Bloomin’ Brands (NASDAQ:BLMN) Shares Gap Up After Strong Earnings

Bloomin’ Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:BLMN) shares gapped up before the market opened on Wednesday following a better than expected earnings announcement. The stock had previously closed at $5.87, but opened at $6.27. Bloomin’ Brands shares last traded at $5.9450, with a volume of 1,833,255 shares traded.

The restaurant operator reported $0.26 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.25 by $0.01. Bloomin’ Brands had a positive return on equity of 33.92% and a negative net margin of 1.46%.The business had revenue of $975.22 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $980.64 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.38 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up .3% on a year-over-year basis. Bloomin’ Brands has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.570-0.620 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 0.750-0.900 EPS.

More Bloomin’ Brands News

Here are the key news stories impacting Bloomin’ Brands this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 EPS modestly beat consensus ($0.26 vs. $0.25), which supports near‑term earnings credibility and was cited as a reason for early buying interest. Zacks: Q4 Earnings Top Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Company says Outback Steakhouse posted its first quarter of positive traffic in four years and management highlighted turnaround progress — a meaningful operational datapoint if sustained. WSJ: Narrower Loss, Turnaround Efforts
• Positive Sentiment: Q1 FY2026 guidance (EPS $0.570–0.620) was set above Street estimates, which can support near‑term sentiment if guidance execution is validated. Press Release / Slide Deck
• Neutral Sentiment: Revenue was essentially flat (+0.3% year‑over‑year), signaling stabilization but limited near‑term top‑line upside. Business Wire: Q4 Results
• Neutral Sentiment: Company released its conference call, press release and slide deck for investors to assess details — useful but not immediately market‑moving on its own. Conference Call / Slides
• Negative Sentiment: FY2026 guidance ($0.750–0.900) was centered roughly around Street estimates but the range and midpoint leave room for disappointment vs. the consensus of $0.83; investors may view this as cautious. Press Release / Slide Deck
• Negative Sentiment: EPS declined year‑over‑year (from $0.38 to $0.26) and the company still shows a negative net margin — fundamentals that keep longer‑term skepticism among some investors. MSN/News Coverage
• Negative Sentiment: Critical analyst coverage highlighted ongoing concerns that the turnaround may not be enough yet (seeking alpha piece), which can pressure sentiment. Seeking Alpha: Just Not Good Enough
• Neutral Sentiment: Reported short‑interest data appears to contain a data glitch (zero shares / NaN change) and should be treated as unreliable until corrected.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have commented on the stock. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Bloomin’ Brands from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, November 7th. Loop Capital set a $10.00 price objective on shares of Bloomin’ Brands in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised shares of Bloomin’ Brands from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $7.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 7th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Bloomin’ Brands in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Bloomin’ Brands currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and an average target price of $8.64.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Bloomin’ Brands

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Virtu Financial LLC bought a new stake in Bloomin’ Brands during the 4th quarter worth approximately $195,000. Invesco Ltd. lifted its holdings in shares of Bloomin’ Brands by 9.9% in the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,368,340 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $8,443,000 after purchasing an additional 123,566 shares in the last quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Bloomin’ Brands during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $2,147,000. State of Tennessee Department of Treasury boosted its position in shares of Bloomin’ Brands by 116.6% during the fourth quarter. State of Tennessee Department of Treasury now owns 40,570 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $243,000 after buying an additional 21,843 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Empowered Funds LLC grew its holdings in Bloomin’ Brands by 39.4% during the fourth quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 275,991 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $1,703,000 after buying an additional 78,055 shares in the last quarter.

Bloomin’ Brands Price Performance

The company has a current ratio of 0.45, a quick ratio of 0.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.77. The business has a 50-day moving average of $6.74 and a 200 day moving average of $6.94. The firm has a market capitalization of $486.61 million, a PE ratio of -8.52 and a beta of 1.15.

Bloomin’ Brands Company Profile

Bloomin’ Brands, Inc engages in the ownership, operation and franchising of casual dining restaurants worldwide. The company’s portfolio includes five full-service restaurant chains: Outback Steakhouse, known for its Australian-inspired steakhouse concept; Carrabba’s Italian Grill, offering Italian-American cuisine; Bonefish Grill, specializing in handcrafted seafood dishes; Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, focusing on premium steak and wine experiences; and Aussie Grill by Outback, featuring a streamlined menu of signature items.