Piper Sandler Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) Stock

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) had its price target increased by research analysts at Piper Sandler from $140.00 to $166.00 in a research note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a “neutral” rating on the restaurant operator’s stock. Piper Sandler’s target price indicates a potential upside of 2.03% from the company’s previous close.

Several other research firms have also recently weighed in on EAT. Bank of America raised shares of Brinker International from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $190.00 to $192.00 in a report on Monday, October 6th. Wall Street Zen raised Brinker International from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 28th. Raymond James Financial raised Brinker International from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $195.00 price objective for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Brinker International in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Mizuho raised their target price on Brinker International from $155.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Thirteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $184.61.

Brinker International Stock Up 3.9%

Shares of Brinker International stock traded up $6.06 on Thursday, reaching $162.70. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 487,481 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,156,921. The company has a market capitalization of $7.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.88, a P/E/G ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 1.34. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $150.66 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $144.13. Brinker International has a 52 week low of $100.30 and a 52 week high of $192.21. The company has a quick ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 0.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The restaurant operator reported $2.87 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.53 by $0.34. Brinker International had a return on equity of 164.66% and a net margin of 7.94%.The firm had revenue of $1.45 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.41 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.80 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 6.9% on a year-over-year basis. Brinker International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.045-10.850 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Brinker International will post 8.3 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Concord Wealth Partners bought a new position in Brinker International during the second quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd bought a new position in shares of Brinker International during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Allworth Financial LP grew its holdings in shares of Brinker International by 105.8% in the second quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 142 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 73 shares in the last quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC bought a new stake in Brinker International in the third quarter worth $26,000. Finally, Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Brinker International during the second quarter valued at $34,000.

Key Headlines Impacting Brinker International

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 beat: Brinker reported EPS of $2.87 vs. consensus ~$2.53 and revenue of $1.45B vs. ~$1.41B — the core beat on both metrics is the primary catalyst for the rally. Brinker International (EAT) Beats Q2 Earnings and Revenue Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Raised FY‑2026 outlook: Management updated full‑year guidance, which exceeded prior Street expectations and supports earnings visibility for the year. See company release for details. PR Newswire: Brinker Reports Q2 Results and Updates FY2026 Guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Chili’s outperformance: Company highlighted +9% comp sales this quarter and multi‑year comp strength (2‑year comps ~+43%), with Chili’s driving growth — a structural win for Brinker’s portfolio. Brinker International Q2 Results Presentation
• Positive Sentiment: Positive market/press reaction and technical setup: Coverage from Barron’s/WSJ highlighted the beat and guidance lift; Zacks notes a bullish technical signal (50‑day crossing above 200‑day). These amplify investor interest. Brinker Stock Jumps on Earnings Beat Zacks: Technical Outlook Bright After Golden Cross
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call color and strategy: Management discussed unit-level performance, marketing and margin initiatives — useful for medium‑term modeling but not an incremental catalyst beyond the beat/guidance. Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Trading context: Today’s move has occurred on below‑average volume, so monitor follow‑through for confirmation of a sustainable trend. (Background trading data referenced.)
• Negative Sentiment: Balance‑sheet and liquidity considerations: Brinker shows high leverage and low short‑term liquidity metrics (low current/quick ratios, debt/equity ~1.5) — a reminder of financial risk if consumer trends weaken.

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.