Wingstop (NASDAQ:WING) Stock, Quote.Headers.trade-ideas

Wingstop

Founded in 1994 in Garland, Texas, Wingstop is a restaurant operator specializing in indulgent bone-in and boneless chicken wings, chicken tenders, fries, and, recently, chicken sandwiches. The firm's footprint has grown quickly since its inception, reaching north of 2,200 global stores at the end of 2023, rendering Wingstop the 31st-largest restaurant brand in the US by system sales, according to Euromonitor data. With a 98% franchised model, Wingstop generates the lion share of its revenue from franchise royalties and advertising fees, with the remainder derived from a small footprint of company-owned stores.

Google Parent Alphabet

News

Price Target

Pre-Market Outlook

Markets

Analyst Ratings

Trading Ideas

ALLY

GOOGL

SMMT

SPOT

WING

Alphabet To $200? Here Are 10 Top Analyst Forecasts For Monday

Earnings

Large Cap

Guidance

Dividends

Retail Sales

Buybacks

Restaurants

Small Cap

General

LOCO

PBPB

TXRH

Wingstop Inc. (NASDAQ: WING) is likely to benefit from unit expansion, franchise model and technological initiatives. The company&#39;s focus on enhancing shareholder value bodes well. However, a challenging macroeconomic environment and elevated costs are concerns.

Here&#39;s Why You Should Retain Wingstop Stock in Your Portfolio Now

Movers

Intraday Update

BOOT

CDMO

CNTA

CVGW

INMD

KRNT

ORCL

TERN

TSLA

VRDN

Calavo Growers Posts Better-Than-Expected Earnings, Joins Tesla, Oracle, Mission Produce And Other Big Stocks Moving Higher On Tuesday

Wingstop Inc

IS FLL ANGELS HY CRP BD UCIT DIS ETF

Wings - United States Dollar

WINGARC1ST INC by WINGARC1ST INC.

WINGS & THINGS INC by Wings & Things, Inc.

WING TAI PROPERTIES LTD by WING TAI PROPERTIES LTD

Wing Tai Properties Ltd

Wing Yip Food Holdings Group Limited

WIIM

CAKE

Shares of hotel, restaurant and leisure companies are trading higher following the Fed's rate cut, which could boost consumer spending.

BROS

BTBD

DASH

KRUS

PLAY

SHAK

Shares of restaurant companies are trading higher following the Fed's rate cut, which could boost industry traffic through an increase in consumer discretionary incomes.

Wingstop shares are trading higher after Wedbush maintained an Outperform and raised its price target from $425 to $440.

Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades and downgrades, please see our <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings">analyst ratings page.</a>
<ul>
<li>TD Cowen cut the price target for Domino&#8217;s Pizza, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DPZ#NYSE">DPZ</a>) from $520 to $475. TD Cowen analyst Andrew Charles maintained a Buy rating. Domino&#8217;s shares fell 0.5% to close at $402.52 on Friday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/DPZ/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock.</a></li>
<li>Keybanc raised the price target for Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>) from $420 to $440. Keybanc analyst Justin Patterson maintained an Overweight rating. Spotify shares rose 0.1% to close at $337.90 on Friday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/SPOT/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock.</a></li>
<li>Wedbush boosted Wingstop Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WING#NASDAQ">WING</a>) price target from $425 to $440. Wedbush analyst Nick Setyan maintained an Outperform rating. Wingstop shares fell 0.2% to close at $394.81 on Friday. See how other analysts view this stock.</li>
<li>Evercore ISI Group cut Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) price target from $225 to $200. Evercore ISI Group analyst Mark Mahaney maintained an Outperform rating. Alphabet shares rose 1.8% to close at $157.46 on Friday.<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/GOOGL/analyst-ratings"> See how other analysts view this stock.</a></li>
<li>HC Wainwright &amp; Co. raised the price target for Summit Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMMT#NASDAQ">SMMT</a>) from $30 to $45. HC Wainwright &amp; Co. analyst Mitchell Kapoor maintained a Buy rating. Summit Therapeutics gained 16.5% to close at $31.93 on Friday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/SMMT/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock.</a></li>
<li>Deutsche Bank slashed Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MTN#NYSE">MTN</a>) price target from $218 to $194. Deutsche Bank analyst Chris Woronka maintained a Hold rating. Vail Resorts shares rose 1% to close at $180.00 on Friday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/MTN/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock.</a></li>
<li>Keefe, Bruyette &amp; Woods cut Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ALLY#NYSE">ALLY</a>) price target from $50 to $44. Keefe, Bruyette &amp; Woods analyst Sanjay Sakhrani maintained an Outperform rating. Ally Financial shares rose 0.4% to close at $32.97 on Friday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ALLY/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock.</a></li>
<li>Morgan Stanley increased the price target for ONEOK, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OKE#NYSE">OKE</a>) from $103 to $111. Morgan Stanley analyst Robert Kad upgraded the stock from Equal-Weight to Overweight. ONEOK shares rose 1% to close at $91.37 on Friday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/OKE/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock.</a></li>
<li>Piper Sandler slashed e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ELF#NYSE">ELF</a>) price target from $260 to $162. Piper Sandler analyst Korinne Wolfmeyer maintained an Overweight rating. e.l.f. Beauty shares rose 1.7% to close at $116.63 on Monday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ELF/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock.</a></li>
<li>Loop Capital raised RH (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RH#NYSE">RH</a>) price target from $230 to $320. Loop Capital analyst Anthony Chukumba maintained a Hold rating. RH shares rose 25.5% to close at $321.87 on Friday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/RH/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock.</a></li>
</ul>
Considering buying GOOGL stock? Here&#8217;s what analysts think:
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="512" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/16083502/image-120-1024x512.png" alt="" class="wp-image-549511" style="width:518px;height:auto" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/16083502/image-120-1024x512.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/16083502/image-120-300x150.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/16083502/image-120-768x384.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/16083502/image-120.png 1333w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
Read More: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/09/40860420/jim-cramer-hold-on-to-builders-firstsource-heres-the-problem-with-viking-therapeutics">Jim Cramer: &#8216;Hold On&#8217; To Builders FirstSource, &#8216;Here&#8217;s The Problem&#8217; With Viking Therapeutics</a></li>
</ul>

Wedbush analyst Nick Setyan maintains Wingstop (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WING#NASDAQ">WING</a>) with a Outperform and raises the price target from $425 to $440.

