Wingstop (NASDAQ:WING) Upgraded at Wall Street Zen

Wingstop (NASDAQ:WING) was upgraded by investment analysts at Wall Street Zen from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note issued on Saturday.

Other research analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price target on Wingstop from $300.00 to $290.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Wingstop in a research report on Monday, December 29th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their target price on Wingstop from $345.00 to $280.00 and set a “market perform” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on shares of Wingstop from $363.00 to $345.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, Truist Financial cut their price target on shares of Wingstop from $400.00 to $365.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, November 5th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-four have given a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $340.00.

Wingstop Trading Up 1.1%

WING opened at $271.39 on Friday. Wingstop has a twelve month low of $204.00 and a twelve month high of $388.14. The firm has a market cap of $7.54 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 44.20, a PEG ratio of 3.08 and a beta of 1.77. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $255.88 and a 200 day simple moving average of $276.52.

Wingstop (NASDAQ:WING) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 4th. The restaurant operator reported $1.09 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.91 by $0.18. The firm had revenue of $175.74 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $189.10 million. Wingstop had a net margin of 25.51% and a negative return on equity of 16.17%. The firm’s revenue was up 8.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.88 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that Wingstop will post 4.18 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Wingstop

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

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Wingstop

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in WING. American Century Companies Inc. boosted its holdings in Wingstop by 23.3% during the second quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,557,383 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $524,433,000 after buying an additional 294,786 shares in the last quarter. Lone Pine Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Wingstop during the 3rd quarter valued at $375,317,000. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA lifted its holdings in shares of Wingstop by 48.1% during the fourth quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 1,405,894 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $335,292,000 after purchasing an additional 456,861 shares during the last quarter. Steadfast Capital Management LP lifted its stake in Wingstop by 296.2% during the third quarter. Steadfast Capital Management LP now owns 950,521 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $239,227,000 after buying an additional 710,621 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Artisan Partners Limited Partnership boosted its holdings in shares of Wingstop by 20.8% in the third quarter. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership now owns 890,451 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $224,109,000 after buying an additional 153,082 shares during the period.

Wingstop News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Wingstop this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Melius Research upgraded Wingstop to a “Buy,” which can boost investor confidence and support the stock on valuation/earnings re‑rating. Melius Research Upgrades Wingstop (NASDAQ:WING) to “Buy”
• Positive Sentiment: Limited‑time collaboration with PopUp Bagels launching a Wingstop‑inspired “Lemon Pepper Schmear” (available Jan. 29 while supplies last) extends the brand into morning occasions and creates cross‑channel buzz. Wingstop and PopUp Bagels Team Up on “Lemon Pepper Schmear” for Bold Flavor, All Day Long
• Positive Sentiment: New hot‑honey wing flavors and a limited sandwich rollout timed ahead of the Super Bowl aim to drive incremental same‑store sales and traffic during a peak eating occasion. Marketing tie‑ins around the game can lift near‑term comps. Wingstop unveils two new hot honey wing flavors ahead of Super Bowl
• Neutral Sentiment: Wingstop continues unit growth at the local level with a planned new location in Greenfield — a steady but small contributor to long‑term franchise expansion. Wingstop to open location in Greenfield
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage pieces and product reviews (hot‑honey sandwich reviews and analysis of the hot‑honey push and a new COO) highlight management strategy and customer reception; useful for sentiment but mixed on long‑term impact. Does Wingstop’s (WING) Hot Honey Push and New COO Reveal a Deeper Expansion Strategy?
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple lifestyle and food outlets covered the flavor launches and collaborations, reinforcing marketing reach; coverage supports short‑term awareness but is not a direct earnings driver. Wingstop Launches New Flavors Just In Time for the Super Bowl

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.