Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) Trading Up 8.8% Following Analyst Upgrade

Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) rose 8.8% on Wednesday after Bank of America raised their price target on the stock from $224.00 to $310.00. Bank of America currently has a buy rating on the stock. Brinker International traded as high as $240.86 and last traded at $240.86. Approximately 1,077,220 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 7% from the average daily volume of 1,162,836 shares. The stock had previously closed at $221.38.

Other research analysts have also issued reports about the stock. UBS Group increased their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $190.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday. DA Davidson boosted their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $160.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday. TD Cowen increased their target price on Brinker International from $210.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on Brinker International from $175.00 to $230.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, KeyCorp increased their target price on shares of Brinker International from $204.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday. Sixteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Brinker International has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $234.35.

Brinker International News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Brinker International this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Strong Chili’s performance: Fiscal fourth-quarter revenue rose 5.1% year over year to $1.54 billion, exceeding expectations, while EPS increased from $2.30 to $3.07. Growth was driven by higher Chili’s sales and traffic, expanding margins and the popularity of its new chicken-sandwich offerings. Brinker Q4 Earnings Meet Estimates, Revenues Beat on Chili’s Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Above-consensus 2027 outlook: Brinker forecast fiscal 2027 EPS of $12.60–$13.40 and revenue of $6.2–$6.3 billion, above analysts’ estimates of $12.47 EPS and approximately $6.1 billion in revenue. Management also identified takeout and digital ordering as important areas for future growth. Chili’s Parent Wants a Bigger Slice of Fast Food’s Digital Business
• Positive Sentiment: Broad analyst optimism: Stephens raised its target to $300, Citi to $282, Wells Fargo to $280, KeyCorp to $275, Mizuho to $275, TD Cowen to $270, and Morgan Stanley to $250. Most firms maintained bullish ratings, reinforcing expectations that Brinker’s earnings momentum can continue. These Analysts Boost Their Forecasts On Brinker Following Q4 Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: CEO Kevin Hochman’s interview with Jim Cramer highlighted brand strength, consumer trends and the company’s growth strategy, potentially supporting investor confidence. Brinker International CEO Kevin Hochman Sits Down With Jim Cramer
• Negative Sentiment: EPS of $3.07 was slightly below the reported consensus estimate of $3.09, creating a modest quarterly earnings miss. BMO Capital raised its target to $230 but retained a market-perform rating, below the stock’s recent trading level.

Institutional Trading of Brinker International

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. UBS Group AG lifted its position in shares of Brinker International by 103.2% during the fourth quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 2,975,655 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $427,066,000 after purchasing an additional 1,511,266 shares in the last quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. grew its holdings in Brinker International by 667.5% during the 4th quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 1,142,263 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $163,938,000 after purchasing an additional 993,435 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Brinker International during the 4th quarter valued at $83,603,000. Capital World Investors increased its stake in Brinker International by 96.5% during the 4th quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 1,137,863 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $163,306,000 after buying an additional 558,799 shares during the period. Finally, Samlyn Capital LLC lifted its holdings in Brinker International by 104.9% in the 3rd quarter. Samlyn Capital LLC now owns 878,584 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $111,299,000 after buying an additional 449,871 shares in the last quarter.

Brinker International Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.35 and a current ratio of 0.40. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $185.01 and its 200 day simple moving average is $160.19. The stock has a market cap of $10.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 1.24.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, August 12th. The restaurant operator reported $3.07 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.09 by ($0.02). The business had revenue of $1.54 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.53 billion. Brinker International had a return on equity of 127.82% and a net margin of 8.39%.The firm’s revenue was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.30 earnings per share. Brinker International has set its FY 2027 guidance at 12.600-13.400 EPS. Research analysts predict that Brinker International, Inc. will post 12.84 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Brinker International Company Profile

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.