Wingstop Inc's Competitiveness
A competitive positioning analysis and financial ratio benchmarking of Wingstop Inc (WING) against its publicly traded competitors: sales growth, net income, profitability, valuation and market share, plus each peer's market capitalization, revenue, income and employees. Free below: the top 5 peers. Subscriber access adds the full competitor list and CSV downloads.
Key Findings: Wingstop Inc vs Its Competitors
- TTM: Trailing 12-month revenue of 730M vs 52,210M combined for its competitors (1.4% combined share).
- Trending: Latest-quarter revenue run-rate is holding steady (+1.4% annualized vs trailing 12 months), vs holding steady (+0.1%) for its tracked peer group.
- Growth: Wingstop Inc generated 5.4% revenue growth year over year in Q3 2026, vs 6.9% for its competitors combined.
- Profitability: Its 15.7% net margin compares with 12.3% for the peer group.
- Scale: Wingstop Inc ranks #15 of 56 companies by market capitalization in the Restaurants industry, holding 0.7% of industry market cap.
- Peer revenue share: Wingstop Inc accounted for 1.4% of combined revenue among its tracked peer group, down from 1.4% a year earlier.
- Peer differentiation: Revenue per employee of $0.53M compares with $0.09M for the peer group (5.9x).
- Structure: Wingstop Inc operates in the following segments: Restaurants.
Every figure above is sourced and cited in detail further down this page (Market Structure, Profitability & Cost Structure, Productivity vs Peers).
WING Sales vs. its Competitors, Q3 2026
Wingstop Inc reported revenue growth of 5.35 % year on year in Q3 2026, below its competitors' combined revenue growth of 6.93 %.
With a net margin of 15.72 %, Wingstop Inc achieved higher profitability than its competitors (12.32 %).
Wingstop Inc generated 1.40 % of the combined sales of its peer group, down from 1.42 % a year earlier.
API endpoints for this dataset
Wingstop Inc vs. its Competitors, Q3 2026
Revenue growth, year on year
Net income growth, year on year
Net margin
Revenue run-rate vs trailing 12 months
TTM net margin
TTM = trailing twelve months. Run-rate annualizes the latest quarter (×4) and compares it to TTM. In millions of $. High-Confidence Competitors are named as a competitor directly in Wingstop Inc reports; Similar-Size Competitors are the closest peers by market-cap rank within the same industry; Similar Growth & Profitability Competitors are the closest peers by combined revenue growth, operating margin and ROIC, all independent of the competitor list.
TTM revenue, latest-quarter run-rate and net income/margin benchmarked across Wingstop Inc and its 4 competitor groupings. Available under Commercial License.
| Entity | TTM Revenue | Rev Run-rate vs TTM |
|---|---|---|
| Wingstop Inc | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
| Competitors combined | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
| Similar-Size Competitors (8) | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
TTM revenue, run-rate and net margin benchmarking across Wingstop Inc's competitor groups requires a Commercial License.
For context: the Restaurants industry grew revenue 6.8% year over year, combined, vs 5.4% for Wingstop Inc. Wingstop Inc's share of combined industry revenue moved from 0.26% to 0.26%, a gain of 0.00 percentage points.
Wingstop Inc's Competitor Quality Breadth
Group definitions: see Methodology: Performance Group Definitions.
| Entity | Profitable | Expanding | Above Industry Growth | Distressed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wingstop Inc | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Competitors combined (34) | ||||
| Similar-Size Competitors (10) |
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. Altman Z-Score is not shown here: it is not populated in the underlying data for any company. Percentages are of companies in each group that report the relevant metric, not of the full group size.
WING Stock Performance relative to its Competitors
WING Stock Performance relative to Similar-Size Competitors
5 Best-Performing Tracked Competitors, Trailing 12 Months
| # | Competitor | TTM Share Price Return | vs U.S.A. 500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Noodles and Company | 282.9% | Outperformed |
| 2 | The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated | 282.9% | Outperformed |
| 3 | Cracker Barrel Old Country Store inc | 282.9% | Outperformed |
| 4 | Brinker International Inc | 282.9% | Outperformed |
| 5 | Red Robin Gourmet Burgers inc | 282.9% | Outperformed |
TTM share price return and U.S.A. 500 outperformance for Wingstop Inc's best-performing competitors requires a Commercial License.
