Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) Releases FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Friday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 0.560-0.600 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 0.860. The company issued revenue guidance of -.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

WEN has been the topic of several recent research reports. Stifel Nicolaus set a $9.00 price target on Wendy’s in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Argus upgraded Wendy’s to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their price target on Wendy’s from $9.00 to $8.00 and set a “sell” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Wendy’s in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $9.00 target price (down previously from $12.00) on shares of Wendy’s in a research note on Wednesday, December 3rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Hold rating and five have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Wendy’s currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $10.20.

Wendy’s Stock Performance

Shares of WEN opened at $7.27 on Friday. Wendy’s has a 52 week low of $7.21 and a 52 week high of $16.20. The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 26.89. The stock has a market cap of $1.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.73, a PEG ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.38. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $8.21 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $8.96.

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) last released its earnings results on Friday, February 13th. The restaurant operator reported $0.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.14 by $0.02. Wendy’s had a net margin of 8.43% and a return on equity of 125.74%. The company had revenue of $439.60 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $537.11 million. Wendy’s has set its FY 2026 guidance at 0.560-0.600 EPS. On average, analysts expect that Wendy’s will post 0.99 EPS for the current year.

Wendy’s News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: New limited-time menu items (Cheesy Bacon Cheeseburger and Chicken Tenders Ranch Wrap) and national rollout could drive short-term traffic and AUV improvements. Fresh, Bold, Protein-Packed: Wendy’s Introduces Two Savory Menu Innovations
• Positive Sentiment: Promotional pricing — $1 cheeseburgers this week — is intended to boost traffic and basket conversion in the near term. Wendy’s Is Selling Cheeseburgers for $1 This Week
• Positive Sentiment: Early reviews of the new menu items are favorable, which may help adoption and repeat visits during the promotion window. Review: Wendy’s New Chicken Tenders Ranch Wrap And Cheesy Bacon Cheeseburger Deliver Big Comfort Food Flavor
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst/preview coverage ahead of Q4 (Benzinga) highlights investor focus on whether Wendy’s can deliver the kind of innovation and loyalty gains peers have shown — results could swing sentiment either way. Wendy’s Q4 Preview: Can It Deliver McDonald’s‑Level Innovation and Loyalty?
• Neutral Sentiment: Feature pieces examine the turnaround plan (“Project Fresh”) and execution risks — investors should watch Q4 commentary for concrete progress on traffic, mix and unit economics. Will the Wendy’s Turnaround Actually Work?
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage notes the upcoming earnings release and previews of expectations — watch same-store sales, U.S. traffic trends and guidance. Wendy’s (WEN) to report earnings tomorrow: Here is what to expect
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks warns of weak U.S. traffic, falling sales estimates and margin pressure from inflation and store optimization — these trends pose downside risk to near-term earnings and guidance. Wendy’s Gears Up for Q4 Earnings: Weak Traffic & U.S. Trends in Focus
• Negative Sentiment: Local store closures (example: a long-running Logan location) are a reminder of market-specific weakness and store optimization impacts on revenue. Logan Wendy’s closes after more than 40 years

Institutional Trading of Wendy’s

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Quadrant Capital Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Wendy’s during the third quarter valued at approximately $95,000. Brooklyn Investment Group boosted its position in Wendy’s by 894.1% in the 3rd quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group now owns 10,786 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $99,000 after buying an additional 9,701 shares during the period. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC grew its stake in Wendy’s by 53.1% in the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 8,629 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $99,000 after acquiring an additional 2,994 shares in the last quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. purchased a new position in Wendy’s during the 3rd quarter worth $101,000. Finally, BTG Pactual Asset Management US LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Wendy’s by 23.0% in the 3rd quarter. BTG Pactual Asset Management US LLC now owns 12,370 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $113,000 after buying an additional 2,314 shares during the period. 85.96% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.