Insider Selling: Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) Director Sells $5,759,750.00 in Stock

Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) Director Joseph Michael Depinto sold 25,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $230.39, for a total transaction of $5,759,750.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 77,812 shares in the company, valued at $17,927,106.68. The trade was a 24.32% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link.

Brinker International Stock Down 1.3%

NYSE:EAT opened at $230.92 on Thursday. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $207.57 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $167.63. Brinker International, Inc. has a 52-week low of $100.30 and a 52-week high of $254.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95, a quick ratio of 0.40 and a current ratio of 0.45. The company has a market cap of $9.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.21, a P/E/G ratio of 1.21 and a beta of 1.25.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, August 12th. The restaurant operator reported $3.07 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.09 by ($0.02). The firm had revenue of $1.54 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.53 billion. Brinker International had a net margin of 8.39% and a return on equity of 122.35%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.30 earnings per share. Brinker International has set its FY 2027 guidance at 12.600-13.400 EPS. On average, analysts anticipate that Brinker International, Inc. will post 13.22 EPS for the current year.

Key Headlines Impacting Brinker International

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

• Positive Sentiment: Growth and momentum remain supportive. Zacks highlighted Brinker’s solid growth characteristics and strong momentum, while noting that improving earnings, margins and restaurant operations could support additional gains despite the stock’s sizable six-month advance. 3 Reasons Why Growth Investors Shouldn’t Overlook Brinker International
• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street’s overall view is favorable. Brinker has a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating, with 17 Buy ratings and seven Holds. Recent target increases included Wells Fargo at $280, Stephens at $300 and Robert W. Baird at $325, suggesting some analysts see further upside. Joseph Michael Depinto Sells 25,000 Shares of Brinker International
• Neutral Sentiment: Fundamentals are mixed. The latest quarter’s revenue rose 5.1% year over year to $1.54 billion and exceeded estimates, while EPS of $3.07 narrowly missed the $3.09 consensus. Fiscal 2027 EPS guidance is $12.60–$13.40, but the stock trades near its 52-week high, increasing sensitivity to execution and guidance.
• Negative Sentiment: A valuation-based downgrade is pressuring sentiment. Seeking Alpha argued that slowing growth combined with an expanding earnings multiple leaves limited room for further appreciation and downgraded Brinker to Sell. Brinker: Slowing Growth And Expanding Multiple Prompts A Downgrade To Sell
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling adds a cautionary signal. EVP Michaela M. Ware sold 3,030 shares for approximately $707,000, reducing her holdings by 14.76%. Director Joseph Michael DePinto also sold 25,000 shares worth about $5.76 million, cutting his position by 24.32%. Top Brinker International Executive Makes Attention-Grabbing Stock Move

Analysts Set New Price Targets

EAT has been the subject of several recent research reports. Weiss Ratings raised Brinker International from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 11th. Mizuho lifted their price target on shares of Brinker International from $175.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 13th. Piper Sandler boosted their price target on shares of Brinker International from $166.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, August 17th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $175.00 to $230.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a report on Thursday, August 13th. Finally, UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $190.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, August 10th. Seventeen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Brinker International has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $242.19.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Brinker International

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. California State Teachers Retirement System boosted its position in shares of Brinker International by 16,319.0% during the second quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 8,471,232 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $1,423,167,000 after purchasing an additional 8,419,638 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. increased its position in shares of Brinker International by 2.2% in the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 6,729,477 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $1,130,552,000 after buying an additional 145,525 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Brinker International by 1.5% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 4,819,397 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $691,680,000 after buying an additional 73,346 shares in the last quarter. UBS Group AG raised its stake in Brinker International by 155.2% during the 3rd quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 1,464,389 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $185,509,000 after buying an additional 890,593 shares during the period. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its stake in Brinker International by 27.7% during the 3rd quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 1,393,604 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $176,542,000 after buying an additional 301,912 shares during the period.

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.