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TXRHTexas Roadhouse, Inc.Sell5.1·$187.02+3.91%
TXRH · Why this verdict

Why Texas Roadhouse (TXRH) is rated SELL

Updated

Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

VerdictSELL
Overall score5.1/10
ConfidenceMEDIUM
MacroNEUTRAL
TrendMatrix Research · core thesis

Engine thesis — one sentence

Texas Roadhouse offers a high-quality restaurant business with a strong Piotroski score and volume accumulation, but consecutive earnings misses and a confirmed death cross create meaningful near-term headwinds that limit the risk-reward to the downside.

Falsifiable statement — pillar-level invalidators below. Engine-derived; not personalized advice.

Thesis pillars

Texas Roadhouse has missed analyst earnings estimates in 3 of the last 4 quarters, with an average negative surprise of -3.83%, signaling execution challenges in translating revenue into expected profit.

Stable
Earnings
Expectation
Earnings beat rate improves to at least 3 out of 4 quarters over the next year with positive average surprise.

CounterRestaurant margins are notoriously cyclical and one prior beat may reflect one-off cost controls rather than a lasting trend reversal.

The stock is trading 1.5% below its 200-day moving average and has triggered a confirmed death cross pattern, indicating that sellers have dominated price action over the medium term.

Stable
Warnings
Expectation
Price reclaims and sustains a level above the 200-day moving average within 12 months.

CounterRising on-balance volume suggests institutional buyers are quietly accumulating even as price lags, meaning the death cross may be a lagging indicator.

With only 6.3% upside to the analyst price target and 7.3% downside to the stop level, the reward-to-risk ratio stands at 0.87, which falls below the minimum threshold of 1.5 required to justify new exposure.

Stable
Targets
Expectation
Upside to analyst target grows above 15% as the stock pulls back or analyst targets are raised.

CounterAnalyst targets are consensus averages and may lag fundamental improvements, meaning the true forward opportunity could exceed what the current target implies.

Texas Roadhouse earns a Piotroski F-Score of 7 out of 9 and delivers a return on equity of 29%, reflecting solid financial health and capital efficiency despite recent earnings disappointments.

Stable
Quality breakdown
Expectation
Return on equity remains above 20% and Piotroski score stays at 7 or higher over the next 12 months.

CounterFree cash flow is only 46% of net income, which is a red flag suggesting earnings quality is weaker than headline profitability implies.

Per-dimension breakdown

Value

4.7/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
P/E4.5
P/S9.0
EV/EBITDA1.1
Fwd P/E5.4
PEG4.2
Analyst target4.0
  • Forward P/E: 23.5x
  • PEG: 2.32

Quality

4.7/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
ROE9.6
ROA6.0
Gross margin0.0
Op margin3.6
Net margin3.4
Current ratio1.8
FCF quality3.7
Moat6.8
Piotroski F7.8
  • Excellent ROE: 29%
  • Earnings quality RED FLAG: 46% FCF/NI
  • Strong Piotroski F-Score: 7/9

Growth

4.8/10data confidence 67%
ComponentSub-score
Rev growth5.7
EPS growth4.0

Momentum

6.9/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
RSI4.3
MACD10.0
OBV10.0
MA position8.0
Volume2.4
  • Overbought (RSI 74)
  • Volume accumulation (rising OBV)
  • Above 200-MA but MA slope flat

Sentiment

6.4/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
Analyst rating7.5
Price target5.9
erm sentiment5.2

Insider

5.0/10data confidence 50%
ComponentSub-score
materiality5.0
holder change5.1
  • Insider selling (low materiality) — $1,033,847 (0.009% of mkt cap)

Peer rank

5.1/10data confidence 80%
ComponentSub-score
value rank3.8
quality rank4.8
growth rank7.0

Technical

3.1/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
bollinger0.0
support resistance0.2
52w position9.1

Risk (lower is worse)

6.6/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
short interest7.1
days to cover7.9
volatility4.2
put call8.8
implied vol6.5
max pain risk3.0
beta8.2
debt equity6.9
  • Above max pain $165

Catalyst

3.3/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
erm5.0
earnings history0.0
earnings timing5.0
surprise avg0.6
dividend safety6.0
  • Earnings concerns: 1B/3M
  • Dividend: 167.0%

How the verdict was assembled

Engine trigger

Multiple concerning factors. Consider reducing position.

Engine technical detail
verdict_path: L4:PATH_F_SELL
Passed (7)
  • MOMENTUM:6.9>=5.5
  • INSIDER:OK
  • 8K:CLEAN
  • NEWS_EVENTS:NONE_RECENT
  • EARNINGS_PROXIMITY:43d clear
  • SEMI_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
  • MATERIALS_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
Failed (1)
  • ASYMMETRY:-0.3=NEGATIVE
Warning (1)
  • DEATH_CROSS:momentum=6.9>=5.0 recovering
Reward-to-Risk
-0.33
Upside
-4.7%
Downside
14.4%
Sizing output
AVOID

SetupRECOVERY Death cross but MACD improving, RSI 74

EdgeNO_EDGE No clear edge identified

SuitabilityMODERATE Balanced profile

Investment implication

The F-path SELL output reflects an overall score of 5.1 below the 5.6 soft trigger — multiple weakening dimensions accumulated rather than a single hard-floor breach. The strongest dimension ( Momentum at 6.9) was not enough to lift the adjusted overall above the threshold. Co-occurring failed gates ( ASYMMETRY:-0.3=NEGATIVE) reinforce the read. Current asymmetry R:R is -0.33 — supplementary context, not the trigger for this path.

The strongest dimensions are Momentum at 6.9, Risk (lower is worse) at 6.6, and Sentiment at 6.4; the weakest are Technical at 3.1, Catalyst at 3.3, and Quality at 4.7. The V9 engine flagged 1 failed gate with 1 warning, producing an asymmetric reward-to-risk of -0.33 and an engine sizing output of AVOID.

What would invalidate the thesis

Falsifying conditions — when triggered, the corresponding pillar's thesis is invalidated.

  • P1Texas Roadhouse has missed analyst earnings estimates in 3 of the last 4 quarters, with an average negative surprise of -3.83%, signaling execution challenges in translating revenue into expected profit.

    Trip ifAverage earnings surprise falls below -5% in at least 2 of the next 4 quarters, extending the miss streak.

  • P2The stock is trading 1.5% below its 200-day moving average and has triggered a confirmed death cross pattern, indicating that sellers have dominated price action over the medium term.

    Trip ifPrice drops below $155, more than 7% below the current $167.54, confirming accelerating downtrend.

  • P3With only 6.3% upside to the analyst price target and 7.3% downside to the stop level, the reward-to-risk ratio stands at 0.87, which falls below the minimum threshold of 1.5 required to justify new exposure.

    Trip ifReward-to-risk ratio remains below 1.0 for more than 2 consecutive quarters as price approaches the analyst target.

  • P4Texas Roadhouse earns a Piotroski F-Score of 7 out of 9 and delivers a return on equity of 29%, reflecting solid financial health and capital efficiency despite recent earnings disappointments.

    Trip ifReturn on equity falls below 20% or free cash flow conversion drops below 30% of net income.

Engine reasoning is mechanically derived from pipeline gate outputs. See decision view.

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