Jefferies Financial Group Issues Positive Forecast for Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) Stock Price

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) had its price target lifted by Jefferies Financial Group from $155.00 to $175.00 in a report published on Thursday,Benzinga reports. Jefferies Financial Group currently has a hold rating on the restaurant operator’s stock.

EAT has been the subject of a number of other reports. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of Brinker International from $175.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Bank of America upgraded shares of Brinker International from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their target price for the company from $190.00 to $192.00 in a research note on Monday, October 6th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Brinker International in a research report on Monday, December 29th. TD Cowen assumed coverage on Brinker International in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $192.00 price target for the company. Finally, BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on Brinker International from $140.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Twelve analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $188.56.

Brinker International Price Performance

NYSE EAT opened at $160.98 on Thursday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $151.34 and a 200 day simple moving average of $144.24. Brinker International has a twelve month low of $100.30 and a twelve month high of $192.21. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.15 billion, a PE ratio of 16.28, a P/E/G ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19, a quick ratio of 0.29 and a current ratio of 0.36.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The restaurant operator reported $2.87 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.41 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.80 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.9% on a year-over-year basis. Brinker International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.045-10.850 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Brinker International will post 8.3 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Trading of Brinker International

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Brinker International by 1.5% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 4,819,397 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $691,680,000 after acquiring an additional 73,346 shares during the period. UBS Group AG grew its holdings in shares of Brinker International by 103.2% in the 4th quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 2,975,655 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $427,066,000 after purchasing an additional 1,511,266 shares during the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership increased 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 lifted its holdings in 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 valued at $222,993,000 after purchasing an additional 240,870 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its position in Brinker International by 1.3% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,071,523 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $193,619,000 after buying an additional 14,033 shares in the last quarter.

Brinker International News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Brinker beat expectations for Q2 (EPS $2.87 vs. $2.53 est.) and raised FY2026 guidance, driven by robust Chili’s comps and revenue growth — the core operational catalyst cited by management. PR Newswire: Q2 Results & Guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Media coverage highlights a turnaround at Chili’s as the primary driver of the beat and outlook — useful context for investors focused on brand-level recovery and same-store sales momentum. Yahoo Finance: Chili’s Turnaround Video
• Positive Sentiment: Several major brokers raised price targets and issued more bullish ratings after the print — notable lifts include Morgan Stanley (to $205, overweight), Goldman Sachs (to $200, buy), Citi and UBS (to $190, buy), and JPMorgan (to $187, overweight). This institutional re-rating supports further upside interest. Benzinga: Analyst Coverage Summary TickerReport: Morgan Stanley Note
• Neutral Sentiment: Some firms issued less bullish stances despite higher targets — Jefferies raised its target to $175 but kept a “hold”; Piper Sandler moved to neutral with a raised target to $166; Barclays to equal weight at $170. These temper enthusiasm among more cautious analysts. Benzinga: Coverage on Mixed Analyst Actions TickerReport: Piper Sandler Note
• Neutral Sentiment: Technical setup is constructive for momentum traders — a recent “golden cross” (50-day SMA > 200-day SMA) has been flagged by market commentators, which can attract technical buying. Zacks: Technical Outlook
• Negative Sentiment: Balance-sheet/liquidity metrics remain a watch item for risk-aware investors — reported debt-to-equity is elevated and current/quick ratios are low, which could limit flexibility if industry conditions weaken. No link

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.