Driven Brands Supported by Take 5 Resilience but Weaker Traffic Risks Persist, RBC Says
Driven Brands (DRVN) is expected to benefit from resilient Take 5 demand, debt reduction efforts, marketing initiatives and unit growth, though softer traffic trends, customer tradedown and weakness in franchised brands could weigh on the near-term outlook, RBC Capital Markets said.The company's Q1 results came in at the upper end of, or slightly above, earlier preliminary figures, while management left its 2026 guidance unchanged, the firm said in a note Thursday.Take 5 performance remained solid amid strong average ticket sizes, a favorable product mix, steady oil change intervals and healthy add-on sales. However, same-store sales are expected to moderate in the second quarter. Management pointed to softer traffic and higher churn among newer, lower-income customers.RBC also flagged potential softness in franchised brands later this year. Meineke continues to perform well, while Maaco and Collision remain under pressure. It raised its 2026 adjusted EPS estimate to $1.20 from $1.17.The firm maintained its outperform rating and lowered its price target to $17 from $18.Price: $13.20, Change: $-0.63, Percent Change: -4.56%
