Zacks Research Issues Positive Forecast for EAT Earnings

Key Points

• Zacks Research raised Brinker International’s Q1 2027 EPS estimate to $2.29 from $2.16 and projected FY2027 EPS of $13.03, followed by $13.66 for FY2028 and $14.90 for FY2029.
• Analyst sentiment remains favorable, with 17 Buy ratings and seven Holds giving EAT a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $242.19. Several firms recently raised their targets, including KeyCorp, UBS, Citigroup and Piper Sandler.
• Brinker reported quarterly revenue of $1.54 billion, up 5.1% year over year, although EPS of $3.07 narrowly missed estimates. Shares opened at $240.52 near their 52-week high, while insiders have sold 145,014 shares worth approximately $35.0 million over the past 90 days.

Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT - Free Report) - Equities researchers at Zacks Research boosted their Q1 2027 EPS estimates for shares of Brinker International in a report issued on Wednesday, August 26th. Zacks Research analyst Team now expects that the restaurant operator will earn $2.29 per share for the quarter, up from their prior estimate of $2.16. The consensus estimate for Brinker International's current full-year earnings is $13.24 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Brinker International's Q2 2027 earnings at $3.24 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $3.45 EPS, Q4 2027 earnings at $4.05 EPS, FY2027 earnings at $13.03 EPS, Q1 2028 earnings at $2.49 EPS, Q2 2028 earnings at $3.30 EPS, Q3 2028 earnings at $3.54 EPS, Q4 2028 earnings at $4.34 EPS, FY2028 earnings at $13.66 EPS and FY2029 earnings at $14.90 EPS.

A number of other research firms also recently commented on EAT. KeyCorp lifted their target price on Brinker International from $204.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Thursday, August 13th. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Brinker International from $190.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, August 10th. Citigroup lifted their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $227.00 to $282.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, August 13th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $175.00 to $230.00 and gave the company a "market perform" rating in a report on Thursday, August 13th. Finally, Piper Sandler increased their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $166.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Monday, August 17th. Seventeen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $242.19.

Brinker International Stock Performance

Shares of EAT stock opened at $240.52 on Thursday. The business has a fifty day moving average of $200.98 and a 200 day moving average of $165.34. 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 firm has a market capitalization of $10.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.28 and a beta of 1.24.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 12th. The restaurant operator reported $3.07 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 company had revenue of $1.54 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.53 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.30 earnings per share. The company's quarterly revenue was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. Brinker International has set its FY 2027 guidance at 12.600-13.400 EPS.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of EAT. Amundi lifted its stake in Brinker International by 23.8% in the 2nd quarter. Amundi now owns 22,575 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $3,793,000 after buying an additional 4,346 shares in the last quarter. VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al acquired a new stake in Brinker International in the 2nd quarter worth about $3,153,000. California State Teachers Retirement System increased its stake in Brinker International by 16,319.0% during the 2nd quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 8,471,232 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $1,423,167,000 after buying an additional 8,419,638 shares in the last quarter. Nilsine Partners LLC increased its stake in Brinker International by 3.5% during the 2nd quarter. Nilsine Partners LLC now owns 19,541 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $3,283,000 after buying an additional 665 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Brinker International by 5.7% during the second quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC now owns 4,528 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $761,000 after acquiring an additional 246 shares during the last quarter.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, SVP Daniel S. Fuller sold 1,909 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on 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 owned 30,177 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $7,651,076.58. The trade was a 5.95% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, SVP James M. Butler sold 10,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Friday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $240.37, for a total transaction of $2,403,700.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 9,064 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,178,713.68. This represents a 52.45% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 145,014 shares of company stock valued at $34,958,437 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 1.43% of the company's stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Brinker International

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

• Positive Sentiment: Brinker’s latest results showed solid operating momentum: quarterly revenue rose 5.1% year over year to approximately $1.54 billion, while comparable restaurant sales increased 5.0% and Chili’s comparable sales climbed 5.6%. Management also issued fiscal 2027 EPS guidance of $12.60–$13.40 and expanded its share-repurchase authorization to $750 million.
• Positive Sentiment: Robert W. Baird initiated coverage with an “outperform” rating and a $325 price target, offering a bullish view that the company’s growth outlook can support additional upside. Robert W. Baird Initiates Coverage on Brinker International
• Neutral Sentiment: Chili’s launched a promotional “Chili’s Golf Club” activation at DeBell Golf Club in California. The campaign could support brand engagement, but its near-term financial impact is unclear. Chili’s Golf Club announcement
• Negative Sentiment: A recent analyst downgrade to a neutral stance suggested that much of Brinker’s strong earnings news may already be reflected in the stock following its sharp rally. Valuation concerns are more prominent with shares near their 52-week high, while several older analyst targets remain below the current trading level.
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling is adding short-term pressure. Senior Vice President Daniel S. Fuller sold 1,909 shares for approximately $484,000 on August 25, following other disclosed sales, including SVP James Butler’s 10,000-share sale valued at roughly $2.4 million. Across the past six months, reported insider activity included 15 sales and no purchases. Daniel Fuller insider sale

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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

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