Zacks Research Has Positive Outlook for EAT FY2026 Earnings

Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) – Research analysts at Zacks Research increased their FY2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Brinker International in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, February 11th. Zacks Research analyst Team now forecasts that the restaurant operator will post earnings of $10.61 per share for the year, up from their prior estimate of $10.16. Zacks Research currently has a “Strong-Buy” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Brinker International’s current full-year earnings is $8.30 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Brinker International’s Q4 2026 earnings at $2.98 EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at $2.14 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $2.99 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $3.35 EPS, Q4 2027 earnings at $3.75 EPS, FY2027 earnings at $12.23 EPS and Q2 2028 earnings at $3.30 EPS.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 28th. The restaurant operator reported $2.87 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.53 by $0.34. The firm had revenue of $1.45 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.41 billion. Brinker International had a net margin of 7.98% and a return on equity of 134.92%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.80 earnings per share. Brinker International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.045-10.850 EPS.

Several other research firms have also recently weighed in on EAT. UBS Group lifted their price target on Brinker International from $175.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their price objective 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. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of Brinker International from $177.00 to $187.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Brinker International from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, January 31st. Finally, TD Cowen began coverage on shares of Brinker International in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $192.00 price objective for the company. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $188.56.

Brinker International Trading Down 2.4%

Shares of EAT stock opened at $162.40 on Thursday. Brinker International has a 12-month low of $100.30 and a 12-month high of $187.12. The company has a market capitalization of $7.07 billion, a PE ratio of 16.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.18 and a beta of 1.35. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $154.74 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $144.42. The company has a quick ratio of 0.31, a current ratio of 0.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Brinker International

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Cibc World Markets Corp acquired a new stake in Brinker International during the 4th quarter worth approximately $421,000. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC grew its holdings in Brinker International by 16.2% during the 4th quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 5,520 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $792,000 after acquiring an additional 771 shares during the period. Swiss National Bank increased its holdings in Brinker International by 1.6% in the fourth quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 87,600 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $12,572,000 after purchasing an additional 1,400 shares in the last quarter. Aviva PLC increased its stake in shares of Brinker International by 2.8% in the 4th quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 4,123 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $592,000 after acquiring an additional 112 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Nuveen LLC increased its stake in Brinker International by 26.8% in the fourth quarter. Nuveen LLC now owns 190,796 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $27,383,000 after purchasing an additional 40,343 shares in the last quarter.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Michaela M. Ware sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $162.40, for a total value of $812,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 19,923 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,235,495.20. This represents a 20.06% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Aaron M. White sold 7,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $165.00, for a total transaction of $1,155,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 42,756 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,054,740. The trade was a 14.07% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 97,678 shares of company stock valued at $15,700,372. Corporate insiders own 1.43% of the company’s stock.

Brinker International News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised its FY2026 and FY2027 earnings outlook materially (FY2026 to $10.61, FY2027 to $12.23) and increased several quarterly estimates, while keeping a “Strong‑Buy” rating — a constructive signal for longer‑term earnings power and multiple expansion.
• Positive Sentiment: Chili’s launched a “Margarita of the Month Club” loyalty/merch program to drive traffic and repeat visits (brand engagement tied to nearly 30M margaritas sold in 2025), which could support same‑store sales and marketing ROI. Chili’s® Turns Its Margarita of The Month Fandom into an Official Club
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent commentary (Seeking Alpha) highlights solid results and traffic gains but notes there’s still room to “turn up the heat” — supportive analysis but not a clear catalyst either way. Brinker International: Crisp Results, Traffic Gains, Still Room To Turn Up The Heat
• Negative Sentiment: Director James C. Katzman sold 447 shares (~$73K) on Feb 11. Insider selling can be perceived as a signal for profit‑taking, weighing on near‑term sentiment despite the director still holding a large position. The SEC filing is available here: SEC Filing – Insider Sale
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks trimmed a few near‑term quarter forecasts (notably Q2 2027 and a tiny cut to Q2 2028), which could temper expectations for short‑term beats and pressure the stock amid profit‑taking.

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.