our report will focus on stock performance, short interest, an outlook for restaurant commodity costs, interesting themes, and company interviews.In this note, we interviewed Gary Schnierow, Vice-President of Investor Relations, and Corporate Finance for Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NASDAQ: BBW). 

Restaurant & Retail Roundup - Interview with Build-A-Bear Workshop (BBW)

United States

Kura Sushi USA, Inc. operates as a restaurant. The Company prepares various types of seafood products such as sweet shrimp, octopus, squid, salmon, tuna, snow crab, conch, toro, and other related dishes. Kura Sushi USA serves customers worldwide.

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Kura Sushi USA (KRUS US)

KRUS: The Issuance Playbook

It’s a playbook Kura Sushi has performed numerous times before to shore up the balance sheet. In 2021, the company issued 1.1 million shares of...

Investment Talk

KRUS: Successive Guidance Upgrade as Kura Face Tougher Comps

Kura Sushi US Weighting as of writing: 4% 5th April 2024 - Q2 FY24 Results On April 4th, Kura Sushi US reported earnings for the second quarter of...

Notes To Self

Restaurant & Retail Roundup - Interview with Build-A-Bear Workshop (BBW)

Monthly report on restaurant and retail companies. At Water Tower Research, we are introducing a new monthly report to focus exclusively on the...

Water Tower Research

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