9. Wingstop Inc. (NASDAQ:WING)
Backed by one-year EPS and revenue growth estimates of 25.49% and 16.01%, respectively, Wingstop Inc. (NASDAQ:WING) ranks among the best growth stocks to buy and hold in 2026.
Wingstop Inc. (NASDAQ:WING) is sitting on solid analyst support heading into late April 2026.
A strong majority, around 84% of analysts covering Wingstop Inc. (NASDAQ:WING), are recommending it as a Buy, and the consensus price target of $189.19 suggests 53% upside potential.
However, that positive backdrop did not stop RBC Capital analyst Logan Reich from making an adjustment on April 20, 2026.
Reich trimmed the price target on Wingstop Inc. (NASDAQ:WING) to $275 from $340, while reiterating an “Outperform” rating, ahead of the company’s first quarter results.
The firm is modeling a miss in same-store sales, citing ongoing macro pressures weighing on Wingstop’s core consumer base. Weather is also expected to have created an additional 100 basis point headwind during the quarter. Despite near-term softness, RBC sees strong franchisee returns on capital as supporting continued unit expansion and does not view the company’s unit growth outlook as being at elevated risk.
This cautious near-term read follows Wingstop’s results reported in February, which told a mixed story.
Revenue came in at $175.7 million, up 8.6%, while system-wide sales reached $1.3 billion, a 9.3% increase. Adjusted EBITDA followed suit, climbing 9.8% to $61.9 million. The one area that fell short was domestic same-store sales, which pulled back 5.8% over the period.
The full year 2025 results painted a stronger picture.
For the full year 2025, system-wide sales grew 12.1% to $5.3 billion, while net income reached $174.3 million, up 60.3%, a strong showing on the profitability front. Heading into 2026, Wingstop is forecasting flat to low-single-digit growth in domestic same-store sales, with global unit growth expected to land between 15% and 16%.
On the cost front, Wingstop Inc. (NASDAQ:WING) has set out its expectations clearly.
SG&A is projected at $151 million to $154 million, stock-based compensation at around $32 million, interest expense at approximately $43 million, and depreciation and amortization at about $30 million.
The overall guidance points to a company that is pressing ahead with expansion while keeping a firm grip on costs and making the most of its operating leverage. The company will report its Q1 2026 results on April 29, 2026.
Wingstop Inc. (NASDAQ:WING) is an operator and franchisor of restaurants under the Wingstop brand. The company operates its restaurants across the United States, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Puerto Rico, Bahrain, and the Netherlands. It was incorporated in 1994 and is based in Dallas, Texas.
