Marathon Petroleum Corp vs Wendys Co — how do they compare? Marathon Petroleum Corp trades at $336.5 (market cap $89.95B), while Wendys Co trades at $7.54 (market cap $1.39B). The key difference: Marathon Petroleum Corp is far larger — about 64.7× Wendys Co's market cap, and Wendys Co pays the higher dividend (3.84%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| MPC | WEN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $89.95B | $1.39B |
Sector | Energy | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $320.32 | $10.68 |
52-Week Low | $158.59 | $6.17 |
Enterprise Value | $116.48B | $5.12B |
Dividend Yield | 1.25% | 3.84% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Marathon Petroleum (MPC) trades at $298.20, down 0.35% with a bearish technical signal despite strong fundamental performance. The stock shows exceptional earnings momentum with three consecutive quarterly beats, including a massive Q2 2026 EPS of $17.73 versus $14.27 expected. Valuation remains attractive with P/E of 10.34 and EV/EBITDA of 6.26, while maintaining robust profitability with 47.9% ROE.
MPC presents a compelling investment case with strong analyst support (76% buy ratings) and $330.70 price target upside. However, declining revenue trends from $177.5B in 2022 to $132.7B in 2025 and rising debt-to-asset ratio to 42.59% pose fundamental concerns. Technical weakness near pivot point resistance at $297 requires monitoring despite positive refining margin outlook.
Wendy's stock (WEN) trades at $7.69, up 4.06% in the last session, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a consensus price target of $9.33. Recent Q2 2026 EPS beat estimates at $0.18, but revenue trends show stagnation near $2.2B, with net income declining to $165M in 2025. The company faces headwinds from a dividend cut and lost market share to Burger King, as new leadership pursues a turnaround plan amid weak U.S. traffic.
The outlook is cautious; valuation ratios like P/E of 11.67 and P/S of 0.67 suggest undervaluation, but high debt and competitive pressures pose risks. Analyst sentiment is mixed with 62.75% hold ratings, reflecting uncertainty over the turnaround's success. Near-term performance hinges on execution of strategic initiatives to revive sales and margins.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Marathon Petroleum is an independent refiner with 13 refineries in the midcontinent, West Coast, and Gulf Coast of the United States with total throughput capacity of 2.9 million barrels per day. Its Dickinson, ND, facility produces 184 million gallons a year of renewable diesel. Its Martinez, CA, facility will have the ability to produce 730 million gallons a year of renewable diesel once converted. The firm also owns and operates midstream assets primarily through its listed MLP, MPLX.
Read more on MPC →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 →