Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) Sets New 12-Month High After Analyst Upgrade

Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) shares hit a new 52-week high during trading on Tuesday after UBS Group raised their price target on the stock from $190.00 to $260.00. UBS Group currently has a buy rating on the stock. Brinker International traded as high as $232.47 and last traded at $229.82, with a volume of 83794 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $227.54.

EAT has been the subject of several other research reports. TD Cowen boosted their price target on shares of Brinker International from $170.00 to $210.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, July 20th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $200.00 to $220.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 16th. Citigroup boosted their target price on shares of Brinker International from $189.00 to $227.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 28th. Stephens began coverage on shares of Brinker International in a research note on Friday, July 17th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $220.00 target price for the company. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Brinker International from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 16th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $196.75.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Brinker International

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. UBS Group AG lifted its position in Brinker International by 103.2% in 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 during the period. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. boosted its stake 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 position in shares of Brinker International during the 4th quarter valued at $83,603,000. Capital World Investors increased its position in shares of Brinker International by 96.5% during the 4th quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 1,137,863 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $163,306,000 after purchasing an additional 558,799 shares during the period. Finally, Samlyn Capital LLC raised its stake in shares of 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 Stock Up 0.0%

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 company has a market cap of $9.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.28, a P/E/G ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 1.23. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $179.22 and a 200 day moving average price of $158.65.

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.