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WENWendy's Company (The)Hold5.1·$8.20+5.13%
HoldHigh Confidence
Investment thesis

Wendy's has an exceptional earnings beat record with an 18% average surprise over 4 consecutive quarters and attractive valuation at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 10.8x, but technical deterioration including a death cross, high short interest of 37%, and extreme leverage undermine the investment case near-term.

Thesis pillars

  • Attractive Valuation Vs PeersStable
  • Perfect Earnings Beat StreakStable
  • Death Cross Technical BlockStable
  • +1 more pillar — see the Why tab for full reasoning

Full reasoning →

Open full analysis

Wendy's Company (The) (WEN) Stock Analysis

Momentum Cont setup

HoldVALUE-TRAP 1/5High Confidence

Consumer Cyclical · Restaurants

Hold if already holding. Not a fresh buy at $8.20, but acceptable to hold if already in. Reasons: Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining; Leverage penalty (D/E 35.6): -1.5.

The Wendy's Company, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the operation, development, and franchising of a system of quick-service restaurants in the United States and internationally. The company operates through the Wendy's U.S., Wendy's International, and Global Real... Read more

$8.20+7.7% A.UpsideScore 5.1/10#14 of 20 Restaurants
QualityF-score7 / 9FCF yield8.84%
IncomeYield7.17%(5y avg 4.82%)Payout72.73%
Stop $7.68Target $8.89(resistance)A.R:R -1.0:1
Analyst target$7.79-5.0%20 analysts
$8.89our TP
$8.20price
$7.79mean
$5
$13

Hold if already holding. Not a fresh buy at $8.20, but acceptable to hold if already in. Reasons: Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining; Leverage penalty (D/E 35.6): -1.5. Chart setup: Trend continuation, RSI 66, MACD bullish. Multiple concerning factors. Consider reducing position. | News modifier +2 (SELL_IF_HOLDING → HOLD_IF_HOLDING) Score 5.1/10, high confidence.

Passes 7/9 gates (positive momentum, clean insider activity, no SEC red flags, news events none recent, earnings proximity 39d clear, semi cycle peak clear, materials cycle peak clear). Fails on favorable risk/reward ratio. Suitability: aggressive.

news + 30-day 8-K events · 5-min refresh

Recent developments

updated 2026-06-29
TrendMatrix Research · upcoming catalyst calendar

Upcoming dated catalysts

Fri, Aug 7, 202639d to earnings· next earnings call

Thesis

Rewards
Strong earnings beat streak (4/4)
Positive news sentiment (+0.70)
Positive momentum
Risks
Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining
Leverage penalty (D/E 35.6): -1.5
Weak growth

Key Metrics

P/E (TTM)10.1
P/E (Fwd)12.2
Mkt Cap$1.5B
EV/EBITDA11.1
Profit Mgn6.8%
ROE120.9%
Rev Growth3.3%
Beta0.39
Dividend7.17%
Rating analysts33

Quality Signals

Piotroski F7/9

Options Flow

P/C0.69bullish
IV114%elevated
Max Pain$18+119.5% vs spot

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

Rating Breakdown

2 floor-breakers

Growth below the gate floor. Component breakdown shows what dragged the score down.static

Earnings Growth
0.0
Revenue Growth
3.3

Technicals below the gate floor. Component breakdown shows what dragged the score down.static

Bollinger
0.0
Support Resistance
2.7
52w Position
4.1
Gap
6.0
GatesA.R:R -1.0=NEGATIVEDeath cross (50MA < 200MA)Momentum 7.6>=5.5Insider activity: OKNo SEC red flagsNEWS EVENTS NONE RECENTEARNINGS PROXIMITY 39d clearSEMI CYCLE PEAK CLEARMATERIALS CYCLE PEAK CLEARMomentum ContSuitability: Aggressive
RSI
66 · Neutral
20D MA 50D MA 200D MADEATH CROSSSupport $6.07Resistance $9.07

Price Targets

$8
$9
A.Upside+8.4%
A.R:R-1.0:1

Position Sizing

ConvictionNone
Suggested %0.5%
Max %1%
RegimeSteady

Risk Alerts

! Target reached (-15.1% upside)
! NEWS_MOD=+2: SELL_IF_HOLDING → HOLD_IF_HOLDING
! Negative risk/reward — downside exceeds upside

Earnings

B
B
B
B
4/4 beats
Next Earnings2026-08-07 (39d)

Verdict History

reverse chrono — latest first
Loading history...
Verdicts are recorded on every nightly pipeline run. Rows capture transitions (verdict flips, score deltas ≥0.3, entry/TP/SL changes). Rows with a ▶ can be expanded to see the change reason. Aggregate cohort performance is tracked in the recommendation ledger.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is WEN stock a buy right now?

Hold if already holding. Not a fresh buy at $8.20, but acceptable to hold if already in. Reasons: Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining; Leverage penalty (D/E 35.6): -1.5. Chart setup: Trend continuation, RSI 66, MACD bullish. Multiple concerning factors. Consider reducing position. | News modifier +2 (SELL_IF_HOLDING → HOLD_IF_HOLDING) Target $8.89 (+8.4%), stop $7.68 (−6.8%), A.R:R -1.0:1. Score 5.1/10, high confidence.

What is the WEN stock price target?

Take-profit target: $8.89 (+7.7% upside). Target $8.89 (+8.4%), stop $7.68 (−6.8%), A.R:R -1.0:1. Stop-loss: $7.68.

What are the risks of investing in WEN?

Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining; Leverage penalty (D/E 35.6): -1.5; Weak growth.

Is WEN overvalued or undervalued?

Wendy's Company (The) trades at a P/E of 10.1 (forward 12.2). TrendMatrix value score: 6.7/10. Verdict: Hold.

What do analysts say about WEN?

33 analysts cover WEN with a consensus score of 2.8/5. Average price target: $8.

What does Wendy's Company (The) do?The Wendy's Company, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the operation, development, and franchising of a system...

The Wendy's Company, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the operation, development, and franchising of a system of quick-service restaurants in the United States and internationally. The company operates through the Wendy's U.S., Wendy's International, and Global Real Estate & Development segments. Its restaurants offer a menu that includes hamburger sandwiches and chicken sandwiches; chicken tenders and nuggets, chili, french fries, baked potatoes, salads, soft drinks, Frosty desserts, and kids' meals; breakfast menu, including the Breakfast Baconator sandwich and seasoned products; and a variety of promotional products on a limited time basis. The company also owns and leases real estate properties. As of December 28, 2025, there were 5,969 Wendy's restaurants in operation in the United States and 1,428 Wendy's restaurants in operation in 38 foreign countries and U.S. territories. The company was formerly known as Wendy's/Arby's Group, Inc. and changed its name to The Wendy's Company in July 2011. The Wendy's Company was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ohio.

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