Zacks Research Issues Positive Forecast for EAT Earnings

Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) – Stock analysts at Zacks Research lifted their Q1 2028 earnings per share estimates for shares of Brinker International in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, February 11th. Zacks Research analyst Team now expects that the restaurant operator will post earnings of $2.39 per share for the quarter, up from their previous estimate of $2.18. Zacks Research has a “Strong-Buy” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Brinker International’s current full-year earnings is $8.30 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Brinker International’s FY2028 earnings at $13.01 EPS.

A number of other brokerages have also issued reports on EAT. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of Brinker International from $177.00 to $187.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” 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 research report on Wednesday, February 4th. UBS Group increased their price objective on Brinker International from $175.00 to $190.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on Brinker International from $200.00 to $205.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Brinker International from $175.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Brinker International currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $188.56.

Brinker International Stock Down 2.4%

Shares of NYSE:EAT opened at $162.40 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.31, a current ratio of 0.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19. The firm has a market cap of $7.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.42, a P/E/G ratio of 1.18 and a beta of 1.35. Brinker International has a 12 month low of $100.30 and a 12 month high of $187.12. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $154.74 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $144.42.

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

Institutional Trading of Brinker International

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of EAT. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd bought a new position in Brinker International during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Allworth Financial LP increased its stake in Brinker International by 105.8% in 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 in the last quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC acquired a new stake in Brinker International in the third quarter worth $26,000. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Brinker International during the second quarter worth $34,000. Finally, GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC boosted its position in shares of Brinker International by 52.1% during the second quarter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC now owns 219 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 75 shares in the last quarter.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Brinker International news, Director Harriet Edelman sold 8,400 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $159.00, for a total value of $1,335,600.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 21,004 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,339,636. This represents a 28.57% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Aaron M. White sold 7,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $165.00, for a total value of $1,155,000.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 42,756 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,054,740. This trade represents a 14.07% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 97,678 shares of company stock worth $15,700,372 over the last 90 days. 1.43% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Key Headlines Impacting Brinker International

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised several near‑ and long‑term earnings estimates (including FY2026, FY2027 and FY2028) and issued a “Strong‑Buy” on EAT — this is the main bullish catalyst, as higher analyst EPS targets and a Strong‑Buy label tend to lift investor sentiment. MarketBeat EAT
• Neutral Sentiment: A Seeking Alpha piece highlights solid results and traffic gains but notes there’s still room for improvement — useful context for investors evaluating operational momentum but not a direct catalyst. Article
• Neutral Sentiment: Chili’s launched a marketing push — the “Margarita of the Month Club” and limited‑time promotions around National Margarita Day — which could modestly boost traffic and brand engagement but is unlikely to move the stock materially on its own. PR Newswire
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks made a tiny downward tweak to its Q2 2028 EPS forecast (from $3.31 to $3.30) and a small cut to a Q2 2027 estimate — immaterial in isolation but worth noting given the many simultaneous estimate changes. MarketBeat EAT
• Negative Sentiment: Director James C. Katzman sold 447 shares at ~$164.19 (SEC filing disclosed). Insider sales can be interpreted negatively by some investors, though the sale represented a small (~1.5%) reduction in his holdings. SEC Filing

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.