Cheesecake Factory (NASDAQ:CAKE) EVP Spero Alex Sells 4,790 Shares of Stock

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated (NASDAQ:CAKE) EVP Spero Alex sold 4,790 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $66.00, for a total value of $316,140.00. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink.

Cheesecake Factory Price Performance

CAKE stock opened at $65.08 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $58.20 and a 200-day moving average of $55.20. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.20, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 1.02. The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated has a 12 month low of $42.69 and a 12 month high of $69.70. The company has a current ratio of 0.59, a quick ratio of 0.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.29.

Cheesecake Factory (NASDAQ:CAKE) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 18th. The restaurant operator reported $1.00 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.98 by $0.02. Cheesecake Factory had a net margin of 3.96% and a return on equity of 45.68%. The business had revenue of $961.56 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $949.03 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.04 EPS. Cheesecake Factory’s revenue was up 4.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated will post 3.71 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Cheesecake Factory Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Investors of record on Wednesday, March 4th will be given a $0.30 dividend. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.8%. This is a boost from Cheesecake Factory’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.27. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 4th. Cheesecake Factory’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 35.18%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have weighed in on CAKE. Citigroup raised their price target on Cheesecake Factory from $72.00 to $74.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, February 19th. Robert W. Baird set a $62.00 target price on shares of Cheesecake Factory in a research note on Thursday, February 19th. Raymond James Financial lowered shares of Cheesecake Factory from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on shares of Cheesecake Factory from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of Cheesecake Factory from $55.00 to $60.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 19th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and four have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $61.81.

Key Cheesecake Factory News

Here are the key news stories impacting Cheesecake Factory this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Company weighing expansion plans for 2026 and exploring a rewards/app strategy that could boost repeat visits and off-premise sales if executed well. This signals management is looking to grow revenue channels. Cheesecake Factory Weighs 2026 Expansion
• Positive Sentiment: International franchise push: Cheesecake Factory’s bakery unit opened its first India store in Bengaluru with ambitious multi-year revenue targets — a path to diversify and expand the brand outside the U.S. Bakery opens first India store
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend hike: Company raised its quarterly dividend (to $0.30), increasing income appeal for yield-oriented holders and signaling confidence in cash flow. MarketBeat coverage
• Neutral Sentiment: Brand positioning story explains why Cheesecake Factory locations frequently anchor malls — useful context on real estate strategy and customer traffic patterns but not an immediate catalyst. Why Cheesecake Factory is always in the mall
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst-call takeaways/FAQ piece outlines questions investors should watch following Q4 results — helpful for evaluating guidance and margin drivers but not new data. 5 Must-Read Analyst Questions
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple insider sales: CFO Matthew Eliot Clark, EVP Spero Alex, director Alexander Cappello and other insiders sold shares last week (transactions at ~$64–$66). Heavy insider selling is weighing on sentiment and is likely the main driver of today’s negative price reaction. TipRanks insider trading
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation risks flagged by coverage: commentary in recent pieces highlights that while results beat, consensus valuation and mixed analyst ratings create downside risk if growth or margin improvements slow. Valuation risks

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Campbell & CO Investment Adviser LLC purchased a new stake in Cheesecake Factory during the 3rd quarter valued at $2,743,000. Osaic Holdings Inc. raised its stake in shares of Cheesecake Factory by 1,041.1% during the second quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 28,515 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $1,786,000 after acquiring an additional 26,016 shares during the last quarter. AlphaQuest LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Cheesecake Factory by 186.9% during the third quarter. AlphaQuest LLC now owns 43,226 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $2,362,000 after purchasing an additional 28,159 shares during the period. Intech Investment Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Cheesecake Factory by 131.8% in the second quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 97,055 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $6,081,000 after purchasing an additional 55,185 shares during the last quarter. Finally, American Century Companies Inc. increased its holdings in Cheesecake Factory by 6.2% during the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,704,314 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $106,792,000 after purchasing an additional 99,688 shares during the period. 94.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Cheesecake Factory

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated (NASDAQ:CAKE) is an American restaurant company and distributor renowned for its full-service casual-dining concept and specialty cheesecakes. Headquartered in Calabasas Hills, California, the company operates more than 200 restaurants under The Cheesecake Factory® brand across the United States, Puerto Rico and select international markets. In addition to sit-down dining, Cheesecake Factory franchised locations offer catering and take-out services, while a separate manufacturing arm supplies branded cheesecakes and desserts to supermarkets, hotels and other foodservice operators.

The origins of the brand trace back to a small cheesecake bakery founded in Detroit in the 1940s.