THE WENDY'S COMPANY REPORTS FIRST QUARTER 2025 RESULTS

Core Insights - The Wendy's Company reported a decline in total revenues and net income for the first quarter of 2025, primarily due to lower sales in U.S. Company-operated restaurants and decreased franchise royalty revenue [5][8][12] - The company achieved systemwide sales growth of 8.9% in its International segment, while U.S. systemwide sales declined by 2.6% [2][9] - Wendy's added 68 net new restaurants globally and aims for a full-year net unit growth of 2-3% [2][9] Operational Highlights - Systemwide sales growth for the first quarter of 2025 was -1.1% globally, with U.S. same-restaurant sales down by 2.8% and International same-restaurant sales up by 2.3% [7][9] - Total systemwide sales reached $3.4 billion, a decrease of 1.1% compared to the previous year [9] - The company increased its global digital sales mix to a record 20.3% [9] Financial Performance - Total revenues for the first quarter of 2025 were $523.5 million, down 2.1% from $534.8 million in the same period of 2024 [5][9] - Net income decreased to $39.2 million, a decline of 6.7% from $42.0 million year-over-year [5][12] - Adjusted EBITDA fell to $124.5 million, down 2.6% from $127.8 million in the prior year [5][13] Cost and Expenses - U.S. Company-operated restaurant margin decreased to 14.8%, down 0.5% from the previous year, primarily due to commodity inflation and labor rate inflation [5][10] - General and administrative expenses increased by 6.9% to $68.2 million, attributed to higher employee compensation and benefits [5][11] Shareholder Returns - The company returned $173.5 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases [9] - A quarterly cash dividend of $0.14 per share was declared, payable on June 16, 2025 [14] Future Outlook - The company updated its full-year 2025 outlook to reflect the current consumer environment, maintaining a focus on strategic priorities [2][9] - Capital expenditures are projected to be between $100 million and $110 million, with adjusted earnings per share expected to range from $0.92 to $0.98 [9][19]