Jupiter Topco LLC Takes $12.68 Million Position in The Wendy’s Company $WEN

Jupiter Topco LLC bought a new position in shares of The Wendy’s Company (NASDAQ:WEN) during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund bought 1,529,010 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock, valued at approximately $12,675,000. Jupiter Topco LLC owned about 0.80% of Wendy’s at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in WEN. United Services Automobile Association bought a new position in shares of Wendy’s in the 1st quarter valued at about $161,000. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC lifted its stake in Wendy’s by 1.8% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 639,085 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $9,350,000 after purchasing an additional 11,072 shares during the last quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. grew its holdings in Wendy’s by 35.0% during the second quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. now owns 15,687 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $179,000 after purchasing an additional 4,067 shares during the period. Hsbc Holdings PLC increased its position in Wendy’s by 136.9% during the second quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 27,776 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $318,000 after buying an additional 16,053 shares during the last quarter. Finally, M&T Bank Corp raised its stake in Wendy’s by 8.4% in the second quarter. M&T Bank Corp now owns 16,987 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $194,000 after buying an additional 1,310 shares during the period. 85.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Wendy’s Trading Up 5.8%

Shares of WEN stock opened at $8.27 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.90, a quick ratio of 1.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 27.95. The stock has a market cap of $1.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.53, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.68 and a beta of 0.37. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $7.89 and a 200 day simple moving average of $7.46. The Wendy’s Company has a 1 year low of $6.07 and a 1 year high of $10.62.

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, August 7th. The restaurant operator reported $0.18 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.16 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $570.57 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $557.13 million. Wendy’s had a return on equity of 115.31% and a net margin of 5.72%.The company’s revenue was up 1.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.29 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that The Wendy’s Company will post 0.5 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Wendy’s Cuts Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 1st will be paid a $0.07 dividend. This represents a $0.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 1st. Wendy’s’s payout ratio is 42.42%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have recently commented on WEN shares. Morgan Stanley set a $5.50 target price on Wendy’s in a research note on Monday, August 10th. Argus upgraded Wendy’s from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $12.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, May 13th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Wendy’s in a report on Friday, July 17th. UBS Group reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $8.00 price objective on shares of Wendy’s in a research report on Monday, August 10th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets restated a “market perform” rating on shares of Wendy’s in a research report on Monday, August 10th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and six have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and an average target price of $7.76.

Key Stories Impacting Wendy’s

Here are the key news stories impacting Wendy’s this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Wendy’s shares are seeing a rebound as unusually high short interest raises the possibility of a short squeeze if buying momentum continues. The recovery appears more technical than fundamental, however. Wendy’s Climbs 4%, McDonald’s Ticks Up: Is Short Interest Setting Up a Squeeze in the Burger Trade?
• Positive Sentiment: New CEO Bob Wright is acknowledging Wendy’s recent mistakes and is developing a turnaround strategy that borrows elements from Burger King and McDonald’s. Potential improvements to operations, marketing, and the customer experience could support the stock over the longer term if execution improves. Wendy’s Is Losing Ground. Its CEO’s Turnaround Plan Borrows From Burger King and McDonald’s
• Neutral Sentiment: Consumer coverage highlighting popular Wendy’s menu orders may help brand engagement but provides little information about near-term revenue, earnings, or valuation. 7 Best Orders at Wendy’s, According to Regulars
• Negative Sentiment: Reports that Trian is not preparing a take-private offer caused investors to unwind takeover-related positions. Analysts argue that the acquisition premium has effectively disappeared, leaving Wendy’s stock to trade on its underlying business performance and turnaround prospects. Wendy’s Shares Tumble on Report Trian No Longer Preparing Take-Private Bid

About Wendy’s

The Wendy’s Company (NASDAQ:WEN) operates as a global quick-service restaurant chain, best known for its square-shaped beef patties, fresh ingredient sourcing and signature Frosty dessert. The company’s menu features a variety of hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, breakfast sandwiches, sides and beverages, designed to appeal to a broad customer base seeking both classic and contemporary fast-food options. Wendy’s has placed particular emphasis on product innovation, introducing limited-time offerings and revamped core menu items to maintain customer interest and respond to evolving dining trends.

Founded in 1969 by entrepreneur Dave Thomas in Columbus, Ohio, Wendy’s expanded rapidly through both company-owned and franchised outlets.