Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) Rating Lowered to “Neutral” at Northcoast Research

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) was downgraded by research analysts at Northcoast Research from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report released on Friday, MarketBeat reports.

A number of other brokerages have also recently weighed in on EAT. DA Davidson lifted their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $160.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Brinker International from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Tuesday. KeyCorp boosted their price target on shares of Brinker International from $204.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on Brinker International from $220.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Bank of America upped their price objective on Brinker International from $224.00 to $310.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday. Sixteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $234.35.

Brinker International Stock Performance

Shares of Brinker International stock opened at $239.50 on Friday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $185.01 and a 200 day moving average of $160.19. Brinker International has a 12 month low of $100.30 and a 12 month high of $253.71. The stock has a market capitalization of $10.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 1.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05, a current ratio of 0.40 and a quick ratio of 0.35.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 12th. The restaurant operator reported $3.07 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.09 by ($0.02). The business had revenue of $1.54 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.53 billion. Brinker International had a return on equity of 127.82% and a net margin of 8.39%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.30 earnings per share. Brinker International has set its FY 2027 guidance at 12.600-13.400 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Brinker International will post 12.84 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Allworth Financial LP raised its position in shares of Brinker International by 58.5% during the 3rd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 225 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 83 shares in the last quarter. Rezny Wealth Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Brinker International by 0.8% in the fourth quarter. Rezny Wealth Management Inc. now owns 11,738 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $1,685,000 after purchasing an additional 92 shares in the last quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC increased its stake in Brinker International by 45.1% in the fourth quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 299 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $45,000 after purchasing an additional 93 shares during the last quarter. New Age Alpha Advisors LLC increased its stake in Brinker International by 4.8% in the fourth quarter. New Age Alpha Advisors LLC now owns 2,047 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $294,000 after purchasing an additional 94 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Smith Group Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in Brinker International by 0.5% during the second quarter. Smith Group Asset Management LLC now owns 20,669 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $3,472,000 after purchasing an additional 104 shares in the last quarter.

Brinker International News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Strong Chili’s performance: Fiscal fourth-quarter revenue rose 5.1% year over year to $1.54 billion, exceeding expectations, while EPS increased from $2.30 to $3.07. Growth was driven by higher Chili’s sales and traffic, expanding margins and the popularity of its new chicken-sandwich offerings. Brinker Q4 Earnings Meet Estimates, Revenues Beat on Chili’s Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Above-consensus 2027 outlook: Brinker forecast fiscal 2027 EPS of $12.60–$13.40 and revenue of $6.2–$6.3 billion, above analysts’ estimates of $12.47 EPS and approximately $6.1 billion in revenue. Management also identified takeout and digital ordering as important areas for future growth. Chili’s Parent Wants a Bigger Slice of Fast Food’s Digital Business
• Positive Sentiment: Broad analyst optimism: Stephens raised its target to $300, Citi to $282, Wells Fargo to $280, KeyCorp to $275, Mizuho to $275, TD Cowen to $270, and Morgan Stanley to $250. Most firms maintained bullish ratings, reinforcing expectations that Brinker’s earnings momentum can continue. These Analysts Boost Their Forecasts On Brinker Following Q4 Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: CEO Kevin Hochman’s interview with Jim Cramer highlighted brand strength, consumer trends and the company’s growth strategy, potentially supporting investor confidence. Brinker International CEO Kevin Hochman Sits Down With Jim Cramer
• Negative Sentiment: EPS of $3.07 was slightly below the reported consensus estimate of $3.09, creating a modest quarterly earnings miss. BMO Capital raised its target to $230 but retained a market-perform rating, below the stock’s recent trading level.

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.