Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. Invests $13.42 Million in Brinker International, Inc. $EAT

Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. purchased a new position in Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) during the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm purchased 79,863 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock, valued at approximately $13,417,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Allworth Financial LP raised its stake in 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 buying an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. Rezny Wealth Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of Brinker International by 0.8% in the fourth quarter. Rezny Wealth Management Inc. now owns 11,738 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $1,685,000 after acquiring an additional 92 shares during the last quarter. New Age Alpha Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of 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 worth $294,000 after acquiring an additional 94 shares during the last quarter. Smith Group Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Brinker International by 0.5% in the second quarter. Smith Group Asset Management LLC now owns 20,669 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $3,472,000 after acquiring an additional 104 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Aviva PLC increased its holdings in shares of Brinker International by 2.8% during the fourth quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 4,123 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $592,000 after acquiring an additional 112 shares in the last quarter.

Brinker International Stock Down 2.1%

Brinker International stock opened at $248.60 on Wednesday. Brinker International, Inc. has a 12 month low of $100.30 and a 12 month high of $254.99. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $199.35 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $164.77. The company has a current ratio of 0.45, a quick ratio of 0.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95. The firm has a market cap of $10.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.83, a PEG ratio of 1.31 and a beta of 1.24.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) last announced 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). Brinker International had a net margin of 8.39% and a return on equity of 122.35%. The business had revenue of $1.54 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.53 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $2.30 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Brinker International has set its FY 2027 guidance at 12.600-13.400 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Brinker International, Inc. will post 13.24 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, SVP James M. Butler sold 10,000 shares of Brinker International stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $240.37, for a total value of $2,403,700.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 9,064 shares in the company, valued at $2,178,713.68. The trade was a 52.45% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, SVP Daniel S. Fuller sold 9,960 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $243.43, for a total transaction of $2,424,562.80. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 32,086 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,810,694.98. The trade was a 23.69% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 143,105 shares of company stock worth $34,474,429 in the last quarter. Insiders own 1.43% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

EAT has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Northcoast Research lowered Brinker International from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, August 14th. TD Cowen increased their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $210.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 12th. BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $175.00 to $230.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 13th. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Brinker International from $227.00 to $282.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, August 13th. Finally, DA Davidson upped their target price on shares of Brinker International from $160.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 13th. Seventeen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $242.19.

Key Headlines Impacting Brinker International

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

• Positive Sentiment: Robert W. Baird initiated coverage with an “outperform” rating and a $325 price target, implying substantial upside from recent trading levels. The bullish view adds to a generally favorable analyst consensus, including recent target increases from Morgan Stanley and UBS. Analyst coverage report
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlighted Brinker as a strong growth stock, supported by its favorable growth characteristics and improving earnings outlook. The company’s latest quarterly revenue rose 5.1% year over year, while earnings increased from the prior-year period despite a small quarterly EPS miss. Why Brinker is a strong growth stock
• Positive Sentiment: Brinker was included among restaurant stocks positioned to benefit from strong July industry sales and continued consumer spending. Its Chili’s and Maggiano’s brands could benefit if restaurant demand remains resilient. Restaurant sales stock picks
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks also identified Brinker as having solid interest-coverage metrics, suggesting it has comparatively strong ability to service debt amid market volatility. However, the company’s current ratio and quick ratio remain below 1, indicating limited short-term liquidity. Interest coverage stock picks
• Negative Sentiment: Senior Vice President James Butler sold 10,000 shares for approximately $2.4 million, reducing his direct holdings by 52.45%. Although one insider transaction does not establish a broader trend, the sizable sale may concern investors, particularly after EAT’s sharp rally and elevated valuation. Brinker insider stock sale
• Negative Sentiment: At roughly 23 times earnings and near its 52-week high, expectations for continued growth appear demanding. The broader analyst consensus price target of $242.19 is below recent trading levels, creating a potential valuation overhang despite the new $325 bullish target.

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.