WEN

Quarterly earnings results are a good time to check in on a company’s progress, especially compared to its peers in the same sector. Today we are looking at Wendy's (NASDAQ:WEN) and the best and worst performers in the traditional fast food industry. Traditional fast-food restaurants are renowned for their speed and convenience, boasting menus filled with familiar and budget-friendly items. Their reputations for on-the-go consumption make them favored destinations for individuals and families needing a quick meal. This class of restaurants, however, is fighting the perception that their meals are unhealthy and made with inferior ingredients, a battle that's especially relevant today given the consumers increasing focus on health and wellness. The 12 traditional fast food stocks we track reported a strong Q1. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.4%. While some traditional fast food stocks have fared somewhat better than others, they have collectively declined. On average, share prices are down 3.5% since the latest earnings results. Founded by Dave Thomas in 1969, Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) is a renowned fast-food chain known for its fresh, never-frozen beef burgers, flavorful menu options, and commitment to quality. Wendy's reported revenues of $540.6 million, up 3.3% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 4.4%. Overall, it was a very strong quarter for the company with an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA and revenue estimates. Wendy's pulled off the biggest analyst estimate beat of the whole group. Unsurprisingly, the stock is up 8% since reporting and currently trades at $7.51. Is now the time to buy Wendy's? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free. With a name that translates into ‘The Crazy Chicken’, El Pollo Loco (NASDAQ:LOCO) is a fast food chain known for its citrus-marinated, fire-grilled chicken recipe that hails from the coastal town of Sinaloa, Mexico. El Pollo Loco reported revenues of $126.2 million, up 5.9% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 3.2%. The business had a stunning quarter with a solid beat of analysts’ EBITDA and revenue estimates. The market seems content with the results as the stock is up 2.6% since reporting. It currently trades at $13.87. Is now the time to buy El Pollo Loco? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free. Fou...

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) on Monday closed up +0.19%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) closed up +0.19%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) closed up +0.29%. June E-mini S&P futures (ESM26) rose +0.18%, and June E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQM26) rose +0.28%. Stock indexes settled higher on Monday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 10 posting new all-time highs amid strong corporate earnings results and resurgent optimism around artificial intelligence. Strength in chipmakers and AI-infrastructure stocks led the broader market higher on Monday. Gains in stocks were limited on Monday amid rising oil prices and bond yields after the US and Iran failed to reach terms to end the war in the Middle East. Global bond yields rose on concern that the continued standoff will keep energy prices elevated and could force the world’s central banks to tighten monetary policy. The 10-year T-note yield rose +5 bp to 4.41%. Dear D-Wave Quantum Stock Fans, Mark Your Calendars for May 12 Berkshire Hathaway Just Upped Its Stake in Sumitomo Stock. Greg Abel Says It’s Holding for the Long Term. This Analyst Just Raised the Price Target on Coherent Stock by 50%. What to Know. Our exclusive Barchart Brief newsletter is your FREE midday guide to what's moving stocks, sectors, and investor sentiment - delivered right when you need the info most. Subscribe today! In the latest developments in the Middle East, President Trump and Iran rejected each other's latest peace proposals to end the 10-week conflict. Iran offered to transfer some of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to a third country, but rejected the idea of dismantling its nuclear facilities. Iran also demanded a lifting of the US naval blockade and sanctions relief, while maintaining a degree of control over traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Despite the ceasefire in place since last month, a drone strike over the weekend set a cargo vessel ablaze off Qatar in the Persian Gulf. Also, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait both said they intercepted hostile drones. Monday’s US economic news was slightly weaker than expected after Apr existing home sales rose +0.2% m/m to 4.02 million, below expectations of 4.05 million. Chinese trade news was better than expected, a positive factor for global growth. China Apr exports rose +14.1% y/y, stronger than expectations of +8.4% y/y. Apr imports rose +25.3% y/y, stro...