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months.
Publicly Traded Peers of Wingstop Inc
Revenue and income for trailing 12 months, in millions of $, except employees| Company | Market Cap | Revenues |
|---|---|---|
 Wingstop Inc |
4,430.93 | 730.11 |
 Mcdonald s Corporation |
195,859.12 | 27,781.00 |
 Yum Brands Inc |
44,635.78 | 8,722.00 |
 Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc |
43,647.01 | 12,713.48 |
 Restaurant Brands International Inc |
35,504.33 | 9,775.00 |
 Darden Restaurants Inc |
25,894.44 | 13,366.50 |
| SUBTOTAL | 425,523.06 | 135,518.72 |
Sign in to see all competitors of Wingstop Inc .
Sources: see Methodology: Peer & Competitor Identification, Sourcing.
Updated on:
Focus of this report: publicly traded companies. Ten additional tables on Wingstop Inc versus competitors, including market share analysis, are in the navigation menu under Competition. To download the tables, please subscribe.
Wingstop Inc's Competitors Named by the Company
Competitive relationships identified from Wingstop Inc reports and corroborating sources, each with a basis and confidence.| Competitor | Basis | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant Brands International Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Domino s Pizza Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Papa John s International Inc | Company report | 85% |
| El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc | Company report | 85% |
| The Wendy s Company | Company report | 85% |
| Dave and Buster s Entertainment Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Lubys Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Nathan s Famous Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Fiesta Restaurant Group Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Dine Brands Global inc | Company report | 85% |
| Cracker Barrel Old Country Store inc | Company report | 85% |
| Biglari Holdings Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Burgerfi International Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Mcdonald s Corporation | Company report | 85% |
| Noodles and Company | Company report | 85% |
| Good Times Restaurants Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Chuy s Holdings Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Portillos Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Jack In The Box Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Yum Brands Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Denny s Corporation | Company report | 85% |
| Bj s Restaurants Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Bbq Holdings Inc. | Company report | 85% |
| Rave Restaurant Group Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Brinker International Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Gen Restaurant Group Inc | Company report | 85% |
| First Watch Restaurant Group Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Fat Brands Inc | Company report | 85% |
| Red Robin Gourmet Burgers inc | Company report | 85% |
Company report basis, confidence, active dates and source counts for Wingstop Inc's named competitors require a Commercial License.
Methodology: see Methodology: Peer & Competitor Identification, Sourcing.
Wingstop Inc's Business Segment Mix vs Peers
Revenue by operating segment or division, as named and reported by each company. Segment names are the filer's own and are not standardized across companies. Do not assume a same-named or similarly-named segment is defined identically between two companies. Shares are of each company's own total revenue and are not required to sum to 100% (intersegment revenue, unallocated items).| Company | Largest Segment |
|---|---|
| Wingstop Inc | Restaurants 100.00 % |
| Mcdonald s Corporation | International Operated Markets 51.18 % |
| Yum Brands Inc | KFC Global Division 46.15 % |
| Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc | U. S. 97.53 % |
| Restaurant Brands International Inc | Tim Hortons 44.99 % |
| Darden Restaurants Inc | Olive Garden 41.55 % |
Source: operating segment revenue as reported in each company's reports (10-K/10-Q), via the CSIMarket API, leaf-level reportable segments only (parent roll-up segments are excluded where sub-segments are separately disclosed).
