Cosi, Inc. (COSI)

no debt and should be profitable soon

Buying on recent drop

Good stock just beaten up. Has decent revenue increase over 2006,2007, and is expanding. I really like it below $3 also.

Re-up after a year hiatus. My major concern with COSI had been management. It seems to me that they have taken a MAJOR step forward with the recent hiring of Hyatt (from Burger King fame). Expanding into Texas. I think the shorts are being pressed right now, and that the stub will trend higher over the next 12 months (with the typical hiccups along the way) as Hyatt begins showing results.

My other reason for revisiting/reinvesting in COSI is that Home meal replacement / casual take-out is the fastest growing sector of the food business. This is different from fast food. I think both will do well even in a struggling economy since we'll all have to work more ... and harder. Besides no one knows how to cook anymore. I kid you not. As a farmer, the hardest thing is to sell raw produce and meats to those who neither have the time, the inclination, or the experience. This explains why most folks end up throwing out all the fresh stuff they bought at the farmer's market last week. They had good intentions, but something just went wrong!! (Okay, enough with that rant).

Here is my original write-up from 11/06

This is a trading stock for me ... at least until I feel confident about whether they have the Management Where-With-All to pull it off long term. Good potential ... but Management has yet to earn my confidence.

Entered this stock when I perceived a catalyst (earnings report). Sold ~7-8 days later when I felt the momentum would ebb. Good Call ! But "short-term trading" is new to me. Fascinating.

I wish I could have BOTH a "Trading Position" and a "Holding Position" in CAPS for the same stub. It would more accurately mirror what I try to do in real life. Take some gains off the table for new investments while maintaining confidence in my original DD / investment hypothesis.

Cheap now sell when it hits 6.20

Hmmmmm......Sbux is looking to add food to their portfolio. Cosi does fit into that upperscale quick service niche.... Cheap stock price, small market cap.... Just saying...

I ate there and greatly enjoyed the foods and prices for a quick lunch. Also offer catering.

if you're a short term guy, buy at 4.60 sell @ 5.60. if a longer term holder buy more when it drops below 4.85

Overpriced bad place to eat and I'm easy to please.

turnaround pick

Concept is poised to become a strong player in quick casual restaurant sector. Should be second to panera bread within next 2 years.

Buy and hold. I'd turn the buy signal on when the stock gets below $5.50.

2-11-07

Cosi is setting up nicely for growth. Here in Boston, they just opened up their 3rd location. This one in busy South Station. Great, unique product, good fundamentals.

plenty of room to expand. healthy balance sheet. great food. becoming more and more popular.....once the earnings go up the stock price will follow.

COSI is changing the way people think about "fast food". It's all about the dining experience.

100 company owned units-start up franchising very beginning

The places I go to are always busy and I like their sandwiches and pizzas better than many other chains. They also seem to have their stores which are less sensitive to price.

Buying this on a lack of recovery with the rest of the restaurant sector. This is definitely a company that can go two directions, the way of Boston Market, or ...dare I say it... Panera! Their product is good, but the legacy stores from the Xando/Cosi merger are unorganized and inefficient. Many complaints about service and wait times can be attributed to the poor management of the past, but they've got Restaurant all stars running the show now. Management has over the past 8 quarters been slowly improving cost/efficiency, and I am optimistic about their new "Avalon" concept. It's a wait and see kind of stock, but I think the risk/reward is there at these levels.