Article

Domino's, Yum! Brands turn in 52-week high performances

Wheat prices fall 8 cents.

March 26, 2012 by Alicia Kelso — Editor, QSRWeb.com

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While continually rising gas prices remain the big headline for businesses, cheese and natural gas prices also inched up last week. Pizza operators, however, can enjoy a bit of a relief in wheat prices. Also, Yum! Brands and Domino's hit new 52-week highs last week.

Cheese

Average block cheese prices jumped 5 cents last week to $1.58 on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Prices last week were $1.58.

Prices closed at $1.58 Monday, $1.60 Tuesday, $1.63 Wednesday and Thursday and $1.49 Friday.

Wheat

Wheat prices fell to $8.05 on the Minneapolis Grain Exchange, from $8.13 the previous week.

Wheat closed at $8.07 Monday, $7.99 Tuesday, $7.98 Wednesday, $8.07 Thursday and $8.17 Friday.

Gasoline and diesel fuel

Today's nationwide average for regular unleaded fuel is $3.89, another jump from $3.84 last week, according to AAA and the Oil Price Information Service.

Prices a month ago were $3.67. Last year at this time, consumers were paying $3.67 at the pump.

Today's mid-range unleaded is $4.04, up from $3.98 last week, while today's premium unleaded price is $4.17, up from $4.11 last week.

Diesel fuel prices are averaging $4.15, up from $4.13 last week. The price of diesel fuel has risen from $4.00 a month ago, and from $3.95 a year ago.

Oil prices are at a 10-month high amid tensions with Iran, causing a disruption in supplies. The improving economy also has boosted oil prices. Analysts have predicted that gas prices could reach $4 a gallon by spring, citing production issues and ongoing tumult in foreign markets.

Natural gas

Despite record-warm March temperatures and the first storage injection of 2012, natural gas prices rebounded slightly this week. The Henry Hub price closed at $2.21 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) on March 21, up 8 cents for the week.

At the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX), the April 2012 natural gas contract rose 7.6 cents per MMBtu for the week to close at $2.360 per MMBtu.

Pizza company stocks

Pizza Hut parent Yum! Brands Inc. closed last week at $70.64, up from $68.40 the previous week. The company hit another 52-week high earlier in the week, at $71.12, backed by a strong Chinese market. A year ago, the company was trading as low as $47.15.

Domino's closed last Friday at $36.25, down from $39.96 the week before. DPZ hit its 52-week high earlier in the week at $42.21 after announcing a special $3 dividend to shareholders. Shares remain substantially higher over this time last year when the company traded at $15.80.

Papa John's closed last week at $37.18, up 2 cents from $37.16 the previous Friday. PZZA hit a new 52-week high last month at $40.82. The company hit its 52-week low a year ago when it traded at $26.95.

CEC Entertainment Inc., parent company of Chuck E. Cheese restaurants, closed out last week at $38.42, up from $38.11 the week prior. CEC hit its 52-week low of $25.83 in September. The company hit its 52-week high of $42.75 in July.

Pizza Inn closed Friday at $4.83, from $4.61 the previous week. PZZI hit its 52-week high of $7.07 in December and traded as low as $1.91 a year ago.

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About Alicia Kelso

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Alicia has been a professional journalist for 15 years. Her work with FastCasual.com, QSRweb.com and PizzaMarketplace.com has been featured in publications around the world, including NPR, Good Morning America, Voice of Russia radio, Consumerist.com and Franchise Asia magazine.

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