Wingstop Inc's Productivity vs Peers Comparison
Revenue and income per employee, trailing 12 months, in $; market cap in millions of $| Company | Market Cap | Revenue / Employee | Income / Employee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wingstop Inc | 4,431 | 534,099 | 85,615 |
| Mcdonald s Corporation | 195,859 | 185,207 | 59,967 |
| Yum Brands Inc | 44,636 | 178,000 | 90,102 |
| Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc | 43,647 | 97,570 | 10,569 |
| Restaurant Brands International Inc | 35,504 | 182,710 | 36,804 |
| Darden Restaurants Inc | 25,894 | 63,671 | 5,632 |
| PEERS TOTAL | 421,092 | 90,867 | 14,297 |
Wingstop Inc's Geographic Revenue Exposure vs Peers
Revenue by country/region as reported in each company's most recent report. Disclosure granularity varies by filer (some report by country, others by broad region) and is shown as disclosed.| Company | Largest Market |
|---|---|
| Yum Brands Inc | United States 52.48 % |
| Restaurant Brands International Inc | United States 46.81 % |
| Nathan s Famous Inc | US 97.75 % |
| Fat Brands Inc | United States 97.42 % |
Source: revenue geography as reported in each company's reports (10-K/10-Q), via the CSIMarket API. Percentages are of that company's own total consolidated revenue for its most recent reported period.
Wingstop Inc's Position in Industry Market Structure
Market-capitalization share and concentration across all 53 companies in Wingstop Inc's industry classification, broader than the peer set above. Market cap in millions of $.Wingstop Inc ranks #15 of 53 companies by market capitalization in its industry, holding 0.69 % of total industry market cap. The industry's Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) is 1,611, indicating a moderately concentrated market structure (see Methodology: Market Structure & Concentration).
| Rank | Company | Market Cap | Industry Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mcdonald s Corporation | 196,633 | 30.36 % |
| 2 | Starbucks Corporation | 120,568 | 18.61 % |
| 3 | Luckin Coffee Inc | 87,344 | 13.48 % |
| 4 | Yum Brands Inc | 44,636 | 6.89 % |
| 5 | Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 6 | Restaurant Brands International Inc | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 7 | Darden Restaurants Inc | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 8 | Yum China Holdings Inc | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 9 | Aramark | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 10 | Texas Roadhouse inc | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 15 | Wingstop Inc | 4,450 | 0.69 % |
Market cap and industry share for the rest of Wingstop Inc's industry peers requires a Commercial License.
Source: CSIMarket API (daily market-structure computation) across CSIMarket's industry classification, market capitalization as of 2026-11-06.
Wingstop Inc's Same-Size Peers & Stock Performance
Peers chosen by closeness in market-cap rank within the same industry classification (not the named-competitor list above). Trailing 12-month total return, 3-month price momentum, beta and Sharpe ratio vs the broad U.S. market.| Rank | Company | Market Cap | TTM Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Texas Roadhouse inc | 12,121 | 13.72 % |
| 11 | Brinker International Inc | 9,254 | 103.57 % |
| 12 | Cava Group Inc | 7,002 | 13.92 % |
| 13 | The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated | 5,177 | 135.13 % |
| 14 | Dutch Bros Inc | 1,234 | 12.3% |
| 15 | Wingstop Inc | 4,450 | -36.16 % |
| 16 | Shake Shack Inc | 1,234 | 12.3% |
| 17 | The Wendy s Company | 1,234 | 12.3% |
| 18 | Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc | 1,234 | 12.3% |
| 19 | Cracker Barrel Old Country Store inc | 1,234 | 12.3% |
| 20 | Sweetgreen Inc | 1,234 | 12.3% |
Market cap, return, momentum, beta and Sharpe ratio for the rest of Wingstop Inc's same-size peers requires a Commercial License.
Source: CSIMarket API (daily market-structure computation); returns and risk metrics as of 2026-11-06. Beta and Sharpe ratio are versus the broad U.S. equity market, not this industry.
Wingstop Inc's Profitability & Cost Structure
Trailing 12-month margins from SEC-filed financials. Operating margin is compared to the Restaurants industry median; gross margin, EBITDA margin and capital intensity are compared to the live industry average (106 companies). See the full Restaurants industry profitability benchmarks.| Metric | Company | Industry | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 86.10 % | 35.29 % (avg) | +50.8 pp |
| Operating Margin | 27.74 % | industry median | +13.6 pp |
| EBITDA Margin | 29.27 % | 6.47 % (avg) | +22.8 pp |
| Capital Intensity (Capex / Revenue) | 9.64 % | 6.55 % (avg) | +3.1 pp |
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. SG&A and R&D as a share of revenue have limited coverage as this data is backfilled and appear only where reported. Higher capital intensity is not inherently negative; it reflects the industry's asset requirements.
