Jack in the Box Inc.
- Open
- 16.16
- Day high
- 16.64
- Day low
- 15.99
- Prev close
- 16.19
- Volume
- 730K
- Mkt cap
- $317M
- P/E (TTM)
- 9.5
- EPS (TTM)
- $1.74
- P/B
- -0.4
- P/S
- 0.3
- Yield
- —
- Per share
- —
- ▼Insiders net selling -$262K over the last 3 months (0 open-market buys, 3 sales)
- 🏛Institutions mixed (13F)
Jack in the Box Inc. (JACK) is a Consumer Cyclical company listed on NASDAQ. The stock is down 12% over the past year. Over the trailing 3 months, insiders filed 0 open-market buys and 3 sales (SEC Form 4).
Jack in the Box Inc. (JACK) financials & analyst ratings
Fundamentals (TTM)
Analyst consensus · 3 analysts
Source: exchange market data + company filings. Figures are trailing-twelve-month or as most recently reported. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
JACK earnings date, history & EPS estimates
| Report date | EPS est | EPS actual | Surprise | Revenue | Rev. surprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 12, 2026 | $0.88 | $0.96 | +8.6% | $258M | -2.6% |
| May 13, 2026 | $0.74 | $0.76 | +2.7% | $254M | -0.9% |
| Feb 18, 2026 | $1.10 | $1.00 | -9.1% | $350M | +34.8% |
| Nov 19, 2025 | $0.46 | $0.30 | -34.8% | $326M | -8.3% |
| May 14, 2025 | $1.13 | $1.20 | +6.2% | $337M | -4.6% |
| Nov 20, 2024 | $1.11 | $1.16 | +4.5% | $349M | -2.3% |
| Feb 21, 2024 | $1.96 | $1.95 | -0.5% | $487M | +1.2% |
| Nov 21, 2023 | $1.15 | $1.09 | -5.2% | $373M | -22.7% |
| May 17, 2023 | $1.22 | $1.47 | +21.0% | $396M | +1.7% |
| Mar 1, 2023 | $1.75 | $2.01 | +15.1% | $527M | +4.9% |
| Nov 22, 2022 | $1.35 | $1.33 | -1.8% | $403M | +3.5% |
| Aug 10, 2022 | $1.43 | $1.38 | -3.3% | $398M | — |
JACK insider trading activity (SEC Form 4)
| Date | Insider | Type | Shares | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 14, 2026 | King Mark Jamesdirector, officer: Exec Chairman & Interim CEO | Sell | 5,647 | $18.59 |
| Jul 21, 2026 | King Mark Jamesdirector, officer: Exec Chairman & Interim CEO | Sell | 5,626 | $14.70 |
| Jun 18, 2026 | King Mark Jamesdirector, officer: Exec Chairman & Interim CEO | Sell | 5,911 | $12.53 |
| Jun 2, 2026 | MYERS JAMES Mdirector | Grant | 2,196 | — |
| May 28, 2026 | DIAZ GUILLERMO JRdirector | Buy | 5,962 | $11.51 |
| May 14, 2026 | King Mark Jamesdirector, officer: Exec Chairman & Interim CEO | Grant | 186,901 | — |
| May 5, 2026 | COOK RICHARD Dofficer: SVP, CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER | Sell | 1,025 | $12.10 |
| May 5, 2026 | MOUNT CARLofficer: SVP, CHF SUPPLY CHAIN OFFICER | Sell | 1,142 | $12.10 |
| May 5, 2026 | HOOPER DAWN Eofficer: EVP, Chief Financial Officer | Sell | 738 | $12.10 |
| May 5, 2026 | Piano Stevenofficer: SVP, CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER | Sell | 922 | $12.10 |
| May 5, 2026 | SUPER SARAH Lofficer: EVP, Chief Legal&Admin Officer | Sell | 1,841 | $12.10 |
| Apr 8, 2026 | Tucker Lance F.director, officer: DIRECTOR & CEO | Tax | 4,889 | $10.96 |
| Mar 17, 2026 | MYERS JAMES Mdirector | Grant | 1,355 | — |
| Mar 4, 2026 | King Mark Jamesdirector | Grant | 12,188 | — |
| Mar 4, 2026 | Smolinisky Alandirector | Grant | 8,235 | — |
Source: JACK SEC Form 4 filings, latest Aug 14, 2026. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
See the full JACK insider & 13F page →Jack in the Box Inc. company profile
Overview
Jack in the Box Inc. (NASDAQ:JACK) is a San Diego-based quick-service restaurant company that operates and franchises Jack in the Box restaurants across 21 states and Guam. Founded in 1951, the company went public in 1992 and has grown to operate approximately 2,200 Jack in the Box locations. The company also operates Del Taco, a Mexican-American quick-service restaurant chain it acquired, with nearly 600 locations. Jack in the Box has evolved from a single hamburger stand into a major franchise operation, with the majority of its restaurants now operated by franchisees rather than company-owned locations.
