Looking good14 Sep 2023 08:37
Results soon, I expect a few want to see numbers and will then buy considering the current cap. But we have a new growth strategy and opening new restaurants- will be a good forward statement imo. Plant your seeds early.
In latest report from our new tr1 holder.
Thirdly, we have invested into Comptoir Libanais a chain of around 30 Lebanese restaurants predominantly in the UK that have impressively traded profitably through both one of the toughest environments for the sector in living memory and boardroom disruption. Despite this resilience and the subsequent assembly of an impressive new board and leadership team, the sector and personnel headwinds saw the shares de-rate to a discount to the material net cash balance of the group, leaving a profitable, growing restaurant chain with a brand that references well trading at a negative value. The group floated in 2017 at 50p with 15 restaurants, it now has around 30, which are trading profitably with a net cash balance in excess of 6p/share but we have been able to invest in the company for less than 5.5p/share.
Whilst restaurants do not typically lend themselves to our investment strategy, the margin of safety provided by a net cash balance that was larger than the market cap and the resilience of the core business trading created a basis for further analysis. Further due diligence revealed the upside potential of a quick-service-retail franchise roll out via the international Shawa brand. This potential is to be explored under new CEO Nick Ayerst, who joined from a background at LEON and The Restaurant Group and Chair Beatrice Lafon who has an impressive private equity background, both of whom reference strongly. We have noted with interest the near doubling of the Net Promoter Score of the chain from the mid-40s to 80+ under the new team and, having visited a number of sites ourselves, there is noticeable improvement in the menus and their contents.