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) today is up +0.25%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) is up +0.05%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) is up +0.17%. June E-mini S&P futures (ESM26) are up +0.29%, and June E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQM26) are up +0.19%. Stock indexes are moving higher today, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 posting new all-time highs amid strong corporate earnings results and resurgent optimism around artificial intelligence. Gains in stocks are limited today amid rising oil prices and bond yields after the US and Iran failed to reach terms to end the war in the Middle East. Global bond yields rose on concern that the continued standoff will keep energy prices elevated and could force the world’s central banks to tighten monetary policy. The 10-year T-note yield is up +3 bp to 4.39%. Broadcom Hits a Bottleneck as OpenAI Revenue Concerns Claim Their First Casualty Dan Ives Can’t Make It Any Clearer: Palantir Stock Is Still a ‘Golden Goose’ Despite Q1 Earnings Fears Palantir Stock Has a ‘High-Class Problem’: Demand for Its Software Is Far Outpacing Supply Get exclusive insights with the FREE Barchart Brief newsletter. Subscribe now for quick, incisive midday market analysis you won't find anywhere else. In the latest developments in the Middle East, President Trump and Iran rejected each other's latest peace proposals to end the 10-week conflict. Iran offered to transfer some of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to a third country, but rejected the idea of dismantling its nuclear facilities. Iran also demanded a lifting of the US naval blockade and sanctions relief, while maintaining a degree of control over traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Despite the ceasefire in place since last month, a drone strike over the weekend set a cargo vessel ablaze off Qatar in the Persian Gulf. Also, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait both said they intercepted hostile drones. Today’s US economic news was slightly weaker than expected after Apr existing home sales rose +0.2% m/m to 4.02 million, below expectations of 4.05 million. Chinese trade news was better than expected, a positive factor for global growth. China Apr exports rose +14.1% y/y, stronger than expectations of +8.4% y/y. Apr imports rose +25.3% y/y, stronger than expectations of 20.0% y/y. WTI crude oil prices (CLM26) are up by more than 2% today, as optimism that the US an...

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) today is up +0.17%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) is up +0.10%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) is up +0.06%. June E-mini S&P futures (ESM26) are up +0.19%, and June E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQM26) are up +0.05%. Stock indexes are moving higher today, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 10 posting new all-time highs amid strong corporate earnings results and resurgent optimism around artificial intelligence. Gains in stocks are limited today amid rising oil prices and bond yields after the US and Iran failed to reach terms to end the war in the Middle East. Global bond yields rose on concern that the continued standoff will keep energy prices elevated and could force the world’s central banks to tighten monetary policy. The 10-year T-note yield is up +3 bp to 4.39%. Broadcom Hits a Bottleneck as OpenAI Revenue Concerns Claim Their First Casualty Palantir Stock Has a ‘High-Class Problem’: Demand for Its Software Is Far Outpacing Supply Dan Ives Can’t Make It Any Clearer: Palantir Stock Is Still a ‘Golden Goose’ Despite Q1 Earnings Fears Markets move fast. Keep up by reading our FREE midday Barchart Brief newsletter for exclusive charts, analysis, and headlines. In the latest developments in the Middle East, President Trump and Iran rejected each other's latest peace proposals to end the 10-week conflict. Iran offered to transfer some of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to a third country but rejected the idea of dismantling its nuclear facilities. Iran also demanded a lifting of the US naval blockade and sanctions relief, while maintaining a degree of control over traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Despite the ceasefire in place since last month, a drone strike over the weekend set a cargo vessel ablaze off Qatar in the Persian Gulf. Also, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait both said they intercepted hostile drones. Chinese trade news was better than expected, a positive factor for global growth. China Apr exports rose +14.1% y/y, stronger than expectations of +8.4% y/y. Apr imports rose +25.3% y/y, stronger than expectations of 20.0% y/y. WTI crude oil prices (CLM26) are up by more than 2% today, as optimism that the US and Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz was dashed after President Trump said Iran's latest peace proposals were "totally unacceptable." The strait remains essentially closed, as abo...

