Wingstop (NASDAQ:WING) Releases Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.16 EPS

Wingstop (NASDAQ:WING) posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday. The restaurant operator reported $1.00 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.84 by $0.16, FiscalAI reports. The company had revenue of $175.69 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $177.74 million. Wingstop had a net margin of 25.01% and a negative return on equity of 16.12%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 8.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.92 earnings per share.

Here are the key takeaways from Wingstop’s conference call:

• Company completed rollout of the Wingstop Smart Kitchen across all domestic restaurants, with roughly 50% of locations averaging 10‑minute ticket times and delivery times down ~15% year‑over‑year, providing early proof points for increased frequency and lunch transactions.
• “Club Wingstop” loyalty pilot showed strong early traction—nearly 50% of active guests enrolled, frequency up ~7% for members and >30% of new guests signing up—leading to a planned national launch at end of Q2 2026 and an expected contribution toward the $3M AUV target.
• Despite system‑wide sales growth, same‑store sales fell 3% in 2025 (the first decline in 22 years) with Q4 domestic comps down 5.8%; management expects a choppy consumer backdrop and is guiding 2026 comps to flat to low single‑digit growth.
• Development and financial momentum remain strong: 493 restaurants opened in 2025, system sales topped $5B, ~2,300 restaurant commitments provide visibility to mid‑teens (~15–16%) global unit growth in 2026, and Adjusted EBITDA is targeted to grow ~15% while continuing dividends and share repurchases.

Wingstop Stock Up 0.1%

Shares of NASDAQ WING traded up $0.32 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $260.31. 245,481 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 775,286. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $259.76 and its 200 day moving average price is $267.94. Wingstop has a 52 week low of $204.00 and a 52 week high of $388.14. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.23 billion, a PE ratio of 41.99, a PEG ratio of 3.51 and a beta of 1.80.

Wingstop Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 6th will be given a dividend of $0.30 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 6th. This represents a $1.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.5%. Wingstop’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 19.54%.

Trending Headlines about Wingstop

Here are the key news stories impacting Wingstop this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Earnings and margin beat — Wingstop reported $1.00 EPS (vs. ~$0.84 expected) with adjusted EBITDA and margins better than feared, which drove the immediate rally. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Unit growth and guidance support upside — management projects low-single-digit domestic comps but ~15% global store-count growth and continues aggressive openings (493 new units in 2025), underpinning revenue and long-term leverage improvements. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: New growth levers — investments in Smart Kitchen (AI order fulfillment), digital acceleration and a loyalty push are positioned to improve off‑premise throughput and AUVs, helping margins over time. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Shareholder returns — ongoing buybacks (notable share-count reduction in Q4) and a newly announced quarterly dividend reinforce capital-return narratives that support the stock. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Mixed analyst activity — several firms reaffirm bullish ratings and high targets (Stephens, BTIG) while others trimmed price targets modestly (RBC, Barclays) yet kept overweight/outperform stances, leaving consensus upside but with differing conviction. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Brokerage caution — TD Cowen reiterated a Hold and flagged persistent comp pressures despite the beat, tempering some investor enthusiasm. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Domestic traffic weakness — Wingstop reported its first full-year same-store sales decline in 22 years and a notable domestic comp drop, a core risk to near-term growth and valuation. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue miss and franchisee issues — revenue slightly missed consensus and analysts/activists have flagged franchisee performance and execution risks, which could pressure comps and sentiment if not resolved. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Leverage and short-interest risks — Wingstop is moderately leveraged with relatively high short interest (~14%), which can amplify downside on renewed traffic worries. Read More.

Insider Transactions at Wingstop

In other news, Director Kilandigalu Madati sold 269 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $259.97, for a total value of $69,931.93. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 5,283 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,373,421.51. This represents a 4.85% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 0.72% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of WING. Sivia Capital Partners LLC increased its position in shares of Wingstop by 45.5% in the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 1,387 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $467,000 after acquiring an additional 434 shares during the period. Jefferies Financial Group Inc. raised its position in Wingstop by 41.7% during the 3rd quarter. Jefferies Financial Group Inc. now owns 856 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $215,000 after purchasing an additional 252 shares during the last quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new stake in Wingstop in the 4th quarter worth approximately $208,000. &PARTNERS bought a new stake in Wingstop in the fourth quarter valued at $203,000. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Wingstop by 528.8% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 503 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $169,000 after purchasing an additional 423 shares during the period.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms recently issued reports on WING. Mizuho decreased their price objective on Wingstop from $320.00 to $310.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their price target on shares of Wingstop from $400.00 to $350.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, November 5th. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Wingstop from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Saturday, February 7th. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $285.00 target price on shares of Wingstop in a report on Wednesday. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $335.00 target price on shares of Wingstop in a research note on Wednesday. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have assigned a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $336.07.

About Wingstop

Wingstop Inc (NASDAQ: WING) is a fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in chicken wings and related menu items. Founded in 1994 in Garland, Texas, the company has built its brand around bold, chef-inspired wing flavors and a streamlined service model that caters to dine-in, takeout, delivery and catering orders.

The company’s core offerings include both bone-in and boneless chicken wings tossed in a variety of proprietary rubs and sauces, such as Original Hot, Lemon Pepper, and Mango Habanero.