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

Posted by James Quigley on Feb 14th, 2026

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN – Get Free Report) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Friday morning. The company provided EPS guidance of 0.560-0.600 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 0.860. The company issued revenue guidance of -.

Wendy’s Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:WEN traded up $0.21 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $7.48. The stock had a trading volume of 19,213,271 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,858,981. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $8.19 and its 200 day moving average price is $8.94. Wendy’s has a 1 year low of $7.08 and a 1 year high of $16.20. The company has a market cap of $1.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 0.38. The company has a current ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 26.89.

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 13th. The restaurant operator reported $0.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.14 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $439.60 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $537.11 million. Wendy’s had a return on equity of 125.74% and a net margin of 8.43%.The company’s revenue was down 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.25 EPS. Wendy’s has set its FY 2026 guidance at 0.560-0.600 EPS. Research analysts expect that Wendy’s will post 0.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wendy’s Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 2nd will be paid a $0.14 dividend. This represents a $0.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 7.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 2nd. Wendy’s’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 59.57%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have recently issued reports on WEN shares. Truist Financial decreased their target price on shares of Wendy’s from $12.00 to $11.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Evercore reduced their price objective on Wendy’s from $11.00 to $9.00 and set an “in-line” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Argus raised Wendy’s to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. UBS Group dropped their target price on Wendy’s from $9.50 to $8.50 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada restated a “sector perform” rating and set a $8.50 price target on shares of Wendy’s in a report on Monday, December 22nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating, sixteen have issued a Hold rating and five have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $10.20.

Check Out Our Latest Report on Wendy’s

More Wendy’s News

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

Positive Sentiment: Q4 EPS beat — Wendy’s reported $0.16 EPS vs. consensus $0.14, showing some margin resilience despite traffic weakness. Wendy’s (WEN) Q4 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates
Positive Sentiment: International strength — global systemwide sales grew internationally (Q4 and full-year), providing a growth pocket outside the U.S. weakness. THE WENDY’S COMPANY REPORTS FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL YEAR 2025 RESULTS AND PROVIDES 2026 OUTLOOK
Positive Sentiment: Short-term traffic promotions — deals (e.g., $1 burgers) and limited-time items could support near-term comp trends if they drive visits. Wendy’s celebrating ‘singles’ with $1 burgers on Feb. 15. See deal
Neutral Sentiment: Macro backdrop steady — CPI came in roughly as expected today, suggesting inflation dynamics aren’t an immediate upside/downside surprise for consumer spending. CPI Increased in Line With Expectations
Neutral Sentiment: Analyst/earnings context available — full earnings call transcript and multiple analyst takes provide detail but deliver mixed views on whether Wendy’s is a value opportunity or a value trap. The Wendy’s Company (WEN) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Negative Sentiment: Planned U.S. closures — management said it will close roughly 5–6% of U.S. restaurants in H1 2026 (about 240–360 locations), signaling structural problems in core U.S. markets. Wendy’s says as many as 350 US locations will close in the first half of this year
Negative Sentiment: Weak FY26 guidance — Wendy’s set FY2026 EPS at $0.56–$0.60 vs. consensus ~$0.86, a sizable cut that pressures valuation and near‑term upside. THE WENDY’S COMPANY REPORTS FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL YEAR 2025 RESULTS AND PROVIDES 2026 OUTLOOK
Negative Sentiment: Top-line weakness — Q4 revenue and systemwide sales declined (U.S. comps fell), and coverage notes the company’s U.S. struggles are expected to persist into FY26. Wendy’s Sales Dented by Persistent U.S. Struggles
Negative Sentiment: Market reaction context — shares hit a 52-week low amid a highly shorted profile, amplifying downside risk if U.S. trends don’t stabilize. Highly Shorted Stock Wendy’s Hits 52-Week Low On Weak Outlook

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Wendy’s

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. M&T Bank Corp raised its stake in Wendy’s by 8.4% during the second quarter. M&T Bank Corp now owns 16,987 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $194,000 after purchasing an additional 1,310 shares during the period. Brown Financial Advisors increased its holdings in shares of Wendy’s by 4.7% during the 2nd quarter. Brown Financial Advisors now owns 29,908 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $342,000 after buying an additional 1,339 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia raised its position in shares of Wendy’s by 3.4% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 40,993 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $375,000 after buying an additional 1,343 shares during the period. Ausdal Financial Partners Inc. lifted its holdings in Wendy’s by 14.2% in the third quarter. Ausdal Financial Partners Inc. now owns 14,162 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $130,000 after acquiring an additional 1,765 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can grew its position in Wendy’s by 1.6% in the fourth quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 123,919 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $1,032,000 after acquiring an additional 1,991 shares during the period. 85.96% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wendy’s Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

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.