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CAKEThe Cheesecake Factory IncorporSell4.7·$106.51-1.89%
SellHigh Confidence
Investment thesis

Three earnings beats over the past four quarters and strong near-term price momentum are offset by the stock having reached its near-term resistance ceiling with just 1.7% headroom, a reward-to-risk ratio of 0.24-to-1, extreme short interest of 35%, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.7 that limits financial flexibility — the setup favors patience from current levels.

Thesis pillars

  • Earnings Streak Broken Recent MissImproving
  • High Leverage Limits FlexibilityDeteriorating
  • Thin Upside Unfavorable GeometryImproving
  • +1 more pillar — see the Why tab for full reasoning

Full reasoning →

Open full analysis

The Cheesecake Factory Incorpor (CAKE) Stock Analysis

SellVALUE-TRAP 2/5GrowthQualityShortHigh Confidence

Consumer Cyclical · Restaurants

Sell if holding. Analyst target reached at $106.51 — A.R:R is negative (-3.0) — price has exceeded the analyst target. Reward from here is too thin for a buy — the engine flags exit. Additional concerns: V7 low-quality RISK_OFF penalty: -0.5 (Q=5.1).

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated owns and operates 368 restaurants under four brands—The Cheesecake Factory (216), North Italia (48), Flower Child (43), and Fox Restaurant Concepts (55)—plus 35 internationally licensed locations as of February 23, 2026. Revenue comes from... Read more

$106.51-22.2% A.UpsideScore 4.7/10#27 of 33 Restaurants
QualityF-score7 / 9FCF yield3.13%
IncomeYield1.11%(5y avg 2.55%)Payout30.89%sustainable
Stop $99.68Target $116.09(resistance)A.R:R -3.0:1
Analyst target$92.67-13.0%15 analysts
$116.09our TP
$106.51price
$92.67mean
$60
$116

Sell if holding. Analyst target reached at $106.51 — A.R:R is negative (-3.0) — price has exceeded the analyst target. Reward from here is too thin for a buy — the engine flags exit. Additional concerns: V7 low-quality RISK_OFF penalty: -0.5 (Q=5.1). Chart setup: No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed. Score 4.7/10, high confidence.

Passes 5/8 gates (no SEC red flags, news events none recent, earnings proximity 53d clear, semi cycle peak clear, materials cycle peak clear). Fails on weak momentum and favorable risk/reward ratio. Suitability: moderate.

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

Recent developments

updated 2026-09-04
TrendMatrix Research · upcoming catalyst calendar

Upcoming dated catalysts

Tue, Oct 27, 202653d to earnings· next earnings call

Thesis

Rewards
Strong earnings beat streak (4/4)
Risks
Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining
V7 low-quality RISK_OFF penalty: -0.5 (Q=5.1)
Sector modifier (Consumer Cyclical): -1.5

Key Metrics

P/E (TTM)29.4
P/E (Fwd)21.6
Mkt Cap$5.3B
EV/EBITDA20.3
Profit Mgn4.6%
ROE38.8%
Rev Growth7.7%
Beta1.00
Dividend1.11%
Rating analysts27

Quality Signals

Piotroski F7/9MoatNarrow

Options Flow

P/C2.69bearish
IV59%elevated
Max Pain$75-29.6% 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

1 floor-breaker

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

Macd
0.0
Volume
0.0
Obv
1.0
Rsi
5.5
Ma Position
6.0
Volume distribution (falling OBV)Above 200-day MA
GatesMomentum 2.5<4.5A.R:R -3.0=NEGATIVEINSIDER 0.41%=MODERATENo SEC red flagsNEWS EVENTS NONE RECENTEARNINGS PROXIMITY 53d clearSEMI CYCLE PEAK CLEARMATERIALS CYCLE PEAK CLEARSuitability: Moderate
RSI
40 · Neutral
20D MA 50D MA 200D MAGOLDEN CROSSSupport $102.42Resistance $118.46

Price Targets

$100
$116
A.Upside-22.2%
A.R:R-3.0:1

Position Sizing

ConvictionNone
Suggested %0.5%
Max %1%
RegimeRisk-Off

Risk Alerts

! Target reached (-22.2% upside)
! momentum at 2.5 (below the engine's 4.5 threshold)
! Negative risk/reward — downside exceeds upside

Earnings

B
B
B
B
4/4 beats
Next Earnings2026-10-27 (53d)

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 CAKE stock a buy right now?

Sell if holding. Analyst target reached at $106.51 — A.R:R is negative (-3.0) — price has exceeded the analyst target. Reward from here is too thin for a buy — the engine flags exit. Additional concerns: V7 low-quality RISK_OFF penalty: -0.5 (Q=5.1). Chart setup: No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed. Prior stop was $99.68. Score 4.7/10, high confidence.

What is the CAKE stock price target?

Take-profit target: $116.09 (-22.2% upside). Prior stop was $99.68. Stop-loss: $99.68.

What are the risks of investing in CAKE?

Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining; V7 low-quality RISK_OFF penalty: -0.5 (Q=5.1); Sector modifier (Consumer Cyclical): -1.5.

Is CAKE overvalued or undervalued?

The Cheesecake Factory Incorpor trades at a P/E of 29.4 (forward 21.6). TrendMatrix value score: 4.5/10. Verdict: Sell.

What do analysts say about CAKE?

27 analysts cover CAKE with a consensus score of 3.5/5. Average price target: $93.

What does The Cheesecake Factory Incorpor do?The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated owns and operates 368 restaurants under four brands—The Cheesecake Factory (216),...

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated owns and operates 368 restaurants under four brands—The Cheesecake Factory (216), North Italia (48), Flower Child (43), and Fox Restaurant Concepts (55)—plus 35 internationally licensed locations as of February 23, 2026. Revenue comes from full-service dine-in and off-premise dining; average check at The Cheesecake Factory was approximately $31.79 in fiscal 2025, with average sales of ~$12.4 million per location.

Related stocks: ARCO (Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc.) · CHA (Chagee Holdings Limited) · WING (Wingstop Inc.) · QSR (Restaurant Brands International) · YUMC (Yum China Holdings, Inc.)
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