Tag: Pizza Hut

Latest Headlines

Humana drops products; Kroger nixes alcohol plan, and mixed reviews for new Pizza Hut crust

A news summary, with a special focus on big Louisville employers; updated 1:10 p.m.

HUMANA is dropping individual insurance products in at least four states (Business First).

KROGER is dropping a controversial plan to change the way alcohol companies get their products onto its store shelves (Business Courier).

PIZZA HUT: Reviewers taste-tested the new bacon- and cheese-stuffed crust. The verdict: mixed, with the biggest complaint being it was “too greasy and heavy” (BusinessInsider).

TACO BELL and Snapchat teamed up for a special Cinco de Mayo promotion yesterday (AdWeek).

In other news, U.S. stocks slipped on a weaker-than-expected monthly jobs report (Reuters and Google Finance). Among big local employers, Kindred fell the most, recently trading for $13.11, down 2.5%.

Latest Headlines

Kindred’s Q1 results beat forecasts; Papa shares surge 8% at the close, and a Yum operator just got way bigger

Latest news, with a special focus on big Louisville employers; updated at 4:48 p.m.

KINDRED just reported first-quarter earnings per share of 25 cents, down 27% from a year ago, but better than analysts’ expectations. Revenue rose nearly 10% to $1.84 billion, in line with forecasts (press release). In late trading, shares surged 3.4% to $14.98.

PAPA JOHN’S stock soared 8% to $60.16 a share at the close today, after the company reported first-quarter results late yesterday that beat forecasts on earnings, but missed on revenue (Reuters). The company is charging into a record number of foreign markets this year: “Our international business is on fire,” CEO John Schnatter told analysts during a conference call today (Insider Louisville).

HUMANA said first-quarter profit dove 28% to $1.86 per share, but that was higher than management’s earlier forecast of $1.80, excluding items (press release and The Wall Street Journal). Shares closed moments ago at $175.70, down less than 1%.

Diablo sauceYUM: One of Yum Brands’ biggest operators has added 91 more KFC and Taco Bell outlets in five states: Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Florida. The deal gives KBP Foods of Overland Park, Kan., 361 locations in 14 states (Nation’s Restaurant News); overall, Yum has nearly 43,000 restaurants worldwide. Taco Bell is permanently bringing back Diablo Sauce, according to USA Today (which now apparently has some sort of sponsored content agreement with the Yum unit). Pizza Hut has bacon-stuffed crust pies again (Daily Meal). KFC has opened a high-tech concept store in Shanghai (Manila Bulletin). Also, a Florida woman told police she found something seriously gross in a chicken sandwich (Smoking Gun).

TEXAS ROADHOUSE continues to tinker with its Bubba’s 33 pizza-and-burger concept stores (Insider Louisville and Business First). Also, the chain will open its latest Texas Roadhouse restaurant, in Virginia’s Roanoke County, June 20; the chain is now looking to hire 160 people for the location (WDBJ). The company already has more than 460 restaurants in 49 states, plus five locations in the Middle East.

KROGER: The operator of a huge Kroger distribution center in Colorado is moving to replace employees who’ve been on strike nearly a week (Gazette).

And in other news, Norton Hospital in downtown Louisville is the fourth-most profitable hospital in the country, according to a new academic study — a study the hospital disputes (WDRB). Louisville tobacco company Turning Point Brands is exploring an IPO (Business First).

Latest Headlines

Just think about all the tips we’ll save on pizza deliveries

The latest news about big Louisville employers; updated frequently.

PAPA JOHN’s and PIZZA HUT: As consumers get more comfortable with autonomous delivery — robots to you and me — a restaurant industry that already uses cutting edge logistics services could start adding delivery robots in the coming decade. Indeed, Domino’s — arch rival to Papa John’s and Pizza Hut — is already giving a trial run to its “DRU” robot in Australia; watch Domino’s Robotic Unit video. DRU follows Domino’s introduction last October of a delivery van equipped with a special warming oven that’s easily accessed from outside.

TEXAS ROADHOUSE is adding bee hives at its corporate offices on Dutchmans Lane, a symbolic step drawing attention to the nation’s beleaguered bee colonies. (C-J).

In other news, University of Louisville said today it’s raised another $12 million for the planned $50 million Papa John’s Stadium expansion. (Card Game)