The Wendy's Company, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a quick-service restaurant company in the United States and internationally. It operates through Wendy's U.S., Wendy's International, and Global Real Estate & Development segments. The company is involved in operating, developing, and franchising a system of quick-service restaurants specializing in hamburger sandwiches. It owns and leases real estate properties. The company was formerly known as Wendy's/Arby's Group, Inc. and changed its name to The Wendy's Company in July 2011. The Wendy's Company was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ohio.

Wendy's Company (The)

McDonald's Corporation MCD is leaning heavily on Extra Value Meals (EVM) as it works to stabilize and rebuild customer traffic heading into 2026. Management has been clear that value is not a tactical lever but a core brand promise, especially as consumer pressures persist across key markets. With U.S. lower-income QSR traffic down sharply for nearly two years, restoring confidence around everyday affordability has become central to McDonald’s strategy.
The reintroduction of EVMs, anchored by clearly priced $5 and $8 meal options, aims to reset customer expectations on the core menu. These bundled meals represent roughly 30% of U.S. transactions, making them a critical driver of both traffic and value perception. Early performance has been in line with internal expectations, with management emphasizing that awareness and behavior changes should build gradually over several quarters rather than deliver an immediate spike.
Importantly, McDonald’s is measuring success not just through sales, but through traffic share gains among value-sensitive consumers and improvements in affordability scores. The company has also backed the relaunch of EVMs with meaningful marketing and short-term financial support for franchisees, signaling confidence that near-term margin pressure can translate into longer-term volume-led benefits.
Looking ahead to 2026, macro headwinds are expected to linger, limiting a quick rebound in discretionary spending. In that environment, predictable pricing and visible value may be McDonald’s strongest tools to defend and regain traffic. While EVMs alone will not solve every challenge, they appear well-positioned to serve as a foundational pillar of the brand’s traffic recovery playbook.
How Competitors Are Using Value to Compete for Budget-Conscious Diners
McDonald’s renewed focus on Extra Value Meals comes amid competitors with their own value-centric plays. Wendy’s WEN has emphasized its $5 and $6 Biggie Bags as a core traffic driver, bundling a sandwich, fries and a drink at accessible price points. This approach directly challenges McDonald’s EVMs by offering similar perceived affordability while blending value with limited-time premium items to maintain customer interest.
Restaurant Brands International QSR, the parent of Burger King, is also pushing value through aggressive digital offers and meal bundles marketed via the BK app. These deals aim to lure price-sensitive customers but are often more promotional in nature and less visible on the everyday menu compared with McDonald’s EVMs.
In a market where consumers increasingly prioritize predictable pricing over occasional discounts, McDonald’s nationally advertised value meals could offer a steadier pull-on traffic than its peers’ more fluctuating promotions. This dynamic sets the stage for value competition among major players in 2026.
MCD’s Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates
McDonald’s shares have gained 3.8% in the past six months against the industry’s 0.8% decline.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
In terms of its forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio, MCD is trading at 23.44, down from the industry’s 24.65.
P/E (F12M)
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Over the past seven days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for MCD’s 2026 earnings per share has increased, as shown in the chart.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
MCD currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Quantum Computing Stocks Set To Soar
Artificial intelligence has already reshaped the investment landscape, and its convergence with quantum computing could lead to the most significant wealth-building opportunities of our time.
Today, you have a chance to position your portfolio at the forefront of this technological revolution. In our urgent special report, Beyond AI: The Quantum Leap in Computing Power, you'll discover the little-known stocks we believe will win the quantum computing race and deliver massive gains to early investors.
Access the Report Free Now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Are Extra Value Meals the Key to McDonald's Traffic Recovery in 2026?

