Bloomin’ Brands (NASDAQ:BLMN) Posts Quarterly Earnings Results

Bloomin’ Brands (NASDAQ:BLMN) issued its earnings results on Wednesday. The restaurant operator reported $0.67 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.57 by $0.10, FiscalAI reports. The company had revenue of $1.06 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.04 billion. Bloomin’ Brands had a net margin of 0.21% and a return on equity of 26.26%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.59 EPS. Bloomin’ Brands updated its FY 2026 guidance to 0.750-0.900 EPS and its Q2 2026 guidance to 0.270-0.320 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Bloomin’ Brands’ conference call:

• Launched a multi‑quarter Outback turnaround centered on four platforms (dine‑in experience, brand relevancy, culture, restaurant investment) and reported the third consecutive quarter of year‑over‑year improvement in Outback guest metrics (trust, service, value, atmosphere, food, intent to return).
• Q1 revenue was $1.06B (+1%) and adjusted diluted EPS rose to $0.67 (from $0.59), and management reiterated full‑year guidance, indicating financial progress despite headwinds.
• Management is rolling out operational initiatives at Outback—a new steak lineup with high satisfaction scores, a 4‑table/server service model, expanded char‑grill capacity, and updated Managing Partner compensation—to drive traffic, trade‑ups, and loyalty.
• Traffic weakness and cost pressures remain (U.S. comps +0.9% but traffic -1.8%; Outback traffic down ~240 bps) with an estimated ~240 bp weather headwind in Q1 and commodity inflation (~4.6%) and labor inflation (~3.1%) weighing on margins (Q1 adjusted operating margin 5.9% vs 6.1% LY).
• Capital and liquidity plans balance growth and deleveraging—capex guide $185–$195M, targeted $350–$400k refreshes per Outback through 2028, net debt $681M (lease‑adjusted leverage 3.8x)—and Q2 guidance targets comps +1–2% and adj EPS $0.27–$0.32.

Bloomin’ Brands Stock Performance

NASDAQ:BLMN traded up $2.36 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $8.12. The stock had a trading volume of 11,177,605 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,081,982. Bloomin’ Brands has a twelve month low of $5.19 and a twelve month high of $10.70. The stock has a market cap of $692.07 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 81.21, a PEG ratio of 4.87 and a beta of 1.10. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $5.99 and its 200 day simple moving average is $6.55. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.34, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a current ratio of 0.31.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Bloomin’ Brands news, Director Rohit Lal bought 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 11th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $5.69 per share, with a total value of $56,900.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 30,156 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $171,587.64. This trade represents a 49.61% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 1.18% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Bloomin’ Brands

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Bloomin’ Brands by 44.1% during the fourth quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 5,431 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 1,662 shares during the last quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. lifted its holdings in shares of Bloomin’ Brands by 2.2% during the third quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 97,268 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $697,000 after purchasing an additional 2,103 shares during the period. Deutsche Bank AG lifted its holdings in shares of Bloomin’ Brands by 4.2% during the fourth quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 61,986 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $382,000 after purchasing an additional 2,513 shares during the period. Fox Run Management L.L.C. lifted its holdings in shares of Bloomin’ Brands by 8.6% during the fourth quarter. Fox Run Management L.L.C. now owns 32,265 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $199,000 after purchasing an additional 2,568 shares during the period. Finally, MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. lifted its holdings in shares of Bloomin’ Brands by 6.0% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 46,395 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $333,000 after purchasing an additional 2,622 shares during the period.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have commented on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut shares of Bloomin’ Brands from a “neutral” rating to an “underweight” rating and set a $6.00 target price for the company. in a research report on Friday, April 24th. Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Bloomin’ Brands in a research report on Friday, March 27th. Finally, Citigroup upped their price objective on shares of Bloomin’ Brands from $6.75 to $7.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 26th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Reduce” and an average price target of $7.86.

Key Stories Impacting Bloomin’ Brands

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat on EPS and revenue — Bloomin’ reported $0.67 EPS vs. consensus $0.57 and $1.06B revenue vs. $1.04B, citing improved Outback performance and higher guest spending that helped margins. BusinessWire Q1 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Q2 guidance raised above Street expectations — management set Q2 FY26 EPS guidance of $0.270–$0.320, ahead of the consensus ~$0.22, supporting the bullish reaction. Guidance in Press Release
• Neutral Sentiment: Full‑year guidance in a range — FY26 EPS was guided to $0.750–$0.900 (street ~$0.83). The range signals confidence but leaves room for variability; investors will watch execution over the next quarters. MarketBeat Guidance Summary
• Neutral Sentiment: Conference call and disclosures available — management discussed brand turnaround progress (Outback food quality, operations) on the Q1 call and slide deck, useful for assessing whether margin gains are sustainable. Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Market reaction and volume — multiple market outlets flagged BLMN among top movers amid a broader market rally; trading volume spiked well above average, indicating strong interest (both directional and speculative). Benzinga Market Note
• Negative Sentiment: Balance‑sheet and margin risks remain — the company has high leverage (debt/equity ~2.34), low liquidity ratios and a very slim net margin (~0.2%), which could limit flexibility if sales momentum falters. These fundamentals keep longer‑term risk elevated despite the quarter’s beat. MarketBeat Financials

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.