Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) Rating Increased to Outperform at Raymond James Financial

Raymond James Financial upgraded shares of Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a report published on Wednesday, Marketbeat.com reports. Raymond James Financial currently has $195.00 price target on the restaurant operator’s stock.

Other equities research analysts have also issued reports about the company. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on Brinker International from $160.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 17th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Brinker International in a research report on Monday, December 29th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $207.00 to $180.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, September 30th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their target price on shares of Brinker International from $125.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Finally, Mizuho lifted their price target on shares of Brinker International from $155.00 to $175.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Thirteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Brinker International has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $179.74.

Brinker International Stock Up 0.6%

EAT stock opened at $160.70 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $7.14 billion, a PE ratio of 16.67, a P/E/G ratio of 1.10 and a beta of 1.34. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $146.76 and its 200 day moving average is $144.47. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53, a quick ratio of 0.29 and a current ratio of 0.35. Brinker International has a one year low of $100.30 and a one year high of $192.21.

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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Brinker International

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. UBS Group AG boosted its position in shares of Brinker International by 155.2% in the 3rd quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 1,464,389 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $185,509,000 after purchasing an additional 890,593 shares during the period. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its position in shares of Brinker International by 27.7% during the 3rd quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 1,393,604 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $176,542,000 after purchasing an additional 301,912 shares in the last quarter. Westfield Capital Management Co. LP grew its stake in shares of Brinker International by 24.2% during the 2nd quarter. Westfield Capital Management Co. LP now owns 1,236,583 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $222,993,000 after purchasing an additional 240,870 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Brinker International by 1.3% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,071,523 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $193,619,000 after purchasing an additional 14,033 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its holdings in shares of Brinker International by 2.0% in the 3rd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 975,039 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $123,541,000 after purchasing an additional 18,935 shares in the last quarter.

Brinker International News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Raymond James upgraded EAT to “outperform” and repositioned ratings across restaurant peers, calling out Brinker positively; the move increases buy‑side visibility and set a higher target on EAT. EAT raised, CAKE and DRI downgraded as Raymond James adjusts restaurant ratings
• Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen initiated coverage with a Buy and a ~$192 price target, adding another institutional vote of confidence for EAT’s growth trajectory. TD Cowen initiates coverage of Brinker International (EAT) with buy recommendation
• Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley upgraded EAT to “overweight” and raised its price target (to $200), and other analysts (UBS, TD Cowen notes on TipRanks) are maintaining/raising buy views — a cluster of upgrades tends to drive demand and multiple expansion. Analyst coverage/upgrade reporting (Benzinga)
• Positive Sentiment: Research pieces from Zacks and others highlight EAT’s growth and momentum characteristics (solid same‑store sales recovery, younger consumer appeal, improving margins) that support longer‑term upside. 3 Reasons Why Growth Investors Shouldn’t Overlook Brinker International (EAT)
• Neutral Sentiment: Company fundamentals/guide: Brinker recently posted an earnings beat and set FY‑2026 EPS guidance (roughly $9.90–$10.50), which underpins many analyst upgrades but leaves execution and comp trends as the next proof points. (Company filings/quarterly release)
• Negative Sentiment: Balance‑sheet & liquidity metrics are a watch item: elevated debt‑to‑equity (~1.53) and low current/quick ratios could amplify downside in a downturn, so leverage and free‑cash‑flow execution are key risks for investors.

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.