Investors in Wendy's Co (Symbol: WEN) saw new options begin trading today, for the March 20th expiration. At Stock Options Channel, our YieldBoost formula has looked up and down the WEN options chain for the new March 20th contracts and identified one put and one call contract of particular interest.
The put contract at the $8.00 strike price has a current bid of 30 cents. If an investor was to sell-to-open that put contract, they are committing to purchase the stock at $8.00, but will also collect the premium, putting the cost basis of the shares at $7.70 (before broker commissions). To an investor already interested in purchasing shares of WEN, that could represent an attractive alternative to paying $8.49/share today.
Because the $8.00 strike represents an approximate 6% discount to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the put contract would expire worthless. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 65%. Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change, publishing a chart of those numbers on our website under the contract detail page for this contract. Should the contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 3.75% return on the cash commitment, or 21.40% annualized — at Stock Options Channel we call this the YieldBoost.
Below is a chart showing the trailing twelve month trading history for Wendy's Co, and highlighting in green where the $8.00 strike is located relative to that history:
Turning to the calls side of the option chain, the call contract at the $9.00 strike price has a current bid of 20 cents. If an investor was to purchase shares of WEN stock at the current price level of $8.49/share, and then sell-to-open that call contract as a "covered call," they are committing to sell the stock at $9.00. Considering the call seller will also collect the premium, that would drive a total return (excluding dividends, if any) of 8.36% if the stock gets called away at the March 20th expiration (before broker commissions). Of course, a lot of upside could potentially be left on the table if WEN shares really soar, which is why looking at the trailing twelve month trading history for Wendy's Co, as well as studying the business fundamentals becomes important. Below is a chart showing WEN's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $9.00 strike highlighted in red:
Considering the fact that the $9.00 strike represents an approximate 6% premium to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the covered call contract would expire worthless, in which case the investor would keep both their shares of stock and the premium collected. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 51%. On our website under the contract detail page for this contract, Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change and publish a chart of those numbers (the trading history of the option contract will also be charted). Should the covered call contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 2.36% boost of extra return to the investor, or 13.44% annualized, which we refer to as the YieldBoost.
The implied volatility in the put contract example is 41%, while the implied volatility in the call contract example is 81%.
Meanwhile, we calculate the actual trailing twelve month volatility (considering the last 251 trading day closing values as well as today's price of $8.49) to be 35%. For more put and call options contract ideas worth looking at, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Also see:
Institutional Holders of LEVI
LSI shares outstanding history
ASRV Insider Buying
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

March 20th Options Now Available For Wendy's (WEN)

(RTTNews) - The Wendy's Company (WEN), Wednesday announced the launch of a new Biggie Deals menu with the choice of $4 Biggie Bites, $6 Biggie Bag, and $8 Biggie Bundle.
The new menu is now available at Wendy's restaurants nationwide, offering combinations of of iconic, fan-favorite menu items at budget-friendly rates.
"We know customers want choice and a meal option made just for them. That's why we're expanding Biggie Deals — to give more ways to customize and enjoy great value," explained Lindsay Radkoski, U.S. Chief Marketing Officer.
In the pre-market hours, WEN is trading at $8.35, up 0.12 percent on the Nasdaq.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Wendy's Rolls Out New Biggie Deals Menu Across US Restaurants

