Texas Roadhouse, Inc.
operates a chain of casual dining restaurants known for its American cuisine, hand-cut steaks, and lively atmosphere in the competitive restaurant industry. The company has established a strong identity through its value-focused, high-volume operating model and a highly successful, enduring brand built on consistent quality and hospitality.
Updated: January 14, 2026, 16:00 EST
Based on a comprehensive analysis of Texas Roadhouse (TXRH), the stock presents a compelling but nuanced case.
Investment Thesis TXRH is a high-quality operator with exceptional brand strength and pristine financial health, evidenced by its zero long-term debt and highly efficient operations. However, this quality comes at a steep price, with valuation metrics like a forward P/E of 33.2 and EV/EBITDA of 79.0 indicating that significant future growth is already priced in. The stock's recent strong technical performance also places it near its 52-week high, increasing short-term pullback risk. Investors are essentially paying a premium for a best-in-class company that is already executing at a high level.
Buy Recommendation Texas Roadhouse is a strong HOLD for existing investors, as its operational excellence justifies a premium, but the current valuation limits near-term upside potential. For new investors, it is advisable to wait for a more attractive entry point, such as a market-wide downturn or a temporary company-specific setback that brings the price closer to its historical valuation range. The underlying business is excellent, but patience is required to buy this quality at a more reasonable price. This is not investment advice, for reference only.
Based on the comprehensive analysis provided, the 12-month outlook for Texas Roadhouse (TXRH) is as follows:
The primary catalysts for TXRH remain its exceptional operational execution, strong brand loyalty, and unit growth, which should continue to drive industry-leading comparable sales and profitability. The key risk is overwhelmingly its elevated valuation, which leaves the stock vulnerable to a significant correction if growth merely meets, rather than exceeds, high market expectations or if the broader market multiples contract. Given the substantial premium, the stock is more likely to trade within a wide range, with a potential upside ceiling around $210-$220 contingent on stellar earnings beats, but with a higher probability of a pullback toward the $160-$170 range if sentiment sours on high-multiple stocks.
Most Wall Street analysts are optimistic about TXRH's 12-month outlook, with consensus target around $189.09, indicating expected upside potential.
Overall, TXRH has investment potential but also faces challenges. Here are key factors to weigh before investing.
Of course. Here is the technical analysis of TXRH's price performance:
Overall Assessment TXRH has demonstrated strong bullish momentum, significantly outperforming the broader market over the recent quarter.
Short-term Performance The stock shows robust short-term strength, with substantial returns of over 13% for both the 1-month and 3-month periods. This performance is particularly impressive as it represents a significant 9.74% outperformance against the market benchmark, indicating powerful independent bullish momentum.
Current Position Trading at $189.74, TXRH sits in the upper 75th percentile of its 52-week range ($148.73 - $199.99), suggesting it is approaching overbought territory. With the current price being just over 5% from its 52-week high, the risk of a pullback has increased, especially considering its maximum drawdown of -20.8% demonstrates the stock's capacity for volatility despite its slightly defensive beta of 0.898.
| Period | TXRH Return | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| 1m | +12.4% | +1.3% |
| 3m | +15.8% | +5.7% |
| 6m | +1.4% | +10.6% |
| 1y | +5.5% | +16.5% |
| ytd | +10.3% | +1.1% |
Of course. Here is a fundamental analysis of Texas Roadhouse (TXRH) based on the provided data.
Texas Roadhouse demonstrates solid revenue generation but faces pressure on profitability. The Q3 2025 revenue was $1.44 billion, with a gross profit margin of 14.7%. However, profitability metrics are modest, with an operating income ratio of 6.7% and a net profit margin of 5.8%. The effective tax rate of 13.1% indicates efficient tax management, but operating expenses are consuming a significant portion of gross profit, leaving narrower bottom-line results.
The company exhibits a very strong financial health position. Notably, it carries no long-term debt (long-term debt to capitalization is 0%), resulting in a low debt-to-equity ratio of approximately 0.64. While the current ratio of 0.36 appears weak, this is common for asset-light restaurant operators and is offset by a robust cash flow-to-debt ratio of 0.15. The negative cash conversion cycle of -3.2 days is highly efficient, showing the company collects from customers before it needs to pay its suppliers.
Operational efficiency is a key strength, highlighted by exceptional inventory and receivables turnover rates of 26.9 and 23.5, respectively, which are indicative of effective supply chain and cash collection management. However, the return on equity (ROE) of 5.7% and return on assets (ROA) of 2.5% are relatively low, suggesting that while operations are streamlined, the company is generating only moderate returns on its invested capital and assets.
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Try Now & Get Tesla Stock RewardValuation Level: Texas Roadhouse appears richly valued across traditional metrics, with elevated ratios including a forward PE of 33.2, a high PB of 8.5, and an extremely high EV/EBITDA of 79.0. These multiples suggest significant growth expectations are already priced into the stock. The negative PEG ratio, stemming from a decline in earnings growth estimates, is a notable cautionary signal regarding its premium valuation.
