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    Alex Slagle

    Senior Vice President and Equity Research Analyst at Jefferies

    Alex Slagle is a Senior Vice President and Equity Research Analyst at Jefferies, specializing in restaurant and consumer sector coverage with a focus on companies such as Domino’s Pizza, US Foods Holding, The Wendy’s Company, Brinker International, and The Chefs’ Warehouse. He has established a strong performance track record, holding an 88.9% success rate and generating an average return of 38.3% on his recommendations, with notable high-performing calls on Papa John’s International and Brinker International. Beginning his analyst career at Jefferies with previous experience in equity research, Slagle has consistently produced actionable research since at least 2014 and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. He is registered with FINRA and maintains all relevant securities licenses required for his role.

    Alex Slagle's questions to RED ROBIN GOURMET BURGERS (RRGB) leadership

    Alex Slagle's questions to RED ROBIN GOURMET BURGERS (RRGB) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Inquired about near-term actions to improve the guest experience, the timing and cadence of incremental marketing spend for the 'First Choice' plan, and the reason for the revised lower company-owned unit count at year-end.

    Answer

    Management stated that improving the guest experience is a holistic effort involving facility investments, technology upgrades, and marketing. Incremental marketing spend will be about the same in the back half as the first half, but represents a year-over-year increase in Q3 and Q4. The unit count was revised down because while some stores improved and were removed from the closure list, the company found favorable opportunities to exit other underperforming locations sooner.

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    Alex Slagle's questions to US Foods Holding (USFD) leadership

    Alex Slagle's questions to US Foods Holding (USFD) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Alex Slagle of Jefferies inquired about the drivers behind the accelerating growth in net new independent accounts and the adoption of the new Gen AI-powered order guide by the sales team. He also asked for an example of how savings from the vendor management initiative are being reinvested.

    Answer

    CEO Dave Flitman highlighted that net new account generation reached its highest level since 2023, boosting confidence in future growth, and noted the Gen AI tool is gaining strong traction with the sales force. CFO Dirk Locascio explained that reinvesting cost savings is a standard practice, with a portion passed back to customers primarily through promotions and incentives to help accelerate growth.

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    Alex Slagle's questions to JACK IN THE BOX (JACK) leadership

    Alex Slagle's questions to JACK IN THE BOX (JACK) leadership • Q3 2025

    Question

    Alex Slagle of Jefferies inquired about franchisee interest in the restaurant remodel program and asked for more clarity on the expected cadence of the 'Jack on Track' store closures for the remainder of the calendar year.

    Answer

    CEO Lance Tucker described franchisee interest in remodels as 'very favorable,' noting over 1,000 applications for the initial 300-400 slots. The new plan aims to touch an additional 1,000 stores with a significant corporate contribution. Regarding closures, he estimated that at least half of the remaining 65-70 closures for the calendar year would occur by the end of the fiscal year, with the rest following in fiscal 2026.

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    Alex Slagle's questions to Bloomin' Brands (BLMN) leadership

    Alex Slagle's questions to Bloomin' Brands (BLMN) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Alex Slagle from Jefferies requested more details on the Aussie Three-Course value offer, specifically asking about customer behavior regarding check size, add-ons, frequency, and plans to evolve the promotion.

    Answer

    CEO Mike Spanos explained that the offer successfully drove traffic, value satisfaction, and frequency from loyal guests. He noted that about two-thirds of customers trade up to higher-priced tiers and 20% add on desserts. He acknowledged a resulting mix headwind, which is factored into guidance, and affirmed they will continue to iterate on the offer.

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    Alex Slagle's questions to BJs RESTAURANTS (BJRI) leadership

    Alex Slagle's questions to BJs RESTAURANTS (BJRI) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Alex Slagle of Jefferies inquired about BJ's Restaurants' value proposition, the evolution of the Pizookie Meal Deal, and the progress of training improvements aimed at enhancing the guest experience.

    Answer

    CEO & President Lyle Tick explained that the strategy is to build sustainable platforms like the Pizookie Meal Deal, which is seeing success with new upgrade options, rather than relying on short-term LTOs. He noted that the upcoming pizza relaunch also reinforces the brand's value equation. Regarding service, Tick highlighted that improved NPS scores and a significant reduction in comped meals are direct results of operational progress and a redesigned manager training program set to launch in October.

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    Alex Slagle's questions to Chefs' Warehouse (CHEF) leadership

    Alex Slagle's questions to Chefs' Warehouse (CHEF) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Alex Slagle from Jefferies asked how summer travel trends are impacting demand, particularly regarding tourism in major cities, and sought clarity on the magnitude of the headwind from the Hardee's planned business attrition on case and pound growth for the third quarter.

    Answer

    CFO James Leddy noted that July demand was stronger than in recent years, suggesting a rebalancing from the "overtourism" in Europe. CEO Christopher Pappas added that the market is returning to "normality." Regarding Hardee's, Leddy confirmed the attrition of high-volume, low-margin programs will continue to impact reported numbers until they are lapped in H2 2026, and the company will continue to provide adjusted figures. Pappas likened the Texas integration to the successful Sid Wainer model, stating they are in the "second inning" of a long-term plan.

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    Alex Slagle's questions to UNITED NATURAL FOODS (UNFI) leadership

    Alex Slagle's questions to UNITED NATURAL FOODS (UNFI) leadership • Q1 2025

    Question

    Alex Slagle of Jefferies requested more detail on the supplier go-to-market programs, including specific examples of their impact, and asked for clarification on growth rates mentioned for the natural and organic portfolio.

    Answer

    CEO Sandy Douglas gave an example of a large supplier recapturing 35,000 distribution points and smaller suppliers using new data for targeted programming. He clarified that the high growth rates mentioned (mid-single to mid-teens) referred to three specific brands within UNFI's natural private brands portfolio, not the entire category.

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