Business
Jack in the Box operates in the quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry, commonly known as fast food. The QSR industry is characterized by limited-service restaurants that offer quick preparation and service of food items, typically through drive-through windows, counter service, and increasingly through digital ordering platforms. The company operates two primary restaurant brands: Jack in the Box represents approximately 80% of the company's restaurant portfolio with around 2,200 locations. This brand positions itself as offering "food when you want it" with a 24/7 operating model at many locations and an eclectic menu that spans traditional fast food categories. Unlike typical burger chains that focus on lunch and dinner, Jack in the Box serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night meals. The menu includes burgers (including their signature Smashed Jack burger), chicken items, tacos, breakfast items, and seasonal limited-time offerings. The brand differentiates itself through quirky marketing campaigns and menu innovation. Del Taco comprises the remaining 20% of locations with nearly 600 restaurants, primarily concentrated in the western United States. Del Taco specializes in Mexican-American fast food, offering items like tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and nachos alongside American favorites like burgers and fries. The brand emphasizes value pricing with its "20 Under $2" menu and fresh preparation, including making guacamole and pico de gallo daily in restaurants. Both brands operate in the highly competitive QSR segment, competing against major chains like McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell, and regional players. The industry has been increasingly focused on digital ordering, delivery services, drive-through efficiency, and value offerings to attract cost-conscious consumers.
Revenue model
Jack in the Box generates revenue through a franchise-based business model combined with company-operated restaurants. The company makes money through several revenue streams: Franchise Operations constitute the majority of the business model. Franchisees pay initial franchise fees to open new locations, ongoing royalty fees (typically 5-6% of gross sales), and marketing fund contributions. This asset-light model provides predictable recurring revenue with lower capital requirements and operational risk compared to company-owned stores. The company has been actively refranchising company-owned locations, particularly Del Taco restaurants, to increase the percentage of franchise-operated units. Company-Operated Restaurants generate revenue directly through food sales to consumers. These locations provide higher absolute revenue per unit but also carry higher operational costs, labor expenses, and commodity price risk. Company-owned restaurants serve as testing grounds for new menu items, operational procedures, and technology implementations before rolling them out to the franchise system. Real Estate and Other Revenue includes rental income from properties leased to franchisees and other ancillary services provided to the franchise system. The company's margins are influenced by several key factors. Commodity price fluctuations significantly impact company-owned restaurant margins, with recent periods benefiting from commodity deflation in items like chicken and beef. Labor costs represent a major expense, particularly in markets like California where minimum wage increases have pressured margins. Consumer spending patterns affect both transaction counts and average ticket sizes, with economic uncertainty driving customers toward value offerings. Digital adoption helps improve margins through reduced labor costs and higher average order values, with the company targeting 20% digital sales by 2027. Operational efficiency initiatives, such as menu simplification and new point-of-sale systems, can reduce costs and improve speed of service. Finally, the company's pricing power allows it to implement strategic price increases to offset cost inflation, though this must be balanced against potential traffic declines in price-sensitive segments.
