Lazard Asset Management LLC Has $2.05 Million Position in Brinker International, Inc. $EAT

Lazard Asset Management LLC grew its position in shares of Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) by 43.3% during the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 14,337 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 4,330 shares during the quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Brinker International were worth $2,047,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in EAT. UBS Group AG boosted its position in Brinker International by 103.2% during the 4th quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 2,975,655 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $427,066,000 after buying an additional 1,511,266 shares during the period. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. raised its position in Brinker International by 667.5% during the 4th quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 1,142,263 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $163,938,000 after purchasing an additional 993,435 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Brinker International in the 4th quarter worth approximately $83,603,000. Capital World Investors boosted its holdings in shares of Brinker International by 96.5% during the 4th quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 1,137,863 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $163,306,000 after buying an additional 558,799 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Samlyn Capital LLC grew its position in shares of Brinker International by 104.9% during the 3rd quarter. Samlyn Capital LLC now owns 878,584 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $111,299,000 after buying an additional 449,871 shares during the period.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms recently issued reports on EAT. Citigroup boosted their target price on shares of Brinker International from $189.00 to $227.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 28th. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on shares of Brinker International from $205.00 to $207.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, April 30th. TD Cowen upped their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $170.00 to $210.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, July 20th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $200.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 16th. Finally, KeyCorp raised their target price on Brinker International from $177.00 to $204.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 15th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $193.25.

Brinker International Stock Performance

Shares of EAT stock opened at $213.76 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 0.40, a quick ratio of 0.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $169.10 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $156.02. Brinker International, Inc. has a 12 month low of $100.30 and a 12 month high of $214.23. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.17 billion, a PE ratio of 20.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 1.23.

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.