Peer Comparison: Without specific industry average data for comparison, a definitive peer benchmark cannot be established. However, these ratios are typically high for the restaurant sector, indicating TXRH likely trades at a substantial premium relative to broader industry peers. Further analysis with comparable company data would be required to precisely quantify this valuation gap.
Based on the provided metrics, TXRH demonstrates moderate volatility risk with a Beta slightly below 1 (0.898), indicating marginally lower sensitivity to broad market movements than typical stocks. However, the stock's maximum drawdown of -20.8% over the past year suggests moderate downside risk. Overall, TXRH's volatility profile appears manageable but warrants monitoring for broader volatility shocks.
Regarding other risks, the absence of short interest implies very low expectations for significant downside pressure from short sellers. Additionally, with no liquidity concerns highlighted, the stock appears to benefit from solid investor confidence. This dynamic suggests that market sentiment currently views TXRH as relatively stable, with minimal perceived downside pressure from short-term trades.
Of course. Based on the provided analysis, here is a professional assessment of Texas Roadhouse (TXRH).
Opinion: Neutral
Texas Roadhouse is not a compelling buy at its current levels. The stock appears fairly valued with significant growth expectations already priced in. While the company exhibits strong operational efficiency and a robust balance sheet, its premium valuation and moderate profitability metrics suggest limited near-term upside.
Key Reasons: 1. Rich Valuation: Traditional metrics (Forward P/E of 33.2, EV/EBITDA of 79.0) indicate the stock is trading at a substantial premium, leaving little margin for error. 2. Analyst Consensus: The overarching "Hold" rating from analysts reflects a view that the stock is fairly valued at present, lacking a strong catalyst for a significant move. 3. Mixed Signals: Strong brand loyalty and financial health are positive, but these are balanced by margin pressures from rising costs and the stock's proximity to its 52-week high.
Suitable For: Long-term investors who believe in the company's durable brand and are willing to wait for growth to justify the current premium. It is less suitable for value investors or those seeking near-term catalysts.
Based on the provided data, Texas Roadhouse (TXRH) stock appears to be overvalued.
The valuation is elevated compared to typical industry levels. Key metrics include a high Forward PE of 33.2, a very high Price-to-Book (PB) ratio of 8.5, and an extremely high EV/EBITDA of 79.0. These multiples are significantly above averages for the restaurant sector, indicating a substantial premium.
The primary reason for this overvaluation is the market pricing in high future growth expectations, which is contradicted by a negative PEG ratio. Furthermore, the company's modest profitability (Net Margin of 5.8%, ROE of 5.7%) does not justify such rich valuations, suggesting the stock is priced for perfection.
Of course. As a risk management analyst, here are the key risks of holding Texas Roadhouse (TXRH) stock, ordered by importance.
1. Market Volatility and Correction Risk: Despite strong recent performance, the stock is trading near its 52-week high, increasing its vulnerability to a market-wide correction or sector rotation, especially given its demonstrated capacity for a -20.8% drawdown within the past year. 2. Profit Margin Compression Risk: The company faces pressure on profitability, with a net profit margin of only 5.8%, indicating that rising costs for labor and commodities could significantly erode earnings if they outpace menu price increases. 3. Industry-Specific Operational Risk: As a full-service restaurant, TXRH is directly exposed to risks of softened consumer discretionary spending, wage inflation, and regional economic downturns that can immediately impact store-level traffic and margins. 4. Valuation and Growth Expectation Risk: The stock's significant outperformance has likely baked in high growth expectations; any failure to meet these expectations in future earnings reports could lead to a sharp de-rating, given the lofty valuation near peak prices.
Of course. Here is a forecast for Texas Roadhouse (TXRH) stock performance through 2026.
Based on a strategic analysis, the forecast for Texas Roadhouse (TXRH) is cautiously optimistic, with growth heavily dependent on sustaining its premium operational execution in a competitive market.
1. Target Price Range: The base case target for late 2026 is in the $230 - $260 range, assuming steady unit growth and stable margins. A bull case, contingent on exceptional same-store sales growth and successful margin expansion, could push the stock toward $280 - $300.
2. Key Growth Drivers: * Unit Expansion: Continued systematic rollout of new Texas Roadhouse and Bubba’s 33 restaurants, both domestically and potentially internationally. * Pricing Power & Menu Innovation: The ability to implement strategic price increases without deterring its loyal customer base, coupled with successful limited-time offerings. * Operational Efficiency: Maintaining industry-leading throughput and labor management to protect margins against wage inflation.
3. Main Assumptions: This forecast assumes a stable economic environment without a severe recession, continued effective management execution, and that the company's debt-free balance sheet provides flexibility for growth. It also assumes no major deterioration in consumer discretionary spending.
4. Uncertainty: The primary uncertainty is the stock's current premium valuation. Any failure to meet high growth expectations, a broader market contraction, or a significant rise in commodity costs (particularly beef) could lead to substantial volatility and limit upside potential.
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