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Wendy’s Stock Jumps: Gets $7.35 Takeover Bid From Trian

A group led by Nelson Peltz's Trian has offered $7.35 a share in cash to take Wendy's private. The shares rose sharply but still trade below the non-binding offer price.

Wendy’s (NASDAQ: WEN), the US burger chain, jumped after a group led by Nelson Peltz’s Trian Fund Management made a non-binding $7.35-a-share cash offer to take it private. Trian is already the company’s largest shareholder.

The shares traded at $7.075 at about 7.43pm UK time (3.43pm in New York) today, up 15.2% from yesterday’s $6.14 close. That is an intraday quote, not a close. It is the first price above $7 since September, on volume of about 31.4m shares against a recent daily average of about 5m.

WEN.US

Trian, Flynn Group, BlueFive Capital and Sixth Street Partners want to buy all the shares they do not already own, according to an amended Schedule 13D (the SEC filing for holders above 5%). Flynn is one of Wendy’s largest franchisees. The group said it would fund the deal in cash, with no new debt and no financing condition.

It wants to agree final terms in the coming weeks, subject to review by a special committee of independent directors. Wendy’s declined to comment, and the committee has yet to respond.

The offer is a 19.7% premium to yesterday’s close and values Wendy’s at about $1.4bn. At $7.075 the shares sit 27.5 cents, or 3.7%, below it. Trian owns 16.25%, and the stock is down about 65% over two years after six straight quarters of falling same-store sales, meaning sales at restaurants open over a year. Trian looked at a takeover in 2022 and decided against it.

Line chart of Wendy's share price over three months showing the jump on 28 October 2026 towards the $7.35 offer
Wendy’s shares over three months: the 28 October jump (last point intraday) towards the $7.35 offer.

Andrew Charles, an analyst at broker TD Cowen, backed the logic of going private.

In our view, a take private makes sense as Wendy’s turnaround is likely to be prolonged given the challenged state of the lower income consumer and soft state of the quick service burger category

Andrew Charles, TD Cowen

Wendy’s reports third-quarter results before the US open next Thursday. Analysts expect earnings of $0.09 a share on revenue of $531m.

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