CAKE (Cheesecake Factory Inc) vs S&P 500 Comparison

CAKE

S&P 500

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CAKE

S&P 500

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CAKE

S&P 500

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Compare the stock's returns with its benchmark index and competitors. Gain insights into its relative performance over time.

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S&P 500

CAKE

MCD

SBUX

CMG

CPG

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Cheesecake Factory Inc
Glance View

Market Cap

2.5B USD

Industry

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure

Cheesecake Factory Inc. began its journey in the late 1970s with an unassuming but ambitious vision. The founders, Evelyn and Oscar Overton, started by supplying cheesecakes to local businesses in Detroit before opening their own restaurant in Beverly Hills, California, in 1978. Since then, the company has grown into a dining powerhouse celebrated for its extensive and eclectic menu, which famously complements its array of indulgent desserts. The brand has established itself as a quintessential casual dining experience, thriving on the dual strategy of expansive, varied offerings and an inviting, upscale atmosphere. At the heart of its operations is a commitment to quality and variety, which enables the company to attract a diverse customer base ranging from families to dining-in professionals. The Cheesecake Factory thrives on a multi-pronged revenue model heavily reliant on its chain of casual dining restaurants spread across the United States and international locations. It generates revenue primarily through the sale of food and beverages within its establishments. Notably, the brand capitalizes on economies of scale, enabling it to diversify its menu offerings, including over 250 items—ranging from appetizers to main courses—and a famous 30-deep cheesecake lineup. Furthermore, the company has ventured into selling its products through third-party platforms and licensing agreements. By maintaining a busy pipeline of menu innovation and leveraging its iconic identity, The Cheesecake Factory continues to carve out a lucrative niche amidst a competitive landscape in the hospitality industry.

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CAKE Intrinsic Value

What is Intrinsic Value?

Economic Moat is a concept popularized by Warren Buffett to describe a company's durable competitive advantage. It represents the 'moat' that protects a company from competitors and helps it sustain profitability over the long term. Our analysis of the past 10 years showed that companies with a wide economic moat significantly outperformed the market, delivering +645% returns compared to +189% for the S&P 500.

Our research into Economic Moat performance spans the past 10 years and focuses on companies with a wide economic moat. For this analysis, we calculated the average stock price returns of these companies, comparing them to the performance of the S&P 500 index over the same period.

The results were compelling: wide moat stocks achieved a remarkable +645% average return, compared to +188% for the broader market. This difference highlights the long-term benefits of investing in businesses that can maintain their market position and pricing power over time.

Note: This research does not account for survivorship bias. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Determining whether a company has an economic moat requires both a deep dive into financial metrics and a qualitative assessment of its competitive position. Our analysts conduct a rigorous evaluation that focuses on identifying structural advantages that enable a company to sustain profitability and defend its market share over the long term.

The process begins with an analysis of a company’s historical financial performance. We assess how consistently the company has generated returns above its cost of capital and whether those returns have been stable or improving. However, financial performance alone doesn’t reveal the full picture. To understand the sources of these advantages, we evaluate five key drivers of economic moats:

Network Effect: We analyze whether the value of a company’s product or service grows as its user base expands. Platforms like payment systems or marketplaces benefit from this self-reinforcing.

Switching Costs: We assess whether customers face significant costs or disruptions when switching to a competitor’s product or service. High switching costs create customer stickiness and provide pricing power.

Intangible Assets: Strong brands, patents, and regulatory licenses can protect a company’s market position by creating barriers for competitors or enabling premium pricing. For example, a well-recognized consumer brand may command higher customer loyalty and margins.

Efficient scale: Occurs when a market is optimally served by one or a few players, making it unprofitable for new entrants to compete. This typically happens in industries with high fixed costs or geographic constraints, such as utilities or pipelines.

Cost Advantage: Companies with structural cost advantages can produce goods or services at a lower cost than their competitors, enabling them to offer competitive pricing or maintain higher margins. These advantages often arise from economies of scale, superior supply chain management, or proprietary technology. Firms like Walmart leverage their massive scale to negotiate better terms with suppliers, allowing them to undercut competitors on price.

By examining these factors in combination with a company’s financial performance and market positioning, we classify each company into one of three categories:

This rigorous evaluation ensures that our moat ratings are both comprehensive and reliable, giving investors the tools they need to make well-informed, long-term decisions.

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CAKE

vs

S&P 500

Stocks Performance
CAKE vs S&P 500

Performance Gap
CAKE vs S&P 500

Performance By Year
CAKE vs S&P 500

Competitors Performance
Cheesecake Factory Inc vs Peers

Cheesecake Factory Inc
Glance View

Company

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CAKE vs S&P 500

Stocks Performance CAKE vs S&P 500

Performance Gap CAKE vs S&P 500

Performance By Year CAKE vs S&P 500

Competitors Performance Cheesecake Factory Inc vs Peers

Cheesecake Factory Inc Glance View

Company

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Stocks

CAKE

vs

S&P 500

Stocks Performance
CAKE vs S&P 500

Performance Gap
CAKE vs S&P 500

Performance By Year
CAKE vs S&P 500

Competitors Performance
Cheesecake Factory Inc vs Peers

Cheesecake Factory Inc
Glance View