Noodles & Company Q4 Earnings Exceed Expectations
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1 hour ago
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Should l Buy NDLS?
Source: seekingalpha
- Strong Earnings Report: Noodles & Company reported a Q4 non-GAAP EPS of -$0.43, beating expectations by $0.29, indicating an improvement in profitability despite still being negative.
- Revenue Growth: Q4 revenue reached $122.8 million, a 0.8% year-over-year increase, surpassing market expectations by $400,000, demonstrating the company's resilience in a competitive market.
- Comparable Sales Growth: Comparable restaurant sales grew approximately 9.0%, reflecting successful strategies in customer attraction and retention, which are expected to drive future revenue growth.
- 2026 Outlook: The company anticipates full-year revenue between $478 million and $493 million, with restaurant contribution margins of 14.7% to 16.0%, indicating a positive outlook on cost control and profitability.
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Analyst Views on NDLS
About NDLS
Noodles & Company offers lunch and dinner within the fast-casual segment of the restaurant industry. The Company’s core offerings include noodle and pasta dishes, staples of various different cuisines. Its menu includes a variety of cooked-to-order dishes, including noodles and pasta, salads, soups and appetizers. It offers approximately 20 customizable dishes at its restaurants, taken to-go, or delivered to its customers. It operates approximately 460 restaurants in 31 states, which includes 369 company locations and 91 franchise locations. Its restaurants are typically between 2,000 and 2,600 square feet and are located in end-cap, in-line or free-standing locations across a variety of suburban, collegiate and urban markets. It is researching a smaller square footage restaurant prototype design. The Company's restaurants are located in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, North Carolina, Missouri, Minnesota and others.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Earnings Announcement: Noodles & Company is set to release its Q4 earnings on March 25, with a consensus EPS estimate of -$0.72, reflecting a significant year-over-year decline of 380%, indicating substantial profitability challenges for the company.
- Revenue Expectations: The anticipated revenue for Q4 is $122.4 million, representing a modest year-over-year increase of 0.5%, which, while slight, suggests the company is striving to maintain revenue levels in a highly competitive market.
- Historical Performance Review: Over the past two years, Noodles & Company has only beaten EPS estimates 38% of the time and revenue estimates 25% of the time, highlighting ongoing challenges in profitability and revenue growth.
- Investor Activity: Activist investor Galloway has increased his stake in Noodles & Company, indicating market interest in the company's future potential, which may prompt strategic adjustments despite the current financial underperformance.
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- Strong Earnings Report: Noodles & Company reported a Q4 non-GAAP EPS of -$0.43, beating expectations by $0.29, indicating an improvement in profitability despite still being negative.
- Revenue Growth: Q4 revenue reached $122.8 million, a 0.8% year-over-year increase, surpassing market expectations by $400,000, demonstrating the company's resilience in a competitive market.
- Comparable Sales Growth: Comparable restaurant sales grew approximately 9.0%, reflecting successful strategies in customer attraction and retention, which are expected to drive future revenue growth.
- 2026 Outlook: The company anticipates full-year revenue between $478 million and $493 million, with restaurant contribution margins of 14.7% to 16.0%, indicating a positive outlook on cost control and profitability.
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- Stake Increase: Galloway Capital disclosed in a new SEC filing that its beneficial ownership in Noodles (NDLS) increased from 6.0% to 8.8%, indicating a strong belief in the restaurant stock's future value and potential.
- Acquisition Price: The firm acquired over 2.8 million shares through open-market purchases from December to February at an average price of approximately $5.75 per share (post-1-for-8 reverse split), reflecting its view of the stock's undervaluation.
- Strategic Intent: Galloway Capital intends to engage with Noodles' board regarding performance, governance, capital allocation, and potential board changes, demonstrating its commitment to enhancing shareholder value through active involvement.
- Market Reaction: Noodles (NDLS) shares rose 4.4% in Wednesday morning trading, with a market cap exceeding $32 million, indicating a positive market response to Galloway's increased stake, which may attract further investor interest.
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- Reverse Stock Split Plan: Noodles & Company has announced a 1-for-8 reverse stock split effective February 18, 2026, aimed at regaining compliance with Nasdaq's $1.00 minimum bid price requirement, which is crucial for maintaining its listing status.
- Board Approval: The reverse split ratio was approved by the board within the previously authorized range of 1-for-2 to 1-for-15, indicating the company's commitment to enhancing shareholder value and addressing market compliance proactively.
- Market Reaction: Following the announcement, Noodles & Company's shares fell 7% in after-hours trading, reflecting a cautious market sentiment regarding the split and potentially impacting investor confidence.
- Financial Context: While the company reported higher comparable sales in Q4, the decision for a reverse split suggests underlying pressure on stock performance, necessitating measures to sustain investor interest and trust.
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- Fan-Driven Comeback: Noodles & Company is reviving its Steak Stroganoff for a limited time due to overwhelming fan demand, featuring a rich mushroom-sherry cream sauce and tender marinated steak to satisfy cravings for classic flavors.
- Social Media Engagement: The brand celebrates fan love for Stroganoff by transforming real social media posts into AI-powered mini-dramas, showcasing its commitment to customer feedback and enhancing brand loyalty.
- Chief StroganOff-icer Casting Call: From February 10 to 25, Noodles & Company will hold a casting call for its first-ever Chief StroganOff-icer, encouraging fans to demonstrate their passion for the dish and fostering deeper brand engagement.
- Rewards Program Attracts New Members: New Noodles Rewards members receive a free entrée after their first purchase of $10 or more, aimed at attracting more customers through point rewards and exclusive offers to enhance brand loyalty.
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- Sales Growth Highlight: Noodles & Company reported a 6.6% increase in system-wide comparable sales for Q4 2025, driven by a 7.3% rise at company-owned restaurants and a 3.8% increase at franchised locations, showcasing effective execution in improving food quality and value.
- Sustained Growth Momentum: Compared to Q3, comparable sales at company-owned restaurants grew about 4%, indicating that ongoing improvements in product and service are driving sales growth and enhancing market competitiveness.
- Restaurant Operational Adjustments: As of December 30, 2025, the company operated 340 company-owned restaurants and 83 franchised locations, with plans to close 30 to 35 restaurants in 2026 to focus resources on higher-performing stores, optimizing overall business structure.
- Financial Outlook: The consensus for FY25 revenue stands at $494.70 million, reflecting market confidence in the company's future growth, while NDLS shares rose 17.25% to $0.88, indicating positive investor sentiment towards the company's strategic adjustments.
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