The Cheesecake Factory (NDAQ:CAKE) shares spiked over ten percent today after Nelson Peltz's Star Trust revealed a ten percent stake in the company. The activist investor also requested and received early termination notice from the FTC, which is required under the Hart-Scott-Rodino antitrust law for the acquisition of stocks or assets greater than $50 million.
Nelson Peltz is well known for his activist involvement in companies like Wendy's International and H.J. Heinz Co., in which he was able to unlock substantial value for shareholders. The activist investor may see the Cheesecake Factory as a strong play in today's troubled markets. The company has shown consistant EPS growth with extremely strong financials.
So, is the Cheesecake Factory a bargain at these prices? Well, before today's move the stock was trading at just $22, which is about 17x next years estimated EPS. This is an extremely low P/E ratio that should stand around 25x, which would equate to a stock price of around $33 per share - or about 50% higher than it trades now.
In the end, this is a solid stock that is being acquired by an activist that has clearly indicated that he wants more. Whether or not Peltz plans on taking any actions to unlock value remains to be seen, but this is definitely a stock to watch in the meantime!
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Via TakingTheStreet.com - Blogs:
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