Wingstop Inc's Valuation vs Competitive Position
Valuation multiples vs the Restaurants industry average (106 companies, excluding loss-making/negative-equity outliers), alongside returns on capital for context on whether a premium or discount lines up with measurably stronger or weaker returns. See the full Restaurants industry valuation benchmarks.| Metric | Company | Industry Average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| P/E | 29.2x | 28.3x | +0.9x |
| EV / EBITDA | 20.8x | 14.0x | +6.8x |
| P/B | -4.4x | 4.0x | -8.4x |
| Return on Equity | - | industry aggregate | - |
| Return on Invested Capital | - | 4.44 % (avg) | - |
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. A valuation premium or discount is not, by itself, a judgment of over- or under-valuation. Compare it against the return and growth context shown elsewhere on this page.
Wingstop Inc's Multi-Year Financial Trajectory
Fiscal-year revenue growth, operating margin, return on invested capital and P/E, as reported in company reports.| Metric | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth | 45.12 % | 30.35 % | 24.61 % | 13.54 % | 26.56 % | 28.68 % | 36.03 % | 11.35 % |
| Operating Margin | 25.15 % | 21.49 % | 23.07 % | 26.11 % | 25.71 % | 24.47 % | 26.46 % | 25.73 % |
| Return on Invested Capital | -67.84 % | -49.74 % | -77.59 % | -60.20 % | -165.20 % | - | - | - |
| P/E | 78.6x | 109.6x | 173.7x | 114.3x | 86.3x | 91.3x | 91.1x | 40.0x |
Source: CSIMarket API, fiscal-year figures. P/E is this company's own historical ratio at each fiscal year end and can swing sharply around an earnings trough: that is real, not a data error.
Wingstop Inc's BCG Growth-Share Matrix
See Methodology: BCG Growth-Share Matrix for how relative share and growth are calculated and thresholded.
Wingstop Inc falls in the Dog quadrant: relative market share of 0.02x vs its largest competitor, in an industry growing revenue 4.7% (median, trailing 12 months).
Source: CSIMarket API (market-cap share and industry revenue growth). The 10% growth and 1.0x share lines are standard textbook thresholds, not derived from this industry's own distribution.
Wingstop Inc's Competitive Forces (Porter's Five Forces)
Only the forces this data can support honestly are shown; the other three are marked as such rather than guessed.| Force | Assessment | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Competitive Rivalry | Moderate | Industry HHI of 1,611 (see Industry Market Structure & Concentration above) |
| Barriers to Entry | High (capital intensive) | Capital intensity (capex / revenue) of 9.64 % vs industry average 6.55 % (see Profitability & Cost Structure above) |
Note: see Methodology: Porter's Five Forces. Supplier power and buyer power are covered on Wingstop Inc's dedicated Suppliers and Customers pages, not here.
Wingstop Inc's Industry Attractiveness & Competitive Strength
See Methodology: GE/McKinsey Matrix for how the two axes are built.
Wingstop Inc falls in the Low attractiveness / Medium strength cell: Harvest.
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. Each axis score is a simple 1(low)/2(medium)/3(high) average across its three inputs -- a transparent, disclosed simplification, not a validated academic scoring model.
Wingstop Inc's SWOT
Every point below is a fixed rule applied to a metric already shown elsewhere on this page (Market Structure, Profitability, Valuation, Run-Rate, Stock Performance, Quality Breadth) not an independent strategic assessment. A blank quadrant means no rule was met, not that none apply.Strengths
- Operating margin 13.6 points above the industry median.
Weaknesses
- Underperforming the U.S.A. 500 over the trailing 12 months.
