Noodles & Company (NDLS) AI Stock Analysis

Noodles & Company is a fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in cooked-to-order dishes, founded in 1995 and based in Broomfield, Colorado. The company operates across the United States, offering a diverse menu that includes noodle-based meals, pasta dishes, soups, salads, and appetizers. Emphasizing fresh ingredients and customizable options, Noodles & Company caters to varied tastes and dietary preferences in a casual dining environment. The company continually updates its menu with seasonal ingredients and innovative creations, serving customers who seek quick yet quality dining experiences nationwide.

Noodles & Company achieved a five-year revenue CAGR of 4.7% between FY2020 and FY2025. Annual revenue grew from $475.2M in FY2021 to $509.5M in FY2022, before retreating to $503.4M in FY2023 and $493.3M in FY2024. Revenue rose slightly by 0.4% in FY2025 to $495.1M. Operating margins declined from 1.2% in FY2021 to -1.0% in FY2025, alongside a gross margin drop to 8.9%. Net income worsened from $3.7M in FY2021 to -$42.6M in FY2025. For the trailing twelve months ended June 30, 2026, revenue stood at $495.7M with a profit margin of -4.7%. In the latest quarter, revenue grew 0.5% year-over-year while quarterly earnings fell 11.8%.

As of June 30, 2026, Noodles & Company held $1.3M in cash and short-term investments against $242.5M in total debt, resulting in net debt of $241.2M. Total assets stood at $235.8M, and shareholders' equity was -$51.0M, reflecting negative equity. The company reported a current ratio of 0.29. In FY2025, operating cash flow was $7.3M and capital expenditures totaled $12.4M, resulting in free cash flow of -$5.1M. Over the trailing five years, the company's share count increased by 3.8%.

At a share price of $13.97, Noodles & Company has a market cap of $83.4M and an enterprise value of $321.8M. The stock trades at a forward P/E of 18.5x, above the 14.1x median of its US-listed Consumer Cyclical peers. Its EV/EBITDA of 27.0x also exceeds the peer median of 11.1x, while its price-to-sales of 0.2x sits below the peer median of 0.7x. Over the past year, NDLS gained 173.3%, outperforming the S&P 500 return of 16.8%. However, its five-year return of -86.4% significantly trailed the S&P 500 gain of 83.0%.

One analyst covers Noodles & Company with a Hold rating. The mean price target is $1.75, which stands 87.5% below the October 16, 2026 closing price of $13.97. For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, consensus estimates project revenue of $488.6M and an EPS of -$0.22. For the following fiscal year, analysts forecast revenue to fall 0.9% to $484.0M and EPS to improve to $0.46. The company beat EPS estimates in 3 of the last 4 quarters, and its next earnings date is November 4, 2026.

This page is an AI-written research summary of Noodles & Company (NDLS). The text was generated on October 30, 2026 from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 (company profile, annual results, latest balance sheet, valuation, price performance and analyst estimates). An automatic check rejects any draft that contains a figure not found in that data. It is not investment advice; verify figures on the linked tabs before making decisions.

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