Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Grows Position in The Wendy’s Company $WEN

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans grew its stake in The Wendy’s Company (NASDAQ:WEN) by 200.5% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 114,108 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock after buying an additional 76,129 shares during the period. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans’ holdings in Wendy’s were worth $1,045,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in WEN. Everhart Financial Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Wendy’s by 36.3% in the 3rd quarter. Everhart Financial Group Inc. now owns 13,854 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $127,000 after acquiring an additional 3,692 shares during the period. AlphaQuest LLC grew its stake in Wendy’s by 1,716,266.7% during the 3rd quarter. AlphaQuest LLC now owns 51,491 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $472,000 after purchasing an additional 51,488 shares during the last quarter. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Wendy’s in the third quarter valued at about $307,000. Ballentine Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Wendy’s in the third quarter worth about $189,000. Finally, Vanguard Personalized Indexing Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Wendy’s by 21.6% during the third quarter. Vanguard Personalized Indexing Management LLC now owns 29,238 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $268,000 after purchasing an additional 5,200 shares during the period. 85.96% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

WEN has been the topic of several research reports. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated a “sector perform” rating and issued a $8.50 price target on shares of Wendy’s in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Wendy’s from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 11th. Sanford C. Bernstein set a $9.00 target price on shares of Wendy’s in a report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Wendy’s in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus set a $9.00 price objective on Wendy’s in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating, sixteen have issued a Hold rating and five have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $10.20.

Wendy’s News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 EPS beat — Wendy’s reported $0.16 EPS vs. consensus $0.14, showing some margin resilience despite traffic weakness. Wendy’s (WEN) Q4 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: International strength — global systemwide sales grew internationally (Q4 and full-year), providing a growth pocket outside the U.S. weakness. THE WENDY’S COMPANY REPORTS FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL YEAR 2025 RESULTS AND PROVIDES 2026 OUTLOOK
• Positive Sentiment: Short-term traffic promotions — deals (e.g., $1 burgers) and limited-time items could support near-term comp trends if they drive visits. Wendy’s celebrating ‘singles’ with $1 burgers on Feb. 15. See deal
• Neutral Sentiment: Macro backdrop steady — CPI came in roughly as expected today, suggesting inflation dynamics aren’t an immediate upside/downside surprise for consumer spending. CPI Increased in Line With Expectations
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst/earnings context available — full earnings call transcript and multiple analyst takes provide detail but deliver mixed views on whether Wendy’s is a value opportunity or a value trap. The Wendy’s Company (WEN) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Planned U.S. closures — management said it will close roughly 5–6% of U.S. restaurants in H1 2026 (about 240–360 locations), signaling structural problems in core U.S. markets. Wendy’s says as many as 350 US locations will close in the first half of this year
• Negative Sentiment: Weak FY26 guidance — Wendy’s set FY2026 EPS at $0.56–$0.60 vs. consensus ~$0.86, a sizable cut that pressures valuation and near‑term upside. THE WENDY’S COMPANY REPORTS FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL YEAR 2025 RESULTS AND PROVIDES 2026 OUTLOOK
• Negative Sentiment: Top-line weakness — Q4 revenue and systemwide sales declined (U.S. comps fell), and coverage notes the company’s U.S. struggles are expected to persist into FY26. Wendy’s Sales Dented by Persistent U.S. Struggles
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction context — shares hit a 52-week low amid a highly shorted profile, amplifying downside risk if U.S. trends don’t stabilize. Highly Shorted Stock Wendy’s Hits 52-Week Low On Weak Outlook

Wendy’s Stock Up 2.9%

WEN stock opened at $7.48 on Friday. The Wendy’s Company has a one year low of $7.08 and a one year high of $16.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 26.89, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a current ratio of 0.81. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $8.19 and its 200 day moving average is $8.94. The firm has a market cap of $1.42 billion, a PE ratio of 8.80, a P/E/G ratio of 1.45 and a beta of 0.38.

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) last posted its earnings results on Friday, February 13th. The restaurant operator reported $0.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.14 by $0.02. Wendy’s had a net margin of 8.43% and a return on equity of 125.74%. The business had revenue of $439.60 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $537.11 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.25 EPS. The company’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. On average, research analysts forecast that The Wendy’s Company will post 0.99 EPS for the current year.

Wendy’s Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 2nd will be given a $0.14 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 2nd. This represents a $0.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 7.5%. Wendy’s’s payout ratio is 65.88%.

Wendy’s 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.