The Wendy’s Company (NASDAQ:WEN) Receives $7.76 Consensus Price Target from Analysts

Shares of The Wendy’s Company (NASDAQ:WEN) have been assigned an average rating of “Reduce” from the twenty-one analysts that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, thirteen have given a hold recommendation and two have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12-month price target among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $7.7632.

Several analysts recently weighed in on the stock. KeyCorp reaffirmed a “sector weight” rating on shares of Wendy’s in a report on Tuesday, August 11th. Stephens reiterated an “equal weight” rating and set a $8.00 price target on shares of Wendy’s in a report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Wendy’s in a research report on Friday, July 17th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated an “underweight” rating and issued a $6.00 price objective (down from $7.00) on shares of Wendy’s in a report on Monday, May 11th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed a “market perform” rating on shares of Wendy’s in a research report on Monday, August 10th.

Wendy’s Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ WEN opened at $9.04 on Monday. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $7.84 and its two-hundred day moving average is $7.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 27.95, a current ratio of 1.90 and a quick ratio of 1.88. Wendy’s has a 1-year low of $6.07 and a 1-year high of $10.62. The company has a market cap of $1.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.75 and a beta of 0.37.

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, August 7th. The restaurant operator reported $0.18 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.16 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $570.57 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $557.13 million. Wendy’s had a return on equity of 115.31% and a net margin of 5.72%.Wendy’s’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.29 EPS. Analysts forecast that Wendy’s will post 0.51 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wendy’s Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 1st will be paid a $0.07 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 1st. This represents a $0.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.1%. Wendy’s’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 42.42%.

Trending Headlines about Wendy’s

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

• Positive Sentiment: Wendy’s added a former McDonald’s marketer to its leadership team. The hire could strengthen advertising, value messaging and customer traffic as the company works to improve its competitive position. Wendy’s adds former McDonald’s marketer to leadership team
• Positive Sentiment: A limited-time promotion offering 10 nuggets for $1.99 may help drive restaurant visits and digital orders, although investors will monitor whether the discount supports traffic without excessively reducing margins. Wendy’s customers can now get 10 nuggets for $1.99

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Global Retirement Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Wendy’s during the 2nd quarter worth about $27,000. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC acquired a new position in Wendy’s in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Fifth Third Bancorp boosted its holdings in Wendy’s by 161.0% in the fourth quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 3,829 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 2,362 shares in the last quarter. Gen Wealth Partners Inc purchased a new position in Wendy’s in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, Cassaday & Co Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Wendy’s in the first quarter valued at approximately $30,000. 85.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.