Rising beef costs have re-emerged as a talking point for quick-service restaurants, raising questions about whether margin pressure is structural or merely cyclical. Management commentary from Restaurant Brands International Inc. QSR suggests the latter. While elevated beef prices are clearly weighing on near-term profitability, particularly at Burger King U.S., the underlying margin story remains intact.
Beef accounts for roughly a quarter of Burger King U.S.’ commodity basket and prices have climbed at a high-teens rate year over year. That translates into a mid to high-single-digit increase in overall commodity inflation for 2025, creating short-term pressure on franchisee margins. Importantly, management framed this surge as a function of the U.S. cattle herd rebuilding cycle rather than a permanent cost reset. Early signs of easing, including recent declines in cattle futures, reinforce the view that this inflationary phase may be peaking.
Crucially, Restaurant Brands International is not leaning on aggressive price hikes to offset costs. Instead, it is focusing on operational efficiencies, disciplined value platforms and cost controls across the P&L. This approach helps protect traffic and brand equity while allowing margins to recover as input costs normalize. Franchisees, while feeling the pinch, appear aligned with this outlook and continue to invest in remodels and brand initiatives, signaling confidence beyond the current cost cycle.
In that context, rising beef costs look more like a timing issue than a thesis breaker. With strong sales momentum, scale advantages and a diversified global earnings base, QSR margins appear positioned to rebound once commodity pressures ease. For investors, the key takeaway is that today’s beef inflation may slow margin expansion, but it is unlikely to derail the long-term margin narrative.
How Peers Are Navigating Beef Inflation Pressures
Rising beef costs are not unique to Restaurant Brands International and peers across the QSR burger space are facing similar margin headwinds. McDonald's Corporation MCD, with its heavy reliance on beef-based menu items, has also seen commodity inflation weigh on restaurant-level margins. However, McDonald’s scale, long-term supplier contracts and menu pricing power help cushion the impact. Its diversified menu mix, including chicken and beverage-led growth, provides some insulation when beef costs spike.
Meanwhile, The Wendy's Company WEN is more directly exposed given its brand positioning around fresh, made-to-order beef. Wendy’s has leaned on selective pricing actions, menu innovation and efficiency initiatives to offset cost pressures, but sustained beef inflation can pose a greater challenge due to its narrower protein mix.
Overall, peers appear to view elevated beef costs as cyclical rather than structural. Like Restaurant Brands International, both competitors are balancing value perception with margin protection, suggesting that industry-wide margin pressure is likely temporary rather than a lasting reset.
QSR’s Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates
Restaurant Brands International’s shares have gained 0.3% over the past six months against the industry’s 6.6% decline.
Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
In terms of its forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio, QSR is trading at 16.9, down from the industry average of 23.98.
P/E (F12M)
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for QSR’s 2026 earnings per share has increased, as shown in the chart.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
QSR currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Radical New Technology Could Hand Investors Huge Gains
Quantum Computing is the next technological revolution, and it could be even more advanced than AI.
While some believed the technology was years away, it is already present and moving fast. Large hyperscalers, such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Oracle, and even Meta and Tesla, are scrambling to integrate quantum computing into their infrastructure.
Senior Stock Strategist Kevin Cook reveals 7 carefully selected stocks poised to dominate the quantum computing landscape in his report, Beyond AI: The Quantum Leap in Computing Power.
Kevin was among the early experts who recognized NVIDIA's enormous potential back in 2016. Now, he has keyed in on what could be "the next big thing" in quantum computing supremacy. Today, you have a rare chance to position your portfolio at the forefront of this opportunity.
See Top Quantum Stocks Now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Are Rising Beef Costs a Temporary Speed Bump for QSR's Margin Story?

Key Points
Wendy's stock lost almost half of its value in 2025 as revenue and net income dipped.
High fast food restaurant prices have turned off consumers, making grocery shopping more attractive.
Walmart makes most of its revenue from groceries and has a few growth opportunities that can boost margins.
2025 was a year to forget for many fast food restaurant stocks, including Wendy's (NASDAQ: WEN), which saw its price drop by roughly 49%. The stock had been steadily declining for the past few years before the big drop, and while Wendy's dividend has a 6.76% yield, that's not enough to make up for recent share price losses.
People started tightening their wallets last year, looking for ways to trim their budgets. That included looking for better deals on food, which meant cooking at home more. That creates the perfect opportunity for Walmart (NASDAQ: WMT) as it makes most of its sales from groceries. At the company works to push its valuation above $1 trillion in 2026, the global retailer will rely on that grocery revenue, but it has a few additional revenue sources as well.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »
Economies of scale make it hard to beat Walmart
Walmart offers consumers a wide assortment of products and services in its locations, which makes the brick-and-mortar retailer hard to beat. Walmart can beat local competitors on shipping, price, and employment. Each store acts as a logistics facility as well, which helps it compete in e-commerce as well because it can use its stores to facilitate same-day deliveries on thousands of product categories. The vast store footprint and large customer base also make Walmart an incredible bulk purchaser for sellers. Walmart acts as the middleman and receives lower per-unit costs than most of the competition.
These advantages let Walmart charge some of the lowest prices for groceries while ensuring profits. Walmart also has multiple product categories that make money instead of just relying on food. It's normal for people to buy all of their essentials at Walmart, while Wendy's fast food restaurants are nonessential and more for convenience.
This setup increases the average order size per customer and gives them more reasons to return to Walmart. If you're not hungry, there's no reason to drive to Wendy's or any fast food restaurant. However, you might still go to Walmart even if you just had dinner.
Online ads offer a path to higher profit margins
While retail is the defining part of Walmart's business, digital advertising is starting to play a role in boosting the company's profit margins over the long run. It's similar to how Amazon started as an online retailer and expanded into other opportunities to boost its margins.
Walmart's online ads still make up a small part of the business, but ad revenue surged by 53% year over year in fiscal 2026's third quarter (ended Oct. 31, 2025). Higher ad revenue should eventually increase profit margins, which regularly sit close to 3%.
Wendy's doesn't have as many paths to higher profit margins, as evidenced most recently when the fast food restaurant chain reported declining revenue and net income in Q3.
Walmart has better growth opportunities, can expand its margins in the long run, and offers affordable groceries, a need for many Americans. Wendy's is more for convenience, and rising fast food prices have led to some pushback from consumers.
Should you buy stock in Walmart right now?
Before you buy stock in Walmart, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Walmart wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $493,290!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,153,214!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 973% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 195% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of January 6, 2026.
Marc Guberti has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Forget WEN Stock and Look at WMT Instead

