The Wendy’s Company has reported a net income of $22.71m in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026 compared to $39.23m in the same period last year.
The company said the decline in net income stemmed mainly from reduced operating profit and higher interest expenses, with some offset from lower income tax charges
Operating profit fell 21.9% year-on-year (YoY) from $83.1m in Q1 2025 to $64.9m in Q1 2026. Total revenue for the quarter that ended 29 March 2026 was $540.63m, compared to $523.47m in the same period a year ago. Wendy’s linked the revenue growth to higher franchise fees tied to its system optimisation efforts, increased advertising fund revenue and higher company-operated restaurant sales.
However, the company’s quarterly global systemwide sales declined 5.5% to $3.2bn. The company attributed this drop mainly to weaker same-restaurant sales in the US, partly offset by contributions from newly opened locations. International operations continued to expand, with systemwide sales in overseas markets increasing 6.0% YoY.