Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) Upgraded at Zacks Research

Zacks Research upgraded shares of Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note released on Wednesday morning,Zacks.com reports.

Several other research firms have also recently issued reports on EAT. Barclays lifted their target price on Brinker International from $166.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $180.00 to $200.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 29th. UBS Group boosted their target price on shares of Brinker International from $175.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective 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. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus decreased their target price on Brinker International from $215.00 to $200.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have given a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Brinker International presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $188.56.

Brinker International Stock Up 5.2%

Shares of EAT stock opened at $168.99 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19, a current ratio of 0.36 and a quick ratio of 0.31. Brinker International has a one year low of $100.30 and a one year high of $187.12. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $153.18 and its 200-day moving average price is $144.17. The company has a market capitalization of $7.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.09, a PEG ratio of 1.14 and a beta of 1.35.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The restaurant operator reported $2.87 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.53 by $0.34. The company 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 quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.80 EPS. Brinker International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.045-10.850 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Brinker International will post 8.3 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other Brinker International news, EVP Michaela M. Ware sold 5,000 shares of the business’s 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 transaction, the executive vice president owned 19,923 shares in the company, valued at $3,235,495.20. The trade was a 20.06% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, CMO George S. Felix sold 10,431 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $161.00, for a total transaction of $1,679,391.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief marketing officer directly owned 8,064 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,298,304. This represents a 56.40% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 97,231 shares of company stock worth $15,626,979. Company insiders own 1.43% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of EAT. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in Brinker International by 46.4% in the 4th quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,804 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $259,000 after acquiring an additional 572 shares during the last quarter. LSV Asset Management purchased a new stake in Brinker International in the fourth quarter worth about $732,000. Global Retirement Partners LLC grew its holdings in Brinker International by 1,233.3% during the 4th quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 360 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $52,000 after acquiring an additional 333 shares in the last quarter. Mach 1 Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in Brinker International during the 4th quarter valued at about $613,000. Finally, Fortis Group Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Brinker International during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $792,000.

Trending Headlines about Brinker International

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research upgraded EAT from “Hold” to “Strong Buy” and added it to top‑rank/value lists — an upgrade that often brings retail and momentum flows. Zacks Upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Brinker reported an earnings and revenue beat for the recent quarter and set FY2026 guidance, which prompted multiple firms to raise price targets and issue buy/outperform calls — analyst support is a key catalyst for sustained price strength. Earnings & Analyst Reactions
• Positive Sentiment: Several bullish writeups (value and growth themes) highlight above‑average financial growth and steady same‑store sales, increasing investor interest from both value and growth buyers. Zacks Growth Article
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry pieces and screeners list EAT among restaurants benefiting from rising traffic — this can lift volume and interest but doesn’t change company fundamentals on its own. Sector Trend Article
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple insiders have sold material stakes in recent days (EVP Aaron White sold 7,000 shares; CMO George Felix sold 10,431 shares; earlier CEO and director sales were also reported). Concentrated insider selling can create near‑term selling pressure or raise questions about timing. Insider Sales Summary
• Negative Sentiment: Large executive-level dispositions (CEO, CMO, director-level) increase headline risk; short‑term traders may use these disclosures as selling triggers despite the company’s strong results. SEC Filing (example)

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.