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Ark Restaurants (ARKR) AI Stock Analysis

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ARKR

Ark Restaurants

(NASDAQ:ARKR)

Select Model
Rating:41Neutral
Price Target:$4.00▼(-11.31% Downside)
Action:reiterated
Date:09/09/26

The score is held down primarily by weak financial performance (loss-making margins, high leverage, and negative TTM free cash flow) and a bearish technical setup (price below key moving averages with negative MACD). Valuation offers limited support due to a negative P/E, while the earnings call adds modest incremental risk given falling sales/EBITDA and higher debt despite adequate cash and some identifiable cost-saving and project catalysts.

Positive Factors
LiquidityThe $9.4 million cash balance provides a near-term liquidity buffer for operating needs and committed projects. This financial cushion can help Ark manage uneven restaurant demand and fund initiatives while reducing immediate dependence on additional external financing.
Negative Factors
Negative Cash GenerationNegative TTM operating cash flow and deeply negative free cash flow indicate that the current operating model is consuming cash after investment needs. If this persists, Ark may have less flexibility to fund growth, absorb weakness, or reduce debt internally.

Ark Restaurants (ARKR) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

-40%-30%-20%-10%0%10%20%ARKR-37.36%SPY+14.28%Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Jun '26Jul '26Aug '26Sep '26Oct '26Nov '26
Market Cap
$16.26M
Dividend Yield
―
Average Volume (3M)
7,269
Price to Earnings (P/E)
-5.1
Beta (1Y)
0.23
Revenue Growth
-9.48%
EPS Growth
77.31%
Country
US
Employees
1,566
Sector
Consumer Cyclical
Sector Strength
61
Industry
Restaurants

Ark Restaurants Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Description

Ark Restaurants Corp. is a hospitality company that owns and manages a diverse portfolio of restaurants and bars throughout the United States, primarily operating through its subsidiary companies. By December 20, 2021, its holdings encompassed 17 ful...

How the Company Makes Money

Ark Restaurants primarily makes money by selling food and beverages to guests at company-owned (and, where applicable, managed) restaurant and bar locations. Its core revenue stream is on-premise hospitality sales—menu items (appetizers, entrees, des...

Ark Restaurants Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Aug 10, 2026(Q3-2026)|% Change Since:-22.91%|Next Earnings Date:Dec 21, 2026
Earnings Call SentimentNegative

The call presented a mix of positives — adequate cash ($9.4M), targeted cost savings from a Sequoia lease restructure ($200k–$300k annually), operational efficiency improvements at New York-New-York, and potential upside from Bryant Park litigation and new development projects — but was offset by material near-term headwinds: overall sales down ~6%, sharp declines in Las Vegas (~11%) and Florida (~10%), EBITDA down $1.4M, and increased debt (up ~$4.5M to $7.1M). Given the weight of revenue and profitability declines combined with higher leverage and unresolved external uncertainties (Bryant Park lease, Meadowlands referendum), the call leans negative on near-term performance, though there are actionable positives that could mitigate downside over time.

Positive Updates

Strong cash position
Cash balance of $9.4 million at quarter end, providing liquidity to support operations and ongoing projects.

Negative Updates

Overall sales decline
Total company sales were down approximately 6% for the quarter versus prior year, reducing top-line performance and contributing to lower profitability.

Company Guidance

Management's guidance was largely operational and timing-focused: cash of $9.4M and debt of $7.1M (up ≈$4.5M QoQ after a $5M April draw to finance construction of America in Las Vegas); Q3 (13 weeks) EBITDA was down $1.4M YoY on a ≈6.5% decline in sales and gross margin, with company-wide sales down ~6% (Las Vegas -11%, Florida -10%); payrolls remained “stubborn” (no corresponding decline), while payroll %, COGS %, and occupancy are said to be roughly in line; a Sequoia lease restructure should save ~$200k–$300k annually; America’s partial closure should be fully reopened by September; construction of a new bar at New York‑New York starts in ~2–3 months with opening early next year; two additional Las Vegas venues are under negotiation; Bryant Park litigation yielded a judge’s award of the right to monetary damages with a hearing to set a trial date in September and a likely trial early next year (damages could be significant); Meadowlands casino referendum was not on this year’s ballot but management expects renewed legislative effort next year.