- Low relative market share vs the industry leader (0.02x).
Opportunities
No rule matched.
Threats
- High capital intensity requires continuous reinvestment just to keep pace with the industry.
Methodology: see Methodology: SWOT Analysis.
Wingstop Inc's Financial Strength vs Peers Comparison
Quick ratio, working capital, debt to equity and asset turnover, trailing 12 months| Company | Quick Ratio | Working Capital | Debt / Equity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wingstop Inc | 1.63 | 2.60 | - |
| Mcdonald s Corporation | 0.24 | 1.10 | - |
| Yum Brands Inc | 0.30 | 0.86 | - |
| Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc | 0.28 | 0.91 | - |
| Restaurant Brands International Inc | - | 0.98 | 2.49 |
| Darden Restaurants Inc | 0.08 | 0.35 | 1.09 |
Quick ratio = cash / current liabilities; working capital ratio = current assets / current liabilities; asset turnover = revenue / total assets. Peers in the Blank Checks industry are excluded.
Wingstop Inc's Revenue and Income Growth vs Peers
Quarterly revenue and net income growth, year over year and quarter over quarter| Company | Period | Revenue Y/Y | Income Y/Y |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wingstop Inc | Q3 2026 | +5.3 % | +2.2 % |
| Mcdonald s Corporation | Q2 2026 | +1.1 % | +9.1 % |
| Yum Brands Inc | Q2 2026 | +12.2 % | +58.8 % |
| Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc | Q3 2026 | +9.6 % | -11.1 % |
| Restaurant Brands International Inc | Q3 2026 | +3.1 % | +61.5 % |
| Darden Restaurants Inc | Q3 2026 | +5.1 % | -9.5 % |
| PEERS TOTAL | +5.4 % | +14.8 % |
Growth is shown only where both periods are positive. Peers in the Blank Checks industry are excluded.
Wingstop Inc's Peers' Costs of Sales and Capital Expenditures
Context for revenue growth: peer costs and capex, year over year and quarter over quarter| Company | Period | Costs Y/Y | Capex Y/Y |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wingstop Inc | Q3 2026 | +11.8 % | +422.2 % |
| Mcdonald s Corporation | Q2 2026 | +3.2 % | -15.2 % |
| Yum Brands Inc | Q2 2026 | +25.0 % | +40.8 % |
| Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc | Q3 2026 | - | +48.6 % |
| Restaurant Brands International Inc | Q3 2026 | +333.4 % | +18.0 % |
| Darden Restaurants Inc | Q3 2026 | +179.6 % | +0.3 % |
Wingstop Inc's Returns and Turnover vs Peers
ROA, ROI and ROE (trailing 12 months), receivables and inventory turnover| Company | ROA | ROI | ROE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wingstop Inc | 17.42% | 19.05% | - |
| Mcdonald s Corporation | 14.98% | 15.40% | - |
| Yum Brands Inc | 54.70% | 80.08% | - |
| Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc | 15.26% | 11.06% | 55.68% |
| Restaurant Brands International Inc | 7.82% | 7.44% | 36.85% |
| Darden Restaurants Inc | 9.17% | 11.42% | 54.41% |
ROA = net income / total assets; ROI = net income / investments; ROE = net income / equity; turnover ratios use trailing 12 month revenue (receivables) and cost of sales (inventory).
Wingstop Inc's Valuation vs Peers
P/E, price to sales, PEG, price to cash flow and price to book| Company | P/E | Price / Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Wingstop Inc | 38.42 | 6.07 |
| Mcdonald s Corporation | 21.89 | 7.05 |
| Yum Brands Inc | 20.29 | 5.12 |
| Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc | 32.13 | 3.43 |
| Restaurant Brands International Inc | 18.07 | 3.63 |
| Darden Restaurants Inc | 22.19 | 1.94 |
| PEERS AVERAGE | 19.96 | 3.14 |
P/E = price / diluted EPS (trailing 12 months); PEG = P/E divided by EPS growth; the average row divides the peers' combined market cap by their combined income, sales, cash flow and equity.