Cheesecake Factory

CAKE · Nasdaq · Consumer Discretionary · Financials, fiscal 2016 to 2025

CAKE · Last close · October 26, 2026

$110.13

Cheesecake Factory's revenue rose 4.8% to $3.8 billion in fiscal 2025. Its operating margin was 5.0%, about the same as 5.0% a year earlier. Free cash flow was $155 million, up 43.6%. It paid out $206 million in dividends and buybacks, 133% of free cash flow. The diluted share count fell 0.9%.

THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY INCORPORATED Latest fiscal year ended December 30, 2025 10-K filed February 23, 2026 · 0001104659-26-018643 Updated October 10, 2026

Revenue

$3.8B

4.8%

Operating margin

5.0%

0.0 pts

Net income

$148M

5.3%

Free cash flow

$155M

43.6%

Return on capital

20.5%

0.6 pts

Market cap

$5.3B

Oct 26 close

P/E

29.8x

On $3.69 EPS, 4 qtrs

Operating margin is operating income as a share of revenue. Free cash flow is cash from operations minus capital spending. Return on capital is after-tax operating income as a share of the money invested in the business: debt plus equity, minus cash. Market cap is the last closing share price times the latest diluted share count, so it is approximate. P/E is the last close divided by diluted earnings per share over the last four quarters, or the latest fiscal year where the quarters aren't available; there is none when the company made a loss.

What Cheesecake Factory does

Cheesecake Factory owns and operates restaurants in the United States and Canada. As of February 23, 2026, it ran 368 restaurants: 216 The Cheesecake Factory, 48 North Italia, 43 Flower Child and 55 other restaurants from its Fox Restaurant Concepts group. Another 35 The Cheesecake Factory restaurants operate abroad under licensing agreements. It also runs two bakeries that make cheesecakes and other baked goods for its restaurants, international licensees and outside customers.

Most of its revenue comes from restaurant sales. The Cheesecake Factory restaurants offer moderate prices, a menu of approximately 225 items and a full-service bar. In fiscal 2025, alcoholic drinks were 11% of sales at those restaurants, and food and drinks taken off the premises were approximately 21%. It uses a third party for delivery and offers online ordering for to-go sales.

The company warns that wage and commodity inflation, tariffs and supply chain problems could raise its costs or delay new restaurant openings. Its business started in 1972 as a small bakery, and the first restaurant opened in Beverly Hills, California, in 1978.

Its biggest risks, as it describes them

Weak economic conditions that reduce spending by diners and raise its costs.
Not being able to grow sales at its existing restaurants.
Damage to its brands and reputation, which it calls its greatest asset.
Labor cost inflation and attempts to organize its workers.
Food safety problems or health emergencies that cut customer traffic or disrupt its supply chain.

From Cheesecake Factory's annual report on Form 10-K, filed February 23, 2026, in our words; the 10-K has the full description and every risk factor. Updated with each new 10-K.

Charts show fiscal years, from the 10-K filings.

Revenue and margins

Revenue

US$ billions, fiscal years

Margins

Percent of revenue

GrossOperatingNetFree cash flow

Net income and earnings per share

From fiscal 2016 to 2025, earnings per share grew 0.9% a year and net income 0.7% a year, as buybacks cut the share count by 2%.

Net income

US$ billions, fiscal years; loss years in red.

Diluted earnings per share

US$ per share, fiscal years, restated for any stock splits; loss years in red.

Returns on capital

Return on capital and on equity

Percent. Return on capital is after-tax operating income over the money invested in the business (debt plus equity, minus cash); return on equity is net income over shareholders' equity. Both use the average of opening and closing balances.

Return on capitalReturn on equity

Cash flow

Free cash flow

US$ billions. Cash from operations minus capital expenditure; negative years in red.

Payouts and share count

Dividends and buybacks

US$ billions, cash paid in each fiscal year

DividendsShare buybacks

Diluted share count

Weighted-average diluted shares, millions

Valuation

Two ways to value Cheesecake Factory yourself, both starting from its filings: a discounted cash flow model and the price-to-earnings method.

Discounted cash flow (DCF)

A discounted cash flow (DCF) model values a business as the cash it may generate in future, discounted back to today. The starting figures come from Cheesecake Factory's 10-K (or, for net cash and shares, its latest 10-Q) and the assumptions are yours: start from one of three example scenarios, then change any figure to see what it implies for a share, and how that compares with the last share price.

