KPIs & Operating Metrics(New)
Growth Metrics

Noodles (NDLS) Return on Capital Employed (2013 - 2026)

Noodles posted quarterly Return on Capital Employed of 13.72% for Q1 2026, down 24.0% year-on-year from 18.05% in Q1 2025, and up 9.12% on a QoQ basis from 15.09% in Q4 2025.

Noodles (NDLS) has 14 years of Return on Capital Employed data on file, last reported at 13.72% in Q1 2026.

  • For the quarter ending Q1 2026, Return on Capital Employed fell 24.0% year-over-year to 13.72%; the trailing twelve-month figure through Mar 2026 stood at 13.72% (down 24.0% YoY), and the FY2025 full-year result was 13.66%, down 376.0% from the prior year.
  • Return on Capital Employed for Q1 2026 stood at 13.72%, up from 15.09% in the prior quarter.
  • Across five years, Return on Capital Employed topped out at 0.41% in Q1 2022 and bottomed at 16.06% in Q3 2025.
  • The 5-year median for Return on Capital Employed is 4.42% (2022), against an average of 6.72%.
  • The widest annual swing landed in 2022, when Return on Capital Employed soared 620 bps; it then sank 1176 bps in 2025.
  • A 5-year view of Return on Capital Employed shows it stood at 2.56% in 2022, then soared by 114 bps to 0.37% in 2023, then sank by 3022 bps to 10.73% in 2024, then sank by 41 bps to 15.09% in 2025, then advanced by 9 bps to 13.72% in 2026.
  • The last three Return on Capital Employed figures came in at 13.72% (Q1 2026), 15.09% (Q4 2025), and 16.06% (Q3 2025), per Business Quant data.

Peer Comparison

# Company Market Cap Enterprise Value Gross Profit (Qtr) ROCE (Qtr)
1 Starbucks 110.27 Bn 108.58 Bn 9.40 Bn 14.71%
2 Yum Brands 40.90 Bn 40.21 Bn 1.38 Bn 52.50%
3 Chipotle Mexican Grill 39.62 Bn 38.75 Bn 2.61 Bn 24.19%
4 Restaurant Brands International 25.25 Bn 25.79 Bn 2.14 Bn 10.29%
5 Darden Restaurants 23.41 Bn 23.17 Bn 3.31 Bn 14.06%
6 Yum China Holdings 15.07 Bn 13.64 Bn 3.24 Bn 3.91%
7 Texas Roadhouse 11.59 Bn 11.39 Bn 1.40 Bn 17.54%
8 Dominos Pizza 10.51 Bn 10.27 Bn 464.51 Mn 81.97%
9 Cava 8.67 Bn 8.28 Bn 797.57 Mn 4.69%
10 Noodles 73.79 Mn 72.35 Mn 98.07 Mn -13.72%

Historic Data

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DateValue
Mar 31, 2026 -13.72%
Dec 30, 2025 -15.09%
Sep 30, 2025 -16.06%
Jul 1, 2025 -15.89%
Apr 1, 2025 -13.48%
Dec 31, 2024 -10.73%
Oct 1, 2024 -9.17%
Jul 2, 2024 -6.29%
Apr 2, 2024 -1.72%
Jan 2, 2024 -0.94%
Oct 3, 2023 0.37%
Jul 4, 2023 0.31%
Apr 4, 2023 -1.76%
Sep 27, 2022 -2.56%
Jun 28, 2022 -1.20%
Mar 29, 2022 0.41%
Dec 28, 2021 2.18%
Sep 28, 2021 2.39%
Jun 29, 2021 0.78%
Mar 30, 2021 -5.80%
Dec 29, 2020 -6.67%
Sep 29, 2020 -4.95%
Jun 30, 2020 -3.38%
Mar 31, 2020 0.48%
Dec 31, 2019 1.70%
Oct 1, 2019 1.87%
Jul 2, 2019 0.98%
Apr 2, 2019 -0.95%
Jan 1, 2019 -2.70%
Oct 2, 2018 -3.19%
Jul 3, 2018 -10.57%
Apr 3, 2018 -7.57%
Jan 2, 2018 -23.79%
Oct 3, 2017 -50.87%
Jul 4, 2017 -50.52%
Apr 4, 2017 -57.35%
Jan 3, 2017 -38.48%
Sep 27, 2016 -14.74%
Dec 29, 2015 -10.32%
Sep 29, 2015 -4.43%
Jun 30, 2015 -4.34%
Mar 31, 2015 -4.38%
Dec 30, 2014 -4.41%
Sep 30, 2014 -5.16%
Jul 1, 2014 6.32%
Apr 1, 2014 7.15%
Dec 31, 2013 11.58%
Oct 1, 2013 11.27%