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Wingstop (WING)
NASDAQ:WING
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Wingstop (WING) AI Stock Analysis

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WING

Wingstop

(NASDAQ:WING)

Rating:69Neutral
Price Target:
$372.00
▲(20.08% Upside)
Wingstop's strong growth initiatives and optimistic earnings call sentiment are significant positives. However, financial risks from high leverage and negative equity, along with a high valuation, temper the overall score.
Positive Factors
International Business
Newer international markets are posting higher AUV than the US, leading to increased confidence in unit growth for the coming years.
Operational Efficiency
Operating margins were better than consensus, helping Wingstop deliver strong earnings.
Sales Growth
Smart Kitchen implementations generated a +5% lift in sales in the stores that have rolled it out, with no advertising support.
Negative Factors
Consumer Trends
There remain near-term headwinds from the low income consumer and management noted trends in July are similar to 2Q.

Wingstop (WING) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Wingstop Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionWingstop Inc., together with its subsidiaries, franchises and operates restaurants under the Wingstop brand name. Its restaurants offer classic wings, boneless wings, and tenders that are cooked-to-order, and hand-sauced-and-tossed in various flavors. As of December 25, 2021, the company had 1,695 franchised restaurants and 36 company-owned restaurants in 44 states and 7 countries worldwide. Wingstop Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Addison, Texas.
How the Company Makes MoneyWingstop generates revenue primarily through the sale of food and beverages at its restaurants. The company operates on a franchise model, where a significant portion of its income comes from franchise fees and ongoing royalties paid by franchisees, typically calculated as a percentage of their sales. Wingstop also benefits from company-owned restaurant sales. Additionally, the company engages in partnerships with third-party delivery services to expand its reach, which contributes to sales growth. Wingstop's focus on marketing initiatives, including promotional deals and limited-time offers, further drives customer traffic and increases revenue across its locations.

Wingstop Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Any
Any
Revenue by Segment
Revenue by Segment
Breaks down revenue by different business segments, highlighting which areas drive sales and where there might be room for expansion or improvement.
Chart InsightsWingstop's revenue segments are experiencing robust growth, with 'Royalties, Franchise Fees, and Other' and 'Advertising Fees' showing significant upward momentum. This aligns with the company's aggressive expansion strategy, including record-breaking restaurant openings and international market entries. However, the decline in same-store sales and consumer sentiment challenges highlight potential risks. The success of the Wingstop Smart Kitchen and planned loyalty program could mitigate these risks by enhancing customer experience and engagement, crucial for sustaining growth amid consumer behavior uncertainties.
Data provided by:Main Street Data

Wingstop Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Jul 30, 2025
(Q2-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Oct 29, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The earnings call highlighted significant achievements, particularly in global expansion and technological advancements with the Smart Kitchen, which are expected to drive future growth. However, challenges such as a decline in same-store sales and consumer uncertainty present hurdles. Despite these challenges, the overall sentiment is optimistic given the strong strategic initiatives and growth potential.
Q2-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Record-Breaking Restaurant Openings
Wingstop opened 129 net new restaurants globally in the second quarter, marking the highest number of restaurant openings in a single quarter in their history, representing a nearly 20% growth rate.
System-Wide Sales Growth
System-wide sales increased by 13.9% to $1.3 billion for the quarter, pushing Wingstop past $5 billion in system-wide sales over the last 12 months.
Wingstop Smart Kitchen Success
The Wingstop Smart Kitchen, implemented in 1,000 restaurants, has resulted in a 40% reduction in average ticket times and increased guest satisfaction scores by 8 points compared to traditional kitchens.
International Expansion
Wingstop continues to expand internationally with successful openings in new markets like Sydney, Australia, and Paris, France, and plans to enter Italy and the Netherlands.
Negative Updates
Decline in Same-Store Sales
Domestic same-store sales declined by 1.9% for the quarter, although this follows significant growth in previous years.
Consumer Uncertainty
There remains uncertainty with consumer behaviors, with concerns about elevated prices and future job prospects affecting spending habits.
Performance in Specific Consumer Segments
Softness was observed in consumer segments that over-index to lower income or Hispanic consumers, which has not shown improvement.
Company Guidance
In Wingstop Inc.'s fiscal second quarter 2025 earnings call, the company provided optimistic guidance for the remainder of the year, highlighting significant growth metrics and strategic initiatives. System-wide sales increased by 13.9% to $1.3 billion, despite a 1.9% decline in same-store sales. The company opened 129 net new restaurants globally in Q2, marking the highest number of new openings in a single quarter, and increased its global unit growth guidance to 17-18% for 2025. The Wingstop Smart Kitchen, now implemented in 1,000 U.S. locations, has been delivering a 40% reduction in average ticket times and improving guest satisfaction scores by 8 points compared to non-implemented kitchens. Furthermore, Wingstop plans to pilot a new loyalty program in Q4 2025, leveraging its digital database, which has grown by 30% to nearly 60 million guests. The company reiterated its full-year guidance for a 1% growth in domestic same-store sales and SG&A expenses of approximately $140 million, while forecasting adjusted EBITDA growth to exceed 15% year-over-year.

