Insider Selling: Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) EVP Sells $812,000.00 in Stock

Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) EVP Michaela Ware sold 5,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $162.40, for a total transaction of $812,000.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 19,923 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,235,495.20. This represents a 20.06% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link.

Brinker International Stock Up 5.2%

EAT stock opened at $168.99 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19, a current ratio of 0.36 and a quick ratio of 0.31. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.09, a P/E/G ratio of 1.19 and a beta of 1.35. Brinker International, Inc. has a 52-week low of $100.30 and a 52-week high of $187.12. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $153.18 and its 200-day simple moving average is $143.93.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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. Brinker International had a net margin of 7.98% and a return on equity of 134.92%. The firm had revenue of $1.45 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.41 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.80 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 6.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Brinker International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.045-10.850 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Brinker International, Inc. will post 8.3 EPS for the current year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

EAT has been the subject of a number of research reports. Barclays raised their price objective on Brinker International from $166.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Brinker International from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $177.00 to $187.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on shares of Brinker International from $180.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut shares of Brinker International from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, January 31st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $188.56.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Concord Wealth Partners acquired a new stake in shares of Brinker International in the 2nd quarter valued at $25,000. Allworth Financial LP raised its holdings in Brinker International by 105.8% during the second quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 142 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 73 shares in the last quarter. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Brinker International during the second quarter valued at about $34,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Brinker International in the third quarter worth about $25,000. Finally, Salomon & Ludwin LLC bought a new stake in shares of Brinker International during the 3rd quarter worth about $26,000.

Key Headlines Impacting 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.