Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) Raised to Buy at UBS Group

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) was upgraded by analysts at UBS Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a $175.00 price objective on the restaurant operator’s stock, up from their prior price objective of $144.00. UBS Group’s price objective would suggest a potential upside of 16.92% from the company’s previous close.

Several other brokerages have also commented on EAT. Mizuho started coverage on shares of Brinker International in a research note on Tuesday, October 28th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $155.00 price target on the stock. Citigroup raised shares of Brinker International from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price target for the company from $144.00 to $176.00 in a research report on Tuesday, November 25th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Brinker International in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Wall Street Zen raised Brinker International from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, November 28th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Brinker International from $160.00 to $175.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $172.12.

Brinker International Stock Down 1.2%

Shares of Brinker International stock opened at $149.68 on Tuesday. Brinker International has a 52-week low of $100.30 and a 52-week high of $192.21. The company has a 50 day moving average of $134.07 and a 200 day moving average of $145.86. The company has a market capitalization of $6.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.53, a P/E/G ratio of 1.04 and a beta of 1.34. The company has a quick ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 0.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The restaurant operator reported $1.93 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.76 by $0.17. The firm had revenue of $1.35 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.32 billion. Brinker International had a return on equity of 164.66% and a net margin of 7.94%.Brinker International’s revenue for the quarter was up 18.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.95 earnings per share. Brinker International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.900-10.50 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Brinker International will post 8.3 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Brinker International

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Concord Wealth Partners purchased a new stake in Brinker International during the second quarter worth $25,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd acquired a new position in Brinker International during the third quarter worth about $25,000. Allworth Financial LP grew its position in shares of Brinker International by 105.8% in the second quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 142 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 73 shares during the last quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC purchased a new position in shares of Brinker International during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Finally, AdvisorNet Financial Inc acquired a new position in shares of Brinker International during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $33,000.

About Brinker International

Brinker International, Inc (NYSE: EAT) is a leading global operator of casual dining restaurants. The company’s portfolio is anchored by its flagship Chili’s® Grill & Bar concept and Maggiano’s® Little Italy full‐service restaurants, offering a range of American‐style menu items, handcrafted cocktails and family‐friendly dining experiences. Through dine‐in, takeout, delivery and catering services, Brinker seeks to meet consumer preferences across multiple channels.

The Chili’s brand features signature items such as baby back ribs, burgers and fajitas alongside a rotating selection of limited‐time offerings and seasonal beverages.