The following are today's upgrades for Validea's P/E/Growth Investor model based on the published strategy of Peter Lynch. This strategy looks for stocks trading at a reasonable price relative to earnings growth that also possess strong balance sheets.
WENDY'S CO (WEN) is a small-cap value stock in the Restaurants industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch changed from 72% to 74% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: The Wendys Company is primarily engaged in the business of operating, developing and franchising a system of distinctive quick-service restaurants. The Companys menu includes made-to-order square hamburgers using beef, and fan favorites like the Spicy Chicken Sandwich and nuggets, Baconator, and the Frosty dessert. Its segments include Wendys U.S., Wendys International and Global Real Estate & Development. Wendys U.S. includes the operation and franchising of its restaurants in the United States. Wendys International includes the operation and franchising of its restaurants in countries and territories other than the United States. Global Real Estate & Development includes real estate activity for owned sites and sites leased from third parties, which are leased and/or subleased to franchisees, and also includes its share of the income of its Canadian restaurant real estate joint venture (TimWen). The Company and its franchisees have over 7,000 restaurants worldwide.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of WENDY'S CO
About Peter Lynch: Perhaps the greatest mutual fund manager of all-time, Lynch guided Fidelity Investment's Magellan Fund to a 29.2 percent average annual return from 1977 until his retirement in 1990, almost doubling the S&P 500's 15.8 percent yearly return over that time. Lynch's common sense approach and quick wit made him one of the most quoted investors on Wall Street. ("Go for a business that any idiot can run -- because sooner or later, any idiot probably is going to run it," is one of his many pearls of wisdom.) Lynch's bestseller One Up on Wall Street is something of a "stocks for the everyman/everywoman", breaking his approach down into easy-to-understand concepts.
About Validea: Validea is aninvestment researchservice that follows the published strategies of investment legends. Validea offers both stock analysis and model portfolios based on gurus who have outperformed the market over the long-term, including Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Peter Lynch and Martin Zweig. For more information about Validea, click here
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Validea Peter Lynch Strategy Daily Upgrade Report - 12/16/2025

