FY2026 Earnings Estimate for CAKE Issued By Zacks Research

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated (NASDAQ:CAKE) – Stock analysts at Zacks Research lifted their FY2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Cheesecake Factory in a report issued on Tuesday, August 11th. Zacks Research analyst Team now forecasts that the restaurant operator will earn $4.36 per share for the year, up from their prior forecast of $3.87. Zacks Research has a “Strong-Buy” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Cheesecake Factory’s current full-year earnings is $4.43 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Cheesecake Factory’s FY2028 earnings at $5.29 EPS.

Other equities analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a “hold” rating and set a $68.00 price objective on shares of Cheesecake Factory in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Northcoast Research lowered Cheesecake Factory from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, June 15th. Oppenheimer raised their price objective on shares of Cheesecake Factory from $91.00 to $101.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note 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 report on Thursday, May 14th. Finally, Robert W. Baird lifted their price target on Cheesecake Factory from $65.00 to $90.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. One investment 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 stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $81.00.

Cheesecake Factory Stock Up 3.7%

Shares of NASDAQ CAKE opened at $117.29 on Thursday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $84.71 and a 200 day simple moving average of $68.99. The firm has a market cap of $5.84 billion, a PE ratio of 31.79, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.04 and a beta of 1.00. Cheesecake Factory has a 1 year low of $43.07 and a 1 year high of $117.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.08, a current ratio of 0.59 and a quick ratio of 0.52.

Cheesecake Factory (NASDAQ:CAKE) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 28th. The restaurant operator reported $1.44 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.18 by $0.26. The firm 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 business’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.16 earnings per share.

Cheesecake Factory Dividend Announcement

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

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Cheesecake Factory news, EVP Scarlett May sold 7,978 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $102.66, for a total value of $819,021.48. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 18,241 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,872,621.06. This trade represents a 30.43% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Alexander L. Cappello sold 2,095 shares of Cheesecake Factory stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $101.50, for a total transaction of $212,642.50. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 4,076 shares in the company, valued at approximately $413,714. This represents a 33.95% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 214,281 shares of company stock worth $22,249,374 in the last ninety days. 8.00% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Cheesecake Factory

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of CAKE. Fisher Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in Cheesecake Factory by 7.2% during the fourth quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 503,184 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $25,401,000 after purchasing an additional 33,959 shares during the period. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System bought a new stake in shares of Cheesecake Factory in the first quarter valued at $1,111,000. Intech Investment Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Cheesecake Factory by 127.7% in the fourth quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 60,513 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $3,055,000 after buying an additional 33,936 shares during the period. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Cheesecake Factory during the 1st quarter valued at $719,000. Finally, California State Teachers Retirement System lifted its position in shares of Cheesecake Factory by 24.9% during the 1st quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 55,576 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $3,043,000 after buying an additional 11,088 shares during the last quarter. 94.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Cheesecake Factory News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Upward earnings revisions: Zacks Research raised its EPS forecasts for multiple periods, including Q3 2026 to $0.84 from $0.70, FY2026 to $4.36 from $3.87, FY2027 to $4.64 from $4.24, and FY2028 to $5.29 from $4.82. Zacks maintained a “Strong Buy” rating, supporting the view that recent operating momentum can continue. Zacks Research earnings estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Strong latest results remain a catalyst: Cheesecake Factory’s second-quarter revenue reached $1.03 billion, beating estimates, while EPS of $1.44 exceeded expectations of $1.18. Revenue rose 7.7% year over year, and comparable sales, traffic and restaurant-level margins reportedly improved significantly. The company also declared a $0.30 quarterly dividend and repurchased shares. Cheesecake Factory strong Q2 results
• Positive Sentiment: CAKE was named to PEOPLE’s 2026 Companies That Care list for the sixth consecutive year, which may aid employee retention and brand reputation, although the direct financial impact is limited. Companies That Care recognition
• Neutral Sentiment: Institutional positioning has been mixed, with some funds adding shares and others reducing holdings. Existing analyst coverage remains cautious overall, with an average “Hold” rating and an $81 price target, well below recent trading levels.
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling may temper enthusiasm: President David Gordon sold 31,950 shares for approximately $3.5 million, reducing his direct stake by more than half. Director Edie A. Ames also sold 3,000 shares. Such transactions may reflect portfolio diversification, but they add a cautionary signal after CAKE’s substantial run-up. CAKE insider selling

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.