Bloomin' Brands (NASDAQ:BLMN) Price Target Raised to $9.00 at Barclays

Key Points

• Barclays raised its price target on Bloomin' Brands from $7.00 to $9.00 and kept an "equal weight" rating, while analyst coverage remains mixed with an average price target of $8.50 and most firms at Hold/Reduce.
• Q1 beat and upgraded guidance: Bloomin' reported EPS of $0.67 (vs. $0.57 est.) and $1.06B revenue, and management set Q2 2026 guidance of $0.27–$0.32 and FY2026 guidance of $0.75–$0.90, indicating operational recovery.
• Balance-sheet and valuation risks persist — the company carries high leverage (debt-to-equity 2.34), thin liquidity (current ratio 0.31, quick ratio 0.24) and a high trailing P/E (~81.9), which could pressure the stock if results slip.

Bloomin' Brands (NASDAQ:BLMN - Get Free Report) had its target price raised by Barclays from $7.00 to $9.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an "equal weight" rating on the restaurant operator's stock. Barclays's price objective would indicate a potential upside of 10.47% from the company's current price.

Other analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Sanford C. Bernstein set a $9.00 price target on Bloomin' Brands in a research note on Thursday. UBS Group reissued a "neutral" rating and issued a $9.00 price target on shares of Bloomin' Brands in a research note on Thursday. Weiss Ratings reissued a "sell (d)" rating on shares of Bloomin' Brands in a research note on Friday, March 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded Bloomin' Brands from a "neutral" rating to an "underweight" rating and set a $6.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Friday, April 24th. Finally, Citigroup lifted their price target on Bloomin' Brands from $6.75 to $7.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 26th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Reduce" and an average price target of $8.50.

Bloomin' Brands Trading Up 0.3%

BLMN stock traded up $0.03 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $8.15. 2,259,996 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,732,828. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $5.99 and its 200-day moving average price is $6.55. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.34, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a current ratio of 0.31. The company has a market cap of $694.35 million, a PE ratio of 81.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.87 and a beta of 1.10. Bloomin' Brands has a one year low of $5.19 and a one year high of $10.70.

Bloomin' Brands (NASDAQ:BLMN - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 6th. The restaurant operator reported $0.67 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.57 by $0.10. Bloomin' Brands had a return on equity of 26.26% and a net margin of 0.21%.The firm had revenue of $1.06 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.04 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.59 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 1.0% on a year-over-year basis. Bloomin' Brands has set its FY 2026 guidance at 0.750-0.900 EPS and its Q2 2026 guidance at 0.270-0.320 EPS. Research analysts predict that Bloomin' Brands will post 0.82 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Rohit Lal bought 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 11th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $5.69 per share, with a total value of $56,900.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 30,156 shares in the company, valued at $171,587.64. The trade was a 49.61% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 1.18% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of Bloomin' Brands

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Bloomin' Brands by 44.1% in the fourth quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 5,431 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 1,662 shares during the last quarter. WINTON GROUP Ltd increased its position in shares of Bloomin' Brands by 1.1% in the third quarter. WINTON GROUP Ltd now owns 163,932 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $1,175,000 after acquiring an additional 1,752 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its position in shares of Bloomin' Brands by 50.9% in the fourth quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 6,221 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $38,000 after acquiring an additional 2,099 shares during the last quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. increased its position in shares of Bloomin' Brands by 2.2% in the third quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 97,268 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $697,000 after acquiring an additional 2,103 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fox Run Management L.L.C. increased its position in shares of Bloomin' Brands by 8.2% in the third quarter. Fox Run Management L.L.C. now owns 29,697 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $213,000 after acquiring an additional 2,261 shares during the last quarter.

Trending Headlines about Bloomin' Brands

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat — Bloomin' reported Q1 EPS of $0.67 vs. consensus $0.57 and revenue of $1.06B (vs. ~$1.04B est.), with revenue +1% year-over-year, signaling operational stabilization and margin improvement. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Raised near-term outlook — management updated Q2 2026 EPS guidance to $0.27–$0.32 (above the prior consensus ~$0.22) and set FY2026 EPS guidance of $0.75–$0.90, giving near-term upside visibility that likely underpins the rally. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Brand-level recovery driving results — Outback Steakhouse sales/margins improved and higher guest spend helped overall company performance, supporting management’s turnaround narrative. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call transparency — the Q1 2026 earnings call transcript provides color on initiatives, cost management and brand execution; useful for evaluating sustainability of trends. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst notes and metric review — coverage from Zacks and others confirms the beat and highlights key metrics to watch (same-store sales, margins, labor/commodity trends). Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Market caution on longer-term performance — commentary notes a sharp near-term pop but that BLMN’s longer-term stock performance still lags peers and benchmarks, raising questions about durability of the rally. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Financial/valuation red flags — the company carries high leverage and thin liquidity (elevated debt-to-equity, low current/quick ratios), a slim net margin and a high trailing P/E, which increase sensitivity to any slowdown in sales or cost pressures (investors should weigh operational gains against balance-sheet and valuation risks).

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.

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