Marketplace®

Daily business news and economic stories

Not on investors’ super value menu

Wendy's has made it official: It's hanging out the "for sale" sign. But the fast food company's been hinting that it might be looking for a buyer since April and speculators may have pushed the stock price too high. Jill Barshay reports.

TEXT OF STORY

Scott Jagow: Another well-known brand is up for sale: Wendy’s. But yesterday, Wendy’s said next quartera€™s performance won’t be very good. So finding a buyer might a little difficult. Jill Barshay reports.


Jill Barshay: Wendy’s profits aren’t pretty. But speculators have pushed the company’s market value up by a third since April.

John Hamburger publishes Franchise Times Magazine. He says Wendy’s may be too expensive now.

John Hamburger: I think they can’t find a buyer at what Wall Street was expecting.

Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas famously asked the question: Where’s the beef? Mr. Hamburger says Wendy’s problem is that executives took their eye off the beef.

Hamburger: They really haven’t focused as much on the Wendy’s business since Dave Thomas died. And if you look at all that’s being going on at Wendy’s over the last couple years, it’s really been a zoo there.

Wendy’s dumped donut chain Tim Hortons, and lost almost $250 million when it sold Mexican restaurant Baja Fresh.

It’s not that private equity firms don’t have an appetite for fast food — they made a bundle on Burger King. But at $40 a share, Wendy’s isn’t exactly appetizing.

In New York, I’m Jill Barshay for Marketplace.

Related Topics

Tagged as:

Latest Episodes

View All Shows
  • Marketplace
    3 hours ago
    26:04
  • Make Me Smart
    6 hours ago
    11:38
  • Marketplace Morning Report
    11 hours ago
    7:18
  • Marketplace Tech
    16 hours ago
    7:51
  • Million Bazillion
    6 days ago
    5:01
  • This Is Uncomfortable
    a month ago
    2:27
  • Financially Inclined
    2 months ago
    12:30
  • How We Survive
    2 months ago
    22:09
  • The Uncertain Hour
    4 months ago
    22:50
  • Corner Office from Marketplace
    5 years ago
    20:58
Not on investors’ super value menu