Dutch Bros Inc. BROS is entering 2026 with a strategically meaningful shift centered on scaling its breakfast capabilities through a systemwide hot food rollout. Management has framed the initiative as a long-term productivity lever designed to strengthen morning-daypart relevance — an area where the brand has historically under-indexed. By the end of the third quarter, the company had introduced ovens to roughly 160 shops and reported solid performance concerning the same.
Operational design has been a focal point of the rollout. Ovens were calibrated to finish faster than the average drink-making time, ensuring throughput remains intact during peak windows. Broista learning curves and customer sentiment have improved with each expansion wave, supporting management’s view that the platform can be scaled without compromising the brand’s high-volume drive-thru model.
The pacing of adoption, however, is shaped by physical constraints. Approximately 25% of the projected 2025 shop base cannot accommodate ovens due to legacy layouts, limiting near-term systemwide penetration. Dutch Bros expects this ratio to decline as new builds — all food-capable — become a larger share of openings, with full deployment targeted by year-end 2026. Management noted that the rollout will influence labor planning, pre-opening expenses and workflow optimization as the company navigates an expanded operational footprint.
If early-market performance holds as the platform scales, Dutch Bros expects the breakfast strategy to serve as a structural contributor to revenue growth rather than a short-term sales catalyst. With consistent results across both legacy and newer regions, management anticipates the initiative to be a supporting pillar of unit-level productivity as the company accelerates its multiyear shop expansion plan.
How Are Competitors Faring?
Among Dutch Bros’ competitors in the breakfast and morning-daypart arena are McDonald's Corporation MCD and The Wendy's Company WEN, both of which are actively repositioning their breakfast strategies to support traffic and unit-level performance.
McDonald’s is leaning heavily on its revamped Extra Value Meal (EVM) architecture to re-anchor value perception and stabilize morning routines. The company highlighted that EVMs now represent roughly 30% of U.S. transactions, supported by corporate co-investment of $15 million in September and an expected $75 million in the fourth quarter, aimed at strengthening franchisee alignment and smoothing the systemwide reset. McDonald’s stressed that this breakfast-value push is structural rather than promotional, designed to restore everyday affordability as lower-income guest traffic remains under pressure.
Wendy’s is focusing on operational upgrades and unit-level execution as part of its Project Fresh initiative. In the third quarter, company-operated restaurants delivered an approximate 400 basis-point improvement in comps, driven by better staffing, training enhancements and stronger kitchen productivity. Wendy’s also emphasized product-led innovation — including chicken tenders and improved core menu consistency — as a means to elevate average unit volumes and improve the morning guest experience. The company reiterated that these operational gains, alongside continued digital enhancements, are critical to sustaining breakfast relevance across its footprint.
BROS’ Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates
Shares of Dutch Bros have declined 5.5% in the past three months compared with the industry’s 2.4% fall.
BROS’ Stocks Three-Month Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, Dutch Bros stock trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 5.04, above the industry’s average of 3.21.
BROS’ P/s Ratio (Forward 12-Month) vs. Industry
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
EPS Trend of BROS Stock
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BROS’ fiscal 2025 and 2026 earnings per share (EPS) implies a year-over-year uptick of 36.7% and 27.6%, respectively. The EPS estimates for fiscal 2025 and 2026 have remained unchanged in the past 30 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Dutch Bros stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Free Report: Profiting from the 2nd Wave of AI Explosion
The next phase of the AI explosion is poised to create significant wealth for investors, especially those who get in early. It will add literally trillion of dollars to the economy and revolutionize nearly every part of our lives.
Investors who bought shares like Nvidia at the right time have had a shot at huge gains.
But the rocket ride in the "first wave" of AI stocks may soon come to an end. The sharp upward trajectory of these stocks will begin to level off, leaving exponential growth to a new wave of cutting-edge companies.
Zacks' AI Boom 2.0: The Second Wave report reveals 4 under-the-radar companies that may soon be shining stars of AI’s next leap forward.
Access AI Boom 2.0 now, absolutely free >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Can BROS' Breakfast Strategy Unlock the Next Phase of Revenue Growth?

