Activist eyes Luby’s real estate

Article Excerpt

LUBY’S INC. $1.52 (New York symbol LUB; Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 29.7 million; Market cap: $45.1 million; No dividends paid; Takeover Target Rating: Highest; www.lubysinc.com) operates 146 restaurants in the U.S., including 84 Luby’s Cafeterias, 60 Fuddruckers, and two Cheeseburger in Paradise locations. Franchisees operate another 105 Fuddruckers, Luby’s has struggled to attract diners in recent years. That’s due to growing competition from new fast-casual restaurants such as Shake Shack; it offers trendy foods and limited service. New York-based hedge fund Bandera Partners, which owns 8.9% of Luby’s, now wants to place five of its nominees on Luby’s nine-member board of directors. The activist aims to apply the finance and real estate expertise of its nominees, including former U.S. Senator Phil Gramm, to turn around the company. What’s more, Bandera estimates that Luby’s real estate is worth $4 a share—more than double the company’s current share price. Luby’s is a buy, but only for aggressive investors. investors…