Analyst Calls Wingstop A Top QSR Growth Story As AI Kitchen Sizzles And Tenders Drive Record Guests

Wingstop Inc. (NASDAQ:WING) shares are trading lower on Thursday On Wednesday, the restaurant franchise reported first-quarter earnings per share of 99 cents, beating the street view of 90 cents.

Quarterly sales of $171.1 million (+17.4% year over year) marginally beat the analyst consensus estimate of $170.92 million.

Following the results, Piper Sandler analyst Brian Mullan reiterated the Neutral rating on the stock, raising the price forecast from $271 to $272.

The analyst noted that commentary on the re-launched chicken tenders has been entirely positive.

Similar to the response seen when the chicken sandwich was introduced a few years ago, management is observing that orders are typically placed by individual customers—likely leaning more toward the lunch period.

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Mullan writes that while management acknowledged some consumer pullback, they indicated it was limited to specific areas rather than widespread.

This appears to have shaped their outlook for the second half of the year, though the topic is likely to remain debated, the analyst adds.

Mullan raised the FY26 revenue estimate from $843 million to $856 million.

Meanwhile, Stephens analyst Jim Salera reiterated the Overweight rating on the stock, with a price forecast of $385.

The analyst noted that the AI-powered Smart Kitchen is performing better than expected, leading to quicker service, more consistent results and stronger early sales.

March saw a record in new guest acquisition, helped by strong interest in the new tenders.

According to Salera, Wingstop continues to stand out as a highly efficient and predictable growth story in the QSR space.

The analyst raised FY26 revenue estimate from $833.9 million to $837.4 million.

Price Action: WING shares are trading 1.06% lower at $261.10 as of last check on Thursday.

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