Royal Bank Of Canada Lowers Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) Price Target to $8.00

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) had its target price cut by equities research analysts at Royal Bank Of Canada from $8.50 to $8.00 in a report issued on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a “sector perform” rating on the restaurant operator’s stock. Royal Bank Of Canada’s price target would suggest a potential downside of 2.20% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other research firms have also recently issued reports on WEN. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their price objective on shares of Wendy’s from $8.00 to $7.00 and set a “sell” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday. Evercore set a $8.00 price target on Wendy’s in a report on Tuesday. Barclays dropped their price objective on Wendy’s from $9.00 to $8.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $9.00 price objective (down from $12.00) on shares of Wendy’s in a research report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Finally, TD Cowen decreased their target price on Wendy’s from $9.00 to $6.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Hold rating and five have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $9.39.

Wendy’s Stock Performance

Shares of WEN stock opened at $8.18 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $1.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.62, a PEG ratio of 1.97 and a beta of 0.38. Wendy’s has a fifty-two week low of $6.73 and a fifty-two week high of $16.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 28.77, a quick ratio of 1.74 and a current ratio of 1.76. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $8.15 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $8.89.

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) last issued 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 7.58% and a return on equity of 145.93%. The firm had revenue of $439.60 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $537.11 million. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.25 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was down 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. Wendy’s has set its FY 2026 guidance at 0.560-0.600 EPS. Analysts expect that Wendy’s will post 0.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Wendy’s

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in WEN. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Wendy’s during the 2nd quarter valued at about $25,000. Investors Research Corp bought a new position in shares of Wendy’s in the third quarter worth approximately $27,000. Versant Capital Management Inc grew its holdings in shares of Wendy’s by 19,693.8% during the third 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 last quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB grew its holdings in shares of Wendy’s by 205.0% during the third 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 during the last quarter. Finally, Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Wendy’s during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Institutional investors own 85.96% of the company’s stock.

Wendy’s News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Trian / Nelson Peltz signaled increased engagement and that it sees Wendy’s as undervalued — a classic activist catalyst that can unlock value via strategic moves or a sale. Wendy’s Shares Heat Up on Trian Disclosure
• Positive Sentiment: High-profile media coverage and quotes from Peltz calling WEN “undervalued” have amplified investor attention and optimism about near-term upside or takeover interest. Wendy’s Stock Surges After Billionaire Nelson Peltz Calls It Undervalued
• Positive Sentiment: Derivative activity skewed bullish today — a surge in call buying and much higher-than-normal volume — which amplifies upward price momentum and signals speculative/trader conviction.
• Neutral Sentiment: Wendy’s issued a measured statement that the board regularly reviews strategy to maximize shareholder value; that neither confirms nor rules out specific actions. The Wendy’s Company Comments on Amended 13D Filing from Trian Partners
• Neutral Sentiment: Reports note Trian has talked with financing sources and partners about possible deals; this raises uncertainty — outcomes could range from a board settlement to an outright takeover or stake sale. Wendy’s shares soar 15% after billionaire Nelson Peltz says stock is undervalued
• Negative Sentiment: Underlying fundamentals are weak: recent soft guidance, lower revenues, and plans to close hundreds of U.S. locations have pressured sentiment and led to analyst downgrades/price-target cuts. Wendy’s stock sinks to six-year low after soft outlook
• Negative Sentiment: Earlier unusual put buying and multiple analyst downgrades indicate real downside risk if activist momentum fades or operational trends don’t improve.

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.