Should I buy, hold, or sell WEN stock right now?

Wendy's Company (WEN) currently earns a Roarable Rating of D (Sell — SELL) with 49/100 RQD Confidence. Stretched risk/reward at 8x P/E (11% return on capital) under elevated 10-year interest-rate pressure.

What is WEN's 12-month price target and RQD AI Jury consensus?

WEN's 12-month base price target is $6.97 (range $5.44 to $10.63), backed by transparent SEC XBRL cash-flow, Form 4 insider, and CBOE options flow analysis.

Stock Ratings / Consumer Discretionary / WEN

ARCO (48) BJRI (61) SG (31) CBRL (70) ⌘ Pro Terminal →

Wendy's Company (WEN) — RQD Stock Rating Cockpit

$7.26 +0.69% NASDAQ • Live Quote vs Prior Daily Close (Synced Snapshot) EXT / AFTER-HRS: $7.26

Wendy's Company (WEN) carries a Roarable Rating of D (Sell) with 49/100 RQD Confidence due to weak cash-flow efficiency and sensitivity to current interest rates. Wait for business cash flow and institutional buying to improve before committing fresh capital.

ROARABLE D • SELL / AVOID Cap $1.37B

📤 Share Live RQD Speedometer Card: 𝕏 Post Reddit StockTwits ⬇ Live SVG Card

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🤖 Mara Quenwick • AI Quant Lead (Click for Instant Brief) Is WEN stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?

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As of 2026-11-03, Wendy's Company (NASDAQ: WEN) is rated D (Sell / SELL) by Roarable's 5-pillar RQD engine with a composite confidence score of 49/100 at a spot price of $7.26 (+0.69% 1D, market cap $1.37B). Pillar breakdown: Fundamental Cash Engine 12/20, Institutional 13F & Options Flow 11/20, SEC Balance-Sheet Forensics 6/20, FRED Macro Regime Fit 5/20, and Executive Insider Alignment 15/20. Across 1009 tracked Consumer Discretionary issuers, WEN ranks #561 in composite RQD confidence.

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 Ellis Vennor • AI Peer & Flow Quant (Click for Instant Brief) How does WEN compare to ARCO and BJRI in the Consumer Discretionary sector?

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Within the Consumer Discretionary sector (Restaurants), WEN carries a Roarable D (49/100 RQD), trailing P/E of 8.3x, gross margin of 63.6%, and ROIC of 10.7%. By comparison, ARCO (Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc. (Class A)) holds a D grade (48/100 RQD, P/E 6.9x, ROIC 18.9%, cap $1.42B) and BJRI (BJ's Restaurants Inc.) posts a C- grade (61/100 RQD, P/E 27.6x, ROIC 10.7%, cap $1.33B). Among the 5-stock peer group, ARCO leads on earnings multiple (6.9x) while ARCO leads on capital efficiency (18.9% ROIC).

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 Gideon Ashmere • AI SEC 10-K Forensics (Click for Instant Brief) What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for WEN?

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Per WEN's SEC EDGAR XBRL 10-K filing (FY2025, filed 2025-12-28, CIK 0000030697), Wendy's Company generated $2.18B in revenue (-3.1% YoY), $165.1M in net income, and $344.5M in free cash flow against $4.96B in total assets and $2.73B in total debt. Key quantitative strengths: Company leadership has skin in the game with net positive insider conviction. Primary risk factors monitored: Sensitive to high interest rates and tighter Federal Reserve market liquidity. Institutional options positioning shows a 50% call / 50% put premium split.

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 AI Quant Disclosure: Roarable Analysts are proprietary AI Quant Specialists — not human financial advisors. Pre-computed one-to-many briefings above are free; interactive 1-on-1 Q&A, custom AI sifting/indicator alerts, and personal ChatGPT/Claude MCP connections require a $9.95/mo Pro account (currently waitlist-only).