Wedbush Maintains Outperform on Wingstop, Raises Price Target to $440

Wingstop Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/wing#NASDAQ">WING</a>) is likely to benefit from unit expansion, franchise model and technological initiatives. The company&#39;s focus on enhancing shareholder value bodes well. However, a challenging macroeconomic environment and elevated costs are concerns.
<h2>Growth Catalysts for Wingstop Stock</h2>
Wingstop focuses on unit expansion to drive growth. Over the last 12 months, the company has opened more than 300 net new restaurants, demonstrating its ability to grow both domestically and internationally at a rapid pace. In the second quarter of 2024, WING opened 73 new restaurants. The company has revised its outlook for 2024, projecting the opening of between 285 and 300 new restaurants, up from the previous guidance of 275 to 295. These expansion efforts signal strong future revenue potential, as Wingstop continues to penetrate new markets and grow its global footprint.
Wingstop&#39;s franchise model continues to generate strong returns. The company&#39;s average unit volume has grown from $1.5 million (two years ago) to over $2 million. This growth is fueling record demand for new restaurants. Wingstop&#39;s franchisees are reporting unlevered cash-on-cash returns of over 70%, making it an attractive investment for current and potential brand partners.
Increased focus on digitalization bode well. During the second quarter, digital sales accounted for 68.3% of Wingstop&#39;s total sales, thereby showcasing strength in leveraging technology to enhance the customer experience. With over 45 million digital users, Wingstop is capitalizing on its proprietary MyWingstop platform to improve engagement and conversion rates through hyper-personalization. The company&#39;s investment in data-driven marketing and digital transformation is setting the stage for sustained long-term growth. As more transactions shift to digital platforms, Wingstop is well-positioned to capture a larger market share while enhancing operational efficiency.
Wingstop&#39;s focus on enhancing shareholder value is evident through its stock repurchase program and dividend policy. In the second quarter, the company repurchased 75,862 shares at an average price of $381.29. As of the end of the second quarter, WING reported $96.1 million remaining under the current repurchase authorization. Additionally, Wingstop increased its quarterly dividend by 23%, further underscoring its commitment to returning capital to shareholders. The combination of repurchase programs and dividend payouts makes it an attractive option for investors seeking both growth and income.
<h2>Concerns for WING Stock</h2>
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/96/77660.jpg?v=1080952064" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
In the past three months, Wingstop&#39;s shares have lost 0.8% against the industry&#39;s 4.8% growth. The downside was driven by macroeconomic headwinds.
WING has been grappling with rising costs. Its selling, general and administrative (SG&amp;A) expenses have been rising significantly, increasing by $6 million year over year to a total of $28.1 million in the second quarter. While some of this increase can be attributed to long-term investments in digital platforms like MyWingstop, the rapid rise in short-term incentive compensation and stock-based compensation is concerning. With the company&#39;s total SG&amp;A expenses projected to reach up to $116 million by 2024-end, up from $111 million, cost control could become an issue. If growth stalls, Wingstop may find itself burdened by these escalating expenses.
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
Wingstop&#39;s ability to open new restaurants at a record pace, combined with its high franchisee returns and increasing digital sales, underscores its long-term growth potential. Moreover, its focus on shareholder value through stock buybacks and dividend increases enhances its appeal for investors seeking both capital appreciation and income.
However, investors should be mindful of the challenges posed by rising operational costs and a challenging macroeconomic environment. As the company continues to invest heavily in technology and expansion, cost management will be crucial to sustaining profitability. The company&#39;s growth drivers and strategic initiatives make it a compelling stock to retain for now, as it navigates the headwinds and capitalizes on future opportunities.
<h2>Zacks Rank &amp; Key Picks</h2>
Wingstop currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Some better-ranked stocks in the Zacks Retail-Wholesale sector include Texas Roadhouse, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/txrh#NASDAQ">TXRH</a>), Potbelly Corporation (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/pbpb#NASDAQ">PBPB</a>) and El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/loco#NASDAQ">LOCO</a>), each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
Texas Roadhouse has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 0.4%, on average. TXRH shares have gained 58.7% in the past year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TXRH&#39;s 2024 sales and EPS indicates 15.6% and 39.2% growth, respectively, from the year-earlier actuals.
Potbelly Corporation has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 77.5%, on average. The stock has dropped 3.6% in the past year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PBPB&#39;s fiscal 2024 EPS implies 33.3% growth on 6.5% lower revenues from the year-ago levels.
El Pollo Loco Holdings has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 21.6%, on average. LOCO shares have gained 44.3% in the past year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for LOCO&#39;s fiscal 2024 sales and EPS indicates 2% and 12.7% growth, respectively, from the prior-year figures.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2335921/here-s-why-you-should-retain-wingstop-stock-in-your-portfolio-now?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-analyst_blog|rank_focused-2335921">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

