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Cyclospora Outbreak Still Unsolved |
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Is a summer salad worth a potential side order of stomach bug misery? Many consumers are saying no—and it seems investors agree. |
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More than a thousand people have tested positive for cyclosporiasis, a parasitic infection that causes terrible digestive issues; thousands of other cases are suspected but require further analysis, according to the Centers for Disease Control. |
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The Food and Drug Administration originally linked the outbreak to lettuce from Taylor Farms, one of the largest produce companies in the U.S., whose products are used at major chains like Taco Bell, and sold by retailers like Wal-Mart and Target. Taylor Farms voluntarily recalled the suspected lettuce, but the Food and Drug Administration walked back its announcement over the weekend, saying that the test was a false positive. |
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The government agency back peddling and lettuce recall, however, don’t seem to be fully alleviating investor concerns. Yum! Brands, the parent company of Taco Bell, saw its stock close down again on Monday. More upmarket brands like Sweetgreen also continued to struggle, with the stock tumbling 6.1% after briefly stabilizing when the salad chain announced it did not use iceburg lettuce. Chipotle Mexican Grill and Mediterranean fast-casual chain Cava Group were also down. |
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Part of the issue, my colleague Evie Liu writes, stems from the fact that investors are treating the outbreak as a sector-wide demand risk. “Consumers may temporarily avoid salads, bowls, and other meals containing raw produce, even at chains whose ingredients had not been implicated,” Evie writes. |
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There are still no concrete answers on what is causing this outbreak. That means that for now, almost any fresh produce could be part of the problem. |
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The Calendar |
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3M, Capital One Financial, Charles Schwab Corp, Danaher Corp, DR Horton, Equifax, EQT Corp, General Motors, Genuine Parts Co, Halliburton Co, Hasbro, Interactive Brokers Group, KeyCorp, Marsh & McLennan Cos, MSCI, Northrop Grumman Corp, and Synchrony Financial report earnings tomorrow. |
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What We’re Reading Today |
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Barron’s Live returns on Monday. Barron’s Live features timely and actionable insights for investors. We give you behind-the-scenes conversations with the newsroom, connecting you with our editors and reporters covering the markets, the economy, and more. |
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