INTERACTIVE SCENARIO DECK:

🛡️ Portfolio Crash X-Ray

EXT / AFTER-HRS: $7.25 (-0.07%)🧬 Cannibal Buyback (-2.08% YoY Shares)⚙️ Cash Engine: 12/20 (C-) • 15.8% FCF Margin

Verify 90D Bucket Audit →

📊 Historical Track Record Warning: Scores below 50 (49/100 · D) historically underperformed SPY in 71% of rolling 90-day windows (-5.4% avg 90D alpha vs SPY • 29.0% hit rate).

Audit Bucket Track Record →

RQD QUANT TACHOMETERSELL / AVOID • D

JEV AI Jury Split (Battleground)

Cash

SEC

Whale

Impersonal quantitative research (0–100 RQD rubric) — not individualized investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Full Disclaimer

5-PILLAR SNOWFLAKE RADARRw C · Rk E

Each axis scored 0–20

12M PRICE TARGET CONE-4% Base Target

WHALE OPTIONS SNAPSHOT: — (No Active Options Snapshot on file for WEN)Realized 20D OHLCV Swing Band: ±7.5%

Deterministic 5-Pillar Attribution (49/100 Composite)

🔍 WHY WEN SCORES 49/100 (D) — TOP 3 DRIVERS2 Bullish Pillars + #1 Risk Drag

▲ #1 Bullish Driver: Insider Conviction & Share Dilution+15/20 pts (31% of score)

SEC Form 4 / 13F Thermometer: 75% Net Buy • Cannibal Buyback (-2.08% YoY Shares)

▲ #2 Bullish Driver: Cash Engine Quality+12/20 pts (24% of score)

SEC XBRL FY 2025 (10-K): 15.8% FCF Margin ($344.5M FCF) & 63.6% Gross Margin

▼ #1 Drag / Risk Factor: Macro Regime Fit5/20 pts (-15 pt drag)

Macro rate sensitivity & RSI-14 (61.2) create a -15 pt regime headwind

📈 PAST 4 QUARTERS RQD vs SUBSEQUENT RETURNQ1 → Q2 → Q3 → Current

Q1 (-3Q)

Grade D$6.35+2.7% Next Q

Q2 (-2Q)

Grade D$6.52-5.8% Next Q

Q3 (-1Q)

Grade D$6.14+18.2% Next Q

Current

Grade D$7.26-5.4% Hist 90D α

Trajectory: D (41) → D (49)Full Audit →

⚔️ ADVERSARIAL OPPOSING CASE & FORENSIC KILL-SWITCH (WHY THE BULL/BEAR THESIS COULD FAIL)CONTRARIAN TURNAROUND & SHORT-SQUEEZE DOSSIER

⚔️ Adversarial Opposing Case: What Could Spark a WEN Turnaround Squeeze

Gideon Ashmere Forensic Desk →

While WEN currently carries a cautious 49/100 (D) rating due to Macro Regime Fit (5/20), shorts face asymmetric squeeze risk if free cash flow inflects or management executes accretive buybacks.

🚀 Contrarian Squeeze Trigger #1

Company leadership has skin in the game with net positive insider conviction.

🚀 Contrarian Squeeze Trigger #2

Options & Short-Covering Gamma: Reclaiming the 50-day SMA ($7.00) and Max Pain ($7.62) forces dealer call-delta covering toward $10.63.

🚀 Contrarian Squeeze Trigger #3

Forensic Repair Trigger: Halting share dilution (Cannibal Buyback (-2.08% YoY Shares)) or retiring high-cost debt immediately upgrades the SEC 10-K Forensic pillar.