Value per share on three example scenarios, from Cheesecake Factory's fiscal 2025 free cash flow of $155M, net cash of −$414M at December 30, 2025 and 49 million diluted shares, from its filings. The scenarios are fitted to Cheesecake Factory: the base scenario's growth in years 1 to 5 is its revenue growth over the last 3 years, 4.3% a year; the cautious and optimistic ones are lower and higher, and growth in years 6 to 10 is halfway to the long-run rate. The base scenario's discount rate is 10%: 9% for a business of moderate risk (Restaurants), plus 1 point as a smaller company, worth $5.3B; the cautious and optimistic ones use a point more and a point less. Select one to load it into the calculator. These are the model's arithmetic on those assumptions, not a forecast or a price target.

From the filings

Starting free cash flow, US$ millions

Cash from operations minus capital spending in fiscal 2025.

Net cash, US$ millions

Cash and short-term investments minus debt and finance leases at December 30, 2025. Negative means net debt.

Diluted shares, millions

Weighted-average diluted shares in fiscal 2025.

Your assumptions

Start from

Fitted to Cheesecake Factory's own revenue growth, as above. Cautious: growth of 2% then 2% a year, 2% after year 10, a 11% discount rate. Base: growth of 4.5% then 3.5% a year, 2.5% after year 10, a 10% discount rate. Optimistic: growth of 6.5% then 5% a year, 3% after year 10, a 9% discount rate.

Free cash flow growth, years 1 to 5 (% a year)

Free cash flow growth, years 6 to 10 (% a year)

Growth after year 10 (% a year)Long-run growth forever after year 10. Usually close to inflation, and always below the discount rate.

Discount rate (% a year)The yearly return an investor wants for the risk. A higher rate gives a lower value.

Value per share on these assumptions

—

Last close, October 26, 2026: $110.13
Value on these assumptions, against the last close: —

Cash flows in years 1 to 10, valued today: —
Everything after year 10, valued today: —
Plus net cash: —
Share of value from after year 10: —

Projected free cash flow

US$ billions. Each column is one year's projected free cash flow, split into what it is worth today and the part removed by discounting.

Value todayRemoved by discounting

How the value changes with two assumptions

Value per share in US$, with the growth rates above. The highlighted cell matches the current assumptions.

How the model works. Free cash flow grows at the first rate for five years and the second rate for five more, and each year is discounted at the discount rate. Everything after year 10 is valued as year-10 cash flow × (1 + growth after year 10) ÷ (discount rate − growth after year 10), discounted back ten years. Net cash is added and the total is divided by diluted shares. The result depends entirely on the assumptions. It is not a forecast, a price target or a recommendation. The last close is the consolidated US closing price, from Databento.

Price-to-earnings (P/E) method

Another common way to value a company is to multiply its earnings per share by a price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple: the number of years of today's earnings an investor pays for a share. A higher multiple usually means investors expect earnings to grow. Choose a multiple, for example from similar companies, to see the value it gives.

Value per share on three example scenarios, from Cheesecake Factory's earnings per share of $3.69 (over the last four quarters). Each grows earnings for a year at the cash flow scenarios' rates and applies a multiple to next year's earnings: 21.9×, the middle of Cheesecake Factory's own P/E today, its peers' median and its sector's median (its peers' median) for the base scenario, 20% less and more for the cautious and optimistic ones. The price is brought back a year at 11%, 10% and 9%. Select one to load it into the calculator. These are the model's arithmetic on those assumptions, not a forecast or a price target.

Earnings per share, US$

Diluted earnings per share over the four quarters to June 30, 2026, from the 10-Qs and 10-K.

P/E multiple

P/E today is the last close divided by the latest earnings per share, the four quarters' where available. Peers: Cracker Barrel, Domino's, Brinker International, Texas Roadhouse.

Earnings growth in the years ahead (% a year) Starts at Cheesecake Factory's revenue growth over the last 3 years, 4.3% a year, as the base scenario does.

Earnings per share in the years ahead, US$

Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5

Type your own estimate for any year; the years after it carry on at the growth rate.

Apply the multiple to earnings

A multiple on a future year's earnings gives the price then, brought back to today at the discount rate below.

Discount rate (% a year) The yearly return an investor wants for the risk, as in the cash flow model.

