Caribou Coffee Company Inc.
(
CBOU
) has recently opened a new unit in Cincinnati, Ohio. The new
opening marks the company's third store in Cincinnati and the
thirty-fifth store in the Ohio market.
The Minneapolis-based Caribou entered into a partnership with
Jungle Jim's International Market in Cincinnati's Eastgate Complex,
so that customers could easily access the market while visiting
Caribou Coffee shop. The market is slated to open in September this
year. The alliance with Jungle Jim's is expected to boost footfalls
in this latest venue in Cincinnati.
Apart from strengthening its presence in the existing markets,
Caribou Coffee is gradually making its foray into less-penetrated
markets like Washington, DC. The company recently opened a
drive-thru unit in Vienna, Virginia. Management commented that
while its openings have mostly been in the Chicago area in 2011,
its 2012 agenda will include areas like Washington, DC, Denver and
Minnesota, while ramping up in Chicago.
As of April 1, 2012, Caribou Coffee owns and operates 585
coffeehouses, including 174 franchised locations in 21 states, the
District of Columbia and nine international markets. The company is
expanding further in the international market and intends to
consolidate its position in its existing markets before venturing
into the new ones.
Although Caribou Coffee did not unveil any new coffeehouses in the
first quarter of 2012, it aims to open approximately 20 stores in
2012. The openings are primarily back-end loaded. Overall,
management has set a target of opening 55-70 stores in 2012 in both
domestic and international markets, implying a year-over-year
upside of 10% to 12%.
We believe that Caribou Coffee remains well-positioned to sustain
its growth momentum while generating improved earnings on the heels
of innovative offerings. Apart from its variety in coffee, the
company is trying several menu options to strengthen its foothold
in the market. Recently, it opted for a system-wide roll-out of
carbonated juice and tea lineup.
Caribou Coffee which competes with the likes of
Starbucks Corporation
(
SBUX
) and
Jamba Inc.
(
JMBA
) currently retains a Zacks #3 Rank that translates into a
short-term Hold rating. We are maintaining our long-term Neutral
recommendation on the stock.
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