🎲 LIVE PREDICTION MARKET ODDS TIED TO $WEN• $2.4M Crowd Pool • Kalshi / Polymarket Composite

Contract: “WEN Beats Next Quarter EPS Consensus (Dec 27, 2026) & Holds Above 200D SMA”

YES 49%NO 51%Trade / Inspect Odds →

RSI-14 MOMENTUMBULLISH MOMENTUM

61.230 Oversold · 70 Hot

ALTMAN-Z SHIELDDISTRESS RISK (<1.8)

1.02>3.0 Fortress Safe

PIOTROSKI F-SCORESOLID CORE (5–6)

6 / 99-Pt Accounting

52-WEEK LASER RANGE32% OF RANGE

L: $6$7.26H: $10

1. Money & Cash Health● MIXED

Are profits real cash in the bank?

Decent core business (63.6% gross margin), though cash flow growth is moderate rather than explosive right now.

Factor Grade: C-RQD 12 / 20

2. Big Money & Insiders● NEUTRAL

Are whales & executives buying or selling?

Big funds and company insiders are mostly holding steady without aggressive buying or panic selling.

Factor Grade: CRQD 26 / 40

3. Hidden Risks & Market Weather● WARNING

SEC fine-print scan & interest-rate fit

High sensitivity to tight interest rates or new risk warnings added to recent SEC annual filings.

Factor Grade: ERQD 11 / 40

MULTI-MODEL JEV QUANT JURY DELIBERATION

JEV AI Jury Split (Battleground) on WEN

Cash & Moat Bull AI

ROIC & Free Cash Flow Model

NEUTRAL (60)

10.7% ROIC with 63.6% gross margin and 2.80% FCF yield.

SEC Forensic Auditor AI

10-K Accruals & Altman-Z Guard

BEARISH (30)

Altman-Z 1.02 and Piotroski 6/9 pass balance-sheet audit.

Whale & Macro Hawk AI

Options Skew, 13F & Fed NetLiq

NEUTRAL (52)

26/40 institutional & smart-money positioning score with 5/20 macro alignment.

Bull Case: Why Buyers Like WEN

✓Company leadership has skin in the game with net positive insider conviction.

Bear Case: What Could Go Wrong

!Sensitive to high interest rates and tighter Federal Reserve market liquidity.
!Recent SEC filings added new risk-factor disclosures that warrant keeping an eye on margins.

ON-DEMAND RQD QUANT WORKSHOP • SPONSORED / PARTNER SPOTLIGHTHosted by Perry Belcher & Roarable Forensic Quant Desk

Red-Light Warning Desk: Spotting SEC Cash-Flow & Dilution Risks Before Downgrades (Featuring WEN)

✓Walkthrough of WEN's RQD Radar, SEC cash-conversion gap & downside invalidation levels
✓3 asymmetric Bear/Hedge frameworks when 10-year Treasury yields stay elevated
✓Includes nightly RQD rating-change & forensic signal email alerts on your tracked stocks

RQD INSIDER CLUB WAITLIST$49/YR PLANNED

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WEN // CANDLESTICK & AUTO-TRENDLINE WORKSTATION6M: +11.01%▼ DESCENDING CHANNEL

2026-11-03O $7.16H $7.26L $7.16C $7.26VOL 8.21M

RES: $8.73SUP: $5.51SMA50: $7.00SMA200: $7.35

PRIMARY-SOURCE FORENSICS, SECOND-ORDER LINKS & AI ANALYST DESK

WEN Dilution Monitor, Expectations Hurdle, Butterfly Connections & Policy Exposure

🦋 WEN Butterfly Map → + Track WEN →

Share Count & Dilution Monitor

Multi-year comparable XBRL diluted share count not disclosed (ETF or recent listing).

Reverse-DCF Expectations Hurdle

-4.8%/yr Implied 5Y Growth

vs. -3.1% actual YoY revenue growth (assuming 9.25% cost of equity & 16.5x terminal multiple).

Ellis Vennor Setup Ledger

No active Ellis Vennor swing setup published on WEN today. View full Setup Ledger →

🦋 Documented & Second-Order Butterfly Connections Open Graph →

No direct multi-tier Butterfly edges indexed yet for WEN. Explore sector supply chains on /butterfly.

