After noting a second Restaurant Finance Conference just 4 months after the November conference, restaurant valuation expert Ed Moran told BVWire “this heavily attended event is a lighthouse for activity in the restaurant industry. Valuators will see increased demand for their services from this industry, if my crystal ball is correct.”

The extension of the aggressive tax benefits, including capital expenditures, the SBA credit expansion, lender funding increases, and private equity - investor interest are increasing restaurant expansion and acquisition. However, gas and commodity price uncertainties may temper growth, he adds. “The fast/casual segment, which includes Panera Bread and Chipotle Mexican Grill, appear to be the current industry ‘growth engine,’ but investors are also worried whether the industry can meet their inflated expectations.”

For up to date current information on the state of the full service restaurant industry and sales of recent companies, check the new BVR's Industry Transaction & Profile Annual Report on Full Service Restaurants. Finally, for detailed advice on restaurant valuation, check out Ed Moran’s BVR's Guide to Restaurant Valuation.