JPMorgan Chase & Co. Raises Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) Price Target to $187.00

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) had its price objective boosted by investment analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $177.00 to $187.00 in a note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an “overweight” rating on the restaurant operator’s stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.‘s price objective would indicate a potential upside of 15.67% from the company’s previous close.

Other equities research analysts have also issued reports about the stock. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Brinker International in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Piper Sandler upped their price target on shares of Brinker International from $140.00 to $166.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on Brinker International from $140.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Citigroup boosted their price objective on Brinker International from $176.00 to $187.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised Brinker International from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and raised their target price for the stock from $160.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. Thirteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $188.72.

Brinker International Trading Up 3.2%

Shares of Brinker International stock traded up $5.03 on Thursday, hitting $161.67. The stock had a trading volume of 662,791 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,172,788. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53, a quick ratio of 0.29 and a current ratio of 0.35. Brinker International has a twelve month low of $100.30 and a twelve month high of $192.21. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $150.66 and a 200 day moving average of $144.13. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.75, a PEG ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 1.34.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The restaurant operator reported $2.87 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.53 by $0.34. The company had revenue of $1.45 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.41 billion. Brinker International had a net margin of 7.94% and a return on equity of 164.66%. Brinker International’s revenue was up 6.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.80 earnings per share. Brinker International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.045-10.850 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Brinker International will post 8.3 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Brinker International

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Brinker International by 1,118.9% in the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 1,158 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $173,000 after purchasing an additional 1,063 shares during the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Brinker International by 266.7% during the second quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 693 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $125,000 after buying an additional 504 shares during the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio grew its holdings in Brinker International by 253.6% during the second quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 1,312 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $237,000 after buying an additional 941 shares in the last quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC raised its position in Brinker International by 8.4% in the 2nd quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 25,817 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $4,656,000 after buying an additional 2,011 shares during the last quarter. Finally, USA Financial Formulas bought a new position in Brinker International during the 2nd quarter valued at $89,000.

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.