Here's Why You Should Retain Wingstop Stock in Your Portfolio Now

U.S. stocks were mixed, with the Dow Jones index falling around 100 points on Tuesday.
Shares of Calavo Growers, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVGW#NASDAQ">CVGW</a>) rose sharply during Tuesday's session as the company posted stronger-than-expected <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/09/40782532/calavo-growers-stock-climbs-after-q3-results-dividend-increase-details">results for its third quarter.</a>
Calavo Growers reported quarterly earnings of 57 cents per share, which beat the analyst consensus estimate of 43 cents by 32.56%.&nbsp; The company reported quarterly sales of $179.6 million which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $178.54 million.
The company increased its cash dividend by 10 cents per share to 20 cents per share to be paid on Oct. 30, 2024, to shareholders of record on Oct. 2, 2024
Calavo Growers shares jumped 12.5% to $26.76 on Tuesday.
Here are some other big stocks recording gains in today's session.
<ul>
<li>Mission Produce, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVO#NASDAQ">AVO</a>) shares jumped 17.1% to $12.52 after the company reported better-than-expected third-quarter financial results.</li>
<li>Avid Bioservices, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CDMO#NASDAQ">CDMO</a>) shares jumped 15.8% to $10.37 following a narrower-than-expected quarterly loss.</li>
<li>Oracle Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NYSE">ORCL</a>) rose 12.5% to $157.33 following upbeat quarterly earnings.</li>
<li>Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CNTA#NASDAQ">CNTA</a>) gained 12.3% to $16.77 after the company announced interim data from an ongoing Phase 1 trial of ORX750 in acutely sleep-deprived healthy volunteers.</li>
<li>Boot Barn Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BOOT#NYSE">BOOT</a>) rose 12.1% to $156.48 after BTIG raised its price target on the stock from $150 to $165.</li>
<li>Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TERN#NASDAQ">TERN</a>) gained 11.8% to $10.14. Terns announced a $125 million proposed public offering.</li>
<li>Viridian Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VRDN#NASDAQ">VRDN</a>) jumped 10.8% to $15.72 after the company reported topline data from the THRIVE phase 3 clinical trial of VRDN-001 in patients with active thyroid eye disease.</li>
<li>InMode Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INMD#NASDAQ">INMD</a>) gained 10.7% to $17.19 after announcing a share repurchase program of up to 7.68 million shares.</li>
<li>Kornit Digital Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KRNT#NASDAQ">KRNT</a>) rose 8.8% to $19.83. Kornit Digital's board authorized a $100 million share repurchase program.</li>
<li>Highest Performances Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HPH#NASDAQ">HPH</a>) jumped 8.4% to $1.55.</li>
<li>Li Auto Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LI#NASDAQ">LI</a>) rose 5.5% to $19.92.</li>
<li>Wingstop Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WING#NASDAQ">WING</a>) gained 5.3% to $384.32.</li>
<li>Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) rose 4% to $224.82, buoyed by positive tidings from China. Vehicle insurance registration data for Tesla vehicles came in at a robust 16,200 for the week ended Sept. 8, CnEVPost reported, citing data provided by Li Auto. This compares to the previous week's number of 14,400 units and marked the strongest increase since the 17,500 units reported for the third week of June..</li>
</ul>
Now Read This: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40790502/wall-streets-most-accurate-analysts-weigh-in-on-3-tech-stocks-delivering-high-dividend-yields">Wall Street&#8217;s Most Accurate Analysts Weigh In On 3 Tech Stocks Delivering High-Dividend Yields</a></li>
</ul>

Wingstop's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WING#NYSE">WING</a>) short percent of float has fallen 5.55% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 1.49 million shares sold short, which is 5.11% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 2.51 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock/">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>Wingstop Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1725638411_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for Wingstop has declined since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to rise in the near-term but traders should be aware that less shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing Wingstop's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>, Wingstop's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 9.86%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze/">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

Short Sellers

Short Ideas

Looking Into Wingstop's Recent Short Interest

Wingstop (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WING#NASDAQ">WING</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 19.66% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 32.68%. Currently, Wingstop has a market capitalization of $10.94 billion. 
Buying $1000 In WING: If an investor had bought $1000 of WING stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $4,009.93 today based on a price of $373.40 for WING at the time of writing.
<h3>Wingstop's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1725559219_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