McDonald's Corporation MCD is betting big that a comprehensive value reset, centered on revamped Extra Value Meals (EVMs) and a more disciplined national value architecture, can help reverse two years of declining traffic among lower-income U.S. consumers. The company’s latestearnings callrevealed a clear strategic theme: value must become both predictable and compelling if it hopes to rebuild guest counts in 2026.
The relaunch of EVMs, featuring nationally advertised $5 and $8 meal price points, marks the most significant effort to repair value perception on the core menu. Leadership acknowledged that EVM pricing had drifted away from what consumers expected, creating a drag on value scores. Franchisees overwhelmingly agreed that change was necessary and McDonald’s is co-investing through early 2026 to ease the near-term margin pressure as traffic rebuilds.
Early results are promising, with improving value scores and growing awareness, but management maintains that momentum will take several quarters to fully materialize. The broader challenge remains macro-driven: rents, food inflation and childcare costs continue to squeeze lower-income consumers, keeping QSR visits in double-digit decline. Until real income pressure eases, recovery in that segment will be slow, even with aggressive value.
Still, McDonald’s enters 2026 better positioned. Stronger value signaling, digital engagement through loyalty and MONOPOLY, and menu innovations like Snack Wraps are supporting higher-income traffic gains while reinforcing brand relevance across cohorts. If inflation moderates and value messaging scales as planned, McDonald’s could see guest counts stabilize, and potentially increase upward during 2026.
The company is not forecasting a quick turnaround, but its disciplined value reset lays the foundation for traffic-led growth when the consumer finally regains footing.
How McDonald’s Competitors Are Positioning in the Value Race
Two major competitors, The Wendy's Company WEN and Restaurant Brands International Inc.’s QSR Burger King, are also tightening their value strategies as the QSR landscape prepares for another year of strained consumer spending in 2026.
Wendy’s continues to lean heavily on its well-known 4 for $4 and Biggie Bag bundles, giving guests clear price certainty and helping the brand stay relevant among value-driven consumers. Its digital ecosystem, boosted by personalized deals, is designed to reinforce frequency much like McDonald’s loyalty-led approach.
Burger King, under parent company Restaurant Brands International, is pushing value as a core pillar of its “Reclaim the Flame” turnaround plan. National offers, sharper bundle pricing and operational improvements are aimed at winning back traffic lost over the past few years.
While both WEN and QSR are stepping up their value playbooks, neither has McDonald’s scale or financial flexibility, making 2026 a competitive proving ground for who executes value most effectively.
MCD’s Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates
McDonald’s shares have gained 3% in the past year against the industry’s 12.5% decline.
Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
In terms of its forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio, MCD is trading at 23.48, down from the industry’s 23.64.
P/E (F12M)
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Over the past 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for MCD’s 2025 earnings per share has decreased, as shown in the chart.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
MCD currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Radical New Technology Could Hand Investors Huge Gains
Quantum Computing is the next technological revolution, and it could be even more advanced than AI.
While some believed the technology was years away, it is already present and moving fast. Large hyperscalers, such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Oracle, and even Meta and Tesla, are scrambling to integrate quantum computing into their infrastructure.
Senior Stock Strategist Kevin Cook reveals 7 carefully selected stocks poised to dominate the quantum computing landscape in his report, Beyond AI: The Quantum Leap in Computing Power.
Kevin was among the early experts who recognized NVIDIA's enormous potential back in 2016. Now, he has keyed in on what could be "the next big thing" in quantum computing supremacy. Today, you have a rare chance to position your portfolio at the forefront of this opportunity.
See Top Quantum Stocks Now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Can McDonald's Value Reset Reignite U.S. Guest Counts in 2026?

Looking at options trading activity among components of the Russell 3000 index, there is noteworthy activity today in Snowflake Inc (Symbol: SNOW), where a total volume of 22,641 contracts has been traded thus far today, a contract volume which is representative of approximately 2.3 million underlying shares (given that every 1 contract represents 100 underlying shares). That number works out to 59.4% of SNOW's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 3.8 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $230 strike put option expiring November 28, 2025, with 1,701 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 170,100 underlying shares of SNOW. Below is a chart showing SNOW's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $230 strike highlighted in orange:
MongoDB Inc (Symbol: MDB) saw options trading volume of 9,221 contracts, representing approximately 922,100 underlying shares or approximately 58.8% of MDB's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 1.6 million shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $240 strike put option expiring December 19, 2025, with 904 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 90,400 underlying shares of MDB. Below is a chart showing MDB's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $240 strike highlighted in orange:
And Wendy's Co (Symbol: WEN) saw options trading volume of 44,675 contracts, representing approximately 4.5 million underlying shares or approximately 56.6% of WEN's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 7.9 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $8 strike put option expiring November 21, 2025, with 20,892 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 2.1 million underlying shares of WEN. Below is a chart showing WEN's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $8 strike highlighted in orange:
For the various different available expirations for SNOW options, MDB options, or WEN options, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Also see:
Highest Yield Monthly Preferreds
KTOS Options Chain
Funds Holding VVOS
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Noteworthy Thursday Option Activity: SNOW, MDB, WEN