Value per share today at this multiple

—

Last close, October 26, 2026: $110.13
Value at this multiple, against the last close: —
Cheesecake Factory's P/E at the last close: 29.8×

Company	Last close	Earnings per share	P/E today
Cracker BarrelCBRL	$68.84	$1.40	49.2×
Cheesecake FactoryCAKE	$110.13	$3.69	29.8×
Texas RoadhouseTXRH	$165.82	$6.25	26.5×
Brinker InternationalEAT	$187.98	$10.87	17.3×
Domino'sDPZ	$313.32	$18.15	17.3×

How the P/E method works. Value per share is earnings per share times the multiple. On a future year's earnings, that gives the price in that year, which is brought back to today at the discount rate: price ÷ (1 + discount rate) for each year ahead. It is quick and easy to compare across companies, but it ignores debt and cash, and earnings can swing with one-off gains and charges, so a multiple says most about steady, profitable businesses. Like the cash flow model, the result depends entirely on the assumptions you choose. It is not a forecast, a price target or a recommendation.

Balance sheet

Fiscal year end	FY21	FY22	FY23	FY24	FY25
Cash and short-term investments	190	115	56	84	216
Debt incl. finance leases	466	468	470	452	630
Net debt (negative means net cash)	276	353	414	368	414
Net debt to EBITDA	1.6x	2.7x	2.0x	1.3x	1.4x
Debt to equity	1.4x	1.6x	1.5x	1.0x	1.4x
Interest coverage	8.6x	5.4x	11.1x	13.8x	21.6x
Current ratio	0.6x	0.5x	0.5x	0.5x	0.6x
Quick ratio	0.6x	0.4x	0.4x	0.4x	0.5x

US$ millions unless stated, at each fiscal year end. Net debt to EBITDA is debt minus cash, divided by operating income before depreciation and amortization: roughly how many years of those earnings the net debt equals. Debt to equity is debt as a multiple of shareholders' equity. Interest coverage is operating income divided by interest expense. The current ratio is current assets over current liabilities; the quick ratio leaves out inventory.

Insider trades

Over the 12 months between October 27, 2025 and October 26, 2026, no insider bought Cheesecake Factory shares on the open market, and 9 insiders sold $30.1 million.

Date	Insider	Trade	Shares	Price	Value	Filing
Aug 17, 2026	Janice L. MeyerDirector	Sold	1,958	$109.36	$214,127	Form 4
Aug 10, 2026	David M GordonPresident	Sold	31,950	$110.03	$3.5 million	Form 4
Aug 10, 2026	Edie A AmesDirector	Sold	3,000	$106.95	$320,850	Form 4
Aug 5, 2026	David OvertonChairman and C.e.o., Director	Sold	94,145	$106.27	$10.0 million	Form 4
Aug 4, 2026	Alexander L CappelloDirector	Sold	64	$106.08	$6,789	Form 4
Aug 3, 2026	Alexander L CappelloDirector	Sold	59	$104.20	$6,148	Form 4
Jul 31, 2026	Scarlett MayEVP, General Counsel	Sold	7,978	$102.66	$819,021	Form 4
Jul 31, 2026	Alexander L CappelloDirector	Sold	100	$103.04	$10,304	Form 4
Jul 30, 2026	Matthew Eliot ClarkExec VP, CFO	Sold	68,900	$99.30	$6.8 million	Form 4
Jul 30, 2026	Ashley W HanscomPrincipal Accounting Officer	Sold	3,500	$100.00	$350,000	Form 4
Jul 30, 2026	Alexander L CappelloDirector	Sold	2,095	$101.50	$212,642	Form 4
Jun 2, 2026	Alexander L CappelloDirector	Sold	2,490	$64.90	$161,601	Form 4

The latest 12 of 18 trades. Open-market purchases and sales by officers, directors and 10% owners, from their Form 4 filings with the SEC: one row per person, day and filing, at the day's average price. Grants, option exercises and shares withheld for tax aren't counted. Insiders buy and sell for many reasons, such as taxes, spreading their savings or a plan set up months earlier, so a trade on its own says little about where a company is heading. For information only, not investment advice. Insider trades at all companies

Piotroski F-score

The F-score counts how many of nine simple tests of profitability, funding and efficiency a company passed in a year (Piotroski, 2000). The more tests passed, the stronger the year: 8 or 9 is strong, 0 to 2 weak. Companies that report no gross profit are scored on the other eight.

Test	FY23	FY24	FY25
Net income is positive	Pass	Pass	Pass
Cash from operations is positive	Pass	Pass	Pass
Return on assets rose	Pass	Pass	Fail
Cash from operations exceeds net income	Pass	Pass	Pass
Debt fell relative to assets	Pass	Pass	Fail
Current ratio rose	Fail	Pass	Pass
Share count didn't rise	Pass	Pass	Pass
Gross margin rose	—	—	—
Revenue rose relative to assets	Pass	Pass	Fail
F-score	7 of 8	8 of 8	5 of 8
Accruals ratio	−4.2%	−3.8%	−4.8%

The accruals ratio is net income minus cash from operations, over average total assets.

