Carter's Inc. (CRI) vs Wingstop Inc. (WING)

A side-by-side comparison of Carter's Inc. and Wingstop Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of August 31, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.

Compare

Total returnCRI vs WING

growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10y
CRI -55.8% (-7.8%/yr)WING +307.8% (+15.1%/yr)WING compounded faster over this window
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
101001k10kStart $10020182020202220242026$44$408
CRI WING

CRI vs WING: by the numbers

  • WING is the larger company ($2.98B vs $1.19B market cap).
  • CRI trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (5.90 vs 26.00 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
  • WING converts more revenue to profit (16.15% vs 6.55% net margin).
  • WING grew revenue faster over the past five years (21.51% vs -2.54% CAGR).
  • CRI pays the higher dividend yield (3.09% vs 1.10%).

Metrics side by side

Valuation

MetricCRIWING
P/E ratio5.9026.00
Forward P/E9.7824.68
P/S ratio0.394.14
P/B ratio1.12N/A
EV / EBITDA5.0817.69
FCF yield25.51%4.31%

Profitability

MetricCRIWING
Gross margin48.60%82.62%
Operating margin9.24%28.69%
Net margin6.55%16.15%
ROE18.99%-23.65%
ROIC10.17%25.21%

Dividends

MetricCRIWING
Dividend yield3.09%1.10%
Payout ratio38.61%19.26%

Growth (annualized)

MetricCRIWING
Revenue CAGR (5Y)-2.54%21.51%
EPS CAGR (5Y)-24.12%51.11%
FCF CAGR (5Y)-26.11%16.49%
Total return CAGR (5Y)-17.43%-8.18%

Frequently asked

Which has the lower trailing P/E, CRI or WING?
CRI has the lower trailing P/E: CRI trades at 5.90 and WING at 26.00. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
Which has grown faster, CRI or WING?
Over the past five years, WING grew revenue faster — CRI at a -2.54% CAGR versus WING at 21.51%.
Does CRI or WING pay a bigger dividend?
CRI yields 3.09% and WING yields 1.10% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
Is CRI or WING more profitable?
WING runs the higher net margin — CRI at 6.55% versus WING at 16.15%.
How have CRI and WING total returns compared?
Over the past 10 years, CRI delivered -7.81% and WING delivered 15.03% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.

Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified August 31, 2026.