Bloomin’ Brands (NASDAQ:BLMN) Shares Gap Up on Strong Earnings

Bloomin’ Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:BLMN) shares gapped up before the market opened on Wednesday after the company announced better than expected quarterly earnings. The stock had previously closed at $5.87, but opened at $6.27. Bloomin’ Brands shares last traded at $5.9450, with a volume of 1,833,255 shares trading hands.

The restaurant operator reported $0.26 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.25 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $975.22 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $980.64 million. Bloomin’ Brands had a negative net margin of 1.46% and a positive return on equity of 33.92%. Bloomin’ Brands’s revenue for the quarter was up .3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.38 earnings per share. Bloomin’ Brands has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.570-0.620 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 0.750-0.900 EPS.

Trending Headlines about Bloomin’ Brands

Here are the key news stories impacting Bloomin’ Brands this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Outback traffic turned positive for the first quarter in four years, evidence the company’s turnaround initiatives may be gaining traction. Bloomin’ Brands Posts Narrower Loss Amid Turnaround Efforts
• Positive Sentiment: Q4 EPS beat estimates: reported $0.26 vs. consensus $0.25, showing profitability progress despite year-over-year compression from $0.38 prior. Bloomin’ Brands Q4 Earnings Snapshot / MarketBeat
• Positive Sentiment: Company guided Q1 2026 EPS of $0.570–$0.620, above the prior consensus of $0.550 — a near-term beat that may support near-term upside if execution holds. Bloomin’ Brands Announces 2025 Q4 Financial Results
• Neutral Sentiment: FY 2026 EPS guidance updated to $0.750–$0.900 versus consensus ~ $0.830 — the range overlaps consensus (midpoint ~ in line/slightly below), leaving room for interpretation on full‑year momentum. Bloomin’ Brands FY 2026 Guidance / BusinessWire
• Neutral Sentiment: Revenue showed modest year-over-year growth (+0.3% to $975.22M), indicating stabilization but not a strong top‑line rebound. Q4 Revenue / BusinessWire
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue missed the Street ($975.22M vs. $980.64M est.) and the company still reported a negative net margin, which keeps profitability concerns front-and-center for investors. Earnings Details / MarketBeat
• Negative Sentiment: Balance-sheet and liquidity metrics remain watch‑items (high debt-to-equity and low current/quick ratios highlighted by analysts), amplifying downside risk if cash flow recovery slows. BLMN Stock Snapshot / MarketBeat

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

BLMN has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Bloomin’ Brands in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Zacks Research raised Bloomin’ Brands from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, November 7th. Loop Capital set a $10.00 target price on Bloomin’ Brands in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded Bloomin’ Brands from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $7.00 target price for the company in a research report on Friday, November 7th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Bloomin’ Brands has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $8.64.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Bloomin’ Brands

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Millennium Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Bloomin’ Brands by 123.1% during the first quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 2,299,778 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $16,489,000 after buying an additional 1,268,988 shares during the last quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. boosted its stake in Bloomin’ Brands by 115.9% during the 4th quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 2,064,940 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $12,741,000 after purchasing an additional 1,108,500 shares during the last quarter. Broad Bay Capital Management LP bought a new stake in Bloomin’ Brands during the 4th quarter worth approximately $6,031,000. Nuveen LLC increased its holdings in Bloomin’ Brands by 371.5% during the 4th quarter. Nuveen LLC now owns 1,057,233 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $6,523,000 after purchasing an additional 832,982 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its stake in shares of Bloomin’ Brands by 32.1% in the second quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 2,732,038 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $23,523,000 after purchasing an additional 664,545 shares during the last quarter.

Bloomin’ Brands Stock Up 1.7%

The company has a market cap of $508.68 million, a P/E ratio of -8.88 and a beta of 1.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.77, a current ratio of 0.45 and a quick ratio of 0.38. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $6.77 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $6.95.

Bloomin’ Brands Company Profile

Bloomin’ Brands, Inc engages in the ownership, operation and franchising of casual dining restaurants worldwide. The company’s portfolio includes five full-service restaurant chains: Outback Steakhouse, known for its Australian-inspired steakhouse concept; Carrabba’s Italian Grill, offering Italian-American cuisine; Bonefish Grill, specializing in handcrafted seafood dishes; Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, focusing on premium steak and wine experiences; and Aussie Grill by Outback, featuring a streamlined menu of signature items.