Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) Stock Rating Upgraded by Zacks Research

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Zacks Research from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report issued on Wednesday,Zacks.com reports.

Several other analysts have also commented on EAT. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on shares of Brinker International from $177.00 to $187.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. TD Cowen initiated coverage on Brinker International in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $192.00 price target for the company. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on Brinker International from $200.00 to $205.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of Brinker International from $175.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $166.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Brinker International has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $188.56.

Brinker International Trading Down 0.7%

Shares of EAT stock opened at $160.92 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $7.01 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 1.35. The company has a current ratio of 0.36, a quick ratio of 0.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19. The business’s 50 day moving average is $152.88 and its two-hundred day moving average is $144.13. Brinker International has a twelve month low of $100.30 and a twelve month high of $189.00.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The restaurant operator reported $2.87 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.53 by $0.34. Brinker International had a return on equity of 134.92% and a net margin of 7.98%.The business had revenue of $1.45 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.41 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.80 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 6.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Brinker International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.045-10.850 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Brinker International will post 8.3 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, Director Harriet Edelman sold 8,400 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $159.00, for a total transaction of $1,335,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 21,004 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,339,636. The trade was a 28.57% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, Director Ramona Hood sold 400 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $161.32, for a total value of $64,528.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 9,066 shares in the company, valued at $1,462,527.12. This trade represents a 4.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 92,231 shares of company stock worth $14,814,979 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 1.43% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Brinker International

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. UBS Group AG boosted its stake in shares of Brinker International by 103.2% in the fourth quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 2,975,655 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $427,066,000 after purchasing an additional 1,511,266 shares during the period. Congress Asset Management Co. purchased a new stake in shares of Brinker International during the fourth quarter worth about $80,518,000. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Brinker International in the second quarter worth about $98,731,000. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its holdings in Brinker International by 86.4% in the second quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 1,091,692 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $196,865,000 after purchasing an additional 506,087 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Samlyn Capital LLC grew its stake in Brinker International by 104.9% during the 3rd quarter. Samlyn Capital LLC now owns 878,584 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $111,299,000 after purchasing an additional 449,871 shares in the last quarter.

Brinker International News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Reported an earnings beat and raised FY guidance (revenue and EPS topped estimates; management reiterated/raised outlook), underpinning upside expectations. Earnings Beat Article
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple brokerages increased price targets and moved to buy/outperform after results, signaling stronger analyst conviction that can attract buyers. Analyst Coverage & Targets
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks and other screens added EAT to value/Strong Buy lists and published articles calling EAT a top value/long‑term buy, which can draw retail and quant interest. Zacks Value Stock Article
• Neutral Sentiment: Media scorecards and thematic pieces are labeling EAT as undervalued/trending (helps volume and visibility but doesn’t change fundamentals by itself). Zacks Undervaluation Article
• Negative Sentiment: Cluster of insider sales: CEO Kevin Hochman, CMO George Felix, EVP Aaron White, Director Harriet Edelman and others sold sizable stakes over the past week — including a large CEO disposition — which can unsettle investors and pressuring near‑term supply. SEC and media filings show the transactions. CEO Sale SEC Filing CMO Sale SEC Filing

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.