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) on Friday closed up +0.84%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) closed up +0.02%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) closed up +2.35%. June E-mini S&P futures (ESM26) rose +0.79%, and June E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQM26) rose +2.37%. Stock indexes settled higher on Friday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 posting new record highs. Chipmaker and AI-infrastructure stocks led the overall market higher on Friday, offsetting concerns about the Iran war. Stronger-than-expected corporate earnings are pushing stocks higher. Weakness in software stocks on Friday weighed on the Dow Jones Industrial Average. As CPUs Steal the Show, AMD Stock Just Got a New Street-High Price Target How Intel Stock Could Be the Biggest Winner from AMD’s Explosive Earnings Win Cathie Wood Dumps More AMD Shares Despite Its Massive 108% Rally. Here's Why. Markets move fast. Keep up by reading our FREE midday Barchart Brief newsletter for exclusive charts, analysis, and headlines. Stock indexes also found support today on signs of resiliency in the US labor market after April nonfarm payrolls rose more than expected and March nonfarm payrolls were revised upward. Stocks rallied on Friday despite a larger-than-expected decline in US consumer sentiment to a record low. US Apr nonfarm payrolls rose by +115,000, stronger than expectations of +65,000, and Mar nonfarm payrolls were revised upward to +185,000 from the previously reported +178,000. The Apr unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.3%, right on expectations. US Apr average hourly earnings rose +0.2% m/m and +3.6% y/y, weaker than expectations of +0.3% m/m and +3.8% y/y. The University of Michigan’s US May consumer sentiment index fell -1.6 to a record low of 48.2 (data from 1978), weaker than expectations of 49.5. The University of Michigan US May 1-year inflation expectations rate unexpectedly eased to +4.5% from +4.7% in Apr, weaker than expectations of an increase to 4.8%. The May 5-10 year inflation expectations rate unexpectedly eased to +3.4%, weaker than expectations of no change at +3.5%. In the latest developments in the Middle East, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency said Iran seized an oil tanker on Friday in the Strait of Hormuz for "attempting to disrupt oil exports and the interests of the Iranian nation." Also, US forces targeted missile and drone launch sites and other milita...

Interested in The Wendy's Company? Here are five stocks we like better. Wendy’s Q1 results were mixed but largely in line with expectations, as U.S. same-restaurant sales fell 7.8% and adjusted EBITDA declined to $111.3 million amid traffic pressure, weather impacts and higher commodity and labor costs. International growth remained a bright spot, with systemwide sales up 6% overseas and Wendy’s announcing its largest-ever China franchise agreement to open up to 1,000 restaurants over the next 10 years. The company is pushing its Project Fresh turnaround through menu upgrades, operational improvements and footprint optimization, and it reaffirmed its 2026 outlook for flat global systemwide sales, $460 million to $480 million of adjusted EBITDA, and a quarterly dividend of $0.14 per share. 3 Bargain-Cheap Small Caps Worth a Second Look Wendy's (NASDAQ:WEN) reported first-quarter results that management said were largely in line with expectations, while acknowledging the restaurant chain remains in the early stages of a U.S. turnaround effort aimed at improving traffic, operations and franchisee economics. Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer Ken Cook said the company is focused in the U.S. on advancing its Project Fresh turnaround strategy, while the international business continues to expand in key growth markets. The company also announced a new franchise agreement to build up to 1,000 restaurants in China over the next 10 years. → Insider Sales: Top AST SpaceMobile Insider Cuts Postion Over 30% MarketBeat Week in Review – 03/02 - 03/06 “Results were largely in line with our expectations, though still not where we need to be,” Cook said. He cited a challenging competitive environment, severe weather and the company’s efforts to optimize its restaurant footprint and operating hours as factors affecting the quarter. Global systemwide sales declined 5.5% on a constant currency basis in the first quarter. U.S. same-restaurant sales fell 7.8%, driven by lower traffic, partially offset by a higher average check, according to Suzie Thuerk, Chief Accounting Officer and Global Head of FP&A. → Light Speed Returns: Corning Cashes In on NVIDIA Growth Wendy’s Is Down Sharply—Is the Dividend a Bargain or Value Trap? Thuerk said severe weather accounted for about one full percentage point of pressure during the quarter, with the impact occurring mos...

Wendy's (WEN) reported $540.64 million in revenue for the quarter ended March 2026, representing a year-over-year increase of 3.3%. EPS of $0.12 for the same period compares to $0.20 a year ago. The reported revenue represents a surprise of +2.88% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $525.51 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.10, the EPS surprise was +16.39%. While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health. As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately. Here is how Wendy's performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts: Number of restaurants - Total: 7,251 versus the six-analyst average estimate of 7,301. Number of restaurants - Company-operated - Total: 431 compared to the 433 average estimate based on six analysts. Same-Restaurant - U.S.: -7.8% versus -6.6% estimated by six analysts on average. Number of restaurants - Franchised - Total: 6,820 versus the six-analyst average estimate of 6,868. Revenues- Franchise rental income: $58.9 million versus $56.13 million estimated by six analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +0.8% change. Revenues- Sales at Company-operated restaurants: $225.5 million compared to the $229.22 million average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of +2.7% year over year. Revenues- Advertising funds: $108.34 million versus the six-analyst average estimate of $94.06 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +8%. Revenues- Franchise royalty revenue and fees: $147.9 million versus the six-analyst average estimate of $139.96 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +1.9%. Revenues- Franchise fees: $31.71 million versus $23.35 million estimated by five analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +35.1% change. Revenues- Franchise royalty: $116.19 million versus $116.53 million estimated by five analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this num...

Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. The Wendy’s Company will release earnings for its first quarter before the opening bell on Friday, May 8. Analysts expect the company to report quarterly earnings of 10 cents per share, down from 20 cents per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for Wendy’s quarterly revenue is $518.4 million (it reported $523.47 million last year), according to Benzinga Pro. With the recent buzz around Wendy’s, some investors may be eyeing potential gains from the company's dividends too. As of now, Wendy’s has an annual dividend yield of 8.42%, which is a quarterly dividend amount of 14 cents per share (56 cents a year). Don't Miss: Think Your ‘Safe' Stocks Protect You? You're Ignoring the Real Growth Triggers — Here's What to Add Now Caught With Nothing Saved for Retirement? These 5 Game‑Changing Tips Could Still Save You So, how can investors exploit its dividend yield to pocket a regular $500 monthly? To earn $500 per month or $6,000 annually from dividends alone, you would need an investment of approximately $71,248 or around 10,714 shares. For a more modest $100 per month or $1,200 per year, you would need $14,251 or around 2,143 shares. To calculate: Divide the desired annual income ($6,000 or $1,200) by the dividend ($0.56 in this case). So, $6,000 / $0.56 = 10,714 ($500 per month), and $1,200 / $0.56 = 2,143 shares ($100 per month). Note that dividend yield can change on a rolling basis, as the dividend payment and the stock price both fluctuate over time. How that works: The dividend yield is computed by dividing the annual dividend payment by the stock’s current price. For example, if a stock pays an annual dividend of $2 and is currently priced at $50, the dividend yield would be 4% ($2/$50). However, if the stock price increases to $60, the dividend yield drops to 3.33% ($2/$60). Conversely, if the stock price falls to $40, the dividend yield rises to 5% ($2/$40). Trending: Think you're saving enough for your kids? You might be dangerously off — see why Similarly, changes in the dividend payment can impact the yield. If a company increases its dividend, the yield will also increase, provided the stock price stays the same. Conversely, if the dividend payment decreases, so will the yield. Photo via Shutterstock Read Next: Still Learning the Market...

This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Global System-Wide Sales: Declined 5.5% in the first quarter. US Same-Restaurant Sales: Declined 7.8%. International System-Wide Sales Growth: Increased by 6%. Adjusted EBITDA: $111 million for the quarter. Adjusted EPS: $0.12 for the quarter. Total Adjusted Revenue: $432.3 million, an increase of $9.2 million compared to the prior year. Global Company-Operated Restaurant Margin: 10.8% for the first quarter. US Company-Operated Restaurant Margin: 11.4%. Cash Flow: Generated $36.5 million of free cash flow in the first quarter. Net Leverage Ratio: 4.9 times. Capital Expenditures: $16.5 million invested in the first quarter. Franchise Agreement in China: Plan to build up to 1,000 restaurants over the next 10 years. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 7 Warning Signs with WEN. Is WEN fairly valued? Test your thesis with our free DCF calculator. Release Date: May 08, 2026 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. The Wendy's Co (NASDAQ:WEN) signed a new franchise agreement to expand into China, planning to open up to 1,000 restaurants over the next 10 years. International system-wide sales grew by 6%, driven by net unit growth in key markets like the Philippines and Mexico. The company is implementing a new 'Project Fresh' turnaround strategy focused on brand revitalization, operational excellence, and system optimization. US digital sales grew by 8.4% in the first quarter, with digital mix reaching 22.7%. The company is rolling out a new 'future fresh' restaurant design internationally, enhancing its visual identity and digital-first layout. Global system-wide sales declined by 5.5% in the quarter, driven by a 7.8% decline in US same-restaurant sales. Severe weather and optimization of restaurant hours negatively impacted sales performance. US company-operated restaurant margins declined due to decreased traffic, commodity cost increases, and labor rate inflation. Adjusted EBITDA decreased by $13.2 million compared to the prior year, driven by lower franchise royalty revenue and increased general and administrative expenses. The company is facing pressure on franchisee economics due to sales pressure and inflation, with a wide range of outcomes across the system. Q: System sales were down over 5% in the quarter, and you're reiterating flat for the year. What gives y...

