Restaurant Brands International (QSR) faces a "slightly unfavorable" setup ahead of its Q2 results as potential weakness at Tim Hortons could outweigh Burger King's momentum, RBC Capital Markets said in a note Monday.
The investment firm expects Burger King's same-store sales to rise 7%, above the consensus estimate of 5.3%, helped by "revamped" marketing campaign, menu initiatives and restaurant renovations. However, Burger King accounts for only about 18% of company earnings before interest and taxes, according to the note.
Tim Hortons, which generates about 40% of Restaurant Brands' EBIT, is expected to miss same-store sales estimates by 74 basis points in Q2 as Canadian consumers face greater pressure from higher gas prices, slower population growth and increasing competition, RBC said.
The firm also expects international sales to be broadly in line with estimates and Popeye's same-store sales to fall short of consensus, although it views the chain's "operational challenges are largely solvable."
RBC Capital Markets has an outperform rating on the stock, with a price target of $85.
Restaurant Brands shares were up 0.5% in Tuesday trading.
Price: $74.80, Change: $+0.39, Percent Change: +0.52%