Wingstop Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Wingstop exhibits strong revenue growth and efficient cash flow management, but negative equity and high leverage pose financial risks. The company needs to focus on improving profitability and reducing leverage to enhance financial stability.
Income Statement
85
Very Positive
Wingstop has shown impressive revenue growth over the years, with a notable increase in total revenue from the previous periods. The company maintains strong profitability, demonstrated by a high gross profit margin and a solid net profit margin. The EBIT and EBITDA margins indicate efficient operational management. However, the slight decrease in EBIT compared to the prior annual report suggests potential pressure on operating efficiency.
Balance Sheet
60
Neutral
The balance sheet reveals a significant concern with negative stockholders' equity, indicating potential financial instability. The high debt-to-equity ratio suggests over-leverage, which could pose risks in a volatile market. Nonetheless, the company has maintained a solid cash position with cash and short-term investments exceeding total debt. Equity ratio shows negative equity, indicating liabilities exceed assets, which needs careful monitoring.
Cash Flow
75
Positive
Wingstop demonstrates robust cash flow management with consistent operating cash flow generation and positive free cash flow. The company has managed to convert a significant portion of its net income into free cash flow, reflecting efficient cash management. However, the free cash flow growth rate has slowed, indicating potential challenges in further cash flow expansion.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue651.11M625.81M460.06M357.52M282.50M248.81M
Gross Profit312.01M300.87M222.83M171.06M141.10M122.90M
EBITDA279.85M187.97M125.78M101.44M81.83M51.24M
Net Income172.24M108.72M70.17M52.95M42.66M23.31M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets696.80M716.25M377.82M424.19M249.20M211.56M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments251.38M315.91M90.22M184.50M48.58M40.86M
Total Debt1.27B1.27B732.51M716.43M471.84M472.92M
Total Liabilities1.41B1.39B835.19M815.05M558.73M552.88M
Stockholders Equity-714.98M-675.59M-457.37M-390.86M-309.52M-341.31M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow89.45M105.68M80.77M52.30M20.86M59.48M
Operating Cash Flow138.25M157.61M121.60M76.24M48.88M65.53M
Investing Cash Flow-10.32M-62.48M-52.15M-28.68M-29.85M-7.99M
Financing Cash Flow13.96M144.76M-155.49M103.25M-23.39M-19.45M

Wingstop Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price309.79
Price Trends
50DMA
328.60
Negative
100DMA
316.18
Negative
200DMA
295.26
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
-3.97
Positive
RSI
42.45
Neutral
STOCH
28.06
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For WING, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 309.79 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 327.60, below the 50-day MA of 328.60, and above the 200-day MA of 295.26, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -3.97 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 42.45 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 28.06 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for WING.

Wingstop Risk Analysis

Wingstop disclosed 36 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Wingstop reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Wingstop Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
74
Outperform
$11.25B25.8332.28%1.57%14.59%18.98%
73
Outperform
$15.71B27.09-14.74%1.40%3.65%5.71%
69
Neutral
$8.62B53.95-16.09%0.36%22.74%87.07%
66
Neutral
$4.35B219.414.16%13.13%-25.05%
63
Neutral
$1.94B10.6199.35%7.55%1.31%-1.46%
61
Neutral
$17.97B12.87-5.30%2.97%1.26%-14.45%
60
Neutral
$1.55B21.25-20.16%3.81%-1.46%8.10%
* Consumer Cyclical Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
WING
Wingstop
309.79
-53.72
-14.78%
DPZ
Domino's Pizza
463.83
49.89
12.05%
PZZA
Papa John's International
48.24
2.83
6.23%
TXRH
Texas Roadhouse
168.85
9.93
6.25%
WEN
Wendy's
10.33
-5.89
-36.31%
SHAK
Shake Shack
100.18
4.60
4.81%

Wingstop Corporate Events

DividendsFinancial Disclosures
Wingstop Reports Strong Q2 2025 Financial Results
Positive
Jul 30, 2025

Wingstop Inc. reported its fiscal second quarter 2025 results, highlighting a 13.9% increase in system-wide sales to $1.3 billion and a record 129 net new openings, marking a 19.8% net new unit growth. Despite a decrease in domestic same store sales by 1.9%, the company saw a 12% increase in total revenue to $174.3 million and a slight increase in adjusted net income. The company also announced an increase in its quarterly dividend to $0.30 per share, reflecting its strong cash flow and commitment to returning value to stockholders.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Aug 30, 2025