$1000 Invested In This Stock 5 Years Ago Would Be Worth $4,000 Today

Papa John&#39;s International, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/pzza#NASDAQ">PZZA</a>) will likely benefit from digital initiatives, menu innovation and unit-expansion efforts. This and the emphasis on strategic refranchising bode well. However, a challenging macro environment and soft comps are a headwind.
Let&#39;s delve deeper.
<h2>Strategic Efforts Aid PZZA&#39;s Prospects</h2>
Innovation and Digital Enhancements: Innovation remains key to Papa John&#39;s strategy. The company is expanding its pipeline of differentiated menu offerings, designed to boost customer satisfaction and enhance brand loyalty. Investments in digital platforms are expected to drive higher conversion rates and repeat transactions. The recent app update and improvements in the loyalty program are already showing promising results, with enhanced user experience and streamlined customer journeys.
Improving PZZA&#39;s Value Perception: Papa John&#39;s is realigning its marketing and product offerings to better cater to value-conscious consumers. Initiatives such as the launch of the $9.99 cheeseburger pizza and the $10.99 extra-large New York-style pizza have begun to improve the brand&#39;s value perception. It is also testing various value offers in certain markets to identify opportunities that are likely to drive growth in restaurant-level profits.
International Growth and Transformation: On the international front, the company is making significant strides in optimizing its operations, particularly in the U.K. It closed 43 underperforming restaurants and refranchised 60, leaving 13 company-owned locations in the U.K. This strategic refranchising is expected to make the U.K. market profitable in the second half of 2024. It is executing a global marketing campaign, &lsquo;Better Get You Some,&#39; which already started to yield positive results across various regional hubs.
<h2>PZZA Headwinds: Dismal Price &amp; Comps Performance</h2>
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/6c/75539.jpg?v=1748170985" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Stock Performance: Year to date, shares of Papa John&#39;s have declined 36.3% against the industry&#39;s rise of 0.2%. Softer sales trends driven by macroeconomic pressures and shifts in consumer spending primarily caused the downside.
Dismal Comps Hurt Papa John&#39;s: In the second quarter, total comparable sales declined 2.7% year over year compared with a 1.3% fall reported in the prior-year quarter. Domestic company-owned restaurant comps in the quarter fell 4.2% year over year compared with 2.2% growth reported in the year-ago quarter. At North America franchised restaurants, comps fell 3.4% year over year against a 2.3% decline reported in the year-ago quarter. Comps growth at North America restaurants declined 3.6% year over year. The downside was primarily caused by lower transactions attributable to a decline in its organic delivery and a lower estimated year-over-year shift in channel mix.
PZZA anticipates the trend to continue on account of ongoing economic challenges and weakening consumer confidence. The company adjusted its full-year guidance to reflect this cautious outlook, anticipating North America&#39;s comparable sales to range from flat to a slight decline for the entirety of 2024.
<h2>Time to Keep an Eye on PZZA Stock?</h2>
Despite near-term challenges, Papa John&#39;s is strategically positioning itself for long-term success. Its focus on enhancing value perception, driving innovation, optimizing digital channels and improving international operations provides a solid foundation for growth. Investors should consider retaining PZZA stock as the company navigates this transitional phase. The Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) justifies our thesis.
<h2>Key Picks</h2>
Some better-ranked stocks in the Zacks Retail-Wholesale sector include:
Texas Roadhouse, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/txrh#NASDAQ">TXRH</a>) sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). It has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 0.4%, on average. TXRH&#39;s shares have risen 62.3% in the past year.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TXRH&#39;s 2024 sales and earnings per share indicates 15.6% and 39.2% growth, respectively, from the year-earlier actuals.
Wingstop Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/wing#NASDAQ">WING</a>) carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). It has a trailing four-quarter negative earnings surprise of 21.8%, on average. The stock has surged 148.2% in the past year.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for WING&#39;s 2024 sales and EPS suggests a rise of 36% and 51.2%, respectively, from the year-ago levels.
El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/loco#NASDAQ">LOCO</a>) carries a Zacks Rank #2. It has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 21.6%, on average. LOCO&#39;s shares have risen 42.6% in the past year.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for LOCO&#39;s 2025 sales and EPS indicates 2% and 12.7% growth, respectively, from the prior-year figures.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2327807/here-s-why-you-should-retain-papa-john-s-stock-in-your-portfolio?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-analyst_blog|rank_focused-2327807">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

Offerings

PZZA

Here's Why You Should Retain Papa John's Stock in Your Portfolio

Wingstop (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WING#NASDAQ">WING</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 16.75% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 31.11%. Currently, Wingstop has a market capitalization of $11.71 billion. 
Buying $100 In WING: If an investor had bought $100 of WING stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $384.49 today based on a price of $399.52 for WING at the time of writing.
<h3>Wingstop's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1724439617_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Here's How Much $100 Invested In Wingstop 5 Years Ago Would Be Worth Today

NCLH

Shares of hotel, restaurant and leisure companies are trading higher amid overall market strength following Fed Chair Powell's comments about the economy and future rate cuts.

