First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc.

First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc.

FWRGยทNASDAQ

$10.53

+0.86%
Consumer CyclicalRestaurants

First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc. operates and franchises restaurants under the First Watch trade name. As of March 23, 2022, it operated 341 company-owned restaurants and 94 franchised restaurants in 28 states in the United States. The company was formerly known as AI Fresh Super Holdco, Inc. and changed its name to First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc. in December 2019. First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc. was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Bradenton, Florida.

At a Glance

Live Snapshot
Market Cap$649.12M
EPS0.3200
P/E Ratio32.91
Earnings Date08/04/2026

Intrinsic Alpha Methodology

Thesis Lenses

Signal ยท Driver ยท Risk

Signal

High confidence

Valuation multiple is elevated (P/E 32.9).

Valuation inputs: P/E 32.9, earnings yield +3.0%, momentum +0.9%.

If multiples stay elevated while momentum fades, downside repricing risk rises.

Driver

High confidence

Return profile is soft (ROE +3.1%, ROIC +2.0%).

Profitability stack: net margin +1.6%, ROE +3.1%, ROIC +2.0%.

Quality deterioration often appears in margins before it shows up in headline EPS.

Risk

High confidence

Risk profile is balanced but has notable pressure points to monitor.

Risk factors: liabilities/assets +64.0%, momentum +0.9%, net margin +1.6%.

Higher leverage with weak momentum and thin margins can amplify drawdown severity.

fwrg

First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc. Market vs Earnings Trajectory

FWRG ยท NASDAQ

Loading price and EPS data...

First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc.

First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc. Fair Value Envelope

FWRG ยท NASDAQ

Our analysis suggests that FWRG has a fair value of HIDDEN per share in the Base Case projection. With shares currently trading at $10.53, this represents a potential HIDDEN relative to our calculated worth for First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc..

Intrinsic Value
Current Price: $10.53
3Y+167.0%
5Y-137.0%
10Y-219.0%
3Y+67.0%
5Y+257.0%
10Y+250.0%
3Y+181.0%
5Y-139.0%
10Y-258.0%
3Y+100.0%
5Y-786.0%
10Y+309.0%
3Y+7787.0%
5Y-32.0%
10Y+346.0%
3Y+58.0%
5Y+73.0%
10Y+162.0%
First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc.

First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc. Profit Bridge

FWRG ยท NASDAQ
Revenue1.22B
Cost of Goods Sold (1.06B)
Gross Profit159.44M
Operating Expenses (125.67M)
Operating Income33.77M
Interest Expense (16.70M)
Other Income/Expense-21.64M
Pretax Income12.13M
Income Tax (-7.30M)
Net Income19.43M
Net Income
19.43M

Profitability Analysis

Gross Margin

13.0%

Thin margins leave little room for error. Cost management and pricing strategy are critical.

Operating Margin

2.8%

Minimal operating profit suggests high operating costs or pricing challenges. Scalability is concerning.

Net Profit Margin

1.6%

Minimal profitability after all expenses. Limited financial flexibility for reinvestment or shareholder returns.

Effective Tax Rate

-60.2%

Below-average tax rate suggests effective tax planning, favorable jurisdictions, or tax credits.

Profitability Insight

Efficient profit conversion: Minimal margin compression from gross to net indicates lean operations and favorable tax/interest environment.

13.04%
Gross Profit Margin
-83%
3Y-32.0%
5Y+49.0%
10Y-36.0%
2.76%
Operating Profit Margin
-28%
3Y+19.0%
5Y-120.0%
10Y+25.0%
1.59%
Net Profit Margin
-15%
3Y+68.0%
5Y-111.0%
10Y-145.0%
3.10%
Return on Equity
-2%
3Y+135.0%
5Y-120.0%
10Y-194.0%
1.12%
Return on Assets
-11%
3Y+78.0%
5Y-123.0%
10Y-160.0%
2.03%
Return on Invested Capital
11%
3Y+130.0%
5Y-159.0%
10Y+63.0%
FWRG

First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc. Cash Conversion Engine

FWRG ยท NASDAQ
Net Income19.43M
Depreciation & Amortization75.01M
Stock-Based Compensation10.76M
Change in Working Capital-3.16M
Others33.90M
Capital Expenditures-156.91M
Free Cash Flow-30.99M

Cash Flow Quality Analysis

FCF Conversion Rate

-159.5%

Negative free cash flow despite positive earnings raises concerns about cash generation ability or heavy capital requirements.

CapEx Intensity

124.6%

Very high capital intensity consumes most operating cash flow. Limited flexibility for dividends or debt reduction.

FCF Growth Trend

-152.5%

Significant FCF decline raises concerns. Urgent review needed of operational performance and capital allocation.

Working Capital Impact

-$3.16M

Minimal working capital impact on FCF. Changes in operating assets and liabilities well-managed.

