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Today is Tuesday, July 21, 2026.
The Early Bird Index today is 85.54.
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Cracker Barrel Trims the Fat 🥧
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store $CBRL ( ▼ 0.08% ) jumped 2.98% in after-hours trading on Monday after the chain of restaurants and gift stores announced a balance sheet cleanup and portfolio trimming.
Details: The company revealed that it completed a sale-leaseback transaction, selling 26 company-owned Cracker Barrel store locations to an investor for $77 million. The funds will go towards debt reduction.
Cracker Barrel also said it sold certain assets in its Maple Street Biscuit Company (MSBC) business, resulting in the closure of some locations. The MSBC business contributed less than 2% of Cracker Barrel’s revenue, and the company expects non-cash charges of $37 million to $39 million in the quarter.
Early Bird’s Nest Egg Gains: This is a balance-sheet and portfolio cleanup that modestly improves Cracker Barrel’s leverage and focus, but introduces ongoing rent and one‑time charges that investors need to underwrite carefully.
Final Thoughts: The stock was already up 98% this year.
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Notables
Notable Earnings Today: General Motors (NYSE: GM), Halliburton (NYSE: HAL), Alaska Air (NYSE: ALK), Ally Financial (NYSE: ALLY), Capital One (NYSE: COF), 3M (NYSE: MMM), Hasbro (Nasdaq: HAS), Interactive Brokers (Nasdaq: IBKR), D.R. Horton (NYSE: DHI), Charles Schwab (NYSE: SCHW), Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC), Chubb (NYSE: CB), AAR Corp (NYSE: AIR), Equifax (NYSE: EFX), Danaher (NYSE: DHR), Range Resources (NYSE: RRC), Western Alliance Bancorp (NYSE: WAL), MSCI (NYSE: MSCI), Vicor (Nasdaq: VICR), East West Banc (Nasdaq: EWBC), EQT Corp. (NYSE: EQT), Valmont (NYSE: VMI), Pegasystems (Nasdaq: PEGA), Hancock Whitney (Nasdaq: HWC), Annaly Capital Management (NYSE: NLY), Atlantic Union Bankshares (NYSE: AUB), Bank OZK (Nasdaq: OZK), First Financial Bancorp (Nasdaq: FFBC), Forestar (NYSE: FOR), Genuine Parts (NYSE: GPC), KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY), Marsh McLennan (NYSE: MRSH), National Bank (NYSE: NBHC), Northpointe Bancshares (NYSE: NPB), Synchrony Financial (NYSE: SYF), Webster Financial (NYSE: WBS).
Notable IPOs Today: N/A.
Notable Equity Crowdfunding Campaigns Ending Today: Freeland Spirits (Wefunder), The Spot, Plattsburgh (Honeycomb Credit), Owl Spoon Water Kefir Co #3 (Honeycomb Credit).
Notable Economic Events Today: ADP Employment Change Weekly (8:15 a.m. ET), API Weekly Crude Oil Stock (4:30 p.m. ET).
Cardano's Latest Hard Fork
The price of the cryptocurrency Cardano $ADA ( ▲ 6.94% ) increased by about 3% on Monday, and it is up over 8% in the past week thanks to the activation of the “Van Rossem” hard fork over the past weekend.
Details: This is the protocol upgrade that moves the Cardano network to Protocol version 11 and reduces the cost and improves the performance of Plutus smart contracts, while formalizing fully on‑chain governance for upgrades.
Final Thoughts: Like most major cryptos, Cardano is down big this year. It has lost nearly half its value in 2026.
Planet Fitness Sells Australia Stake
Planet Fitness $PLNT ( ▼ 1.39% ) jumped 2.53% in after-hours trading on Monday after announcing that it sold its stake in its Australian business called Bravo Fit.
Final Thoughts: The stock is trying to recover after falling 49.65% this year.
Trends to Watch
AI Race: Google is working on a new AI chip designed to make Gemini more efficient (TechCrunch)
Pain at the Pump: US gas prices back up to an average of $4 a gallon again as the US and Iran launch attacks (Associated Press)
Shining: Trump says he signed proclamation to adjust tariffs on aluminum imports (Reuters)
Ready for Takeoff: JetBlue wins Spirit slots at LaGuardia Airport, eyes move to Marine Air Terminal as airlines fight for space (CNBC)
Potential Rally: Bitcoin defies recent tech stocks sell-off. Are bulls eyeing a $70K rally? (Cointelegraph)
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The contents of Early Bird are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. They do not constitute trade or investment recommendations, and they are not financial or legal advice. Readers are encouraged to consult licensed professionals for personalized guidance regarding their financial or legal situations.
