📊 CBRL Key Takeaways
Is Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (CBRL) a Good Investment?
Cracker Barrel is experiencing severe operational deterioration with negative operating and net income despite stable revenue, indicating fundamental business model stress. The company is burning cash with negative operating cash flow and free cash flow, while maintaining high debt levels with deteriorating interest coverage, creating significant solvency risk.
Cracker Barrel's fundamentals are weak: revenue is essentially flat, while operating margin, net margin, ROE, ROA, operating cash flow, and free cash flow are all negative. The combination of very low cash, sub-1.0 liquidity ratios, and negative interest coverage suggests strained financial flexibility, even though gross margin remains relatively solid. Unless profitability and cash generation improve meaningfully, the current fundamental profile points to elevated downside risk.
Why Buy Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. Stock? CBRL Key Strengths
- Reasonable gross margin of 57.1% demonstrates pricing power and cost management in core operations
- Revenue relatively stable with modest 0.4% growth showing maintained customer traffic despite operational challenges
- Modest debt-to-equity ratio of 0.90x provides some leverage flexibility compared to typical retail
- Gross margin of 57.1% indicates the core concept still retains pricing power and merchandise/restaurant gross profitability
- Revenue remained stable year over year, showing the business is not currently in outright top-line collapse
- Debt-to-equity of 0.90x is elevated but not extreme relative to the larger concern of earnings and cash flow weakness
CBRL Stock Risks: Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. Investment Risks
- Negative operating income of -32.3M indicates the business cannot cover operating expenses from core operations
- Severely negative free cash flow of -64.4M combined with only 8.6M in cash reserves creates urgent liquidity concerns
- Deteriorating interest coverage of -9.0x with 381.8M long-term debt signals inability to service debt obligations from operations
- Current ratio of 0.49x indicates working capital deficit and potential inability to meet short-term obligations
- Negative operating and net cash flows despite capital expenditure of 62.3M suggests unsustainable cash burn
- Negative operating margin and net margin show the business is currently unprofitable at both operating and bottom-line levels
- Current ratio of 0.49x, quick ratio of 0.18x, and only $8.57M in cash point to weak near-term liquidity
- Negative operating cash flow, negative free cash flow, and -9.0x interest coverage indicate poor debt-servicing capacity and limited financial flexibility
Key Metrics to Watch
- Quarterly operating cash flow trend - must return to positive to indicate operational viability
- Debt refinancing needs and covenant compliance with 381.8M long-term debt obligations
- Monthly same-store sales and operating margin recovery path toward profitability
- Operating margin and interest coverage
- Operating cash flow and free cash flow
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (CBRL) Financial Metrics & Key Ratios
💡 AI Analyst Insight
The current ratio below 1.0x warrants monitoring of short-term liquidity.
CBRL Profit Margin, ROE & Profitability Analysis
CBRL vs Consumer Sector: How Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. Compares
How Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. compares to Consumer sector averages
Sector benchmarks are approximate industry averages. Actual sector performance may vary.
Is Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. Stock Overvalued? CBRL Valuation Analysis 2026
Based on fundamental analysis, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. shows some fundamental concerns relative to the Consumer sector in 2026.
Note: This is a fundamental analysis based on SEC filings. For P/E ratio, price targets, and market-based valuation, consult financial data providers. This is not investment advice.
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. Balance Sheet: CBRL Debt, Cash & Liquidity
CBRL Revenue & Earnings Growth: 5-Year Financial Trend
5-Year Trend Summary: Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.'s revenue has grown significantly by 13% over the 5-year period, indicating strong business expansion. The most recent EPS of $4.45 reflects profitable operations.
CBRL Revenue Growth, EPS Growth & YoY Performance
CBRL Quarterly Earnings & Performance
| Quarter | Revenue | Net Income | EPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q2 2026 | $874.8M | $1.3M | $0.06 |
| Q1 2026 | $797.2M | $4.8M | $0.22 |
| Q3 2025 | $817.1M | $4.8M | $-0.41 |
| Q2 2025 | $935.4M | $4.8M | $0.99 |
| Q1 2025 | $823.8M | $4.8M | $0.22 |
| Q3 2024 | $817.1M | $5.5M | $-0.41 |
| Q2 2024 | $933.9M | $5.5M | $1.19 |
| Q1 2024 | $823.8M | $5.5M | $0.25 |
Data sourced from SEC EDGAR 10-Q quarterly filings. Figures may represent quarterly or cumulative values.
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. Dividends, Buybacks & Capital Allocation
CBRL SEC Filings: Latest 10-K & 10-Q Analysis
Access official SEC EDGAR filings for Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (CIK: 0001067294)
📋 Recent SEC Filings
❓ Frequently Asked Questions about CBRL
What is the AI rating for CBRL?
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (CBRL) has a Combined AI Rating of SELL from Claude (STRONG SELL) and ChatGPT (SELL) with 89% combined confidence, based on fundamental analysis of SEC EDGAR filings.
What are CBRL's key strengths?
Claude: Reasonable gross margin of 57.1% demonstrates pricing power and cost management in core operations. Revenue relatively stable with modest 0.4% growth showing maintained customer traffic despite operational challenges. ChatGPT: Gross margin of 57.1% indicates the core concept still retains pricing power and merchandise/restaurant gross profitability. Revenue remained stable year over year, showing the business is not currently in outright top-line collapse.
What are the risks of investing in CBRL?
Claude: Negative operating income of -32.3M indicates the business cannot cover operating expenses from core operations. Severely negative free cash flow of -64.4M combined with only 8.6M in cash reserves creates urgent liquidity concerns. ChatGPT: Negative operating margin and net margin show the business is currently unprofitable at both operating and bottom-line levels. Current ratio of 0.49x, quick ratio of 0.18x, and only $8.57M in cash point to weak near-term liquidity.
What is CBRL's revenue and growth?
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. reported revenue of $1.7B.
Does CBRL pay dividends?
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. pays dividends, with $12.0M distributed to shareholders in the trailing twelve months.
Where can I find CBRL SEC filings?
Official SEC filings for Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (CIK: 0001067294) including 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K reports are available on SEC EDGAR.
What is CBRL's EPS?
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. has a diluted EPS of $-1.05.
How is the AI analysis conducted?
Two independent AI systems — Claude (Anthropic) and ChatGPT (OpenAI) — analyze SEC EDGAR filings including 10-K annual reports and 10-Q quarterly reports. Each AI evaluates financial health, profitability ratios, balance sheet strength, and growth metrics. The combined rating reflects both perspectives for balanced insights.
Is CBRL a good stock to buy right now?
Based on our AI fundamental analysis in April 2026, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. has a SELL rating with 89% confidence. Review the strengths and risks sections above before making a decision. This is not investment advice.
Is CBRL stock overvalued or undervalued?
Valuation metrics for CBRL: ROE of -5.5% (sector avg: 18%), net margin of -1.4% (sector avg: 8%). Compare these metrics with sector averages to assess valuation.
Should I buy CBRL stock in 2026?
Our dual AI analysis gives Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. a combined SELL rating for 2026. Revenue is data pending, with profitability at or below sector average. Always conduct your own research.
What is CBRL's free cash flow?
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.'s operating cash flow is $-2.2M, with capital expenditures of $62.3M. FCF margin is -3.9%.
How does CBRL compare to other Consumer stocks?
Vs Consumer sector averages: Net margin -1.4% (avg: 8%), ROE -5.5% (avg: 18%), current ratio 0.49 (avg: 1.5).