Wendy's (WEN) Return on Capital Employed (2010 - 2026)
Wendy's (WEN) reported Return on Capital Employed of 7.09% for Q1 2026, down 112.0% on a YoY basis from 59.12% in Q1 2025, and down 4.66% quarter-over-quarter from 7.44% in Q4 2025.
Wendy's (WEN) Return on Capital Employed (2010 - 2026) Analysis & Trends
Wendy's has reported Return on Capital Employed for 17 years, with the latest figure at 7.09% in Q1 2026.
- For the quarter ending Q1 2026, Return on Capital Employed fell 112.0% year-over-year to 7.09%; the trailing twelve-month figure through Mar 2026 stood at 7.09% (down 112.0% YoY), and the FY2025 full-year result was 7.39%, down 49.0% from the prior year.
- Return on Capital Employed for Q1 2026 stood at 7.09%, down from 7.44% in the prior quarter.
- The five-year high for Return on Capital Employed was 9.07% in Q3 2025, with the low at 6.49% in Q1 2023.
- Historically, Return on Capital Employed has averaged 7.57% across 5 years, with a median of 7.44% in 2025.
- Annual changes were most pronounced in 2023 — Return on Capital Employed surged 138 bps — and 2026, when it slumped 112 bps.
- Wendy's' Return on Capital Employed stood at 6.85% in 2022, then gained by 15 bps to 7.87% in 2023, then advanced by 1 bps to 7.98% in 2024, then retreated by 7 bps to 7.44% in 2025, then dropped by 5 bps to 7.09% in 2026.
- The last three Return on Capital Employed figures came in at 7.09% (Q1 2026), 7.44% (Q4 2025), and 9.07% (Q3 2025), per Business Quant data.
Powered by 
Peer Comparison
| # | Company | Market Cap | Enterprise Value | Gross Profit (Qtr) | ROCE (Qtr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Starbucks | 114.58 Bn | 112.88 Bn | 9.40 Bn | 14.71% |
| 2 | Chipotle Mexican Grill | 42.15 Bn | 41.28 Bn | 2.61 Bn | 24.19% |
| 3 | Yum Brands | 42.13 Bn | 41.44 Bn | 1.38 Bn | 52.50% |
| 4 | Restaurant Brands International | 25.46 Bn | 25.99 Bn | 2.14 Bn | 10.29% |
| 5 | Darden Restaurants | 24.75 Bn | 24.51 Bn | 3.31 Bn | 14.06% |
| 6 | Yum China Holdings | 15.17 Bn | 13.74 Bn | 3.24 Bn | 3.91% |
| 7 | Texas Roadhouse | 11.72 Bn | 11.53 Bn | 1.40 Bn | 17.54% |
| 8 | Dominos Pizza | 10.51 Bn | 10.28 Bn | 464.51 Mn | 81.97% |
| 9 | Cava | 10.34 Bn | 9.94 Bn | 797.57 Mn | 4.69% |
| 10 | Wendy's | 1.29 Bn | 994.30 Mn | 339.59 Mn | 7.09% |
Historic Data
Download Data| Date | Value |
|---|---|
| Mar 29, 2026 | 7.09% |
| Dec 28, 2025 | 7.44% |
| Sep 28, 2025 | 9.07% |
| Jun 29, 2025 | 8.42% |
| Mar 30, 2025 | 8.22% |
| Dec 29, 2024 | 7.98% |
| Sep 29, 2024 | 7.69% |
| Jun 30, 2024 | 7.73% |
| Mar 31, 2024 | 7.95% |
| Dec 31, 2023 | 7.87% |
| Oct 1, 2023 | 7.29% |
| Jul 2, 2023 | 7.12% |
| Apr 2, 2023 | 6.77% |
| Jan 1, 2023 | 6.49% |
| Oct 2, 2022 | 6.85% |
| Jul 3, 2022 | 7.36% |
| Apr 3, 2022 | 7.41% |
| Oct 3, 2021 | 7.75% |
| Jul 4, 2021 | 7.89% |
| Apr 4, 2021 | 6.60% |