Truist Financial Cuts Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) Price Target to $10.00

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) had its target price reduced by Truist Financial from $11.00 to $10.00 in a research report released on Tuesday, Marketbeat.com reports. Truist Financial currently has a buy rating on the restaurant operator’s stock.

Other analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein set a $9.00 price objective on shares of Wendy’s in a report on Wednesday, October 22nd. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their price target on shares of Wendy’s from $9.00 to $8.00 and set a “sell” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Zacks Research raised Wendy’s from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 11th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Wendy’s in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Morgan Stanley reissued an “underweight” rating and issued a $7.00 target price on shares of Wendy’s in a report on Monday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Hold rating and five have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Wendy’s currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $9.39.

Wendy’s Stock Up 1.7%

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

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 13th. The restaurant operator reported $0.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.14 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $439.60 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $537.11 million. Wendy’s had a net margin of 7.58% and a return on equity of 145.93%. The business’s revenue was down 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.25 earnings per share. Wendy’s has set its FY 2026 guidance at 0.560-0.600 EPS. On average, 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. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 2nd will be paid a dividend of $0.14 per share. This represents a $0.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 2nd. Wendy’s’s dividend payout ratio is currently 65.88%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Wendy’s

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Hantz Financial Services Inc. grew its holdings in Wendy’s by 5.6% during the 2nd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 19,697 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $225,000 after purchasing an additional 1,036 shares in the last quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC grew its stake in shares of Wendy’s by 35.0% during the second quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 4,017 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $46,000 after acquiring an additional 1,041 shares in the last quarter. Police & Firemen s Retirement System of New Jersey increased its position in shares of Wendy’s by 1.8% during the second quarter. Police & Firemen s Retirement System of New Jersey now owns 63,577 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $726,000 after acquiring an additional 1,094 shares during the last quarter. Earned Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Wendy’s by 10.8% in the third quarter. Earned Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 11,814 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $108,000 after acquiring an additional 1,151 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vanguard Personalized Indexing Management LLC boosted its holdings in Wendy’s by 5.6% in the second quarter. Vanguard Personalized Indexing Management LLC now owns 24,038 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $275,000 after purchasing an additional 1,276 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.96% of the company’s stock.

Wendy’s News Roundup

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.