Get All Access for $5/mo

Shake Shack Shares Too Rich for Wall Street's Taste Buds Analysts have put a 'sell' rating on the burger chain.

By John Kell

This story originally appeared on Fortune Magazine

Shake Shack's hearty burgers and fries continue to hit the spot with diners. But the company's shares are struggling to remain a tasty treat for investors.

Two major banks this week downgraded Shake Shack's shares, putting more pressure on a stock that has now tumbled more 45% from its peak in May. Morgan Stanley levied a downgrade on Tuesday, which was followed two days later by rival Goldman Sachs.

The market value of Shake Shack has ebbed from $3.37 billion to around $1.8 billion currently.

Goldman Sachs on Thursday downgraded Shake Shack's stock to a "sell," saying that even with the sell off in shares, the stock still trades at a level that is too rich to justify the potential near-term rewards. Also worrisome: the lockup period for Shake Shack expires on July 29, which is when insiders will be allowed to sell their shares. Goldman points to research that suggests stocks often underperform in the weeks leading up to and following a stock's lockup expiration.

But what about Shake Shack's business model? That still looks strong to analysts that track the company. Goldman, for example, said there is a lot of opportunity to open new restaurants and the Shake Shack brand still remains relevant with millennials and performs well on Google searches, implying traffic growth will continue. Revenue continues to increase sharply.

The fast-casual purveyor, which debuted a chicken sandwich this week, isn't the only recently public restaurant chain to experience some pains on the stock market. Noodles & Co. and Potbelly have each seen their share prices ebb as expectations were set a bit too high for their restaurant concepts. Investors have been putting high valuations on many newly public restaurant chains with the hopes they can become the next Panera or Chipotle, but the path to achieve that growth isn't always as smooth or as quick as investors might hope for.

John Kell is a Reporter @FortuneMagazine.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Diversity

'I'm Gay': I Opened Up About My Sexual Orientation On Stage at a Work Event — And My Company Reacted In The Most Perfect Way.

This Pride Month, I reflect on my own coming-out journey at work and the steps that need to be taken toward creating inclusive and empowering workplaces for LGBTQ+ individuals. Organizational leaders play a crucial role in driving continued growth and improvement.

Starting a Business

Monetize Your Expertise — The Ultimate Guide to Creating and Selling Online Courses and eBooks

Unlock the secrets to transforming your knowledge into income with this comprehensive guide on creating and selling online courses and eBooks.

Business News

Selena Gomez Says She Isn't Selling Her $2 Billion Beauty Company

Gomez said in a new interview that she will be working on products for Rare "for the next few years."

Business Solutions

Give Dad Windows 11 Pro and Microsoft Office Pro 2021 for Just $60

This Father's Day, give Dad a more productive PC setup.

Business News

Google Leak Spills the Secret Sauce for Search Rankings — Here's What to Know

It's the biggest peek into Google's search secrets yet.