Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) Stock Gets Price Target Trim from Citigroup

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) had its price target decreased by Citigroup from $282.00 to $270.00 in a report released on Monday,Benzinga reports. Citigroup currently has a buy rating on the restaurant operator’s stock.

Several other research analysts also recently weighed in on EAT. Weiss Ratings upgraded Brinker International from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research note on Friday, September 11th. Raymond James Financial upgraded Brinker International from an “outperform” rating to a “strong-buy” rating and cut their price target for the stock from $270.00 to $260.00 in a research note on Friday, October 16th. Mizuho upped their price target on Brinker International from $175.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 13th. Piper Sandler increased their price target on Brinker International from $166.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, August 17th. Finally, Freedom Broker raised Brinker International to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Friday, September 18th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have given a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $248.29.

Brinker International Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:EAT opened at $187.62 on Monday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $214.28 and a 200-day simple moving average of $182.28. Brinker International has a one year low of $100.30 and a one year high of $254.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95, a quick ratio of 0.40 and a current ratio of 0.45. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.23, a PEG ratio of 1.01 and a beta of 1.25.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, August 12th. The restaurant operator reported $3.07 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.09 by ($0.02). The business had revenue of $1.54 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.53 billion. Brinker International had a return on equity of 122.35% and a net margin of 8.39%. Brinker International’s quarterly revenue was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.30 EPS. Brinker International has set its FY 2027 guidance at 12.600-13.400 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Brinker International will post 13.17 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Brinker International

In related news, CEO Kevin Hochman sold 40,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $243.15, for a total transaction of $9,726,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 144,090 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $35,035,483.50. This represents a 21.73% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, Director Joseph DePinto sold 25,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $230.39, for a total transaction of $5,759,750.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 77,812 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $17,927,106.68. This represents a 24.32% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 173,694 shares of company stock valued at $41,568,690. Insiders own 1.18% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Brinker International

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Smith Group Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Brinker International by 0.5% in the second quarter. Smith Group Asset Management LLC now owns 20,669 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $3,472,000 after buying an additional 104 shares in the last quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. raised its position in Brinker International by 9.5% in the second quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 2,147 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $361,000 after acquiring an additional 186 shares in the last quarter. Kilter Group LLC purchased a new position in Brinker International in the second quarter worth $35,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in Brinker International by 12.0% in the first quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,021 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $289,000 after acquiring an additional 217 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bayforest Capital Ltd raised its position in Brinker International by 82.3% in the second quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd now owns 525 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $88,000 after acquiring an additional 237 shares in the last quarter.

More Brinker International News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street expects Brinker to report year-over-year earnings growth next week, and Zacks said the company has factors that could support an earnings beat. Strong operating momentum and the company’s longer-term growth plans remain supportive of the investment case. Brinker International Reports Next Week: Wall Street Expects Earnings Growth
• Positive Sentiment: A Seeking Alpha analysis upgraded its view of Brinker, citing the company’s growth prospects and improving outlook, while another article described the company as entering a new phase of growth. Brinker International Looks Tastier Than Ever
• Neutral Sentiment: Wells Fargo lowered its price target to $270 from $280 but retained an Overweight rating, indicating reduced near-term valuation expectations rather than a change to its bullish fundamental stance. Wells Fargo Brinker Price Target
• Negative Sentiment: Recent target reductions from TD Cowen and Citigroup add to investor caution following Brinker’s substantial prior run-up. The cuts suggest analysts see less immediate upside, even though positive ratings have been maintained. Why Brinker International Stock Is Down Today
• Negative Sentiment: Insider-trading data shows 19 open-market sales and no purchases over the past six months, including sales by the chief executive and other senior executives. While such transactions may reflect compensation or diversification, the one-sided pattern can weigh on sentiment.
• Negative Sentiment: Citigroup issued a more cautious forecast, reinforcing concerns that expectations and valuation may be elevated ahead of the October 28 earnings release. Citigroup Forecast for Brinker International

Brinker International Company Profile

Brinker International, Inc is a casual-dining restaurant company that owns, operates and franchises restaurants in the United States and select international markets. The company is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and serves customers through company-operated and franchised locations.

Brinker’s principal brands are Chili’s Grill & Bar and Maggiano’s Little Italy. Chili’s offers a broad menu of burgers, steaks, ribs, fajitas, Tex-Mex dishes, salads and beverages in a full-service, casual setting.