The following are today's upgrades for Validea's P/E/Growth Investor model based on the published strategy of Peter Lynch. This strategy looks for stocks trading at a reasonable price relative to earnings growth that also possess strong balance sheets.
WENDY'S CO (WEN) is a small-cap value stock in the Restaurants industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch changed from 72% to 74% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: The Wendys Company is primarily engaged in the business of operating, developing and franchising a system of distinctive quick-service restaurants. The Companys menu includes made-to-order square hamburgers using beef, and fan favorites like the Spicy Chicken Sandwich and nuggets, Baconator, and the Frosty dessert. Its segments include Wendys U.S., Wendys International and Global Real Estate & Development. Wendys U.S. includes the operation and franchising of its restaurants in the United States. Wendys International includes the operation and franchising of its restaurants in countries and territories other than the United States. Global Real Estate & Development includes real estate activity for owned sites and sites leased from third parties, which are leased and/or subleased to franchisees, and also includes its share of the income of its Canadian restaurant real estate joint venture (TimWen). The Company and its franchisees have over 7,000 restaurants worldwide.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of WENDY'S CO
GRUPO CIBEST SA (ADR) (CIB) is a large-cap value stock in the Money Center Banks industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch changed from 74% to 93% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Grupo Cibest SA is a Colombia-based holding company that operates primarily in the financial services sector. The company is the parent entity of Bancolombia SA and oversees a broad ecosystem of financial and non-financial businesses across Colombia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Grupo Cibest provides a comprehensive suite of banking and financial products through its subsidiaries, including personal, automobile, and education loans, credit and debit cards, securities brokerage, fund transfers, leasing, foreign trade financing, insurance, and pension fund services. It operates through various segments such as Banking Colombia, Banking Panama, Banking El Salvador, Banking Guatemala, Trust, Investment Banking, Brokerage, and Offshore services Grupo Cibest plays a pivotal role in the regions financial infrastructure, serving a diverse clientele that includes individuals, corporations, institutions, and government entities.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of GRUPO CIBEST SA (ADR)
ING GROEP NV (ADR) (ING) is a large-cap value stock in the Money Center Banks industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch changed from 72% to 74% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: ING Groep N.V. (ING) is a financial institution. The Company offers banking services. The Company's segments include Retail Netherlands, which offers current and savings accounts, business lending, mortgages and other consumer lending in the Netherlands; Retail Belgium, which offers products that are similar to those in the Netherlands; Retail Germany, which offers current and savings accounts, mortgages and other customer lending; Retail Other, which offers products that are similar to those in the Netherlands, and Wholesale Banking, which offers wholesale banking activities (a full range of products from cash management to corporate finance), real estate and lease. The Company's Retail Banking business lines provide products and services to individuals, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-corporates. ING's banking activities in Australia are undertaken by ING Bank (Australia) Limited (trading as ING Direct) and ING Bank NV Sydney Branch.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of ING GROEP NV (ADR)
About Peter Lynch: Perhaps the greatest mutual fund manager of all-time, Lynch guided Fidelity Investment's Magellan Fund to a 29.2 percent average annual return from 1977 until his retirement in 1990, almost doubling the S&P 500's 15.8 percent yearly return over that time. Lynch's common sense approach and quick wit made him one of the most quoted investors on Wall Street. ("Go for a business that any idiot can run -- because sooner or later, any idiot probably is going to run it," is one of his many pearls of wisdom.) Lynch's bestseller One Up on Wall Street is something of a "stocks for the everyman/everywoman", breaking his approach down into easy-to-understand concepts.
About Validea: Validea is aninvestment researchservice that follows the published strategies of investment legends. Validea offers both stock analysis and model portfolios based on gurus who have outperformed the market over the long-term, including Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Peter Lynch and Martin Zweig. For more information about Validea, click here
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Periodand min./max. price, $	Price change, %		Volatility, %		Volume, $
Periodand min./max. price, $	WEN	Industry	WEN	Industry	Volume, $
Yesterday 7.9 - 8.1	3.52	2.85	6.63	1.27	45.46M
Week 7.9 - 8.6	-0.91	4.01	2.54	4.40	234.77M
Month 7.9 - 8.7	0.16	10.05	10.96	8.63	877.56M
3 Months 7.8 - 10.1	-3.09	10.24	17.92	18.26	3.05B
6 Months 7.8 - 10.8	-19.38	48.51	25.73	22.45	6.51B
Year 7.8 - 16.2	-43.05	67.14	34.97	29.59	13.61B
3 years 7.8 - 23.9	-61.74	34.23	47.97	62.36	34.52B
5 years 7.8 - 29.5	-59.38	141.07	68.74	90.11	57.40B
All time 2.6 - 65.8	-10.92	366.38	—	—	55.72B

Wendy's Company (The)

Price and volatility history

Risk ratios