Burger King is not a publicly traded company at this moment in time. However, there are several key ways to gain exposure to the world-renowned fast food restaurant in 2023.
The company has changed ownership on several occasions since it first launched in Florida in the 1950s, and even launched its IPO in 2006. This means that investors can purchase equity in Burger King directly despite it not being available on stock exchanges.
This article will dive deeper into the nuances of the Burger King company structure, and share all the different ways that investors can gain exposure.
About Burger King
The history of Burger King can be traced back to 1953, founded as a fast food competitor to McDonald’s in Jacksonville, Florida. The company was initially named Insta-Burger King, but was later rebranded as Burger King after being purchased by James W. McLamore and David Edgerton in 1954.
McLamore and Edgerton set up the first Burger King franchise in Miami just a year after Insta-Burger King was founded in Jacksonville. By 1957, Burger King had introduced its trademark Whopper sandwich, which helped it grow across America — at the time, McDonald’s only offered small burgers in its fast food restaurants.
Despite opening its first international restaurant in Puerto Rico in 1963, Burger King’s sales continued to fall far behind those of McDonald’s. Towards the end of the 1960s, the company went through a series of structural changes. It changed ownership 5 times in the next 40 years, and ended up being owned by a group of financiers that included Bain Capital, Goldman Sachs Capital Partners, and Texas Pacific Group.
Burger King Worldwide had its IPO in 2006, and 3G Capital later purchased the majority of Burger King shares in 2010 before shares were made available to the public once again in 2012. Shortly afterward, Burger King merged with Tim Hortons and became a subsidiary of Restaurant Brands International. Restaurant Brands International has since added Firehouse Subs and Popeyes to its collection of fast food brands.
Burger King’s recent business performance
Burger King Worldwide saw a significant drop-off in revenue after it was acquired by 3G Capital in 2010. It’s thought that the company had suffered during the 2008 financial crisis, despite competitors in the fast food industry performing well during this time.
It’s more likely that Burger King’s notable drop-off is due to management problems after being taken over by 3G Capital, as any argument that the industry had suffered a decline in demand post-2008 is hard to substantiate when looking at McDonald’s growth during the same timeframe.
To help revive the company’s fortunes, another public fundraiser was held in 2012. Since the company was put under new ownership and a new business structure in 2014, Burger King has gradually recovered in terms of revenue generation. To this day, Burger King is the second-largest fast food chain in the US and has more than 14,000 stores worldwide.
Annual revenue for Burger King Worldwide, 2004-2022, via Statista
How to invest in Burger King?
Burger King Worldwide is no longer available on public stock exchanges. However, BGK shares can be traded OTC after its initial public offering took place in 2006. In essence, the only way to buy BGK shares is directly from someone who purchased them in the past instead of buying them on the free market.
There are two alternative methods for investing in Burger King. First, Burger King India is available on the National Stock Exchange in India. It trades under the stock symbol of its parent company, Restaurant Brands Asia (NSE:RBA).
Secondly, Burger King Worldwide’s parent company, Restaurant Brands International (NYSE:QSR) is available on the stock exchange. By purchasing QSR shares, investors can gain exposure to Burger King, Popeye’s, Firehouse Subs, and Tim Hortons.
Will there be a Burger King IPO?
The official Burger King IPO took place in 2006 after the private financiers that purchased it in 2002 decided to cash-in. BGK shares have since been available OTC, representing the subsidiary company that operates under the Restaurant Brands International umbrella.
There have been rumours that Restaurant Brands International could make Burger King Worldwide available to public investors in the future, after Restaurant Brands Asia announced a Burger King India IPO in 2020. However, this hasn’t been confirmed by the company itself and remains conjecture at this moment in time.
How to invest in Burger King FAQs
Is Burger King on the stock market?
No, Burger King is not on the stock market anymore. The company was previously available under the stock symbol BGK, but has since been bought out twice. There are still some BGK shareholders from the time when Burger King was a publicly traded company, which means that prospective investors can gain Burger King exposure by purchasing shares OTC.
Alternatively, Burger King’s parent company is available on the stock market. Restaurant Brands International can be found on the New York Stock Exchange under the stock symbol QSR.
Who owns Burger King now?
Burger King Worldwide has been bought out seven times during its history, with its most current owners being Restaurant Brands International.
Can you invest in Burger King stock?
Yes, there are several ways to gain exposure to Burger King, including purchasing BGK shares directly. BGK shares are available through OTC trading services after the company initially held its IPO in 2006.
The bottom line: Burger King is not a publicly traded company, but you can gain exposure by trading OTC or by buying shares in its parent company
Despite Burger King shares no longer being available on public stock exchanges, there are several ways to gain exposure to the fast food brand. The company is owned by Restaurant Brands International, and buying QSR shares is one of the most popular ways to gain exposure to Burger King.
Investors can also purchase Burger King shares directly through OTC trading services, where a portion of the total share supply is available from its original public investors. Alternatively, Burger King India is available on the National Stock Exchange of India after it launched its IPO in 2020.
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Source: https://coincodex.com/article/32575/burger-king-stock/