Morgan Stanley Cuts Wingstop (NASDAQ:WING) Price Target to $265.00

09 Apr 2026, 02:08 by Teresa Graham · The Cerbat Gem

Wingstop (NASDAQ:WING – Free Report) had its price objective lowered by Morgan Stanley from $345.00 to $265.00 in a research note released on Monday morning, MarketBeat.com reports. The firm currently has an overweight rating on the restaurant operator’s stock.

A number of other analysts have also issued reports on the stock. DA Davidson started coverage on shares of Wingstop in a research report on Friday, March 6th. They set a “buy” rating and a $330.00 target price on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their target price on shares of Wingstop from $350.00 to $340.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, February 19th. Guggenheim decreased their target price on shares of Wingstop from $315.00 to $255.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 1st. Truist Financial set a $374.00 target price on shares of Wingstop and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 18th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on shares of Wingstop from $330.00 to $225.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, March 31st. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-seven have issued a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $311.76.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on WING

Wingstop Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ WING opened at $168.53 on Monday. Wingstop has a 1 year low of $142.24 and a 1 year high of $388.14. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $219.41 and its 200 day moving average price is $241.08. The firm has a market cap of $4.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 2.03.

Wingstop (NASDAQ:WING – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 18th. The restaurant operator reported $1.00 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.84 by $0.16. Wingstop had a net margin of 25.01% and a negative return on equity of 16.12%. The firm had revenue of $175.69 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $177.74 million. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.92 earnings per share. Wingstop’s revenue was up 8.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts predict that Wingstop will post 4.18 EPS for the current year.

Wingstop Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 6th were paid a $0.30 dividend. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 6th. Wingstop’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 19.42%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Wesley S. Mcdonald sold 566 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $141,500.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 4,375 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,093,750. This trade represents a 11.46% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, Director Kilandigalu Madati sold 2,700 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $260.73, for a total transaction of $703,971.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 2,583 shares in the company, valued at approximately $673,465.59. This represents a 51.11% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Company insiders own 0.72% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Wingstop

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. raised its stake in shares of Wingstop by 175.7% in the 4th quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 521 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $124,000 after acquiring an additional 332 shares during the period. Corient Private Wealth LLC raised its stake in shares of Wingstop by 32.9% in the 4th quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 2,220 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $529,000 after acquiring an additional 549 shares during the period. Pacer Advisors Inc. raised its stake in shares of Wingstop by 59.2% in the 4th quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 5,940 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $1,417,000 after acquiring an additional 2,210 shares during the period. Virtu Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of Wingstop in the 4th quarter valued at $603,000. Finally, Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Wingstop in the 4th quarter valued at $63,000.

Wingstop News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Wingstop this week:

Positive Sentiment: Citi upgraded WING to Buy with a $230 target, highlighting a potential second‑half operational recovery and framing the recent pullback as a buying opportunity. Wingstop Upgraded to Buy by Citi
Positive Sentiment: Raymond James upgraded to Strong Buy (PT $240), calling the stock oversold after a large pullback and implying upside as sales and margins normalize. InsiderMonkey: Wingstop Oversold Strong Buy
Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentators (Seeking Alpha, Citi coverage) argue same-store sales weakness is operational (delivery/kitchen bottlenecks) not demand-driven; digital loyalty (Club Wingstop) and kitchen tech rollouts are cited as concrete catalysts to restore sales and monetization. Seeking Alpha: Recovery Catalysts Not Priced In
Positive Sentiment: Wingstop launched a co‑marketing tie with Coca‑Cola (Sprite Loco Lime) and a limited‑time Citrus Mojo wings promotion — potential near‑term traffic and brand lift from a national beverage partner. MSN: Coca‑Cola & Wingstop Collaboration
Neutral Sentiment: Morgan Stanley trimmed its price target to $265 — still meaningfully above current levels — signaling slower near‑term expectations but continued belief in medium‑term upside. AmericanBankingNews: Morgan Stanley Lowers PT
Neutral Sentiment: Zacks and other market summaries note the stock’s recent move and volume; coverage is focused on whether the pullback has priced in the recovery. Zacks: Wingstop Increases Yet Falls Behind Market
Negative Sentiment: TD Cowen cut its price target sharply to $175 and moved to a Hold, which may weigh on sentiment because the new target is close to current levels and signals reduced near‑term conviction. TickerReport: TD Cowen Lowers PT

Wingstop Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Wingstop Inc (NASDAQ: WING) is a fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in chicken wings and related menu items. Founded in 1994 in Garland, Texas, the company has built its brand around bold, chef-inspired wing flavors and a streamlined service model that caters to dine-in, takeout, delivery and catering orders.

The company’s core offerings include both bone-in and boneless chicken wings tossed in a variety of proprietary rubs and sauces, such as Original Hot, Lemon Pepper, and Mango Habanero.