You can find original article here Nrn. Subscribe to our free daily Nrn newsletters. Wendy’s same-store sales fell 7.8% in the first quarter, the company said on Friday, as struggles among low-income consumers and the chain’s shift away from breakfast proved too tough to overcome. But international is a relative bright spot, though same-store sales outside the U.S. also declined, by 0.4%. Still, the company reached a 1,000-unit deal with an unnamed restaurant operator to expand the brand in China, a potentially landmark deal for a chain eager to open restaurants internationally.  Wendy’s operates more than 1,400 locations outside the U.S., up 50% over the past five years. But the company still has an issue in the U.S., where it is losing considerable market share to rivals McDonald’s and Burger King, which just reported same-store sales of 3.9% and 5.8%, respectively. Same-store sales at the Dublin, Ohio-based chain were down at least 6.2% in each of the past four months, with the worst performance in February. That includes a 6.4% decline in April, during the company’s second quarter. The chain's domestic same-store sales have fallen for five straight quarters. Wendy’s results were better than analysts expected, sending the company’s stock up around 4% in early morning trading on Friday. The chain has struggled with low-income consumers, who have been cutting back on dining out at fast-food restaurants in recent years. Wendy’s has had more success with higher-income consumers. But breakfast is also an issue. The morning daypart hurt Wendy’s same-store sales by 100 basis points, suggesting that the morning hours’ results are down well into the teens. Consumers have cut back on breakfast, currently the weakest daypart in the fast-food sector right now. But Wendy’s has also given some operators the ability to stop service in the morning, which is a “large part” of why the company’s morning results have struggled. “Breakfast remains an important daypart and growth opportunity for many restaurants in the system,” Ken Cook, Wendy’s interim CEO, told analysts. “Breakfast has been the most challenged daypart across the industry. That’s true both last year and this year, and we’re seeing the same thing.”  One big challenge for Wendy’s, and many other fast-food chains, is costs. Beef prices have soared, which has forced the brand and its operators to pay a...

Market Catalysts host Julie Hyman takes a look at some of Friday's trending tickers and stories. CoreWeave (CRWV) stock is sinking after the company issued weak revenue guidance. IREN (IREN) stock is surging on news that Nvidia (NVDA) is investing up to $2.1 billion in the company. Rocket Labs (RKLB) stock is skyrocketing on the company's strong quarterly sales numbers. Wendy's (WEN) stock is on the rise after the company beat Wall Street's earnings estimates.

The Wendy's Company WEN is scheduled to report first-quarter 2026 results on May 8, before the opening bell. In the last reported quarter, the company’s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 14.3%. WEN’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters and met on one occasion, the average surprise being 12.6%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at 10 cents per share, indicating a decline of 50% from a year ago. The Wendy's Company price-eps-surprise | The Wendy's Company Quote The consensus mark for revenues is pegged at $525.5 million, implying an increase of 0.4% from the year-ago quarter. Revenues Wendy’s first-quarter performance is likely to reflect the early-stage execution of its “Project Fresh” turnaround strategy, which focuses on brand revitalization, operational excellence, system optimization and disciplined capital allocation. Management noted that 2026 will be a rebuilding year as the company works to strengthen franchisee economics and improve customer engagement. Value offerings are expected to have supported affordability perceptions and helped defend traffic trends during the quarter. Menu innovation is also likely to have contributed to customer engagement in the to-be-reported quarter. Wendy’s has renewed focus on its core hamburger platform built around fresh, never-frozen beef following a period of limited burger innovation in 2025. The recently launched Biggie Deals value platform, with $4, $6 and $8 price tiers, is designed to improve affordability perceptions, broaden appeal and capture incremental snacking occasions. Management also highlighted encouraging early traction from the platform entering 2026. Digital initiatives are expected to remain an important growth driver. Wendy’s continued to scale its digital business, with U.S. digital sales mix reaching an all-time high of 20.6% in the fourth quarter of 2025. The company noted that improvements to its mobile app, increased social engagement, loyalty growth and the rollout of FreshAI automated ordering technology are supporting customer engagement and operational efficiency. International operations are likely to have been another positive contributor in the quarter under review. The company continues to benefit from strong development momentum in markets such as Canada, Mexico and the Philippines, supported by new re...