Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) Receives Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) has been assigned an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the eighteen research firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $175.7647.

Several brokerages have recently commented on EAT. Barclays increased their target price on Brinker International from $135.00 to $166.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Brinker International from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, November 28th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Brinker International from $160.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their price target on shares of Brinker International from $207.00 to $180.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, September 30th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on Brinker International from $125.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, December 15th.

Trending Headlines about Brinker International

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

• Positive Sentiment: Citigroup raised its price target to $187 and maintained a “buy” rating, implying material upside vs. the current price; Citi’s call reinforces buy-side momentum. Citigroup PT Raise
• Positive Sentiment: Mizuho bumped its target to $175 and moved to “outperform,” signaling additional analyst conviction and near-term upside from multiple brokerages. Mizuho PT Raise
• Positive Sentiment: Seeking Alpha published a bullish piece with a $188 target, citing strong Chili’s comparable-sales gains and margin expansion as drivers of free-cash-flow and valuation support. Seeking Alpha Buy Case
• Positive Sentiment: UBS upgraded the stock (coverage note via American Banking News), adding to the tape of broker upgrades and contributing to consensus target increases. UBS Upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: BMO Capital Markets raised its price target to $170, another institutional endorsement that supports the broader analyst median target near $170. BMO PT Raise
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple media/aggregator pieces (MSN, Yahoo, InsiderMonkey) highlight growing analyst attention and a median analyst target around $170 — positive for sentiment but mostly reiterative coverage. Analyst Attention Coverage
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks included EAT among retail/restaurant names up >10% recently and still worth watching — highlights momentum but is not a new catalyst. Zacks Momentum Note
• Neutral Sentiment: A contrasting Seeking Alpha article rated EAT a “hold” citing mixed growth patterns — a reminder there are differing views on sustainability of the outperformance. Seeking Alpha Hold View

Institutional Trading of Brinker International

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Concord Wealth Partners bought a new position in shares of Brinker International in the 2nd quarter valued at about $25,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd bought a new position in Brinker International in the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Allworth Financial LP grew its holdings in Brinker International by 105.8% during the 2nd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 142 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 73 shares during the period. Salomon & Ludwin LLC bought a new stake in shares of Brinker International during the 3rd quarter valued at $26,000. Finally, AdvisorNet Financial Inc bought a new stake in shares of Brinker International during the 2nd quarter valued at $33,000.

Brinker International Price Performance

NYSE:EAT opened at $159.75 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $7.10 billion, a PE ratio of 16.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.10 and a beta of 1.34. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $137.59 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $145.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 0.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53. Brinker International has a 12 month low of $100.30 and a 12 month high of $192.21.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The restaurant operator reported $1.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.76 by $0.17. The company had revenue of $1.35 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.32 billion. Brinker International had a net margin of 7.94% and a return on equity of 164.66%. Brinker International’s quarterly revenue was up 18.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.95 earnings per share. Brinker International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.900-10.50 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Brinker International will post 8.3 EPS for the current fiscal year.

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.