National Beverage Corp. vs Wendys Co — how do they compare? National Beverage Corp. trades at $31.86 (market cap $2.89B), while Wendys Co trades at $7.6 (market cap $1.42B). The key difference: National Beverage Corp. is far larger — about 2× Wendys Co's market cap, and Wendys Co pays a 7.53% dividend while National Beverage Corp. pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| FIZZ | WEN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $2.89B | $1.42B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $47.69 | $11.33 |
52-Week Low | $30.85 | $6.17 |
Enterprise Value | $2.60B | $5.23B |
Dividend Yield | — | 7.53% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
FIZZ trades at $31.47, up 1.78% today, but faces bearish technical signals with three consecutive earnings misses. The company maintains solid profitability with 15.56% net margins and 34.03% ROE, though revenue growth has stalled at $1.2B annually. Recent news highlights a $3.25 special dividend announcement but also concerns about LaCroix brand decline and muted growth prospects.
The outlook remains cautious with analyst sentiment skewed bearish (50% sell ratings) and technical indicators pointing downward. While the dividend provides shareholder return, fundamental challenges including competitive pressures and stagnant revenue create headwinds for meaningful price appreciation in the near term.
Wendy's (WEN) trades at $7.42, down 1.07% today, showing mixed technical signals with a bullish overall rating but bearish moving averages. The stock offers compelling valuation metrics including a P/E of 9.66 and P/S of 0.65, while recent earnings have consistently beaten expectations. Revenue remains stable at $2.18B (2025) though net income margin has declined to 6.77%. The company continues its Project Fresh initiatives and digital transformation while facing margin pressures and competitive challenges in the fast-food sector.
WEN presents a value opportunity with attractive valuation multiples and a 7.1% dividend yield, supported by consistent earnings beats. However, declining profit margins, weak U.S. traffic trends, and high debt levels pose significant risks. Analyst sentiment is mixed with 62.75% hold ratings, suggesting cautious optimism amid ongoing turnaround efforts and meme stock volatility.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
National Beverage Corp is one of the top 10 non-alcoholic beverage companies in the U.S. Its portfolio skews toward functional drinks (that is those purporting to offer health benefits) and is anchored by the popular LaCroix sparkling water trademark. Other offerings include Rip It energy drinks, Everfresh juices, and soda brands like Shasta and Faygo. The firm controls most of its production and distribution apparatus, with very little outsourcing. In terms of go-to-market, it uses warehouse distribution for big-box retailers, direct-store-delivery for convenience stores and other small outlets, and food-service distributors for the food-service channel (schools, hospitals, restaurants). It is controlled by chairman and CEO Nick Caporella, who owns over 73% of the common stock.
Read more on FIZZ →The Wendy's Company is the second-largest burger quick-service restaurant, or QSR, chain in the United States by systemwide sales, with $11.1 billion in 2021, narrowly edging Burger King ($10.3 billion) and clocking in well behind wide-moat McDonald's ($45.7 billion). After divestitures of Tim Hortons (2006) and Arby's (2011), the firm manages just the burger banner, generating sales across a footprint that spans almost 7,000 total units in 30 countries. Wendy's generates revenue from the sale of hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, and fries throughout its company-owned footprint, through franchise royalty and marketing fund payments remitted by its franchisees, which account for 94% of stores, and through franchise flipping and advisory fees.
Read more on WEN →