BJ’s Restaurants (NASDAQ:BJRI) Stock Price Down 7.8% – Here’s Why

Shares of BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. (NASDAQ:BJRI) fell 7.8% on Friday . The stock traded as low as $67.51 and last traded at $68.4780. Approximately 261,692 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 36% from the average session volume of 410,882 shares. The stock had previously closed at $74.26.

BJ’s Restaurants News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting BJ’s Restaurants this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Benchmark raises target and rating: Benchmark Co. increased its price target for BJRI from $68 to $80 and upgraded the stock to “Buy,” implying approximately 16% upside from the referenced price. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly results exceeded expectations: BJ’s reported fiscal Q2 earnings of $0.94 per share, above the $0.87-$0.90 analyst estimates, while revenue of $388.9 million surpassed the roughly $377.1 million consensus. BJ’s Restaurants Q2 Earnings and Revenues Surpass Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Sales momentum and outlook improved: Revenue increased 6.4% year over year, comparable restaurant sales rose 6.5%, and management raised its fiscal 2026 financial guidance. BJ’s Restaurants Fiscal Second Quarter 2026 Results
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors may seek additional detail from BJRI’s earnings call regarding traffic, margins, costs, and the assumptions behind the revised guidance. BJRI Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: EPS declined from last year: Despite beating estimates, quarterly EPS fell from $0.97 in the prior-year period to $0.94, which may be tempering the market’s reaction.
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation remains demanding: With the stock near its 52-week high and trading at a reported P/E ratio of approximately 35, investors may have expected an even stronger earnings or guidance surprise.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have recently issued reports on BJRI. Citigroup raised their target price on shares of BJ’s Restaurants from $47.00 to $68.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, July 20th. Benchmark upped their price target on shares of BJ’s Restaurants from $68.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday. Piper Sandler increased their price target on shares of BJ’s Restaurants from $40.00 to $43.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. William Blair raised shares of BJ’s Restaurants from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, July 17th. Finally, DA Davidson set a $65.00 price objective on shares of BJ’s Restaurants in a research note on Friday. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $54.25.

BJ’s Restaurants Stock Down 8.2%

The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $56.28 and its 200 day simple moving average is $45.46. The company has a quick ratio of 0.25, a current ratio of 0.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.43 billion, a PE ratio of 34.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.23 and a beta of 1.31.

BJ’s Restaurants (NASDAQ:BJRI) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The restaurant operator reported $0.94 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.90 by $0.04. BJ’s Restaurants had a return on equity of 13.48% and a net margin of 3.15%.The firm had revenue of $388.89 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $377.07 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.97 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts anticipate that BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. will post 2.25 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Gregory S. Lynds sold 6,201 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $55.86, for a total transaction of $346,387.86. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 46,474 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,596,037.64. The trade was a 11.77% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Lea Anne Ottinger sold 2,792 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $53.50, for a total transaction of $149,372.00. Following the sale, the director owned 39,701 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,124,003.50. This trade represents a 6.57% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 63,817 shares of company stock valued at $3,384,688 over the last 90 days. 2.40% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of BJ’s Restaurants

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. CWM LLC raised its holdings in shares of BJ’s Restaurants by 187.7% during the fourth quarter. CWM LLC now owns 699 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 456 shares during the last quarter. Quarry LP boosted its holdings in BJ’s Restaurants by 1,618.3% in the third quarter. Quarry LP now owns 1,031 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 971 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its position in BJ’s Restaurants by 39.3% in the 4th quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 939 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 265 shares during the period. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. bought a new stake in BJ’s Restaurants in the 4th quarter worth approximately $63,000. Finally, US Bancorp DE raised its stake in BJ’s Restaurants by 14.5% during the 3rd quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 3,305 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $101,000 after buying an additional 418 shares during the last quarter. 99.95% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

BJ’s Restaurants Company Profile

BJ’s Restaurants, Inc is a publicly traded casual dining chain known for its deep‐dish pizzas, California‐style thin crust offerings and in‐house craft beer selections. Operating under the BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse brand, the company combines a microbrewery concept with full‐service dining, offering an extensive menu that includes appetizers, salads, pasta dishes, sandwiches and the signature Pizookie dessert.

Founded in 1978 in Orange County, California, BJ’s Restaurants began as BJ’s Chicago Pizzeria, bringing a Chicago‐style pizza experience to the West Coast.