Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) Upgraded by Stephens to Strong-Buy Rating

Stephens upgraded shares of Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) to a strong-buy rating in a research report sent to investors on Thursday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other research analysts have also issued reports on the company. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on Brinker International from $205.00 to $207.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Citigroup cut their price target on shares of Brinker International from $190.00 to $186.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 13th. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $170.00 to $175.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. TD Cowen lowered their price objective 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. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of Brinker International from $200.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday. 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 data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $189.20.

Brinker International Stock Up 2.1%

Shares of EAT stock opened at $189.28 on Thursday. Brinker International has a 1 year low of $100.30 and a 1 year high of $192.20. The stock has a market cap of $8.12 billion, a PE ratio of 18.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 1.24. The business’s fifty day moving average is $156.45 and its 200-day moving average is $152.85. 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 (NYSE:EAT) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 29th. The restaurant operator reported $2.90 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.85 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $1.47 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.47 billion. Brinker International had a return on equity of 123.22% and a net margin of 8.07%.The company’s quarterly revenue was up 3.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.66 EPS. Brinker International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.60-10.850 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Brinker International will post 10.75 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Brinker International

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Allworth Financial LP grew its position in Brinker International by 58.5% during the 3rd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 225 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. Rezny Wealth Management Inc. raised its position in Brinker International by 0.8% in the 4th quarter. Rezny Wealth Management Inc. now owns 11,738 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $1,685,000 after purchasing an additional 92 shares during the last quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC raised its position in Brinker International by 45.1% in the 4th quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 299 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $45,000 after purchasing an additional 93 shares during the last quarter. New Age Alpha Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Brinker International by 4.8% in the fourth quarter. New Age Alpha Advisors LLC now owns 2,047 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $294,000 after purchasing an additional 94 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Aviva PLC boosted its stake in Brinker International by 2.8% in the fourth quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 4,123 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $592,000 after purchasing an additional 112 shares in the last quarter.

More Brinker International News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Stephens initiated coverage on Brinker International with an overweight rating and a $220 price target, signaling meaningful upside from current levels.
• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo also raised its price target on Brinker International to $220 from $200 and kept an overweight rating, reinforcing the bullish analyst outlook. Benzinga report on Wells Fargo price target raise
• Positive Sentiment: KeyCorp lifted its price target to $204, adding to the cluster of positive analyst revisions for EAT.
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlighted Brinker as an incredible growth stock and said the company could beat earnings estimates again, which supports investor confidence ahead of the next report. Zacks growth-stock article
• Positive Sentiment: Another Zacks article noted Brinker’s strong earnings surprise history and favorable setup for another quarterly beat, which can be a catalyst for the shares. Zacks earnings beat article
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage from market commentary on Brinker versus other consumer cyclical names helped keep the stock in focus, but it did not appear to materially change the investment thesis. The Globe and Mail analyst coverage article

About Brinker International

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.