Last Updated on 06/29/2021 by GS Staff
Can You Buy Little Caesars Stock?
You cannot purchase Little Caesars Pizza stock. It is not a publicly-traded company and does not trade on a stock exchange where the public can purchase shares through a broker.
Who Owns Little Caesars?
Little Caesars is owned by Ilitch Holdings, a private company based out of Detroit that was co-founded by Mike and Marian Ilitch. Mike Ilitch died in 2017 at age 87 and Marian became chairwoman when Mr. Ilitch died. Ilitch Holdings not only owns Little Caesars but also the Detroit Tigers Major League Baseball team, and the Detroit Red Wing National Hockey League team, among other companies.
Little Caesars was started in 1959 with a single location in Garden City, Michigan. In 1962, its first franchise location launched in Warren, Michigan. The company had 50 restaurants by 1969. Today, it has well over 4,000 restaurants in the United States with additional locations internationally. Little Caesars is known for its value Hot-N-Ready pizzas that cost only $5.00 for a large.
Will Little Caesars Ever Be Public?
Little Caesars and Ilitch Holdings have always been private. Little Caesars, similar to Five Guys Burgers & Fries, took on a franchise model early, which did not require the company to raise capital through an initial public offering (IPO) for growth. You shouldn’t expect an Ilitch Holdings or Little Caesars stock in the foreseeable future. However, a transition in leadership is likely to happen sooner rather than later with Marian Ilitch being in her late 80s. As Christopher Ilitch (son of Mike and Marian) or another successor takes over the helm, there is a possibility of the company going public. We wouldn’t, however, bet on it.
Publicly Traded Little Caesars Competitors
- Domino’s – This competitor of Little Caesars is also a Michigan-based company out of Ann Arbor. Domino’s has approximately 17,600 stores around the world and is the largest pizza chain in the United States. It trades under the stock symbol DPZ on the NYSE.
- Papa John’s – The company was launched by John Schnatter in 1984 and went public almost a decade later in 1993. It trades on the Nasdaq under the symbol PZZA. It has over 5,100 locations.
- Yum! Brands – Yum! owns Taco Bell, KFC, and The Habit Burger Grill. They also are the parent company of Pizza Hut, the second-largest pizza chain behind Domino’s. Pizza Hut started serving pizzas in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas and has grown to over 18,000 restaurants globally. Yum! trades under the stock symbol YUM.
- Rave – Rave is the parent company of Pie Five Pizza and Pizza Inn. The fast-casual pizza company, Pie Five, has more than 40 locations. Pizza Inn has over 500 restaurants in America, many of which are in the south. You can purchase shares of Rave under the stock symbol RAVE.
Image – Phillip Pessar/flickr
