The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated $CAKE Shares Sold by Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio

Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio cut its position in shares of The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated (NASDAQ:CAKE) by 17.1% in the first quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 35,804 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock after selling 7,374 shares during the quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio’s holdings in Cheesecake Factory were worth $1,960,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. State of Wyoming purchased a new position in shares of Cheesecake Factory during the first quarter valued at approximately $196,000. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its position in Cheesecake Factory by 5.6% during the first quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 10,558 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $578,000 after acquiring an additional 562 shares during the last quarter. Long Road Investment Counsel LLC grew its stake in Cheesecake Factory by 1.9% in the 1st quarter. Long Road Investment Counsel LLC now owns 43,920 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $2,405,000 after acquiring an additional 800 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its stake in Cheesecake Factory by 2.4% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,242,143 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $68,008,000 after acquiring an additional 29,037 shares during the period. Finally, Swiss National Bank raised its holdings in Cheesecake Factory by 0.4% in the 1st quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 93,700 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $5,130,000 after acquiring an additional 400 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.48% of the company’s stock.

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?

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have weighed in on the company. Weiss Ratings lowered Cheesecake Factory from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Friday. Zacks Research raised Cheesecake Factory from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. Citigroup upped their target price on Cheesecake Factory from $76.00 to $90.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Argus increased their target price on Cheesecake Factory from $72.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised Cheesecake Factory from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and raised their price target for the stock from $50.00 to $80.00 in a research note on Wednesday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have issued a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Cheesecake Factory has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $79.81.

Insider Activity at Cheesecake Factory

In other Cheesecake Factory news, insider Ashley W. Hanscom sold 3,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $100.00, for a total transaction of $350,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 7,541 shares in the company, valued at $754,100. This represents a 31.70% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Matthew Eliot Clark sold 68,900 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $99.30, for a total value of $6,841,770.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 45,109 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,479,323.70. This trade represents a 60.43% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 74,890 shares of company stock worth $7,353,371. 8.00% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Cheesecake Factory Stock Performance

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 company has a market cap of $5.04 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.49, a P/E/G ratio of 1.85 and a beta of 1.01. The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $43.07 and a fifty-two week high of $103.33. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $77.60 and its two-hundred day moving average is $66.16.

Cheesecake Factory (NASDAQ:CAKE) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 28th. The restaurant operator reported $1.44 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate 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 during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $999.54 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.16 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 7.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated will post 4.43 EPS for the current year.

Cheesecake Factory Dividend Announcement

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

Cheesecake Factory 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.