Use the information provided in the table below, which shows forward P/E multiples and key value drivers for firms in the restaurant sector, to answer the following 3 questions about valuing Ruths Hospitality Group, Inc.

The following table shows P/E multiples and their key value drivers for 17 restaurant firms listed on U.S. stock exchanges.

1. Which of the key value drivers would you expect to be most important in valuing a firms equity using forward P/E multiples, and why?

2. If you are going to evaluate Ruths Hospitality Group, Inc. using forward P/E multiples, which firms would you include in your comparable set? Justify your choices using key value drivers.

3. What is the implied equity value of Ruths Hospitality Group, Inc. based on the P/E multiples of your comp set of firms, chosen in Question 2? Use $36.2 million as the expected forward earnings (E₁) of Ruths.

\begin{tabular}{|l|r|r|r|r|} \hline & \begin{tabular}{r|r|r|} Earnings \\ growth \end{tabular} & EquityBeta & MktCap($bn) & P/E 1 \\ \hline 1 Chury's Holdings, Inc. & 12.0% & 0.81 & 0.60 & 24.9 \\ \hline 2 Bloomin' Brands, Inc. & 0.0% & 1.37 & 2.17 & 9.7 \\ \hline 3 Papa John's International, Inc. & 2.8% & 1.28 & 3.23 & 29.5 \\ \hline 4 Ruth's Hospitality Group, Inc. & 3.0% & 0.88 & 0.55 & 14.9 \\ \hline 5 Dine Brands Global, Inc. & 3.9% & 1.03 & 1.24 & 11.7 \\ \hline 6 Crac ker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. & 8.5% & 1.10 & 2.52 & 18.9 \\ \hline 7 Darden Restaurants, Inc. & 8.5% & 0.71 & 18.07 & 17.8 \\ \hline 8 TravelCenters of America Inc. & 8.8% & 1.09 & 0.73 & 8.9 \\ \hline 9 Brinker International, Inc. & 9.0% & 1.66 & 1.80 & 11.0 \\ \hline 10 BJ's Restaurants, Inc. & 10.9% & 1.29 & 0.79 & 68.5 \\ \hline 11 Yum! Brands, Inc. & 14.6% & 0.59 & 37.02 & 25.5 \\ \hline 12 Denny's Corporation & 15.5% & 1.09 & 0.72 & 19.2 \\ \hline 13 Texas Roadhouse, Inc. & 15.5% & 0.87 & 6.91 & 22.8 \\ \hline 14 Yum China Holdings, Inc. & 15.8% & 0.54 & 25.11 & 31.1 \\ \hline 15 The Cheesecake Factory Inc orporated & 17.6% & 1.39 & 1.96 & 14.2 \\ \hline 16 Aramark & 45.1% & 1.12 & 10.40 & 20.7 \\ \hline 17 First Watc & 146.7% & 1.20 & 0.97 & 57.5 \\ \hline Average (excl Ruth's) & 19.4% & 1.07 & 7.14 & 24.5 \\ \hline \end{tabular}