Cheesecake Factory (NASDAQ:CAKE) Insider Ashley Hanscom Sells 3,500 Shares

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated (NASDAQ:CAKE) insider Ashley Hanscom sold 3,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $100.00, for a total value of $350,000.00. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 7,541 shares in the company, valued at $754,100. This trade represents a 31.70% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website.

Cheesecake Factory Stock Up 0.1%

NASDAQ CAKE opened at $101.42 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22. The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $43.07 and a fifty-two week high of $103.33. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $77.60 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $66.16. The stock has a market cap of $5.04 billion, a PE ratio of 27.49, a P/E/G ratio of 1.85 and a beta of 1.01.

Cheesecake Factory (NASDAQ:CAKE) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 28th. The restaurant operator reported $1.44 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.18 by $0.26. Cheesecake Factory had a net margin of 4.61% and a return on equity of 45.94%. The company had revenue of $1.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $999.54 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.16 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 7.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated will post 4.38 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Cheesecake Factory Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 25th. Investors of record on Tuesday, August 11th will be issued a dividend of $0.30 per share. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, August 11th. Cheesecake Factory’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 32.52%.

Key Cheesecake Factory News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Record quarterly performance: Cheesecake Factory reported its first quarter with revenue above $1 billion, alongside earnings and revenue that exceeded Wall Street expectations. Revenue increased 7.7% year over year, reinforcing the view that stronger traffic and execution are driving the core brand. Cheesecake Factory quarterly revenues surpass $1B for the first time
• Positive Sentiment: Improved analyst outlook: Zacks added CAKE to its Rank #1, or “Strong Buy,” list, citing favorable earnings-estimate revisions. A separate analysis said stronger namesake-brand traffic, menu innovation, digital engagement and brand expansion could support continued growth. Why Cheesecake Factory Might Be Well Poised for a Surge
• Positive Sentiment: Broader bullish sentiment: Seeking Alpha upgraded the stock to Buy after noting improved core traffic, while Stephens and Robert W. Baird raised their price targets. These actions reinforce investor confidence following the earnings beat. The Cheesecake Factory: Core Traffic Improved
• Neutral Sentiment: Customer engagement initiatives: National Cheesecake Day promotions, including half-price slices and a new brownie-toffee flavor, may support near-term traffic and brand visibility, but their effect on earnings is likely limited. The Cheesecake Factory celebrates National Cheesecake Day
• Negative Sentiment: Large insider sale: CFO Matthew Eliot Clark sold 68,900 shares for approximately $6.8 million after exercising options, reducing his direct stake by about 60%. Another insider sold 3,500 shares for $350,000. The transactions may raise caution because they occurred near record highs, although insider sales can also reflect diversification or scheduled compensation activity. What This Cheesecake Factory Insider Sale Means
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and execution risks: CAKE has more than doubled during 2026, making its valuation richer. Investors are also watching softer North Italia demand and inflation-driven margin pressure, which could challenge the sustainability of the rally. Is CAKE Stock Still Attractive After Its Powerful 2026 Rally?

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in CAKE. Invesco Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Cheesecake Factory by 13.6% in the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 2,337,671 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $118,006,000 after acquiring an additional 280,553 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its stake in Cheesecake Factory by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 1,785,955 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $90,155,000 after purchasing an additional 4,535 shares during the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Cheesecake Factory by 16.4% in the fourth quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 1,474,320 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $74,424,000 after purchasing an additional 207,788 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its holdings in Cheesecake Factory by 2.4% in the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,242,143 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $68,008,000 after purchasing an additional 29,037 shares during the period. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC increased its stake in Cheesecake Factory by 0.4% during the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,152,174 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $58,170,000 after purchasing an additional 4,577 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.48% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

CAKE has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Oppenheimer upped their price objective on shares of Cheesecake Factory from $91.00 to $101.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $68.00 target price on shares of Cheesecake Factory in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Cheesecake Factory from an “underweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $58.00 to $68.00 in a research note on Thursday, May 14th. Argus increased their price target on Cheesecake Factory from $72.00 to $110.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised Cheesecake Factory from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $79.81.

Cheesecake Factory Company Profile

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.