Digital strategies put these two ahead

Article Excerpt

With COVID-19, both Texas Roadhouse and Chipotle dropped alongside the market. But each has used smart strategies to rebound and climb to new highs. We think both companies are well-positioned to capitalize on their popular food offerings to keep attracting more dine-in, pick-up and takeout customers. We see both stocks as buys. CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL $1,851.48, is a buy. The stock (New York symbol CMG; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (www.chipotle.com; Shares o/s: 28.1 million; Market cap: $52.5 billion; No divd.) lets you tap a Mexican restaurant chain, based in Denver. Chipotle is a fast-food leader charging slightly higher prices than its competitors but offering naturally raised meat and better quality food. In the quarter ended June 30, 2021, sales were up a whopping 38.7%, to $1.89 billion from $1.36 billion a year earlier. Comparable sales rose 31.2%. Per-share earnings rose sharply, to $7.46 from $0.40, along with the increased sales. At the same time, the company has seen a continued rise in digital…