Article

The week sees a rise in gas prices, cheese stays stagnant

Gas prices may be up, but cheese costs have stayed the same for two weeks and things are looking relatively good for pizza stocks this past week.

February 16, 2015

Gas prices may be up, but cheese costs have stayed the same for two weeks and things are looking relatively good for pizza stocks this past week.

Here's a glimpse at the market:

Cheese

Average block cheese prices didn’t move a cent last week on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, coming in at an average of $1.53. Prices averaged $1.50 two weeks ago.

Just as the previous week, prices stayed the same each day, coming in at $1.53.

Wheat

Wheat prices rose $0.07 last week on the Minneapolis Grain Exchange. The average prices came in at $5.77, up from $5.70 the previous week.

Wheat closed at $5.67 Monday through Wednesday, $5.74 Thursday and $5.87 Friday.

Gasoline and diesel fuel

Monday's nationwide average for regular unleaded gasoline is $2.25, up $0.08 from the previous week at $2.17, according to AAA and the Oil Price Information Service.

Prices are also up from $2.08 a month ago, but down more than $1 from this time last year, when consumers were paying $3.35 at the pump.

Mid-range unleaded is $2.46, while Monday's premium unleaded price is $2.64.

The nationwide average for diesel fuel is $2.82, slightly up from $2.80 last week. Diesel prices are down more than $1 from $3.95 a year ago.

Natural Gas

Natural gas prices rose at most market locations through the report week, as much of the country faced cold temperatures. The Henry Hub spot price dropped mid-week, but posted an overall 12¢ gain from $2.73 per million British thermal unit (MMBtu) on February 4 to $2.85/MMBtu on February 11.

At the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), the price of the near-month (March 2015) contract rose from $2.662/MMBtu to $2.797/MMBtu.

Pizza company stocks

Shares in Pizza Hut parent Yum! Brands Inc. reached $ 74.80 Friday, up from $73.93 the previous week and $72.28 two weeks ago.

Domino's finished last week at $100.56, up from $99.86 the previous week, still short of its 52-week high $103.

Papa John's finished at $63.22 Friday, an increase from $62.91 the previous week. Papa John's 52-week high is $64.79.

Papa Murphy's closed at $13.30 Friday, down from $13.50 the previous Friday.

Rave Restaurant Group turned in at $13.29 Friday, up nearly from $12.12 the previous Friday.