Wendy's (NASDAQ:WEN) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Stephens Analyst Says

Key Points

• Stephens raised Wendy’s price target from $7 to $8 but kept an “equal weight” rating, implying just 0.76% upside from the share price at the time.
• Analyst sentiment remains cautious: the consensus rating is “Reduce,” with a $7.48 average price target; 11 analysts rate the stock Hold and six rate it Sell.
• Wendy’s posted quarterly EPS of $0.13, beating the $0.09 estimate, but revenue fell short of forecasts and declined 0.5% year over year.

Wendy's (NASDAQ:WEN - Get Free Report) had its price objective increased by equities research analysts at Stephens from $7.00 to $8.00 in a note issued to investors on Friday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an "equal weight" rating on the restaurant operator's stock. Stephens's price objective would suggest a potential upside of 0.76% from the stock's current price.

WEN has been the topic of several other research reports. Guggenheim reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Wendy's in a research note on Tuesday, September 15th. BMO Capital Markets reissued a "market perform" rating on shares of Wendy's in a research report on Friday. Citigroup dropped their price objective on Wendy's from $8.25 to $6.75 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 23rd. TD Cowen reiterated a "hold" rating and set a $6.00 target price on shares of Wendy's in a report on Wednesday, October 28th. Finally, UBS Group decreased their target price on Wendy's from $8.00 to $6.50 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, October 26th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and six have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Reduce" and a consensus price target of $7.48.

Wendy's Price Performance

Shares of WEN stock opened at $7.94 on Friday. Wendy's has a 52-week low of $5.94 and a 52-week high of $10.12. The stock has a market cap of $1.51 billion, a PE ratio of 12.03, a PEG ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 0.37. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 27.95, a quick ratio of 1.88 and a current ratio of 1.90. The firm's 50 day moving average price is $6.95 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $7.36.

Wendy's (NASDAQ:WEN - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, November 5th. The restaurant operator reported $0.13 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.09 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $435.62 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $531.28 million. Wendy's had a net margin of 5.72% and a return on equity of 115.31%. The business's revenue for the quarter was down .5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.24 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Wendy's will post 0.50 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Trian Fund Management L.P. bought a new position in shares of Wendy's during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $252,583,000. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund acquired a new stake in shares of Wendy's in the first quarter valued at approximately $26,062,000. Renaissance Technologies LLC raised its holdings in shares of Wendy's by 2,612.4% in the first quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 2,340,282 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $16,265,000 after purchasing an additional 2,254,000 shares during the last quarter. Jupiter Topco LLC bought a new stake in shares of Wendy's in the second quarter worth $12,675,000. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE lifted its position in shares of Wendy's by 5.6% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 4,493,752 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $31,232,000 after purchasing an additional 236,541 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 85.96% of the company's stock.

Wendy's News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Wendy’s reported third-quarter EPS of $0.13, above analyst expectations of $0.09. The company also introduced its multi-year “Dave’s Way” plan to attract more customers and improve restaurant profitability. Wendy’s Q3 results
• Positive Sentiment: Management sees breakfast as an opportunity, with location-specific changes that could deliver up to $200 million in restaurant-level EBITDA impact. That upside depends on successful execution. Breakfast and turnaround outlook
• Neutral Sentiment: The board rejected a Trian-led group’s $7.35-per-share offer, saying it undervalued the company, and adopted a limited-duration shareholder rights plan. The rejection keeps Wendy’s standalone turnaround in play but removes a near-term buyout path and may prolong takeover uncertainty. Wendy’s rejects Trian offer
• Neutral Sentiment: Wendy’s signed a letter of intent to acquire up to 163 Meritage Hospitality Group restaurants, subject to a definitive agreement and other approvals. The deal could expand company-operated locations, but its financial impact is not yet clear. Potential Meritage restaurant acquisition
• Negative Sentiment: Despite the EPS beat, earnings were below the year-ago level, while coverage described declining sales and traffic. The turnaround must reverse those pressures for the company’s standalone strategy to support its valuation. Q3 sales and earnings pressures

Wendy's Company Profile

The Wendy's Company NASDAQ: WEN operates and franchises quick-service restaurants under the Wendy's brand. Its restaurants are known for hamburgers made with fresh, never-frozen beef, along with chicken sandwiches, salads, fries, breakfast items, desserts, and beverages.

Founded by Dave Thomas in 1969, Wendy's has grown into an international restaurant chain with locations primarily in the United States and Canada, as well as select markets in other countries. The company's restaurant system includes both company-operated and franchised locations.

In addition to its restaurant operations, Wendy's supports customers through digital ordering, delivery, loyalty programs, and mobile applications.

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