BMO Capital Markets Cuts Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) Price Target to $9.00

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) had its price target cut by BMO Capital Markets from $11.00 to $9.00 in a report issued on Tuesday, MarketBeat.com reports. They currently have a market perform rating on the restaurant operator’s stock.

A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on the company. Stifel Nicolaus set a $8.00 target price on Wendy’s in a research report on Monday. UBS Group dropped their price objective on Wendy’s from $9.50 to $8.50 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Zacks Research raised Wendy’s from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 11th. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued a “sector perform” rating and set a $8.50 target price on shares of Wendy’s in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Finally, Barclays decreased their price target on shares of Wendy’s from $9.00 to $8.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Hold rating and five have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $9.39.

Wendy’s Stock Performance

WEN stock opened at $8.32 on Tuesday. Wendy’s has a 1-year low of $6.73 and a 1-year high of $16.20. The company has a current ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 1.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 28.77. The firm has a market cap of $1.58 billion, a PE ratio of 9.79, a P/E/G ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 0.38. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $8.15 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $8.88.

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 13th. The restaurant operator reported $0.16 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.14 by $0.02. Wendy’s had a return on equity of 145.93% and a net margin of 7.58%.The business had revenue of $439.60 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $537.11 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.25 EPS. Wendy’s’s revenue for the quarter was down 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. Wendy’s has set its FY 2026 guidance at 0.560-0.600 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Wendy’s will post 0.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Wendy’s Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Investors of record on Monday, March 2nd will be given a $0.14 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 2nd. This represents a $0.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.7%. Wendy’s’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 65.88%.

Institutional Trading of Wendy’s

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Invesco Ltd. grew its stake in shares of Wendy’s by 22.5% in the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,083,789 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $9,028,000 after acquiring an additional 199,053 shares in the last quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV boosted its holdings in Wendy’s by 20.4% in the 4th quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 98,911 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $824,000 after purchasing an additional 16,725 shares during the period. State of Tennessee Department of Treasury bought a new position in Wendy’s in the 4th quarter worth about $279,000. EP Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Wendy’s during the 4th quarter valued at $135,000. Finally, NewEdge Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Wendy’s by 14.6% during the fourth quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 12,898 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $107,000 after purchasing an additional 1,647 shares during the last quarter. 85.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Wendy’s

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

• Positive Sentiment: Trian/Nelson Peltz signaled in an amended 13D that he sees Wendy’s as undervalued and is weighing options including selling his stake or pursuing an acquisition—this activist spotlight drove buying interest and a sharp intraday pop. Billionaire Nelson Peltz Once Again Considers Buying Wendy’s Outright
• Positive Sentiment: Heavy call-option activity and unusual options volume point to speculative/leveraged bullish positioning tied to the activist chatter—this amplified upside momentum during the day. Wendy’s Sees Unusually High Options Volume (NASDAQ:WEN)
• Positive Sentiment: Several outlets reported the stock rebound and investor interest after Peltz’s filing, increasing visibility among institutional and retail traders. Wendy’s Stock Surges After Billionaire Nelson Peltz Calls It Undervalued
• Neutral Sentiment: The Wendy’s Company issued a public comment on Trian’s amended 13D noting its board regularly reviews strategic options to maximize shareholder value—this is a measured corporate response but does not commit to a deal. The Wendy’s Company Comments on Amended 13D Filing from Trian Partners
• Neutral Sentiment: Marketing tie-ins (Thin Mints Frosty return and new flavor releases) may support traffic/brand buzz but are unlikely to materially change near-term fundamentals. Wendy’s teams up with Girl Scouts again and the new Thin Mints Frosty flavor is a game changer
• Negative Sentiment: Wendy’s confirmed plans that could include closing a meaningful number of U.S. restaurants (reports say up to ~6%/hundreds of locations) as it shifts to value-focused strategies—this raises near-term revenue and franchise profitability concerns. Wendy’s closing up to 6% of US locations in first half of 2026
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple analysts cut ratings/price targets (RBC to $8 and others, plus Truist/BMO notes) and the stock faced a notable pullback after downgrades—analyst skepticism about growth and store closures pressured the share price. Royal Bank Of Canada Lowers Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) Price Target to $8.00
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage noted the stock hit a new 12-month low after analyst downgrades, highlighting persistent fundamental concerns despite the activist interest. Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) Hits New 12-Month Low Following Analyst Downgrade

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.