Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) Given New $207.00 Price Target at Morgan Stanley

Key Points

• Morgan Stanley raised its price target on Brinker to $207 (from $205) and kept an "overweight" rating, implying roughly 37% upside from the current share price.
• Brinker beat Q3 expectations (EPS $2.90 vs. $2.85) and raised FY‑2026 guidance to $10.60–$10.85 EPS, with Chili’s delivering its 20th consecutive quarter of same‑restaurant sales growth supporting the outlook.
• Analyst views are mixed — the consensus is a "Moderate Buy" with an average target of $185.11, while insiders have recently sold shares and institutions have been adjusting positions.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT - Get Free Report) had its price target increased by analysts at Morgan Stanley from $205.00 to $207.00 in a research report issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an "overweight" rating on the restaurant operator's stock. Morgan Stanley's price target indicates a potential upside of 36.99% from the stock's current price.

A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on the company. Wall Street Zen lowered Brinker International from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, January 31st. BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on Brinker International from $140.00 to $170.00 and gave the company a "market perform" rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Citigroup lowered their price target on shares of Brinker International from $190.00 to $186.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 13th. Mizuho upped their price target on shares of Brinker International from $155.00 to $175.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, January 9th. Finally, KeyCorp upgraded shares of Brinker International from a "sector weight" rating to an "overweight" rating and set a $177.00 price target for the company in a report on Thursday, April 2nd. Fifteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Brinker International presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $185.11.

Brinker International Trading Up 2.2%

Shares of EAT traded up $3.31 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $151.11. The company's stock had a trading volume of 809,911 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,250,209. The stock has a market cap of $6.58 billion, a PE ratio of 15.28, a P/E/G ratio of 0.93 and a beta of 1.34. The company has a current ratio of 0.36, a quick ratio of 0.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19. Brinker International has a 52 week low of $100.30 and a 52 week high of $187.12. The company's fifty day moving average price is $145.14 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $143.75.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 29th. The restaurant operator reported $2.90 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.85 by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $1.47 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.48 billion. Brinker International had a net margin of 7.98% and a return on equity of 134.92%. The business's quarterly revenue was up 3.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.66 EPS. Brinker International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.60-10.850 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Brinker International will post 10.71 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Brinker International

In other Brinker International news, Director James C. Katzman sold 447 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $164.19, for a total value of $73,392.93. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 28,994 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,760,524.86. This represents a 1.52% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Michaela M. Ware sold 5,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $162.40, for a total transaction of $812,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 19,923 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,235,495.20. This trade represents a 20.06% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 23,278 shares of company stock worth $3,784,312 over the last three months. 1.43% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Meeder Asset Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Brinker International by 56.3% in the 3rd quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. now owns 22,580 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $2,860,000 after acquiring an additional 8,137 shares in the last quarter. Aquatic Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Brinker International by 48.3% in the 3rd quarter. Aquatic Capital Management LLC now owns 101,282 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $12,830,000 after acquiring an additional 32,991 shares in the last quarter. Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd raised its position in shares of Brinker International by 87.7% in the 3rd quarter. Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd now owns 23,023 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $2,917,000 after acquiring an additional 10,754 shares in the last quarter. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd increased its stake in shares of Brinker International by 53.8% in the 3rd quarter. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd now owns 41,823 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $5,298,000 after acquiring an additional 14,622 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Victory Capital Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Brinker International by 319.9% in the 3rd quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 93,499 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $11,844,000 after acquiring an additional 71,232 shares in the last quarter.

Brinker International News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Earnings beat and solid margins — Brinker reported Q3 EPS of $2.90 versus $2.85 consensus and saw year‑over‑year revenue growth and healthy net margins, which reassures investors on profitability. MarketBeat Q3 Report
• Positive Sentiment: Raised FY‑2026 EPS guidance and strong cash generation — management set FY‑2026 EPS at $10.60–$10.85 (above consensus) and expects free cash flow north of $475M, underpinning accelerated buybacks and balance‑sheet flexibility. PR Newswire Release
• Positive Sentiment: Chili’s remains the growth engine — Chili’s delivered its 20th consecutive quarter of same‑restaurant sales growth (management highlighted continued traffic and mix), which offsets Maggiano’s turnaround drag and supports the company’s top‑line outlook. Benzinga: Chili's Growth
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst price‑target tweaks are mixed — Barclays raised its PT to $175 but kept an “equal weight” rating (limited immediate bullish signal). Benzinga: Barclays PT Change
• Neutral Sentiment: Full earnings details and materials available — earnings call transcript and slide deck were posted, giving investors more color on unit economics, margin drivers and the Maggiano’s turnaround. Seeking Alpha Presentation
• Negative Sentiment: One firm trimmed its target — TD Cowen lowered its PT from $188 to $170 (still a Buy), signaling some analyst caution on valuation or short‑term upside. That tempers the optimism from the beat/guidance. Benzinga: TD Cowen PT Change

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.

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