Cash Flow Quality Insight

Cash flow concerns: Despite profitability, the company is burning cash. Review working capital management, CapEx levels, and sustainability of current operations.

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First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc. Funding & Solvency Profile

FWRG ยท NASDAQ
Cash & Cash Equivalents23.57M
Net Receivables6.03M
Inventory7.14M
Other Current Assets14.83M
Total Current Assets52 M
Property, Plant & Equipment1.12B
Goodwill & Intangible Assets592.78M
Long-Term Investments0.00
Other Non-Current Assets5.00M
Total Non-Current Assets1 B
Total Assets
1.77B

Financial Health Analysis

Current Ratio

0.29x

Warning: Liquidity concerns. Current assets may not be sufficient to cover short-term obligations.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio

1.83x

Elevated leverage. Debt exceeds equity, which amplifies both gains and risks. Monitor debt servicing ability.

Working Capital

-125924000

Negative working capital indicates short-term liabilities exceed short-term assetsโ€”potential liquidity stress.

Asset Composition

3% Current

Capital-intensive business with significant long-term investments in property, equipment, or intangibles.

Financial Health Insight

Financial stress indicators: Both liquidity and leverage metrics raise concerns. The company may face challenges meeting obligations and should focus on strengthening its balance sheet.

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First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc. Street Expectations Map

FWRG ยท NASDAQ

Wall Street analysts project that FWRG stock may rise significantly over the coming 12 months. The consensus 1-year price target stands at 17.33, with estimates ranging from a low of 14.00 to a high of 19.00.

Lowest Target
14.00
32.95%
Consensus Target
17.33
64.58%
Highest Target
19.00
80.44%

The consensus 1-year price target stands at 17.33, with estimates ranging from a low of 14.00 to a high of 19.00.

Analyst Consensus Analysis

Upside Potential

+64.6%

Substantial upside potential. Analysts see significant value gap, suggesting the stock may be materially undervalued at current levels.

Analyst Agreement

28.9% spread

Good consensus alignment. Moderate target spread reflects general agreement on value drivers with some variance in assumptions.

Analyst Conviction

Very High

Strong buy conviction: High upside with tight consensus suggests compelling investment opportunity backed by analyst confidence.

Market Sentiment Insight

Rare opportunity: Exceptional upside potential with strong analyst consensus creates a compelling setup. The combination of significant price target premium and tight agreement suggests high-conviction undervaluation that may attract institutional capital.

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First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc. Insider Positioning

FWRG ยท NASDAQ

During the last 12 months, insiders have sold $169.19M worth of FWRG shares, with no buying activity reported.

3 Months

Bought

0

0.00

Sold

74.7K

937.06K

Net Activity

-937K

-$937K

3-6 Months

Bought

0

0.00

Sold

12.3K

209.61K

Net Activity

-210K

-$210K

6-9 Months

Bought

0

0.00

Sold

4.4M

77.75M

Net Activity

-77.7M

-$77.75M

9-12 Months

Bought

0

0.00

Sold

5.1M

90.30M

Net Activity

-90.3M

-$90.30M

Top Buyers

No buying activity

Top Sellers

1
AIL

Advent International, L.P.

10 Percent Owner

9.4M sharesโ€ข2 transactions

$166.25M

2
TCA

Tomasso Christopher Anthony

Director, Officer: President And Ceo

125.1K sharesโ€ข2 transactions

$2.11M

3
KWA

Kussell William A

Director

12.3K sharesโ€ข2 transactions

$210K

4
HHMI

Hope H Melville Iii

Officer: Cfo And Treasurer

11.2K sharesโ€ข2 transactions

$141K

5
WJA

Wolszczak Jay Anthony

Officer: Chief Legal Officer, Gc & Secy

10.2K sharesโ€ข2 transactions

$128K

Insider Activity Analysis

Net Insider Sentiment

Bearish

Strong bearish signal with $169.19M net selling. Heavy insider selling may indicate concerns about valuation or near-term prospects.

Buy/Sell Ratio

0.00:1

Very poor ratio. Heavy selling with minimal buying suggests insiders may be concerned about valuation or outlook.

Recent Trend (3 Months)

$937K

Heavy recent selling activity. Recent insider sales notably exceed purchasesโ€”may warrant investigation into company developments.

Insider Participation

High Selling

5 insider sellers vs. 0 buyers. Widespread selling across multiple insiders may signal concerns.

Insider Activity Insight

Multiple red flags: Heavy selling, numerous sellers, and continued recent selling create a concerning pattern. Investigate fundamental drivers and consider whether company guidance or industry conditions have deteriorated.

No Dividend Yield Data

FWRG has not reported any dividend yield values in the available annual periods.

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fwrg Dividend History

FWRG
10Y CAGR +0%
Latest $0
Annual $0
Stable dividend payments
Last Period: +0%