Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square Still Noshes on Restaurant Brands International (QSR). Should You?
🍔 Because holding this stock might be tastier than the fries.
🧠 Quick Recap: What’s on Ackman’s Plate (Q1 2025)
| 📦 Stock | 🏗️ Sector | 💼 % of Portfolio | 💰 Avg Buy Price | 📈 Current Price | 📌 Last Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brookfield (BN) | Securities | 22.3% | $48.30 | $67.27 (+39.3%) | 🔼 Added |
| Uber (UBER) | Tech/Transport | 22.1% | $71.97 | $90.59 | ✨ New |
| Restaurant Brands (QSR) | Food | 12.8% | $41.01 | $69.14 | 🔽 Trimmed 0.6% |
| Alphabet (GOOG/L) | Tech | ~16% | $99–$119 | ~$185 | 🔄 Mixed |
| Chipotle (CMG) | Food | 9.4% | $8.08 🤯 | $53.93 | 🔽 Sold 12.6% |
| Hilton (HLT) | Hotels | 6.6% | $83.49 | $272.68 | 🔽 Sold 44.8% |
| Hertz (HTZ) | Car Rental | 0.9% | $3.69 | $7.53 | 🔼 Added 18% |
🧑🍳 Institutional Appetite Is Real
🍽️ Institutions own 92% of QSR’s float. That’s not just belief—that’s a buffet.
| 🏢 Holder | Shares | % Out | 💰 Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capital World | 42.6M | 13.0% | $2.93B |
| Pershing Square | 23M | 7.0% | $1.58B |
| RBC 🇨🇦 | 22.6M | 6.9% | $1.56B |
| Vanguard | 14.2M | 4.3% | $976M |
| Edgepoint | 13.7M | 4.2% | $945M |
| BMO | 11.4M | 3.5% | $783M |
Smart money is still super-sized. 🍔
🔍 For Institutional Ownership breakdown, see here.
📊 Earnings Served Fresh
“Slow and steady gets the nuggets.” — Possibly Confucius
🗓️ 2024 Highlights
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System-wide sales up +5.4%
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Operating income up +17.9%
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$1B returned to shareholders
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Dividend target: $2.48/share (🍩 3.6% yield!)
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Adjusted Op. Income grew 9% organically
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Popeyes INTL sales soared +47.5% (Pope-yes!)
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Burger King INTL grew 8% (still flaming)
🛠️ “Reclaim the Flame” for Burger King:
🔥 $700M multi-year investment plan to fix the flame-broiled empire.
💸 Completed digital/advertising investments.
🏗️ Midway through high-quality remodels, equipment, and resets.
🧮 Q1 2025: Still Cooking (But Not on High Heat)
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System-wide sales up +2.8%
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International 🔥: up 8.6%
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Comparable sales: flat (Leap Day blamed… hey, it happens)
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Net cash from ops: $1.5B, up from $1.32B last year
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Management reaffirmed its 8%+ organic Adjusted Op. Income goal for 2025
👉 Want the full picture? Dive into Restaurant Brands International (QSR)'s financials here.
🧬 Long-Term Recipe: (2024–2028)
🍟 3%+ Comparable Sales Growth
🍗 5%+ Net Restaurant Growth
🥤 8%+ System-Wide Sales Growth
💵 Adjusted Op. Income growth to match or beat that
(They’ll revisit this once the Burger King China drama cools down. 🐉🥡)
💸 Valuation: Not Cheap, But Not Greasy Either
| 📏 Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Trailing P/E | 23.44 |
| Forward P/E | 13.81 🟢 (Reasonable!) |
| Price/Sales | 3.58 |
| Price/Book | 7.27 |
The Forward P/E says "Value Meal", but the rest of the metrics suggest this burger's been nicely grilled—just not overcooked (yet).
⚠️ What Could Burn Your Buns?
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🍟 Competitive Heat (McDonald’s, YUM! Brands)
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🐉 Burger King China uncertainty
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📉 Inflationary headwinds & cautious consumers
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🧯 Market-wide correction risk
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🚦 QSR is more “middle-of-the-road commuter diner” than “five-star food truck”
💡💡💡 Curious about another deep oil exploration play?
Check our takes on UnitedHealth Group or even Oscar Health.
🎯 Verdict: Grab a Tray, But Don’t Overload It
QSR is not sizzling like Chipotle, nor is it value-packed like a $1 menu deal. But it’s stable, dividend-friendly, and Ackman-approved. The stock has built a long-term base—and while the breakout isn't here yet, a slow simmer can still cook profits over time. 🍳
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✅ Moderate Buy
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📉 Buy on dips
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📬 Collect the 3.5% yield
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🐢 Expect slow appreciation, not fireworks
🚨 Disclaimer:
We eat everywhere, but 4 Charles Prime Rib still makes our favorite burger. 🍔💖
Invest at your own risk. And maybe don’t trade stocks while hungry.
This is not financial advice. It’s just a second opinion — and yes, we’re billing your sense of humor. 🎪💸
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