First Trust Advisors LP Sells 304,079 Shares of The Wendy’s Company $WEN

First Trust Advisors LP lowered its stake in shares of The Wendy’s Company (NASDAQ:WEN) by 46.6% during the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 348,246 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock after selling 304,079 shares during the period. First Trust Advisors LP’s holdings in Wendy’s were worth $2,420,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in WEN. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC purchased a new position in Wendy’s in the fourth quarter worth $30,000. Fifth Third Bancorp raised its position in Wendy’s by 161.0% during the fourth quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 3,829 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 2,362 shares in the last quarter. Gen Wealth Partners Inc purchased a new stake in Wendy’s during the fourth quarter valued at about $33,000. Cassaday & Co Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Wendy’s during the first quarter worth about $30,000. Finally, SJS Investment Consulting Inc. bought a new stake in Wendy’s during the first quarter worth about $32,000. 85.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Wendy’s Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:WEN opened at $7.69 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.81, a current ratio of 1.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.25. The stock has a market cap of $1.46 billion, a PE ratio of 9.86, a PEG ratio of 0.54 and a beta of 0.37. The company’s fifty day moving average is $7.41 and its 200 day moving average is $7.41. The Wendy’s Company has a 52 week low of $6.07 and a 52 week high of $10.84.

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, August 7th. The restaurant operator reported $0.18 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.16 by $0.02. Wendy’s had a net margin of 6.77% and a return on equity of 136.46%. The business had revenue of $570.57 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $557.13 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.29 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 1.8% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts anticipate that The Wendy’s Company will post 0.57 earnings per share for the current year.

Wendy’s Cuts Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 1st will be issued a dividend of $0.07 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 1st. This represents a $0.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.6%. Wendy’s’s dividend payout ratio is currently 71.79%.

Wendy’s News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Wendy’s reported second-quarter adjusted EPS of $0.18, exceeding the $0.16 analyst consensus. Revenue reached approximately $571 million, while adjusted EBITDA was $124.1 million and first-half free cash flow was $120.3 million. The Wendy’s Company Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: New leadership is developing a comprehensive turnaround focused on menu improvements, stronger marketing, and better brand value. Management’s willingness to address underperformance may have encouraged some investors despite the difficult quarter. Wendy’s Cuts Dividend and Pulls Guidance
• Neutral Sentiment: A widely reported story about Wendy’s managers helping a worker attend Yale highlights a positive community and employee-brand narrative, but it is unlikely to materially affect WEN’s financial outlook. Wendy’s Worker Heading to Yale
• Negative Sentiment: Global systemwide sales fell 6.5% year over year, including an 8.2% decline in the U.S.; U.S. same-restaurant sales dropped 7.0%. The weakness reflects lower traffic and continued brand pressure. Wendy’s Takes Steps to Fix Its Brand
• Negative Sentiment: Wendy’s withdrew its 2026 outlook and cut its dividend in half to preserve resources for the turnaround. The decision reduces near-term income appeal and signals that management lacks confidence in current-year visibility. Wendy’s Withdraws Outlook and Cuts Dividend
• Negative Sentiment: Burger King overtook Wendy’s as the second-largest U.S. burger chain by systemwide sales, underscoring the competitive challenge facing the brand. Burger King Overtakes Wendy’s

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. KeyCorp reiterated a “sector weight” rating on shares of Wendy’s in a report on Wednesday, June 10th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Wendy’s in a report on Friday, July 17th. BMO Capital Markets restated a “market perform” rating on shares of Wendy’s in a research report on Wednesday, June 10th. Stifel Nicolaus set a $6.00 target price on Wendy’s in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. Finally, TD Cowen reaffirmed a “hold” rating and issued a $6.00 target price on shares of Wendy’s in a research note on Tuesday, May 12th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and six have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Wendy’s presently has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $7.78.

Wendy’s Company Profile

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.