Wingstop's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WING#NYSE">WING</a>) short percent of float has fallen 5.55% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 1.49 million shares sold short, which is 5.11% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 2.51 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock/">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>Wingstop Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1723833922_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for Wingstop has declined since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to rise in the near-term but traders should be aware that less shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing Wingstop's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>, Wingstop's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 10.17%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze/">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

(WING) - Analyzing Wingstop's Short Interest

CBRL

CNTY

YUMC

Shares of hotel, restaurant and leisure companies are trading higher following strong economic data that helps ease recession concerns.

Stephens &amp; Co. analyst Jim Salera reiterates Wingstop (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WING#NASDAQ">WING</a>) with a Overweight and maintains $475 price target.

Reiteration

Stephens & Co. Reiterates Overweight on Wingstop, Maintains $475 Price Target

Wingstop (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WING#NASDAQ">WING</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 16.51% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 28.78%. Currently, Wingstop has a market capitalization of $10.05 billion. 
Buying $1000 In WING: If an investor had bought $1000 of WING stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $3,515.47 today based on a price of $342.99 for WING at the time of writing.
<h3>Wingstop's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1722873611_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Here's How Much $1000 Invested In Wingstop 5 Years Ago Would Be Worth Today

ABNB

ARKR

DENN

MODG

PENN

SBUX

SPGC

STKS

WYNN

Shares of hotel, restaurant and leisure companies are trading lower amid overall market weakness on US economic concerns.

Piper Sandler analyst Brian Mullan maintains Wingstop (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WING#NASDAQ">WING</a>) with a Neutral and raises the price target from $353 to $375.

Piper Sandler Maintains Neutral on Wingstop, Raises Price Target to $375

TD Cowen analyst Andrew Charles reiterates Wingstop (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WING#NASDAQ">WING</a>) with a Buy and maintains $450 price target.

TD Cowen Reiterates Buy on Wingstop, Maintains $450 Price Target

Wedbush analyst Nick Setyan reiterates Wingstop (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WING#NASDAQ">WING</a>) with a Outperform and maintains $425 price target.

Wedbush Reiterates Outperform on Wingstop, Maintains $425 Price Target

Red-hot CAVA rips another gain with growth on the menu

Lord Abbett Developing Growth Fund Q2 2024 Commentary

Dividend Champion, Contender, And Challenger Highlights: Week Of September 1

McDonald's ($MCD) has established itself as a leading fast food restaurant&nbsp;that emphasizes&nbsp;affordable prices. However, the company's stat...

McDonald's Is Destined to Underperform Its Competitors and the Stock Market

Allspring Growth Fund Q2 2024 Quarterly Review

Bloomin' Brands: The Battle Of The Steakhouses Has Its Losers And Winners

Goldman's 'Goldilocks' mid-cap picks that trade at reasonable valuations

Bank of America Securities analyst Sara Senatore maintained a Buy rating on Wingstop (WING – Research Report) today and set a price target of $461....

Wingstop's Growth Trajectory and Market Expansion Secure Buy Rating with $461 Price Target

Wedbush analyst Nick Setyan has maintained their bullish stance on WING stock, giving a Buy rating on September 12. Nick Setyan has given his Buy r...

Get Our Top Trade Ideas Delivered Daily - 65% Off Now

Get Our Top Trade Ideas Delivered Daily - 65% Off Now

Comments

Wingstop

Wingstop (WING) Forecast

Wingstop (NASDAQ:WING) Stock, Quote.Headers.trade-ideas