Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) Upgraded by Wall Street Zen to Hold Rating

Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report report published on Saturday morning.

WEN has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Morgan Stanley reiterated an “underweight” rating and set a $7.00 price target on shares of Wendy’s in a research report on Monday, February 16th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $8.00 price target on Wendy’s in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their price target on Wendy’s from $8.00 to $7.00 and set a “sell” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Stephens dropped their price target on Wendy’s from $9.00 to $8.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Finally, Barclays dropped their price target on Wendy’s from $9.00 to $8.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and six have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and an average target price of $8.56.

Wendy’s Stock Down 1.1%

WEN stock opened at $8.02 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.81, a current ratio of 1.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.25. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.53 billion, a PE ratio of 10.28, a PEG ratio of 0.58 and a beta of 0.35. Wendy’s has a twelve month low of $6.37 and a twelve month high of $12.51. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $7.07 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $7.82.

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) last posted its earnings results on Friday, May 8th. The restaurant operator reported $0.12 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.10 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $432.30 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $518.03 million. Wendy’s had a return on equity of 136.46% and a net margin of 6.77%.The company’s quarterly revenue was up 3.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.20 EPS. Wendy’s has set its FY 2026 guidance at 0.560-0.600 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Wendy’s will post 0.58 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wendy’s Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 1st will be given a $0.14 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 1st. This represents a $0.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.0%. Wendy’s’s payout ratio is presently 71.79%.

Institutional Trading of Wendy’s

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of WEN. Marshall Wace LLP bought a new stake in Wendy’s in the third quarter valued at approximately $36,912,000. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund bought a new stake in Wendy’s in the first quarter valued at approximately $26,062,000. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Wendy’s by 38.1% in the fourth quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 11,705,610 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $97,508,000 after purchasing an additional 3,227,366 shares during the last quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN raised its holdings in shares of Wendy’s by 258.6% during the fourth quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 4,224,648 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $35,191,000 after acquiring an additional 3,046,517 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Renaissance Technologies LLC raised its holdings in shares of Wendy’s by 2,612.4% during the first quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 2,340,282 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $16,265,000 after acquiring an additional 2,254,000 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 85.96% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Wendy’s

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

• Positive Sentiment: Wendy’s stock rose on renewed reports that Nelson Peltz’s Trian Fund may be exploring a take-private deal, which could unlock a premium for shareholders if a transaction materializes. Wendy’s Take Private Talks Put Valuation And Deal Terms In Focus
• Positive Sentiment: Argus upgraded Wendy’s to Buy, adding analyst support for the stock amid expectations that valuation remains attractive relative to potential upside. Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) Upgraded to Buy at Argus
• Positive Sentiment: Wendy’s is pushing international expansion, including an agreement that could bring up to 1,000 restaurants to China over the next decade, which investors may view as a long-term growth driver. Will a Strategic Pivot to China Save Struggling Wendy’s?
• Positive Sentiment: Wendy’s Canada announced fresh menu additions and a summer lineup, which supports brand momentum and international sales growth. Wendy’s Canada Brings Fresh Flavours to Menus Nationwide with New Strawberry Salad, Watermelon Lemonade and More
• Neutral Sentiment: Wendy’s is rolling out a new blue global restaurant design, a brand-refresh move that may help differentiation but is not likely to move earnings near term. Wendy’s new blue design is rolling out globally
• Negative Sentiment: Several articles highlighted additional Wendy’s restaurant closures, including in Michigan and other hard-hit states, reinforcing concerns that the company is downsizing its U.S. footprint. Pair of Flint-area Wendy’s close as fast food chain downsizes
• Negative Sentiment: Reports that Wendy’s has closed roughly 200 restaurants over recent months may weigh on sentiment by signaling softness in parts of the U.S. business. Wendy’s has closed 200 restaurants: Here are the hardest hit states

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.