Royal Bank Of Canada Cuts Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) Price Target to $8.00

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) had its price objective lowered by Royal Bank Of Canada from $8.50 to $8.00 in a research note published on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. Royal Bank Of Canada currently has a sector perform rating on the restaurant operator’s stock.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $8.00 price objective on shares of Wendy’s in a research report on Tuesday. Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Wendy’s in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. TD Cowen decreased their price objective on shares of Wendy’s from $9.00 to $6.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 13th. Argus raised shares of Wendy’s to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus set a $8.00 target price on Wendy’s in a report on Monday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating, sixteen have given a Hold rating and five have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Wendy’s has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $9.39.

Wendy’s Price Performance

WEN opened at $8.32 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of $1.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.79, a PEG ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 0.38. 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 stock has a fifty day moving average price of $8.15 and a 200 day moving average price of $8.88.

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) last issued its earnings results on Friday, February 13th. The restaurant operator reported $0.16 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.14 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $439.60 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $537.11 million. Wendy’s had a return on equity of 145.93% and a net margin of 7.58%.The business’s revenue was down 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.25 EPS. Wendy’s has set its FY 2026 guidance at 0.560-0.600 EPS. Analysts forecast that Wendy’s will post 0.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wendy’s Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 2nd will be issued a dividend of $0.14 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 2nd. This represents a $0.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.7%. Wendy’s’s payout ratio is 65.88%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Wendy’s

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Invesco Ltd. boosted its holdings in Wendy’s by 22.5% in the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,083,789 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $9,028,000 after purchasing an additional 199,053 shares during the period. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV raised its position in shares of Wendy’s by 20.4% during the fourth quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 98,911 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $824,000 after buying an additional 16,725 shares during the last quarter. State of Tennessee Department of Treasury acquired a new position in shares of Wendy’s during the fourth quarter valued at about $279,000. EP Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Wendy’s in the fourth quarter valued at about $135,000. Finally, NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its position 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 buying an additional 1,647 shares in the last quarter. 85.96% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More Wendy’s News

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

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.