AI Analyst Theses, Washington Policy & Company Video

🎬 No recent verified company-specific video clip queued for WEN today (we never pad ticker pages with unrelated generic clips). Browse Macro Video Desk →

DETERMINISTIC MULTI-FACTOR EQUITY AUDIT • SEC EDGAR XBRL × RQD PEER BENCHMARK

📊 Quantitative Sector Peer Comparison, SEC Filing Delta & Investment FAQ (WEN)

Consumer Discretionary Rank #561 of 1009 ⚔️ ARCO vs WEN Full Matrix →

1. Head-to-Head Consumer Discretionary Peer Comparison (WEN vs. ARCO, BJRI, SG, CBRL)

Industry: Restaurants (51 Tracked Issuers)

Across 1009 tracked Consumer Discretionary securities in the Roarable RQD universe, Wendy's Company (WEN) ranks #561 by composite RQD confidence (49/100, grade D) and #466 by equity capitalization ($1.37B). Within this direct 5-issuer industry benchmark cohort, ARCO leads on earnings valuation at 6.9x trailing P/E, while ARCO leads on capital efficiency and profitability with 18.9% ROIC and 96.0% gross margin. CBRL currently holds the highest overall quantitative score in the immediate peer group at 70/100 (B-) compared with WEN at 49/100 (D).

Ticker / Company	Roarable Grade	RQD Score	Trailing P/E	Gross Margin	ROIC	1D Change	Market Cap	Head-to-Head
WEN ACTIVE Wendy's Company	D	49/100	8.3x	63.6%	10.7%	+0.69%	$1.37B	Benchmark Subject
ARCO Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc. (Class A)	D	48/100	6.9x	96.0%	18.9%	+0.59%	$1.42B	/arco-vs-wen →
BJRI BJ's Restaurants Inc.	C-	61/100	27.6x	74.7%	10.7%	+0.98%	$1.33B	/bjri-vs-wen →
SG Sweetgreen Inc. (Class A)	E	31/100	—	—	-35.0%	+3.61%	$1.32B	/sg-vs-wen →
CBRL Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc	B-	70/100	34.9x	69.0%	5.4%	-0.43%	$1.57B	/cbrl-vs-wen →

2. Multi-Year SEC XBRL Revenue, Cash Flow & Balance-Sheet Trajectory (FY2023–FY2025)

SEC EDGAR 10-K • FILED 2025-12-28 • CIK 0000030697 ↗

In its most recent audited fiscal period (FY2025, filed 2025-12-28), Wendy's Company (WEN) reported GAAP revenue of $2.18B (-3.1% vs. FY2024 revenue of $2.25B , and -0.2% cumulative change since FY2023) , GAAP net income of $165.1M, operating cash flow of $344.5M, and free cash flow of $344.5M (-3.0% YoY). On the balance sheet, WEN closed FY2025 with $4.96B in total assets against $2.73B in total debt (Altman Z-Score: 1.02, Piotroski F-Score: 6/9).

Fiscal Period	Filing Date	Revenue	Net Income	Operating Cash Flow	Free Cash Flow	Total Assets	Total Debt
FY2025 (FY)	2025-12-28	$2.18B	$165.1M	$344.5M	$344.5M	$4.96B	$2.73B
FY2024 (FY)	2024-12-29	$2.25B	$194.4M	$355.3M	$355.3M	$5.03B	$2.66B
FY2023 (FY)	2023-12-31	$2.18B	$204.4M	$345.4M	$345.4M	—	—

3. WEN Data-Verified Investor FAQ (RQD Rating, Sector Peers, SEC Forensics & Technicals)

✓ SCHEMA.ORG FAQPAGE JSON-LD ENABLED

Is WEN stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?

How does WEN compare to ARCO and BJRI in the Consumer Discretionary sector?

What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for WEN?

Where is WEN trading relative to its 50-day, 200-day, and 52-week technical levels?

