Wingstop (NASDAQ:WING) Price Target Lowered to $265.00 at BTIG Research

Key Points

• BTIG Research lowered Wingstop’s price target from $305 to $265 while maintaining a “buy” rating, implying roughly 90% upside from the stock’s $139.45 opening price.
• Other analysts have also reduced targets, but sentiment remains broadly positive: Wingstop has a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average target price of $253.70.
• Wingstop’s latest quarter showed mixed results: adjusted EPS of $1.18 beat expectations of $1.02, while revenue of $185.56 million fell short of estimates, despite 6.5% year-over-year growth.

Wingstop (NASDAQ:WING - Get Free Report) had its target price reduced by research analysts at BTIG Research from $305.00 to $265.00 in a note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a "buy" rating on the restaurant operator's stock. BTIG Research's target price indicates a potential upside of 90.03% from the stock's current price.

WING has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Guggenheim cut their price target on shares of Wingstop from $255.00 to $215.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, May 4th. TD Cowen reissued a "hold" rating on shares of Wingstop in a research note on Wednesday. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered Wingstop from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating and cut their target price for the stock from $290.00 to $190.00 in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Mizuho reduced their target price on Wingstop from $280.00 to $240.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 24th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their price target on Wingstop from $250.00 to $225.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, June 23rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have given a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $253.70.

Wingstop Stock Up 3.4%

NASDAQ:WING opened at $139.45 on Thursday. Wingstop has a 52-week low of $116.35 and a 52-week high of $381.45. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $152.29 and a 200-day simple moving average of $189.66. The company has a market capitalization of $3.80 billion, a PE ratio of 34.69, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.79.

Wingstop (NASDAQ:WING - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The restaurant operator reported $1.18 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.02 by $0.16. The business had revenue of $185.56 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $190.25 million. Wingstop had a net margin of 15.77% and a negative return on equity of 16.22%. The company's quarterly revenue was up 6.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.00 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Wingstop will post 4.55 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Trading of Wingstop

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of WING. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. boosted its holdings in Wingstop by 76.9% in the fourth quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 138 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 60 shares during the last quarter. Rakuten Securities Inc. increased its holdings in Wingstop by 197.9% during the 4th quarter. Rakuten Securities Inc. now owns 143 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 95 shares during the last quarter. GW&K Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in Wingstop by 75.7% during the 4th quarter. GW&K Investment Management LLC now owns 188 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 81 shares during the last quarter. Harbor Investment Advisory LLC acquired a new position in shares of Wingstop in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $46,000. Finally, Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Wingstop by 121.4% during the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 217 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $49,000 after buying an additional 119 shares during the last quarter.

Wingstop News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Wingstop this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Earnings exceeded expectations: Wingstop reported fiscal second-quarter adjusted earnings of $1.18 per share, up from $1.00 a year earlier and above the $1.02 analyst consensus. Wingstop Tops Q2 Earnings Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Expansion remained strong: The company opened 102 net new restaurants during the quarter, driving 16% unit growth. System-wide sales reached approximately $1.4 billion, supporting Wingstop’s long-term growth strategy. Wingstop Fiscal Second-Quarter Financial Results
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend increased: Wingstop declared a quarterly dividend of $0.33 per share, a 10% increase from $0.30. Investors of record on August 15 will receive the payment on September 5, providing a modestly stronger shareholder return.
• Positive Sentiment: Promotional visibility may support traffic: National Chicken Wing Day promotions, including free wings and a $1 million prize campaign, are increasing consumer awareness and could help attract customers to Wingstop restaurants and its digital channels. Wingstop National Wing Day Promotion

Wingstop Company Profile

Wingstop Inc NASDAQ: WING is a fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in chicken wings and related menu items. Founded in 1994 in Garland, Texas, the company has built its brand around bold, chef-inspired wing flavors and a streamlined service model that caters to dine-in, takeout, delivery and catering orders.

The company's core offerings include both bone-in and boneless chicken wings tossed in a variety of proprietary rubs and sauces, such as Original Hot, Lemon Pepper, and Mango Habanero.

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