By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-12 20:42:45 | Updated at 2026-08-12 23:48:35
5 hours ago
Wendy's is fighting for its life and attempting to right the ship after years of decline – and investors are starting to take notice.
Shares of the burger giant soared 17 percent this morning after reports emerged that billionaire investor Nelson Peltz and his investment firm, Trian Partners, are preparing a potential bid to take the company private – although the stock is off of its best levels mid afternoon.
Behind the stock rally, Wendy's is still facing serious challenges.
The company reported second-quarter revenue of $570.6 million, beating Wall Street's estimate of $557.1 million. Adjusted earnings also came in ahead of expectations, at 18 cents per share compared with the 16 cents analysts had expected.
US same-restaurant sales fell 7 percent during the quarter, while the company recently pulled its full-year financial forecast as it tries to find a way to revive the business.
New CEO Bob Wright, who took over in May, has been tasked with leading the turnaround.
The company is looking at changes to its menu, marketing and overall restaurant operations as it attempts to win back diners and make its restaurants more appealing.
Wendy's has also been cutting costs, including closing underperforming US locations, while looking for ways to improve the overall customer experience.
Wendy's currently operates almost 6,000 locations in the United States alone, making it one of the largest fast food chains
Wendy's stock soared 17 percent this morning, although it's now off its best levels
On Friday, new Wendy's CEO Bob Wright acknowledged that the company had lost some of its competitive edge
Earlier this month, Wright acknowledged that the company was losing its competitive edge as customers continued to drift away.
'Today we are clearly not performing at our potential,' Wright said in a statement.
'Our traffic, our value proposition and franchisee economics are not meeting our expectations.'
Now, Peltz's involvement could add another dramatic twist.
Trian is reportedly putting together a group of investors that could include BlueFive Capital and Flynn Group to make a potential offer for Wendy's.
Reportedly no formal bid has been made, and there is no guarantee that a deal will happen. Wendy's has said it would carefully review any formal proposal.
Earlier this year, Peltz said the chain, which suffered an 11 percent sales slump last year, is significantly undervalued. That sent shares soaring nearly 19 percent.
Peltz, dad to socialite Nicola Peltz and the father-in-law of nepo baby Brooklyn Beckham, said his firm, Trian Fund Management, has been in talks with banks and backers about a deal that could see it take a controlling stake in Wendy’s.
Wendy's remains one of the world's largest fast food chains by restaurant count, coming in behind rivals McDonald's and Burger King
Peltz has long ties to Wendy’s. His firm first invested in the chain in 2005, and he later served as its chairman for 17 years, stepping down in 2024 – and this isn't Peltz's first flirtation with owning the fast food giant.
In 2022, he eyed a possible takeover bid for the chain.
Currently, Peltz personally owns a 16.24 percent stake in Wendy's, slightly up from 16.09 percent in July of last year. His firm, Trian, separately holds a 7.85 percent stake.
As of June 2026, there are 5,688 Wendy's locations in the United States alone.
Recently, Wendy's lost its coveted position as America's second-largest burger chain by sales, replaced by rival fast food giant Burger King.
