Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) Stock Rating Upgraded by Raymond James Financial

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) was upgraded by analysts at Raymond James Financial from an “outperform” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report released on Friday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. The firm presently has a $260.00 price objective on the restaurant operator’s stock. Raymond James Financial’s target price suggests a potential upside of 27.15% from the stock’s current price.

Several other equities research analysts have also recently weighed in on the company. DA Davidson decreased their target price on Brinker International from $240.00 to $210.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, September 21st. Mizuho increased their price target on shares of Brinker International from $175.00 to $275.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 13th. Northcoast Research raised shares of Brinker International from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $275.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Tuesday, September 22nd. BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $175.00 to $230.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a report on Thursday, August 13th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded shares of Brinker International from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Monday, October 5th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $249.33.

Brinker International Stock Up 0.1%

Brinker International stock opened at $204.49 on Friday. Brinker International has a 1-year low of $100.30 and a 1-year high of $254.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95, a current ratio of 0.45 and a quick ratio of 0.40. The stock has a market cap of $8.54 billion, a PE ratio of 18.78, a P/E/G ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 1.25. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $216.94 and its two-hundred day moving average is $180.76.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 12th. The restaurant operator reported $3.07 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.09 by ($0.02). Brinker International had a return on equity of 122.35% and a net margin of 8.39%. The business had revenue of $1.54 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.53 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.30 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Brinker International has set its FY 2027 guidance at 12.600-13.400 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Brinker International will post 13.16 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Brinker International

In related news, Director Joseph DePinto sold 25,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $230.39, for a total value of $5,759,750.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 77,812 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $17,927,106.68. This represents a 24.32% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, SVP Daniel S. Fuller sold 1,909 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $253.54, for a total value of $484,007.86. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 30,177 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,651,076.58. This trade represents a 5.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last three months, insiders have sold 173,694 shares of company stock valued at $41,568,690. 1.18% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Kilter Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Brinker International during the second quarter worth approximately $35,000. CoreCap Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Brinker International by 33,000.0% in the 2nd quarter. CoreCap Advisors LLC now owns 331 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $56,000 after acquiring an additional 330 shares during the period. Global Retirement Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Brinker International in the 2nd quarter valued at $71,000. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust raised its position in Brinker International by 881.2% in the 2nd quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 471 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $79,000 after purchasing an additional 423 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Allworth Financial LP purchased a new stake in Brinker International in the 2nd quarter valued at $80,000.

About Brinker International

Brinker International, Inc is a Dallas-based restaurant company that owns, operates and franchises casual dining establishments. Its portfolio is led by Chili’s Grill & Bar, a full-service restaurant brand known for burgers, steaks, fajitas, ribs and other American-style menu items, and Maggiano’s Little Italy, which specializes in Italian-American cuisine and operates both restaurants and catering services.

Brinker also developed It’s Just Wings, a virtual restaurant brand offering chicken wings, fries and related items through delivery and takeout.