Compare

Put Cheesecake Factory side by side with any other company we cover: revenue, growth, margins, cash flow and returns, with ten years of charts.

Similar companies

Company	Year	Revenue growth	Operating margin	Free cash flow margin	Return on capital	Net debt to EBITDA	F-score	Compare
Cheesecake Factory	FY25	4.8%	5.0%	4.1%	20.5%	1.4x	5
Cracker Barrel	FY26	−4.7%	−0.4%	2.7%	—	—	—	Compare
Domino's	FY25	5.0%	19.3%	13.6%	92.2%	4.5x	8	Compare
Brinker International	FY26	7.9%	10.7%	9.6%	66.0%	0.4x	8	Compare
Texas Roadhouse	FY25	9.4%	8.1%	5.8%	33.0%	−0.2x	4	Compare

Each company's latest fiscal year. Fiscal years end in different months, so the periods don't line up exactly. Free cash flow margin is free cash flow as a share of revenue. Net debt to EBITDA is explained under the balance sheet, and the F-score above.

10 years of figures

Fiscal year	FY16	FY17	FY18	FY19	FY20	FY21	FY22	FY23	FY24	FY25
Income statement
Revenue	2,276	2,260	2,332	2,483	1,983	2,928	3,303	3,440	3,582	3,752
Revenue growth	8.3%	−0.7%	3.2%	6.5%	−20.1%	47.6%	12.8%	4.1%	4.1%	4.8%
Gross profit	1,749	1,741	1,800	1,921	1,525	2,274	—	—	—	—
Research and development	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Operating income	201	153	119	104	−347	82	39	109	178	187
Net income	140	157	99	127	−253	72	43	101	157	148
Diluted EPS (US$)	2.83	3.27	2.14	2.86	−6.32	1.01	0.86	2.07	3.20	3.06
Diluted shares (millions)	49	48	46	44	44	48	50	49	49	49
Cash flow
Cash from operations	316	239	291	219	3	213	162	218	268	301
Capital expenditure	116	121	103	74	50	67	112	152	160	146
Free cash flow	201	118	188	145	−47	146	49	67	108	155
Dividends paid	42	50	56	61	16	0	42	53	53	52
Share buybacks	146	123	109	51	4	6	63	46	18	154
Acquisitions	0	0	0	262	0	0	0	0	0	0
Stock-based compensation	22	16	20	19	21	23	24	26	30	27
Balance sheet at fiscal year end
Cash and short-term investments	54	6	27	58	154	190	115	56	84	216
Debt incl. finance leases	—	10	10	290	280	466	468	470	452	630
Total assets	1,293	1,333	1,314	2,841	2,747	2,798	2,775	2,840	3,042	3,262
Total liabilities	690	720	743	2,269	2,458	2,468	2,483	2,522	2,598	2,825
Shareholders' equity	603	614	571	572	289	330	292	318	444	436
Margins and ratios
Gross margin	76.9%	77.0%	77.2%	77.4%	76.9%	77.7%	—	—	—	—
Operating margin	8.8%	6.8%	5.1%	4.2%	−17.5%	2.8%	1.2%	3.2%	5.0%	5.0%
Net margin	6.1%	7.0%	4.2%	5.1%	−12.8%	2.5%	1.3%	3.0%	4.4%	4.0%
Free cash flow margin	8.8%	5.2%	8.1%	5.8%	−2.4%	5.0%	1.5%	1.9%	3.0%	4.1%
Return on capital	—	—	18.7%	13.8%	−45.1%	16.1%	6.2%	15.8%	21.2%	20.5%
Return on equity	23.4%	25.9%	16.7%	22.3%	−58.9%	23.4%	13.9%	33.2%	41.2%	33.7%
Return on assets	11.0%	12.0%	7.5%	6.1%	−9.1%	2.6%	1.6%	3.6%	5.3%	4.7%
Net debt to EBITDA	—	0.0x	−0.1x	1.2x	—	1.6x	2.7x	2.0x	1.3x	1.4x

US$ millions unless stated. Where a later 10-K restated a year, the latest filed figure is shown. Download all figures (CSV, US$ millions)

Source: Cheesecake Factory's Form 10-K filings, from SEC EDGAR. For information only, not investment advice. The Filing Desk is not affiliated with Cheesecake Factory.