Topic: How To Invest

Pat: Can I have your opinion on Panera Bread as a buy? Thanks.

Article Excerpt

Panera Bread Co., $161.02, symbol PNRA on Nasdaq (Shares outstanding: 28.2 million; Market cap: $4.7 billion; www.panerabread.com), operates 1,652 bakery-cafes in 44 U.S. states and Canada. Of that total, 809 are company-owned and 843 are franchised. Panera aims to open 115 to 125 new bakery-cafes this year. The company’s outlets operate under the Panera Bread, Saint Louis Bread Co. and Paradise Bakery & Café banners. They mainly offer freshly made sandwiches, baked goods, soup, salads, coffee and beverages. Panera’s cafes, mainly located in malls, target people who live and work in suburban areas. Panera bakes its breads and pastries in each store, without trans fats. It makes its chicken sandwiches from meat that is free of hormones and antibiotics, and its food and hot drinks are served on china, with stainless-steel utensils. Chairs and tabletops are wood, and the floors are carpeted. The company also operates a catering service that delivers sandwiches and other foods to parties and other functions. In the three…