Wendy's International (NYSE:WEN) shares continued their rise today after its new ad campaign debuted on American Idol earlier this week. The fast food company has been struggling to regain its advertising foothold ever since Dave Thomas passed away in 2002. Now the company is back with a fresh new campaign centered around their new slogan: That's right. Wendy's shares rose the day after the campaign as many investors hoped that it would help boost the ailing chain.

Wendy's also announced last week that the special committee of the board that had been exploring strategic options had retained J.P. Morgan as lead advisor and Lehman Brothers as co-advisor. These moves suggest that the company is beginning to seriously explore some potential extraordinary transactions such as a sale of the company, recapitalization or special dividend. It is also worth noting that activist investors Bill Ackman and Nelson Peltz have been involved in pushing the company towards unlocking value for its shareholders.

Many rumors have surfaced regarding potential bids for the company in the past; however, nothing has been confirmed. Investors do know, however, that the company is actively exploring ways to unlock value while working to increase its brand awareness through a unique new advertising campaign. The results on both of these fronts remains to be seen, but WEN is definitely a stock to watch in the meantime!

Related Companies
McDonald's Corporation (MCD)
Rubio's Restaurants (RUBO)
BackYard Burgers (BYBI)