Kroger Co vs Wendys Co — how do they compare? Kroger Co trades at $61.64 (market cap $36.27B), while Wendys Co trades at $6.23 (market cap $1.19B). The key difference: Kroger Co is far larger — about 30.5× Wendys Co's market cap, and Wendys Co pays the higher dividend (4.49%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Kroger Co for 108 Days and Wendys Co for 77 Days on average.
| KR | WEN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $36.27B | $1.19B |
Volume | 8,301,523 | 5,622,905 |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $75.60 | $9.33 |
52-Week Low | $55.53 | $6.10 |
Typical Hold Time | 108 Days | 77 Days |
Enterprise Value | $57.69B | $4.92B |
Dividend Yield | 2.54% | 4.49% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Kroger (KR) trades at $61.64, up 4.03% today, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages. The stock shows mixed fundamentals with a low P/S ratio of 0.26 but elevated P/E of 33.19, while recent earnings beat expectations in two of the last three quarters. Analyst consensus is moderately bullish with a $70.62 price target, representing 14.6% upside potential from current levels.
Kroger offers value through its low valuation multiples and consistent dividends, but faces headwinds from competitive pressures and integration risks from pending acquisitions. The company's digital growth initiatives and retail media expansion provide growth catalysts, though margin compression remains a concern amid rising costs and softer sales guidance for fiscal 2026.
Wendy's stock trades at $6.23, up 1.96% today, but remains under significant pressure with a bearish technical outlook. The company faces declining same-store sales, a major franchisee bankruptcy, and net income margin compression from 7.58% in 2025 to 5.72% projected for 2026. Despite beating earnings expectations in recent quarters, valuation metrics appear attractive with P/E of 9.45 and P/S of 0.54, though high debt levels and competitive pressures persist.
The investment case hinges on new CEO Bob Wright's turnaround execution against substantial headwinds. While the stock trades at a discount to analyst consensus target of $7.58, near-term risks from franchisee instability and market share losses to burger chain competitors outweigh valuation appeal. Recovery depends on reversing sales trends and managing $2.66 billion in long-term debt effectively.
Trailing returns across standard periods
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
Kroger is the leading American grocer, with 2,726 supermarkets operating under several banners throughout the country as of the end of fiscal 2021. Around 83% of stores have pharmacies, while nearly 60% also sell fuel. The company also operates roughly 120 fine jewelry stores. Kroger features a leading private-label offering and manufactures around 30% of its own-brand units (and more than 40% of its grocery own-label assortment) itself, in 33 food production plants nationwide. Kroger is a top-two grocer in most of its major markets (as of early 2021, according to company data). Virtually all of Kroger's sales come from the United States.
Read more on KR →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 →