Steak n Shake
(NYSE:SNS) may be in for a shake-up of its own after Sardar Biglari's
Lion Fund increased its stake in the company from 7.3% to 8.6%,
according to a Schedule 13D/A filing with the SEC. The activist hedge
fund has been targeting the company lately, voicing their concern about
mismanagement of the company by the present board of directors.
The
move is welcomed by many investors frustrated with the company's recent
performance. Shares in Stake n Shake have plummeted in recent
weeks after it reported that net earnings dropped by more than 50
percent on same-store sales down 3.8% for fiscal 2007. According to one
analyst, "I think the best way to describe it at this point is
basically it's a big mess, and it's going to take some time to turn it
around."
In fact, things have gotten so bad that disgruntled
shareholders have formed a website (EnhanceStakenShake.com) and are
placing billboard ads in the Indianapolis area lobbying for board
seats. The campaign is spearheaded by The Lion Fund and is very similar
to what happened when it lobbied for a sale of Friendly Ice Cream -
which turned out to be a great success.
In the end, it is
uncertain as to whether or not these efforts will pay off. The company
has suffered horrible losses and shares are trading at a low. Many
investors are hoping, however, that The Lion Fund can work to unlock
shareholder value using the same successful tactics that it has in the
past. Combined, these factors make SNS a stock
worth watching!
Related CompaniesDarden Restaurants Inc. (DRI)
Applebee's International (APPB)
Ruby Tuesday's Inc. (RT)