LightSquare Wealth Management LLC Takes $838,000 Position in Brinker International, Inc. $EAT

LightSquare Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 4,988 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock, valued at approximately $838,000. Brinker International accounts for about 0.6% of LightSquare Wealth Management LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 20th biggest holding.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of EAT. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd purchased a new stake in Brinker International during the third quarter valued at $25,000. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Brinker International by 570.4% in the fourth quarter. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC now owns 181 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 154 shares during the period. Allworth Financial LP boosted its position in Brinker International by 58.5% in the third quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 225 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC boosted its position in Brinker International by 45.1% in the fourth quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 299 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 93 shares during the last quarter. Finally, First Horizon Corp grew its stake in shares of Brinker International by 116.0% during the 4th quarter. First Horizon Corp now owns 337 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $48,000 after purchasing an additional 181 shares during the period.

Brinker International Trading Down 0.5%

Shares of EAT opened at $237.42 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $10.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 1.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95, a current ratio of 0.45 and a quick ratio of 0.35. Brinker International, Inc. has a 1 year low of $100.30 and a 1 year high of $253.71. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $186.95 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $160.73.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 12th. The restaurant operator reported $3.07 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.09 by ($0.02). The company had revenue of $1.54 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.53 billion. Brinker International had a return on equity of 122.35% and a net margin of 8.39%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.30 EPS. Brinker International has set its FY 2027 guidance at 12.600-13.400 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Brinker International, Inc. will post 13.07 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Key Stories Impacting Brinker International

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

• Positive Sentiment: Fiscal fourth-quarter results were broadly encouraging: revenue exceeded expectations, EPS increased 23.3% year over year, and Chili’s delivered strong sales and traffic growth with expanding margins. However, reported EPS was slightly below consensus in the company’s earnings release. Brinker Q4 Earnings Meet Estimates, Revenues Beat on Chili’s Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Management’s fiscal 2027 outlook calls for $12.60-$13.40 in EPS, supported in part by an extra 53rd operating week. Continued Chili’s traffic gains, restaurant reimages and cost control will determine whether the company can meet or exceed that guidance. EAT’s Fiscal 2027 Guidance Gets a Boost From the 53rd Operating Week
• Positive Sentiment: Several firms raised their price targets following the results, including Bank of America to $310 with a Buy rating, Stephens to $300, Citi to $282, Wells Fargo to $280 and KeyCorp to $275. These revisions reflect increased confidence in Chili’s execution and earnings growth.
• Neutral Sentiment: Brinker’s stock has risen 28.7% over the past month and reached a new 52-week high, raising expectations. Investors may now require continued traffic growth, margin delivery and guidance execution for further upside. EAT Jumps 28.7% in a Month
• Negative Sentiment: Northcoast Research downgraded EAT from Buy to Neutral, signaling that the recent rally may have priced in much of the expected improvement.
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts continue to flag elevated valuation, inflation and labor-cost risks, while Maggiano’s slower turnaround could limit consolidated growth. These concerns are contributing to profit-taking despite the favorable operating trends. Is EAT a Buy Now as Chili’s Growth Meets Cost and Valuation Risks?

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts recently issued reports on EAT shares. BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on shares of Brinker International from $175.00 to $230.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a research report on Thursday. Northcoast Research downgraded shares of Brinker International from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of Brinker International from $190.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, August 10th. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Brinker International from $170.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. Finally, KeyCorp upped their price objective on Brinker International from $204.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday. Sixteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $234.35.

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.