5 retail winners

A Frisbee-sized barbecue chicken pizza at the casual dining chain goes for about $12--a high price compared to the deals offered by most delivery pizza chains, and a splurge when you factor in gas costs. But customers are still driving to Los Angeles-based California Pizza Kitchen, where 2Q revenues rose 11% to $177 million, and net income grew to 26 cents per share, up from 21 cents last year. CEOs Rick Rosenfield and Larry Flax attributed gains to careful expense controls and operational disciplines, as well as initiatives ranging from frequent buyer cards to branded frozen pizzas. California Pizza Kitchen's success is modest--the business still projects a slight loss this year in comparable restaurant sales--but in today's retail environment, mild growth is red hot.

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