Jefferies Financial Group Inc. Boosts Holdings in Brinker International, Inc. $EAT

Jefferies Financial Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) by 379.1% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 20,600 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 16,300 shares during the period. Jefferies Financial Group Inc.’s holdings in Brinker International were worth $2,957,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in EAT. NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Brinker International by 1,118.9% during the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 1,158 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $173,000 after acquiring an additional 1,063 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Brinker International by 271.1% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 846 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $153,000 after purchasing an additional 618 shares during the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP boosted its stake in shares of Brinker International by 1.9% during the 2nd quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 52,249 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $9,422,000 after purchasing an additional 978 shares during the last quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Brinker International during the 2nd quarter worth about $3,222,000. Finally, Brown Advisory Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Brinker International by 33.0% during the 2nd quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. now owns 1,789 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $323,000 after purchasing an additional 444 shares during the last quarter.

Brinker International Price Performance

EAT opened at $139.26 on Wednesday. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $143.57 and its 200 day simple moving average is $145.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.35 and a current ratio of 0.40. Brinker International, Inc. has a 1 year low of $100.30 and a 1 year high of $187.12. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.97 billion, a PE ratio of 13.65, a P/E/G ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 1.32.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The restaurant operator reported $2.90 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.85 by $0.05. Brinker International had a net margin of 8.07% and a return on equity of 123.22%. The business had revenue of $1.47 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.47 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.66 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 3.2% on a year-over-year basis. Brinker International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.60-10.850 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Brinker International, Inc. will post 10.74 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

EAT has been the topic of several analyst reports. Barclays raised their price target on shares of Brinker International from $170.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price target on shares of Brinker International from $180.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Piper Sandler raised their price target on shares of Brinker International from $140.00 to $166.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. KeyCorp raised shares of Brinker International from a “sector weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and set a $177.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 2nd. Finally, TD Cowen decreased their price target on shares of Brinker International from $188.00 to $170.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 29th. Fourteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $185.11.

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.