Winmark Corporation (WINA)

In the past six months, Winmark Corp. has announced quarterly cash dividends, including a special dividend, and approved a quarterly dividend of $1.02 per share payable on June 1, 2026. Winmark announced its year-end and first-quarter results, with Q1 2026 results showing a retreat in income, reporting $2.69 EPS, missing estimates, and revenue matching expectations at $21.09 million. Winmark was set to join the S&P SmallCap 600 on January 21, 2026. There have been reports of insider stock option exercises and selling activity. Winmark Corporation announced governance changes and added a new director on May 6, 2026.

While individual Winmark brands may experience higher sales volumes during certain seasons, the diverse nature of its five brands generally leads to their different seasonal trends partially offsetting each other, resulting in no significant company-wide seasonality trends for Winmark Corporation. However, the holiday season typically brings heightened shopping demands for both retail and resale items across all demographics, which Winmark's brands are positioned to meet.

Winmark Corporation is a Minneapolis-based franchisor specializing in value-oriented retail store concepts that buy, sell, and trade gently used merchandise. The company operates within the Consumer Cyclical sector and the Specialty Retail industry with an asset-light business model, focusing on franchising rather than direct store ownership, which contributes to high margins. Winmark's primary revenue streams are derived from franchise royalties and fees. Winmark owns five main franchise brands: Plato's Closet, Once Upon A Child, Play It Again Sports, Style Encore, and Music Go Round. In addition to its franchising segment, Winmark also operates a legacy middle-market equipment leasing business through its subsidiary, Winmark Capital, though this segment has been in an orderly run-off since May 2021.

Winmark Corporation's franchised stores are primarily located across the United States and Canada. As of the end of 2024, the company had 1,350 franchised locations in operation, with approximately 159 of these in Canada. The company also notes over 2,800 available territories for potential new franchises.

Winmark Corporation has cultivated a brand reputation centered on sustainability and the circular economy, rebranding as "Winmark - the Resale Company" in 2022. Its franchise brands offer consumers a way to keep items out of landfills, with stores across its five brands extending the lives of over 185 million items in 2024 alone. The buy-and-sell model also contributes to positive community engagement by providing cash to individuals for their gently used items. No specific negative events significantly impacting Winmark's brand reputation in the past year were identified.

Winmark Corp. ownership is a mix of institutional, individual, and retail investors. Major institutional shareholders include Neuberger Berman Group LLC, BlackRock, Inc., and Renaissance Technologies Llc, with institutional investors holding approximately 31.24% to 80.09% of the company's stock. Significant individual shareholders include Ronald G. Olson and K. Jeffrey Dahlberg, with insiders holding approximately 5.92% to 15.7% of the company's stock. Ronald G. Olson is the largest individual shareholder, owning 775,648 shares, representing 21.68% of the company.