CHICAGO, Sept. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Zacks.com
announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every
day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and
events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently
featured in the blog include: Benihana Inc (Nasdaq: BNHN),
Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), CIGNA Corporation (NYSE:
CI), Aetna Inc. (NYSE: AET) and UnitedHealth Group
Inc. (NYSE: UNH).
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Here are highlights from Monday's Analyst Blog:
Benihana Sales Up, Hurt by Irene
Benihana Inc (Nasdaq: BNHN), the largest operator of
Japanese restaurants in the U.S, posted restaurant sales of
$24.9 million in the four-week period
ending September 11, 2012, up 5.6%
from $23.5 million delivered in the
year-ago period.
The company's comparable restaurant sales grew 6.7% in the
second four-week period of the second quarter of 2012, representing
the twentieth consecutive period of growth.
The upside in sales was primarily driven by improved comparable
restaurant sales at both Benihana Teppanyaki and RA Sushi
restaurants due to higher traffic. However, sales at the other 12
restaurants were hurt by Hurricane Irene. As a result, comps
plunged by 0.7% for the period.
The comparable restaurant sales jumped 8.2% at Benihana
Teppanyaki restaurants on the back of higher guest count (up 6.2%)
resulting from the Benihana Teppanyaki Renewal Program.
Moreover, same-store sales during the period leaped 5.9% at RA
Sushi due to a 2.5% rise in traffic. Though comps at both the
restaurants fell 0.2%, respectively, due to Hurricane Irene.
Comparable restaurant sales at Haru declined 1.6% as severe
weather conditions affected all the 8 restaurants resulting in
lower traffic of 5.4%. Excluding the impact of Irene, the comps
were up 3.0%.
Store operating weeks during the period were 1.3% lower than the
year-ago period.
The Miami-based company
generates 99.5% of its revenues from restaurant sales (67% from
Benihana Teppanyaki, 24% from RA Sushi and 9% from Haru) and the
remaining 0.5% from franchise fees and royalties.
Humana Expands RightSource Business
Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) announced the expansion of its
RightSource mail and specialty drug business by hiring 200 new
employees at a new office complex in Ohio by spring 2012. Besides, the company will
also shift 450 existing employees of RightSource to the new
location by December 2012.
Humana has already leased a 175,000 square-foot space at an
office complex in Springdale,
Ohio, which will be the company's third office in
Greater Cincinnati. The company
had started its operations in Ohio
in 2008 and currently has its regional headquarters and a
distribution center in the state.
The new additions will take Humana's total headcount in
Greater Cincinnati to 1,800,
including 1,200 RightSource employees. RightSource operates in 50
states and caters to about 800,000 Humana Medicare and commercial
health plan members.
The expansion is taking place to manage the growing operations
of RightSource's mail order delivery service. The demand for the
service is growing at a fast pace due to Humana's growing Medicare
business and the ease of home delivery.
Humana has been rapidly increasing its employee base. Last week
the company announced its plans of adding 200 new full-time
employees at the National Medicare service center in Louisville, taking the head count in
Louisville to 10,800 by 2011-end.
Additionally, in August 2011, the
company had announced its plan to hire 300 new employees in its
Humana Cares division and in July
2011, it had announced its plan to hire 200 full-time
employees at its national Medicare service operations center in
Tampa Bay.
We believe that the recognition of RightSource's services and
Humana's Medicare plans will lead to continued increase in demand,
thereby increasing Humana's market share against rivals like
CIGNA Corporation (NYSE: CI), Aetna Inc. (NYSE: AET)
and UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH). Thus, we can expect
more expansions and job creations by the company in future.
Currently, Humana carries a Zacks #1 Rank, which translates into
a Strong Buy rating for the short-term.
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