Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) Raised to Outperform at Raymond James Financial

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) was upgraded by investment analysts at Raymond James Financial from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report released on Wednesday, MarketBeat reports. The firm presently has a $195.00 price target on the restaurant operator’s stock. Raymond James Financial’s price objective points to a potential upside of 19.85% from the stock’s previous close.

Several other analysts also recently weighed in on EAT. Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of Brinker International from $176.00 to $187.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on Brinker International from $155.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, December 11th. TD Cowen assumed coverage on Brinker International in a research note on Tuesday. They issued a “buy” rating and a $192.00 target price for the company. Mizuho raised their price target on Brinker International from $155.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their price target on Brinker International from $207.00 to $180.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, September 30th. Thirteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $181.05.

Brinker International Price Performance

Shares of Brinker International stock opened at $162.71 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.23 billion, a PE ratio of 16.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 1.34. The company has a current ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 0.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53. Brinker International has a 12 month low of $100.30 and a 12 month high of $192.21. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $147.67 and its 200-day moving average price is $144.60.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The restaurant operator reported $1.93 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.76 by $0.17. The company had revenue of $1.35 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.32 billion. Brinker International had a return on equity of 164.66% and a net margin of 7.94%.Brinker International’s quarterly revenue was up 18.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.95 EPS. Brinker International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.900-10.50 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Brinker International will post 8.3 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Brinker International

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in EAT. Meeder Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Brinker International by 56.3% in the third quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. now owns 22,580 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $2,860,000 after buying an additional 8,137 shares during the period. Alberta Investment Management Corp bought a new position in shares of Brinker International in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $4,112,000. Seeds Investor LLC bought a new position in shares of Brinker International in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $414,000. DAVENPORT & Co LLC lifted its stake in shares of Brinker International by 117.0% in the 2nd quarter. DAVENPORT & Co LLC now owns 4,272 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $770,000 after purchasing an additional 2,303 shares during the period. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its position in shares of Brinker International by 86.4% during 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 in the last quarter.

Brinker International News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo raised its price target to $200 and moved EAT to an “overweight” rating, implying meaningful upside versus the current level. Wells Fargo raises EAT target
• Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley also upgraded Brinker to “overweight,” adding to the cluster of broker upgrades that can drive flows and sentiment. Morgan Stanley upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Raymond James raised Brinker to “outperform” with a $195 price target, further reinforcing the bullish analyst narrative. Raymond James rating changes
• Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen initiated coverage with a buy recommendation, expanding institutional coverage and potentially boosting demand among funds that track analyst coverage. TD Cowen initiates coverage
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple bullish research/features (Zacks and others) highlight Brinker’s sales growth, menu/digital initiatives and momentum — supporting a narrative of durable growth versus peers. Zacks industry growth piece

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.