In times like these everyone looks like a winner. What could possibly go wrong? Investors have driven the market valuation of an over-the-counter traded company that owns one deli in Paulsboro, New Jersey to $100,000,000. The deli only generated sales of about $35,000 in the last two years. Recently, hedge fund manager David Einhorn used the stock as an example of the mania taking place in markets today. CNBC‘s Jesse Pound reports:
The Paulsboro, New Jersey-based Your Hometown Deli is the sole location for Hometown International, which has an eye-popping market value despite totaling $35,748 in sales in the last two years combined, according to securities filings.
“Someone pointed us to Hometown International (HWIN), which owns a single deli in rural New Jersey … HWIN reached a market cap of $113 million on February 8. The largest shareholder is also the CEO/CFO/Treasurer and a Director, who also happens to be the wrestling coach of the high school next door to the deli. The pastrami must be amazing,” Einhorn said in a letter to clients published Thursday.
Hometown, which appears to have begun trading in 2019, according to FactSet, has shares that trade over the counter and rarely has more than a few hundred shares change hands per day. Often, there are no trades logged in an entire trading day.
Still, the company’s market cap is just over $100 million, according to FactSet.
Hometown did not immediately return a request seeking comment made to the phone number listed in the company’s securities filings. A manager was not available to comment at the deli’s phone number.
According to the company’s latest 10-K filing, the company’s single location was closed from March 23 to September 8 of last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. During that time, the company’s stock price rose to $9.25 per share from $3.25 per share. It last traded at just under $14 per share.
The company sold 2.5 million shares last year and has about 60 total shareholders, according a filing.
Action Line: If an investment sounds too good to be true, it is. If you’re being pushed by someone to invest in something like a $100,000,000 deli, you’ll invest, but they’ll win.
Originally posted on Your Survival Guy.
