Cracker Barrel Old Country Store (NASDAQ:CBRL) Shares Gap Up Following Earnings Beat

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (NASDAQ:CBRL) shares gapped up before the market opened on Thursday following a better than expected earnings announcement. The stock had previously closed at $30.62, but opened at $34.00. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store shares last traded at $30.42, with a volume of 839,515 shares changing hands.

The restaurant operator reported $0.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.10) by $0.35. The company had revenue of $874.82 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $862.89 million. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store had a negative net margin of 0.12% and a positive return on equity of 4.19%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 7.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.38 earnings per share.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 10th will be given a dividend of $0.25 per share. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.2%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, April 10th. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store’s payout ratio is presently 133.33%.

Key Headlines Impacting Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

Here are the key news stories impacting Cracker Barrel Old Country Store this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 earnings beat: CBRL reported $0.25 EPS versus a consensus loss, and revenue of $874.8M topped estimates — an upside surprise that helped lift sentiment. Cracker Barrel Q2 Earnings Beat
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst bullishness: Truist raised its price target to $47 and kept a buy rating, signaling meaningful upside vs. the current level and likely supporting buying interest. Truist lifts PT to $47
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend confirmed: Board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.25 per share (ex‑dividend April 10), supporting income‑oriented investors and underscoring cash‑flow priorities.
• Neutral Sentiment: Additional analyst PT moves with mixed ratings: UBS raised its PT to $31 and kept a neutral rating, and Wells Fargo lifted its PT to $35 with an equal‑weight stance — these changes add liquidity and interest but reflect differing views on near‑term upside. UBS PT raised to $31 Wells Fargo PT to $35
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call & transcripts available: Management framed the quarter as “progress amid pressure” and provided investor color on operations and cost actions — helpful context but not a clear catalyst alone. Earnings call summary Call transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Short‑interest data in feeds shows anomalies (zero/NaN), offering no clear signal on positioning — treat as noise until clarified.
• Negative Sentiment: Guidance and sales weakness: Management narrowed FY26 outlook while issuing a revenue range that sits around/below consensus (~$3.2–3.3B), and comparable‑store declines and y/y revenue weakness remain headwinds. Press release
• Negative Sentiment: Critical analyst views: Some commentary (e.g., Seeking Alpha) argues the stock still merits a downgrade despite the beat, keeping skepticism alive among value/earnings‑focused investors. Seeking Alpha critique
• Negative Sentiment: Mixed sell‑side stance: Citi raised its PT to $28 but retained a sell rating, signaling some analysts still expect downside and keeping selling pressure possible. Benzinga note

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts recently commented on CBRL shares. Benchmark reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store in a research report on Thursday. Piper Sandler reduced their price target on shares of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store from $49.00 to $27.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store from $24.00 to $28.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research note on Thursday. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on Cracker Barrel Old Country Store from $45.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Bank of America lowered their target price on Cracker Barrel Old Country Store from $34.00 to $29.00 and set an “underperform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, December 19th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and four have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Reduce” and an average price target of $37.75.

Insider Buying and Selling at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

In related news, major shareholder Gmt Capital Corp sold 42,400 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $25.56, for a total value of $1,083,744.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 2,240,200 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $57,259,512. This trade represents a 1.86% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 254,400 shares of company stock worth $6,661,464. Corporate insiders own 1.40% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Alliancebernstein L.P. increased its stake in Cracker Barrel Old Country Store by 1,068.2% during the second quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 1,222,242 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $74,655,000 after acquiring an additional 1,117,617 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store by 13,737.1% during the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 930,131 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $40,982,000 after purchasing an additional 923,409 shares during the period. GMT Capital Corp increased its position in Cracker Barrel Old Country Store by 39.7% during the 2nd quarter. GMT Capital Corp now owns 2,833,700 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $173,082,000 after purchasing an additional 805,100 shares in the last quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. purchased a new position in Cracker Barrel Old Country Store in the second quarter valued at approximately $43,930,000. Finally, Marshall Wace LLP acquired a new position in Cracker Barrel Old Country Store during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $5,225,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 96.01% of the company’s stock.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Trading Up 1.5%

The company has a quick ratio of 0.16, a current ratio of 0.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $30.94 and its 200-day simple moving average is $36.18. The company has a market capitalization of $693.79 million, a PE ratio of -172.60 and a beta of 1.24.

About Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc operates a distinctive combination of country-themed restaurants and retail stores across the United States. Since its founding in 1969, the company has focused on providing a nostalgic dining experience reminiscent of Southern hospitality, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner with an emphasis on traditional comfort foods.

The restaurant segment offers an extensive menu featuring signature items such as buttermilk pancakes, country ham, biscuits and gravy, meatloaf and pot roast.