Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund Acquires 14,371 Shares of Brinker International, Inc. $EAT

Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund raised its holdings in Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) by 39.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 50,730 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 14,371 shares during the period. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund owned approximately 0.11% of Brinker International worth $6,426,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Allworth Financial LP lifted its position in Brinker International by 105.8% during the second quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 142 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 73 shares during the last quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC bought a new stake in shares of Brinker International during the 3rd quarter worth $26,000. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Brinker International in the second quarter worth $34,000. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC grew its position in Brinker International by 52.1% in the second quarter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC now owns 219 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $39,000 after acquiring an additional 75 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Employees Retirement System of Texas bought a new position in Brinker International in the second quarter valued at $50,000.

Brinker International Stock Performance

NYSE:EAT opened at $161.24 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19, a quick ratio of 0.31 and a current ratio of 0.36. Brinker International, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $100.30 and a fifty-two week high of $187.12. The firm has a market cap of $7.02 billion, a PE ratio of 16.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 1.35. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $155.16 and a 200-day moving average price of $144.45.

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

Insider Activity at Brinker International

In other news, EVP Michaela M. Ware sold 5,000 shares of Brinker International stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $162.40, for a total value of $812,000.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 19,923 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,235,495.20. This trade represents a 20.06% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Ramona Hood sold 400 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $161.32, for a total value of $64,528.00. Following 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 disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 97,678 shares of company stock valued at $15,700,372 in the last quarter. 1.43% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

EAT has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Raymond James Financial raised Brinker International from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $195.00 price target for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Brinker International from $175.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Barclays increased their price target 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. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Brinker International from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on shares of Brinker International from $177.00 to $187.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, January 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have given a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $188.56.

Trending Headlines about Brinker International

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised multiple near‑ and long‑term EPS forecasts (FY2026–FY2028) and issued a “Strong‑Buy” on EAT — a clear bullish catalyst that can lift sentiment and valuation expectations. MarketBeat EAT
• Positive Sentiment: Several Wall Street firms have bumped price targets and ratings recently (Mizuho, Raymond James, TD Cowen, UBS), signaling confidence in Brinker’s growth and supporting buy-side interest. MarketBeat EAT
• Positive Sentiment: Seasonal demand: a Zacks roundup includes EAT as a Valentine’s Day beneficiary alongside confectionery and travel stocks — higher dining and gifting spending (est. record holiday) could boost near‑term traffic and comps. When Love Drives Spending: 5 Stock Picks for Valentine’s Day
• Neutral Sentiment: A Seeking Alpha analysis praises recent results and comp/traffic gains but notes there’s still operational upside — useful context but not an immediate catalyst. Brinker International: Crisp Results, Traffic Gains
• Neutral Sentiment: Brand/marketing activity (Chili’s “Margarita of the Month Club”) could modestly lift traffic and customer engagement, but is unlikely to move the stock materially on its own. Chili’s Margarita Club PR
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks made small mixed estimate moves — several upgrades across FY2026–FY2028 but a tiny Q2‑2028 cut (from $3.31 to $3.30) — overall upbeat but with isolated tweaks investors should note. MarketBeat EAT
• Neutral Sentiment: Institutional flows show some new and expanded positions by funds; steady institutional interest can support longer‑term share stability. MarketBeat EAT
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: Director James C. Katzman sold 447 shares at roughly $164.19 (SEC filing). The sale is small (~1.5% reduction) but can be interpreted by some investors as a near‑term negative signal. SEC Filing

Brinker International 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.