On the four Ms, CAVA Group, Inc. earns 58 for management and 54 for moat. The management score rests on a return on invested capital of 5.7% and a gross margin of 18.4% — figures that describe returns closer to the cost of the capital behind them. Debt sits at 0.60x equity.
The price anchors are built on deliberately conservative assumptions. Growth is modelled at 15.0% a year, below the 19.0% actually measured over the last decade — the model caps growth rather than extrapolating a good run forwards. The exit multiple assumed is 30.0x. That produces an intrinsic value of $16.55, a 10-CAP price of $8.49 and a payback time price of $13.40, with the value zone set at the highest of the three, $13.40. Today's price of $54.38 is 306% above it.
The price is above the value zone and the business scores 54 for moat and 58 for management. Neither test argues for paying up here.
| Price | $54.38 |
| Market cap | $6.3B |
| P/E ratio | 98.6x |
| Return on invested capital | 5.7% |
| Gross margin | 18.4% |
| Debt to equity | 0.60x |
| Free cash flow yield | 0.4% |
| Growth rate used | 15.0% |
| Growth rate measured | 19.0% |
| Exit multiple assumed | 30.0x |
| Company | Moat | Buy price |
| Domino's (DPZ) | 67 | $207.33 |
| Shake Shack Inc. (SHAK) | 82 | $26.70 |
| Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc-A (ARCO) | 70 | $16.03 |
| Wendy's Co/The (WEN) | 38 | $15.30 |
Every number above is built on assumptions that can be changed. In Moatly you can move the growth rate, the exit multiple and the margin of safety and watch every figure recalculate, so you are testing your own view of CAVA Group, Inc. rather than accepting ours.