Article

Yum! Brands hits all-time high

Papa John's stock takes a hit following resignation of co-CEO.

April 24, 2011 by Alicia Kelso — Editor, QSRWeb.com

Cheese

Average block cheese prices dropped a penny last week on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, coming in at an average of $1.61, down from $1.62 the previous week.

For the shortened week, prices were $1.62 Monday and Tuesday and $1.60 Wednesday and Thursday. Prices remain close to last year's average of $1.63 per pound.

Wheat

Wheat prices bounced back up to an average of $9.36 last week on the Minneapolis Grain Exchange, up from $9.05 the previous week.

Wheat closed at $9.14 Monday, $9.43 Tuesday, $9.38 Wednesday and $9.51 Thursday.

Gasoline and diesel fuel

Today's nationwide average for regular unleaded gasoline is $3.86, another rise from the previous week, in which prices were $3.83, according to AAA and the Oil Price Information Service. Prices also remain up from a month ago, when they were $3.57, and are up more than a dollar from this time last year, when consumers were paying $2.85 at the pump.

Gas prices continue to inch closer to the all-time high of $4.11 set in the summer of 2008.

Mid-range unleaded hit the $4 even mark, while premium unleaded Monday was $4.13.

The nationwide average for diesel fuel is $4.14, a penny more than the $4.13 per gallon last week. Diesel prices also remain up from $3.95 a month ago, and from $3.07 a year ago.

Natural Gas

Natural gas prices rose at most market locations during the week, as consumption increased. The Henry Hub spot price increased 19 cents from $4.14 per million Btu (MMBtu) on Wednesday, April 13 to $4.33 per MMBtu on Wednesday, April 20.

Pizza company stocks

Shares in Pizza Hut parent Yum! Brands Inc. closed at $53.65 Thursday, the company's all-time high set into motion after a strong earnings report boosted by growth in China. Yum! traded at a 52-week low of $38.53 in July 2010.

Domino's finished last week at $18.30, an increase from the previous week's closing of $18.06. Domino's hit its 52-week high, $18.47, earlier this month and traded as low as $10.99 in June 2010.

Papa John's stock closed at $30.09 Thursday, a big drop from its previous week's closing of $31.75, which was the company's 52-week high. The company traded at a 52-week low of $22.78 in July 2010. The company's stock dropped last week following news of the resignation of president and co-CEO J. Jude Thompson.

Shares in CEC Entertainment Inc., parent company of Chuck E. Cheese restaurants, closed at $37.03 Thursday, a bump from the previous week's closing of $36.69. CEC traded at a 52-week high of $41.79 in April 2010, and a 52-week low of $30.84 in August 2010.

California Pizza Kitchen closed at $16.09 Thursday, a slight increase from $16.06 the previous week. CPKI traded as high as $22.92 in April 2010 and as low as $13.19 in July 2010.

Pizza Inn turned in at $2.12 Thursday, up from $2.10 the previous Friday. PZZI traded at a 52-week high of $2.20 in April 2010, and a 52-week low of $1.77 in May 2010.

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