Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) Rating Increased to Overweight at KeyCorp

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) was upgraded by investment analysts at KeyCorp from a “sector weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research report issued on Thursday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. The firm presently has a $177.00 target price on the restaurant operator’s stock. KeyCorp’s price objective suggests a potential upside of 23.60% from the company’s previous close.

EAT has been the topic of a number of other reports. DA Davidson initiated coverage on Brinker International in a research note on Friday, March 6th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $155.00 price objective on the stock. Zacks Research lowered Brinker International from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, March 23rd. Citigroup lifted their price target on Brinker International from $187.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Mizuho upped their price target on Brinker International from $155.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 9th. Finally, Piper Sandler raised their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $140.00 to $166.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Fourteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Brinker International has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $186.11.

Brinker International Stock Up 0.3%

Shares of Brinker International stock opened at $143.20 on Thursday. Brinker International has a 12-month low of $100.30 and a 12-month high of $187.12. 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 stock has a 50 day moving average price of $150.36 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $141.51. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.48, a PEG ratio of 1.01 and a beta of 1.34.

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

Insider Buying and Selling at Brinker International

In other Brinker International news, Director Ramona Hood sold 400 shares of Brinker International stock in a transaction on Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $161.32, for a total transaction of $64,528.00. Following the sale, the director owned 9,066 shares in the company, valued at $1,462,527.12. The trade was a 4.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Michaela M. Ware sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $162.40, for a total transaction of $812,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 19,923 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,235,495.20. This represents a 20.06% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 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 corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Brinker International

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of EAT. Allworth Financial LP lifted its holdings in shares of Brinker International by 58.5% during the third quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 225 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 83 shares during the period. Rezny Wealth Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Brinker International by 0.8% in the 4th quarter. Rezny Wealth Management Inc. now owns 11,738 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $1,685,000 after purchasing an additional 92 shares during the last quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC grew its holdings in shares of Brinker International by 45.1% in the 4th quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 299 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 93 shares during the last quarter. New Age Alpha Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Brinker International by 4.8% during the 4th quarter. New Age Alpha Advisors LLC now owns 2,047 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $294,000 after purchasing an additional 94 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Aviva PLC lifted its holdings in Brinker International by 2.8% during the 4th quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 4,123 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $592,000 after purchasing an additional 112 shares during the last quarter.

About Brinker International

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.