Advisors Asset Management Inc. Purchases 74,434 Shares of The Wendy’s Company $WEN

Advisors Asset Management Inc. grew its position in The Wendy’s Company (NASDAQ:WEN) by 17.0% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 512,405 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 74,434 shares during the period. Advisors Asset Management Inc. owned approximately 0.27% of Wendy’s worth $4,694,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Wendy’s by 30.1% in the 2nd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 13,843,438 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $158,092,000 after acquiring an additional 3,205,269 shares in the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its holdings in shares of Wendy’s by 61.3% in the second quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 5,041,012 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $57,568,000 after purchasing an additional 1,915,465 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Wendy’s in the second quarter valued at approximately $18,929,000. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. lifted its position in shares of Wendy’s by 6,474.9% in the second quarter. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. now owns 1,134,230 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $12,953,000 after purchasing an additional 1,116,979 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Retirement Systems of Alabama boosted its holdings in Wendy’s by 34.1% during the second quarter. Retirement Systems of Alabama now owns 954,998 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $10,906,000 after purchasing an additional 242,725 shares during the last quarter. 85.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on WEN shares. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their price target on shares of Wendy’s from $9.00 to $8.00 and set a “sell” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, December 17th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $9.00 target price (down previously from $12.00) on shares of Wendy’s in a research report on Wednesday, December 3rd. UBS Group dropped their target price on Wendy’s from $9.50 to $8.50 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Barclays decreased their price target on Wendy’s from $11.00 to $9.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 22nd. Finally, Truist Financial lowered their price target on Wendy’s from $12.00 to $11.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating, sixteen have given a Hold rating and five have issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price 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 Performance

Shares of NASDAQ WEN opened at $7.48 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 26.89. The company has a market capitalization of $1.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.96, a P/E/G ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 0.38. The Wendy’s Company has a 12 month low of $7.08 and a 12 month high of $16.20. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $8.19 and a 200-day moving average of $8.94.

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 13th. The restaurant operator reported $0.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.14 by $0.02. Wendy’s had a return on equity of 125.74% and a net margin of 8.43%.The business had revenue of $439.60 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $537.11 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.25 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. Wendy’s has set its FY 2026 guidance at 0.560-0.600 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that The Wendy’s Company will post 0.99 EPS for the current year.

Wendy’s Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Investors of record on Monday, March 2nd will be paid a $0.14 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 2nd. This represents a $0.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.5%. Wendy’s’s dividend payout ratio is 59.57%.

Wendy’s Company 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.