Insider Selling: Cheesecake Factory (NASDAQ:CAKE) President Sells 31,950 Shares of Stock

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated (NASDAQ:CAKE) President David Gordon sold 31,950 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $110.03, for a total transaction of $3,515,458.50. Following the sale, the president directly owned 26,875 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,957,056.25. The trade was a 54.31% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link.

Cheesecake Factory Stock Up 3.7%

Shares of CAKE stock traded up $4.23 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $117.29. 2,179,129 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,943,661. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $84.71 and its 200-day moving average is $68.99. The company has a current ratio of 0.59, a quick ratio of 0.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.08. The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $43.07 and a fifty-two week high of $117.97. The company has a market cap of $5.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.79, a P/E/G ratio of 2.04 and a beta of 1.00.

Cheesecake Factory (NASDAQ:CAKE) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 28th. The restaurant operator reported $1.44 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.18 by $0.26. The business had revenue of $1.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $999.54 million. Cheesecake Factory had a return on equity of 43.97% and a net margin of 4.61%.The company’s revenue was up 7.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.16 earnings per share. Analysts predict that The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated will post 4.43 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Cheesecake Factory Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 25th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, August 11th will be issued a $0.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, August 11th. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.0%. Cheesecake Factory’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 32.52%.

Institutional Trading of Cheesecake Factory

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Allworth Financial LP purchased a new stake in shares of Cheesecake Factory during the 2nd quarter worth about $36,000. Salomon & Ludwin LLC increased its stake in shares of Cheesecake Factory by 226.5% in the 4th quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 604 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 419 shares in the last quarter. NFSG Corp raised its holdings in Cheesecake Factory by 115.8% in the 1st quarter. NFSG Corp now owns 682 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 366 shares during the period. Global Retirement Partners LLC acquired a new position in Cheesecake Factory in the 2nd quarter worth about $57,000. Finally, Root Financial Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Cheesecake Factory by 973.2% during the 4th quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 880 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $44,000 after buying an additional 798 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.48% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on CAKE. Weiss Ratings lowered Cheesecake Factory from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Friday, July 31st. Robert W. Baird increased their price target on shares of Cheesecake Factory from $65.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Stephens reissued a “positive” rating on shares of Cheesecake Factory in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Cheesecake Factory from an “underweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $58.00 to $68.00 in a research note on Thursday, May 14th. Finally, Mizuho raised their target price on shares of Cheesecake Factory from $85.00 to $93.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $81.00.

Trending Headlines about Cheesecake Factory

Here are the key news stories impacting Cheesecake Factory this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Follow-through from the July earnings report appears to be the primary catalyst. Second-quarter revenue exceeded $1 billion, comparable sales rose 5.8%, traffic increased 2.7%, and restaurant-level margins reached approximately 20%—reportedly the company’s strongest level in about a decade. The dividend and share repurchases also reinforced confidence in cash generation. Cheesecake Factory Rises as Strong Q2 Results Continue to Support Shares
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised its earnings forecasts across several periods, including Q3 2026 EPS to $0.84 from $0.70 and full-year 2027 EPS to $4.64 from $4.24. The firm reiterated a “Strong Buy” rating, signaling expectations for continued earnings momentum. Zacks Research earnings estimate changes
• Positive Sentiment: CAKE was named to PEOPLE’s 2026 Companies That Care list for the sixth consecutive year, ranking No. 30. The recognition may support employee retention and brand reputation, though its direct financial effect is limited. The Cheesecake Factory Named to the PEOPLE Companies That Care List
• Positive Sentiment: A Zacks industry article included CAKE among restaurant stocks positioned to benefit from steady industry sales growth, value-oriented dining demand, and chain adaptation to consumer preferences. 4 Stocks to Buy as Restaurant Industry Continues to Make Steady Growth

About Cheesecake Factory

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated (NASDAQ:CAKE) is an American restaurant company and distributor renowned for its full-service casual-dining concept and specialty cheesecakes. Headquartered in Calabasas Hills, California, the company operates more than 200 restaurants under The Cheesecake Factory® brand across the United States, Puerto Rico and select international markets. In addition to sit-down dining, Cheesecake Factory franchised locations offer catering and take-out services, while a separate manufacturing arm supplies branded cheesecakes and desserts to supermarkets, hotels and other foodservice operators.

The origins of the brand trace back to a small cheesecake bakery founded in Detroit in the 1940s.