WEN last traded at $7.26 (+0.69% on volume of 6,009,118 shares), positioning the stock +3.71% above its 50-day simple moving average ($7.00) and -1.22% below its 200-day simple moving average ($7.35). Across its 52-week range of $5.94 to $10.12, WEN sits at the 31.6% percentile with a 14-day RSI of 61.2 (BULLISH MOMENTUM) and an implied next-earnings move of ±7.5% ($6.72 to $7.80).

Direct Sub-Reports: WEN RQD Cockpit WEN 12M Forecast WEN Earnings & Move WEN Dividends & DRIP WEN Insiders & 13F WEN Whale Options WEN Profit Sankey WEN News & Why

ROARABLE RATING BRIEF • RQD 49/100 (D) ✓ SEC XBRL & RQD VERIFIED

WEN — Wendy's Company: What the Facts Mean to a Prospective Investor

Methodology: RQD v6.2 Deterministic 5-Pillar & SEC XBRL Audit

Updated: 2025-12-28

1. Roarable Rating Brief: What This Means to a Prospective Investor

Wendy's Company (WEN) earns a live Roarable RQD composite score of 49/100, corresponding to a D letter grade (Roarable Sell) at a spot price of $7.26 (+0.69% 1D, market capitalization $1.37B).

Fundamental Cash Engine (12/20): Anchored by return on invested capital (ROIC) of 10.7%, gross margin of 63.6%, operating margin of 15.8%, and free cash flow yield of —.
Whale 13F & Options Flow (11/20) + Insider Conviction (15/20): Tracks institutional 13F accumulation, CBOE options call/put positioning, and SEC Form 4 / Congressional PTR filings.
Macro Regime Fit (5/20) + Forensic Balance Sheet (6/20): Incorporates a 1.00x equity beta, Altman Z-Score of 1.02, Piotroski F-Score of 6/9, and Debt/Equity of 8.50x.

2. Business Model, Unit Margins & SEC Financial Trajectory

Wendy's Company (WEN) is a NASDAQ-listed issuer in the Consumer Discretionary sector and Restaurants industry,. The company reports annual revenue in the $2.2B range across the periods shown..4B.

In its latest audited SEC EDGAR 10-K filing for FY2025 (filed 2025-12-28), Wendy's Company (WEN) reported $2.18B in annual revenue (up from $2.25B in FY2024, -3.1% YoY) and $165.1M in GAAP net income. Over the multi-year SEC filing window from FY2023 ($2.18B revenue, $204.4M net income) through FY2025, WEN scaled operating cash flow to $344.5M and free cash flow to $344.5M, backed by $4.96B in total assets against $2.73B in total debt.

3. Institutional Bull vs. Bear Thesis & Valuation Tradeoff

🐂 Primary Bull Case (D • RQD 49/100): Company leadership has skin in the game with net positive insider conviction. Free cash flow yield of — and institutional whale pillar of 11/20. With Fundamental Cash Engine at 12/20 and Institutional Whale Flow at 11/20, sustained execution supports upside toward the upper end of the $5.94 – $10.12 52-week range.
🐻 Primary Bear Case & Valuation Risk: Sensitive to high interest rates and tighter Federal Reserve market liquidity. Investors must weigh 8.3x trailing P/E and 11.1x EV/EBITDA against 15.8% operating margins and a 1.00x macro beta.

4. 2nd-Order Butterfly Ripples & Key Questions to Watch

Operating in Restaurants (Consumer Discretionary), WEN carries a macro regime beta of 1.00 and gross margin of 63.6%.

Key Question #1: Can WEN sustain or expand its 15.8% operating margin and 10.7% ROIC against Restaurants peers over the next 4 quarters?
Key Question #2: Following FY2025 revenue of $2.18B and free cash flow of $344.5M, how will capital allocation balance growth reinvestment against $2.73B in total debt?
Key Question #3: How sensitive is WEN's 7.7x forward P/E multiple to Consumer Discretionary capital spending cycles and macro interest-rate shifts (Beta 1.00x)?

