Noodles & Company (NASDAQ:NDLS) Posts Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.17 EPS

by · The Cerbat Gem

Noodles & Company (NASDAQ:NDLS – Get Free Report) released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The restaurant operator reported ($0.44) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.61) by $0.17, FiscalAI reports.

Here are the key takeaways from Noodles & Company’s conference call:

  • System-wide sales and profitability accelerated: Q1 system-wide comp sales grew ~9.1% (company +9.4%), adjusted EBITDA more than tripled to $7.7M year‑over‑year, and company AUV rose 13.5% to $1.49M.
  • Operations, marketing and menu drove demand: Improved in-restaurant execution (guest satisfaction +10% in six months), disciplined marketing, and new/limited-time menu items helped new guest purchases rise 36% and loyalty sign-ups grow 33% in the quarter.
  • Portfolio optimization underway: Management closed 20 company-owned restaurants in Q1 (plans call for 30–35 closures in 2026) and says sales have meaningfully transferred to nearby units, boosting baseline AUV and restaurant-level margins.
  • Guidance raised: Full‑year 2026 outlook was increased to $483M–$498M revenue and $32.5M–$37.5M adjusted EBITDA, with an expectation to be free‑cash‑flow positive and reduce debt by ~ $10M this year.
  • Balance sheet and one‑time charges remain risks: Q1 net loss was $3.4M (including a $2.7M non‑cash impairment), ending cash was only $1.4M versus $106.8M of debt, although debt was modestly reduced in the quarter.

Noodles & Company Stock Up 1.2%

NDLS traded up $0.13 on Wednesday, hitting $11.32. 108,435 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 53,539. The company has a 50 day moving average of $8.03 and a 200-day moving average of $6.50. The stock has a market capitalization of $66.67 million, a PE ratio of -1.53 and a beta of 1.43. Noodles & Company has a 12-month low of $3.57 and a 12-month high of $13.23.

Institutional Trading of Noodles & Company

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Noodles & Company by 7.6% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 389,421 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $275,000 after acquiring an additional 27,384 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp raised its stake in Noodles & Company by 31.1% during the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 181,963 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $128,000 after acquiring an additional 43,211 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its stake in Noodles & Company by 331.0% during the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 110,666 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $121,000 after acquiring an additional 84,987 shares during the last quarter. XTX Topco Ltd raised its stake in Noodles & Company by 228.5% during the 4th quarter. XTX Topco Ltd now owns 94,746 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $67,000 after acquiring an additional 65,907 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Renaissance Technologies LLC raised its stake in Noodles & Company by 35.7% during the 4th quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 93,500 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $66,000 after acquiring an additional 24,600 shares during the last quarter. 65.67% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

NDLS has been the subject of several research reports. Wall Street Zen raised Noodles & Company from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, March 28th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (e+)” rating on shares of Noodles & Company in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Reduce”.

Read Our Latest Report on Noodles & Company

About Noodles & Company

(Get Free Report)

Noodles & Company is an American fast-casual restaurant chain that specializes in a variety of noodle and pasta dishes inspired by global cuisines. Its menu features signature entrees such as the Wisconsin Mac & Cheese and Japanese Pan Noodles, alongside soups, salads, shareable sides and seasonal offerings. The brand emphasizes fresh ingredients, customizable meals and a quick-service format designed to accommodate dine-in, takeout and digital ordering channels.

The company was founded in 1995 by Aaron Kennedy in Boulder, Colorado, with the aim of introducing a diverse noodle-centric menu to the American market.

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