Competitive moat
Jack in the Box operates in the highly competitive QSR industry with limited sustainable competitive advantages. The company's moat is relatively narrow and primarily consists of brand recognition, operational scale, and market positioning rather than structural barriers to entry. The company's strongest defensive position comes from its established brand equity and customer loyalty, particularly in its core western markets where Jack in the Box has operated for decades. The brand's unique positioning as a 24/7 restaurant with an eclectic menu that spans multiple dayparts provides some differentiation from traditional burger chains. The Jack Pack Rewards loyalty program, with over 2 million members, creates some customer stickiness through personalized offers and convenience. Scale advantages provide modest protection through purchasing power for commodities, shared marketing costs across the franchise system, and the ability to invest in technology infrastructure like new point-of-sale systems and digital platforms. The company's franchise model also creates a network effect where more locations increase brand visibility and convenience for customers. However, the moat faces significant challenges. The QSR industry has low barriers to entry for new concepts and aggressive competition from well-capitalized national chains like McDonald's, Burger King, and Taco Bell. These competitors often have superior scale, marketing budgets, and operational efficiency. The rise of delivery platforms and ghost kitchens has lowered traditional location advantages, while changing consumer preferences toward healthier options, premium ingredients, and fast-casual dining threaten traditional QSR positioning. Menu innovation and marketing campaigns can be quickly copied by competitors, and the company's regional concentration in western markets limits its ability to leverage national advertising scale. The franchise model, while asset-light, also means the company has limited direct control over customer experience and operational execution at individual locations. Overall, Jack in the Box operates in a commoditized industry with weak structural moats, making execution, brand management, and operational efficiency critical for maintaining competitive position.
Risks & safety
Jack in the Box presents significant financial risks with a precarious balance sheet structure that raises solvency concerns. Debt and Solvency Risk: • Total liabilities of $3.59 billion substantially exceed total assets of $2.74 billion, creating negative shareholders' equity of approximately -$852 million • Debt-to-equity ratio of -3.74 indicates extreme leverage relative to the negative equity base • Current ratio of 0.42 shows current liabilities ($434 million) far exceed current assets ($181 million) • Cash position of only $25 million provides minimal liquidity buffer • Free cash flow recently turned slightly negative at -$153,000 in Q4 2024 Valuation Metrics: • P/E ratio of 10.3 appears reasonable but may not reflect underlying financial distress • EV/EBITDA of 16.0 suggests elevated valuation relative to earnings quality • Price-to-book ratio of -1.06 reflects the negative book value situation • Graham net-net value of -180 indicates the company fails basic value investing safety tests Other Considerations: • Declining same-store sales trends across both brands indicate operational challenges • High fixed costs from company-owned restaurants create operational leverage risk • Franchise model provides some stability but limits direct revenue control • Commodity price volatility and labor cost inflation pressure margins The margin of safety is extremely poor, with the company's overleveraged capital structure presenting meaningful bankruptcy risk if operational performance deteriorates further.
Recent development
Over the past few years, Jack in the Box has implemented several strategic initiatives to revitalize growth and improve operational performance. The company has focused heavily on digital transformation, targeting 20% digital sales by 2027, up from current levels of approximately 14%. This includes launching a new iOS app, implementing new point-of-sale systems across locations, and growing first-party digital sales by 80% year-over-year. Menu innovation has been a key focus, with the successful launch of the Smashed Jack burger, which sold 70,000 units on its first day and has achieved a 7.5% mix rate. The company has also introduced the "Munchies Under $4" value platform and brought back popular items like the Chicken-Tater Melt with celebrity partnerships. At Del Taco, management has focused on menu simplification and the Epic Tortas platform while maintaining the successful "20 Under $2" value menu. Geographic expansion represents another major strategic pivot, with Jack in the Box entering new markets including Chicago, Florida, Mexico, Salt Lake City, and Louisville. The company has signed 101 development agreements for 464 restaurant commitments and added 22 new franchisees in 2024, the most in the brand's history. International expansion into Mexico has shown strong initial performance. The company has accelerated its refranchising strategy, particularly for Del Taco, moving from approximately 25% franchise-owned to over 75% franchise-owned. This asset-light approach reduces capital requirements and operational risk while generating recurring franchise fees. Operational improvements have included implementing the CRAVED reimage and refresh program, focusing on speed of service, reducing guest order alerts, and pursuing restaurant-level margin improvements through efficiency initiatives. The company has also emphasized a "back to basics" approach to operations while investing in technology infrastructure to support long-term growth.
JACK company profile · for informational purposes only — not investment advice.
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