WEN Live News Feed, Press Releases & Catalyst Wire

Real-time company headlines, analyst actions, and sector developments for Wendy's Company (WEN) • Click "Debate This Headline" to argue it in the Roar Pit below

💬 Jump to WEN Debate Forum (3) ↓

🟡 MARKET WIRE Yahoo Finance • 21h ago

META_TITLE_QUOTE

Yahoo Finance report covering Wendy's Company (WEN) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Yahoo! Finance Canada • 1d ago

The Wendy's Company (WEN) Stock Price, News, Quote & History

Yahoo! Finance Canada report covering Wendy's Company (WEN) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟢 CATALYST The Wendy's Company - Investor Relations • 1d ago

The Wendy's Company Confirms Receipt of Unsolicited Proposal from Trian Partners

The Wendy's Company - Investor Relations report covering Wendy's Company (WEN) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟢 CATALYST MarketBeat • 1d ago

The Wendy's Company $WEN Stock Sold by Venture Visionary Partners LLC

MarketBeat report covering Wendy's Company (WEN) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🔴 RISK WATCH TradingView • 1d ago

Wendy's Company (The) Stock 12‑Month Price Target Cut to $7.18, Implies 15% Upside

TradingView report covering Wendy's Company (WEN) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Seeking Alpha • 1d ago

Wendy's: Trian's Offer Is No Big Deal

Seeking Alpha report covering Wendy's Company (WEN) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Simply Wall St • 1d ago

Wendy's (NasdaqGS:WEN) Stock Forecast & Analyst Predictions

Simply Wall St report covering Wendy's Company (WEN) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE The Globe and Mail • 1d ago

Dutch Bros vs. Wendy's: Which Restaurant Stock Is the Better Buy Now?

The Globe and Mail report covering Wendy's Company (WEN) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🔥 THE ROAR PIT • LIVE COMMUNITY DEBATE 3 Active Posts & Replies

WEN Bull vs. Bear Conversation Board — What's Your Call at $7.26?

🐂 67% BULLISH CONVICTION COMMUNITY TUG-OF-WAR ON WEN 🐻 33% BEARISH CONVICTION

SI SiliconVal_Bull RQD DEBATE OPENER • Growth & Tech Investor 🐂 BULLISH 🎯 Target: $8.72 (+20.9%)

📌 Pinned Debate

Trian Partners' unsolicited proposal and a 9.49% dividend yield on a 8.3x trailing P/E give shareholders a potential catalyst and incom

Trian Partners' unsolicited proposal and a 9.49% dividend yield on a 8.3x trailing P/E give shareholders a potential catalyst and income support.. When you look under the hood at WEN, Fundamental Cash Engine is 12/20 with 63.6% gross margins and 10.7% ROIC. Bears are staring in the rearview mirror while institutional 13F flow (11/20) has been quietly accumulating below $10.12. My 12M target is $8.72.

SectorRotator 🐂 BULL

@SkepticalCFA Fair point on 8.3x trailing P/E, but you're ignoring the forward operating leverage in Restaurants. If gross margin (63.6%) holds, EPS grows into the multiple faster than bears think.

SK SkepticalCFA RQD DEBATE OPENER • Fundamental Contrarian 🐻 BEARISH 🎯 Target: $5.91 (-18.0%)

Spot @ $7.21

A 1.02 Altman Z-Score, 8.5 Debt/Equity, and 0% FCF yield leave the balance sheet and cash generation exposed under the RQD framework.

Here is the bear case nobody on the bull side wants to address on WEN: A 1.02 Altman Z-Score, 8.5 Debt/Equity, and 0% FCF yield leave the balance sheet and cash generation exposed under the RQD framework.. At 8.3x trailing P/E, even a small guidance miss in Restaurants triggers a 12-15% air pocket.