Ark Restaurants Financial Statement Overview

Summary

Fundamentals are pressured: TTM revenue is slightly down (-1.8%) with negative profitability (net margin ~-2.0%, EBIT margin ~-1.3%). Leverage is elevated (TTM debt-to-equity ~2.7x) and returns are negative (ROE ~-9.8%). Cash generation is a key weakness with TTM operating cash flow slightly negative (~-$0.2M) and free cash flow deeply negative (~-$6.3M), a sharp reversal from prior years.

Income Statement

34Negative

Balance Sheet

41Neutral

Cash Flow

27Negative
Financial statement breakdown
BreakdownTTMSep 2025Sep 2024Sep 2023Sep 2022Sep 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue155.54M165.75M183.54M184.79M183.67M131.87M
Gross Profit43.96M58.98M68.18M68.85M71.10M50.34M
EBITDA383.00K-16.00K591.00K634.00K17.98M22.10M
Net Income-3.18M-11.47M-3.90M-5.93M9.28M12.89M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets128.91M133.50M156.04M176.96M209.53M161.22M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments9.49M11.32M10.27M13.41M28.46M19.17M
Total Debt83.99M85.74M95.81M107.35M128.64M91.20M
Total Liabilities98.02M101.39M112.40M125.23M149.42M109.76M
Stockholders Equity31.52M32.73M44.14M50.29M59.80M50.41M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow-6.33M-1.50M2.19M4.53M17.65M7.16M
Operating Cash Flow-239.00K1.75M4.65M8.39M20.35M9.29M
Investing Cash Flow-5.28M3.43M-2.39M1.28M-7.76M-3.45M
Financing Cash Flow2.69M-4.13M-5.40M-19.69M-8.32M-3.56M

Ark Restaurants Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis SentimentNegative
Last Price4.51

Price Trends

50DMA4.62Negative
100DMA5.17Negative
200DMA5.94Negative

Market Momentum

MACD-0.01Positive
RSI46.63Neutral
STOCH9.96Positive

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For ARKR, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 4.51 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 4.55, below the 50-day MA of 4.62, and below the 200-day MA of 5.94, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -0.01 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 46.63 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 9.96 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for ARKR.

Ark Restaurants Risk Analysis

Ark Restaurants disclosed 32 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Ark Restaurants reported the most risks in the "Production" category.

Higher RiskSector Avg.Lower RiskFinance & CorporateTech & InnovationLegal & RegulatoryProductionAbility to SellMacro & Political
Production - Risks related to the company’s ability to manufacture goods and services

Latest Risks Added

0 New Risks

Ark Restaurants Peers Comparison

Overall Rating

UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)

Financial Indicators

ARKR against its peers
NameOverall RatingMarket CapP/E RatioROEDividend YieldRevenue GrowthEPS Growth
RAVERAVE74Outperform$29.93M10.3817.21%―6.70%3.98%
BDLBDL71Outperform$107.97M16.379.84%1.03%6.14%53.60%
BJRIBJRI67Neutral$1.22B26.2111.84%―5.26%56.29%
Sector *61Neutral$18.38B12.79-2.54%3.03%1.52%-15.83%
RRGBRRGB53Neutral$160.11M-5.3329.24%―-3.71%50.04%
NDLSNDLS43Neutral$82.94M-3.5450.91%―0.19%46.85%
ARKRARKR41Neutral$16.30M-5.13-9.79%―-9.48%77.31%

* Consumer Cyclical Sector Average

Performance Comparison

0%100%200%ARKRBJRIBDLRAVERRGBNDLSDec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Jun '26Jul '26Aug '26Sep '26Oct '26Nov '26
ARKR and its peers over the selected period
Show on chartTickerCompany NamePriceChange% Change
ARKRArk Restaurants Corp.4.51-2.70-37.45%
BJRIBJ's Restaurants57.1519.9553.63%
BDLFlanigan's Enterprises58.4327.4588.58%
RAVERave Restaurant Group2.15-0.87-28.81%
RRGBRed Robin Gourmet Burgers9.014.73110.51%
NDLSNoodles & Company14.208.33141.99%
Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.

Date of analysis: Sep 09, 2026