Analysts Weigh in on Consumer Cyclical Companies: Wendy's, Crocs, and Papa John's International

Analysts have varying opinions on consumer cyclical companies Wendy's (WEN), Crocs (CROX) and Papa John's International (PZZA). Citi maintained a Hold rating on Wendy's with a $10.50 price target, while Goldman Sachs maintained a Sell rating on Crocs with a $67.00 price target. Benchmark Co. maintained a Buy rating on Papa John's International with a $60.00 price target. The analyst consensus on Wendy's is Hold with a $12.03 price target, while Crocs has a Moderate Buy rating with an average price target of $91.64. Papa John's International has a Moderate Buy rating with a $51.14 price target.

Analysts have offered varying opinions on the consumer cyclical companies Wendy's (WEN), Crocs (CROX), and Papa John's International (PZZA). Citi maintained a Hold rating on Wendy's with a $10.50 price target, while Goldman Sachs maintained a Sell rating on Crocs with a $67.00 price target. Benchmark Co. maintained a Buy rating on Papa John's International with a $60.00 price target. The analyst consensus on Wendy's is Hold with a $12.03 price target, while Crocs has a Moderate Buy rating with an average price target of $91.64. Papa John's International has a Moderate Buy rating with a $51.14 price target.

Wendy's has been under pressure due to deteriorating systemwide cash flow and balance sheet concerns, with analysts citing high food costs and a lack of appropriate consumer credit as key challenges. Evercore ISI lowered its price target to $12.00, maintaining an "In Line" rating, while other analysts have also revised their targets downward. Despite the stock trading at an inexpensive 11x 2025 price-to-earnings ratio, the firm's new $12 price target represents 13.5x its 2026 estimated earnings per share, indicating analysts await more information about the company's strategy [1].

Crocs is scheduled to announce Q2 earnings results on Thursday, August 7th, with a consensus EPS estimate of $4.02 (+0.2% Y/Y) and revenue estimate of $1.14B (+1.8% Y/Y). Over the last two years, CROX has beaten EPS and revenue estimates 100% of the time. However, recent revisions indicate a mixed outlook, with 5 upward and 6 downward revisions for EPS estimates and 4 upward and 6 downward for revenue estimates. Goldman Sachs maintains a Sell rating, citing potential headwinds from tariff-related issues [2].

Papa John's International has received a Moderate Buy rating from various analysts, with an average price target of $51.14. The company has faced challenges in the broader quick-service restaurant sector, with analysts expressing concerns about difficult year-over-year comparisons and a tough industry environment.

In summary, analysts have differing views on Wendy's, Crocs, and Papa John's International, with varying price targets and ratings reflecting the unique challenges and opportunities each company faces.

References:
[1] https://www.investing.com/news/analyst-ratings/evercore-isi-lowers-wendys-stock-price-target-to-12-on-profitability-concerns-93CH-4182178
[2] https://seekingalpha.com/news/4480182-crocs-q2-2025-earnings-preview