Wingstop (NASDAQ:WING) Stock Keeps "Buy" Rating at DA Davidson

Key Points

• DA Davidson reiterated its “Buy” rating on Wingstop and set a $180 price target, implying roughly 27.7% upside from the reported share price.
• Analyst sentiment remains broadly positive, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $225.07, although targets range widely from $120 to $265.
• Wingstop beat quarterly EPS expectations with $1.08 versus $1.02 forecast, but revenue missed estimates and domestic same-store sales weakness remains a key concern.

Wingstop (NASDAQ:WING - Get Free Report)'s stock had its "buy" rating restated by investment analysts at DA Davidson in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday, Benzinga reports. They currently have a $180.00 price objective on the restaurant operator's stock. DA Davidson's price target would suggest a potential upside of 27.66% from the stock's current price.

Several other equities analysts also recently issued reports on WING. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of Wingstop from $165.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Thursday. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Wingstop from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Benchmark cut their price target on shares of Wingstop from $285.00 to $245.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their price target on shares of Wingstop from $200.00 to $150.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, September 17th. Finally, Raymond James Financial reiterated a "strong-buy" rating on shares of Wingstop in a research note on Thursday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have given a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $225.07.

Wingstop Trading Up 1.8%

Shares of NASDAQ WING traded up $2.43 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $141.00. The company had a trading volume of 623,683 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,202,833. The stock has a market cap of $3.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.50, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.44 and a beta of 1.81. The business's 50-day moving average is $113.87 and its 200-day moving average is $165.89. Wingstop has a 52 week low of $95.82 and a 52 week high of $302.80.

Wingstop (NASDAQ:WING - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 28th. The restaurant operator reported $1.08 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.02 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $185.13 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $192.89 million. Wingstop had a net margin of 16.15% and a negative return on equity of 16.31%. The company's quarterly revenue was up 5.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.09 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Wingstop will post 4.45 earnings per share for the current year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Wingstop

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Wingstop during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $481,314,000. Darsana Capital Partners LP lifted its holdings in Wingstop by 20.0% during the second quarter. Darsana Capital Partners LP now owns 1,500,000 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $260,115,000 after purchasing an additional 250,000 shares in the last quarter. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. lifted its holdings in Wingstop by 44.5% during the second quarter. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. now owns 942,943 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $163,516,000 after purchasing an additional 290,501 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp grew its position in shares of Wingstop by 2.0% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 863,951 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $149,751,000 after purchasing an additional 16,907 shares during the period. Finally, Jupiter Topco LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Wingstop in the second quarter valued at about $147,440,000.

Trending Headlines about Wingstop

Here are the key news stories impacting Wingstop this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly profit exceeded expectations. Wingstop reported adjusted earnings of $1.08 per share, above the $1.02 consensus estimate, while revenue increased approximately 5.3% year over year to $185.1 million. The earnings beat helped drive renewed investor interest despite softer sales trends. Wingstop Inc. Reports Fiscal Third Quarter Financial Results
• Positive Sentiment: Expansion and customer engagement remain long-term growth drivers. Wingstop opened 76 net new restaurants during the quarter, reaching 3,331 locations, and is targeting 440 to 450 net new restaurants in 2026. Management also cited stronger repeat visits among Club Wingstop members and outlined plans to enter India, where it sees potential for as many as 1,000 restaurants. Wingstop India Expansion
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts largely remain constructive. Wells Fargo raised its price target to $170 and maintained an overweight rating. Stephens reiterated overweight with a $200 target, while BTIG reaffirmed buy with a $265 target. Wingstop also declared a $0.33 quarterly dividend and repurchased shares during the quarter. Wells Fargo Wingstop Rating
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst opinion is divided. TD Cowen maintained a hold rating with a $120 price target, contrasting with the substantially higher targets from Stephens and BTIG. This reflects uncertainty over whether Wingstop’s growth initiatives can overcome current U.S. sales weakness.
• Negative Sentiment: Domestic same-store sales remain the central concern. U.S. same-store sales fell 5.4% in the third quarter, and management now expects a 6.5% to 7.0% decline for full-year 2026. Revenue also fell short of the $192.9 million consensus estimate, while EPS declined slightly from $1.09 a year earlier. Articles questioning whether the stock is fully priced could limit upside after the earnings-driven rebound. Wingstop Same-Store Sales

Wingstop Company Profile

Wingstop Inc is a franchised restaurant company specializing in cooked-to-order chicken wings and related menu items. Its offerings include classic and boneless wings prepared with a range of flavors, along with chicken sandwiches, tenders, fries, seasoned fries, dips, sides and beverages. The company emphasizes made-to-order food, a digital ordering experience and a menu centered on customizable chicken meals.

Founded in 1994 in Garland, Texas, Wingstop has expanded from a single restaurant into a global brand operated primarily through franchised locations.

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