Nasdaq Inc vs Wendys Co — how do they compare? Nasdaq Inc trades at $90.25 (market cap $51.96B), while Wendys Co trades at $7.61 (market cap $1.50B). The key difference: Nasdaq Inc is far larger — about 34.6× Wendys Co's market cap, and Wendys Co pays the higher dividend (7.13%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| NDAQ | WEN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $51.96B | $1.50B |
Sector | Financials | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $100.98 | $11.33 |
52-Week Low | $76.85 | $6.17 |
Enterprise Value | $59.02B | $5.31B |
Dividend Yield | 1.22% | 7.13% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Nasdaq (NDAQ) trades at $90.24, down 1.53% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a consensus analyst price target of $107.00. The company reported strong earnings beats in recent quarters, with Q1 2026 EPS of $0.96 exceeding expectations, and maintains robust profitability with a net income margin of 23.03%. Recent news highlights strategic growth, including the acquisition of Nasdaq Fund Secondaries by NPM, expanding its platform beyond direct company shares.
The outlook for NDAQ is positive, supported by organic revenue growth and strategic acquisitions, though risks include market volatility and execution challenges. With 61.11% of analysts rating it a buy and a price target implying ~19% upside, the stock presents a growth opportunity for investors focused on financial infrastructure expansion, balanced by monitoring debt levels and competitive pressures.
Wendy's (WEN) trades at $7.63, down 1.68% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and recent meme stock momentum. The company shows consistent earnings beats but faces margin pressure, with net income declining from $204M in 2023 to $165M in 2025. Valuation metrics appear attractive with a P/E of 10.2 and P/S of 0.69, while analyst consensus is mixed with a $7.96 price target.
The stock presents a value opportunity with solid dividends and low valuation, but investors face risks from declining profitability, high debt levels, and competitive pressures. Near-term catalysts include Q2 2026 earnings on August 7 and ongoing Project Fresh initiatives, though weak traffic and cost inflation remain headwinds for sustained growth.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Founded in 1971, Nasdaq is primarily known for its equity exchange, but in addition to its market-services business (about 35% of sales), the company sells and distributes market data as well as offers Nasdaq-branded indexes to asset managers and investors through its information-services segment (30%). Nasdaq's corporate-services business (20%) offers listing services and related investor relations products to publicly traded companies and through the company's market technology group (15%), Nasdaq facilitates the exchange operations of other exchanges throughout the world and provides financial compliance services.
Read more on NDAQ →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 →