Wendy’s Shares Rise Despite Weak 2026 Earnings Guidance

Font: Financial Modeling Prep  • Feb 13, 2026

Wendy’s (NASDAQ: WEN) reported fourth-quarter earnings that slightly exceeded analyst expectations, with shares rising more than 4% intra-day on Friday, although the company’s 2026 outlook fell well short of Wall Street forecasts.

The fast-food chain posted adjusted EPS of $0.16, narrowly beating the consensus estimate of $0.15. Revenue reached $543 million, topping expectations of $537.55 million.

However, global systemwide sales declined 8.3% to $3.4 billion in the quarter. Same-restaurant sales fell 10.1% globally and 11.3% in the United States.

For 2026, Wendy’s guided to earnings per share of $0.56 to $0.60, significantly below analyst expectations of $0.85. The company also projected flat global systemwide sales growth for the upcoming year.

International markets provided relative strength, with systemwide sales increasing 6.2% in the fourth quarter and 8.1% for the full year. Wendy’s added 34 net new restaurants during the quarter, bringing total net additions for the year to 157, representing 2.2% growth.

U.S. company-operated restaurant margin declined to 12.7% from 16.5% a year earlier, primarily due to weaker traffic, commodity cost inflation, and higher labor expenses.

For full-year 2025, Wendy’s reported adjusted EPS of $0.88, down 12% from $1.00 in 2024.