Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) Given New $9.00 Price Target at BMO Capital Markets

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) had its price target lowered by research analysts at BMO Capital Markets from $11.00 to $9.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a “market perform” rating on the restaurant operator’s stock. BMO Capital Markets’ price target points to a potential upside of 27.55% from the company’s previous close.

Several other analysts have also recently commented on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $9.00 target price (down previously from $12.00) on shares of Wendy’s in a research report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Sanford C. Bernstein set a $9.00 price objective on Wendy’s in a research note on Wednesday, October 22nd. TD Cowen decreased their target price on shares of Wendy’s from $9.00 to $6.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Friday. Zacks Research upgraded Wendy’s from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 11th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “underweight” rating and set a $7.00 price objective on shares of Wendy’s in a research report on Monday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Hold rating and five have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $9.66.

Wendy’s Price Performance

Shares of WEN opened at $7.06 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 28.77, a current ratio of 1.76 and a quick ratio of 1.74. The company has a market capitalization of $1.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.29, a P/E/G ratio of 2.10 and a beta of 0.38. The business’s 50-day moving average is $8.17 and its 200-day moving average is $8.91. Wendy’s has a fifty-two week low of $7.08 and a fifty-two week high of $16.20.

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 13th. The restaurant operator reported $0.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.14 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $439.60 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $537.11 million. Wendy’s had a return on equity of 145.93% and a net margin of 7.58%.The firm’s revenue was down 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.25 EPS. Wendy’s has set its FY 2026 guidance at 0.560-0.600 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Wendy’s will post 0.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Wendy’s

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in WEN. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Wendy’s during the 2nd quarter valued at $25,000. Investors Research Corp bought a new stake in Wendy’s in the third quarter valued at $27,000. Versant Capital Management Inc grew its stake in shares of Wendy’s by 19,693.8% in the 3rd quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 3,167 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 3,151 shares during the period. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB increased its position in Wendy’s by 205.0% in the 3rd quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 3,257 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 2,189 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC acquired a new position in Wendy’s during the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds 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 launched a limited‑time Thin Mints Frosty Fusion and brought back the Thin Mints Frosty Swirl, plus broader Girl Scout booth partnerships — a seasonal promotion that can help traffic, AUVs and PR momentum during cookie season. The Iconic Duo Returns: Wendy’s Thin Mints Frosty Is Back
• Positive Sentiment: Promotional offers and limited‑time deals (e.g., $1 single, free chili) continue to push value messaging aimed at regaining traffic — a logical short‑term tactic to blunt comp declines. February deals
• Neutral Sentiment: Management frames closures as a strategic footprint optimization to focus on value and boost overall sales — this can improve long‑term margins but typically signals near‑term execution risk and lost revenue. Wendy’s to close hundreds restaurants
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple outlets report Wendy’s plans to close roughly 5% of U.S. stores (≈300 locations) after plunging sales — investors view large closures as evidence of material weakness in the core U.S. business and a catalyst for lower near‑term revenue and guidance revisions. Wendy’s to close roughly 300 US locations
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst downgrades and critical writeups (e.g., Seeking Alpha piece arguing Wendy’s is falling behind peers) are putting further downward pressure by highlighting market‑share loss, weak U.S. comps and execution risk. Wendy’s: Falling Sharply Behind In Fast Food Wars

Wendy’s Company Profile

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.