Bloomin' Brands (NASDAQ:BLMN) Stock Rating Lowered by JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Key Points

• JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded Bloomin' Brands (BLMN) from "neutral" to "underweight" and set a $6.00 price target, implying about a 2.3% downside from the current share price.
• The stock carries an average analyst rating of "Reduce" with an average target of $7.94; shares opened at $6.14 and were down ~3.9%, while the company shows weak liquidity (quick ratio 0.24, current ratio 0.31) and high leverage (debt-to-equity 2.34).
• Bloomin' Brands reported $0.26 EPS (beating by $0.01) and issued Q1 and FY2026 EPS guidance of 0.570–0.620 and 0.750–0.900 respectively, and an insider (Director Rohit Lal) purchased 10,000 shares at $5.69, increasing his stake by ~49.6%.

Bloomin' Brands (NASDAQ:BLMN - Get Free Report) was downgraded by research analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a "neutral" rating to an "underweight" rating in a research note issued to investors on Friday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. They presently have a $6.00 price target on the restaurant operator's stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s price target suggests a potential downside of 2.30% from the stock's current price.

Several other analysts have also recently issued reports on the stock. Weiss Ratings restated a "sell (d)" rating on shares of Bloomin' Brands in a research report on Friday, March 27th. Citigroup upped their target price on shares of Bloomin' Brands from $6.75 to $7.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 26th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Reduce" and an average target price of $7.94.

Bloomin' Brands Stock Down 3.9%

Shares of BLMN stock opened at $6.14 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $523.40 million, a P/E ratio of 61.42, a PEG ratio of 3.00 and a beta of 1.12. Bloomin' Brands has a 52 week low of $5.19 and a 52 week high of $10.70. The company has a quick ratio of 0.24, a current ratio of 0.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.34. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $6.00 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $6.61.

Bloomin' Brands (NASDAQ:BLMN - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 25th. The restaurant operator reported $0.26 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.25 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $975.22 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $980.64 million. Bloomin' Brands had a net margin of 0.21% and a return on equity of 26.26%. The business's quarterly revenue was up .3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.38 EPS. 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. Analysts predict that Bloomin' Brands will post 0.85 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Rohit Lal acquired 10,000 shares of Bloomin' Brands stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 11th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $5.69 per share, with a total value of $56,900.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 30,156 shares of the company's stock, valued at $171,587.64. This trade represents a 49.61% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 1.18% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Bloomin' Brands

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. SG Americas Securities LLC raised its position in Bloomin' Brands by 6.4% in the 1st quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 85,062 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $459,000 after purchasing an additional 5,148 shares during the period. Hsbc Holdings PLC bought a new position in Bloomin' Brands in the 4th quarter worth about $72,000. Corient Private Wealth LLC bought a new position in Bloomin' Brands in the 4th quarter worth about $2,147,000. Alpine Global Management LLC bought a new position in Bloomin' Brands in the 4th quarter worth about $89,000. Finally, Virtu Financial LLC bought a new position in Bloomin' Brands in the 4th quarter worth about $195,000.

About Bloomin' Brands

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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