We recently published a list of Top 10 Restaurant Stocks to Buy Under $20. In this article, we are going to take a look at where The Wendy’s Company (NASDAQ:WEN) stands against other top restaurant stocks to buy under $20.
The Impact of Trump’s Tariffs on the Restaurant Industry
Restaurant stocks are showing volatility amid Trump’s tariff impositions across various sectors. On April 7, CNBC reported that while US stocks are tumbling due to the effects of high tariffs on the import of goods from key trading partners, analysts do not anticipate the tariffs to hit most restaurant stocks directly. However, inflation is expected to follow behind, fueled by expert and investor fear of an impending recession. This may put pressure on the spending capacity of consumers, resulting in an economic downturn.
CNBC reported that UBS analyst Dennis Geiger said the following in a note to clients:
“We view the direct cost impact of tariffs on restaurants as manageable, with a focus on select commodity costs, but see the bigger risk as incremental pressure on consumer spending and industry demand.”
CNBC also reported that investor concerns affected restaurant stocks across all sectors. Fast food restaurant chains have historically shown the most resilience during recessions, as consumers looking for cheap dining options typically level down from fast-casual or full-service diners and eateries to fast food options. However, the drop in consumer spending witnessed last year saw fast food restaurants hit hard, as low-income consumers cut their spending to this sector, visiting them less frequently. High-income consumers, on the other hand, continued with their usual dining habits, creating a gap that negatively affected fast food companies. Quick-service restaurants thus underwent same-store sales declines.
How Are High-Income Consumers Behaving?
On March 8, Mario Carbone, Major Food Group chef and co-founder, appeared on CNBC’s ‘Power Lunch’ to discuss the effects of Trump’s tariffs on the food industry and how high-end consumers are behaving in the sector. Talking about New York, he said that the numbers are booming, going above their pre-Covid benchmarks. New York is thus telling us that everything is good, and there is no fear right now in dining in the luxury sector. Stats are up, and restaurants are packed, with consumer energy through the roof. As of right now, there are no signs of slowing at all if one evaluates the spending and trends in restaurant reports.
However, Carbone said that inflation hits the food and restaurant industry just like everyone else. The luxury food sector is responsible to the customer for bringing in the best ingredients for every meal, which is why it has no choice but to pass the effects on to the consumer in case such trends materialize.
Our Methodology
We sifted through stock screeners, financial media reports, and ETFs to compile a list of 20 restaurant stocks under $20 as of April 13, 2025, and chose the top 10 most popular among hedge funds as of Q4 2024. The list is ordered in ascending order of hedge fund sentiment. We sourced the hedge fund sentiment data from Insider Monkey’s database.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).
A closeup of a juicy hamburger sandwich with tomatoes and lettuce, on a sesame bun.
The Wendy’s Company (NASDAQ:WEN)
Share Price: $12.79
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 33
The Wendy’s Company (NASDAQ:WEN) operates, develops, and franchises a range of quick-service restaurants. It specializes in made-to-order hamburgers, made using fresh beef available in the contiguous US, Canada, and Alaska. It also offers other signature items such as chili, salads, baked potatoes, and the Frosty dessert. The company’s operations are divided into Wendy’s U.S., Wendy’s International, and Global Real Estate & Development. The Wendy’s Company (NASDAQ:WEN) and its franchises have more than 7,000 restaurants across the globe.
Wendy’s Company (NASDAQ:WEN) updated its capital allocation policy in fiscal Q4 2024, announcing a new target dividend payout ratio of 50% to 60% of adjusted earnings. The company’s new capital allocation policy allows it to maximize long-term shareholder value and accelerate growth.
The company’s operations show resilience. Fiscal year 2024 marked the company’s 14th consecutive year of global same-restaurant sales growth. Wendy’s Company’s (NASDAQ:WEN) systemwide sales rose 5.4% in fiscal Q4 2024, reaching $3.7 billion. Total revenues for the quarter were $574.3 million, and adjusted revenues were $459.3 million, an increase of 6.4%. Its adjusted EBITDA also underwent an 8.6% increase, reaching $137.5 million.
In a report released on March 12, Jake Bartlett from Truist Financial maintained a Buy rating on Wendy’s Company (NASDAQ:WEN). Its median price target of $12.79 implies an upside of 27.05% from current levels.
Overall, WEN ranks 1st on our list of the top restaurant stocks to buy under $20. While we acknowledge the potential for WEN as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than WEN but trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires.
Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
