7,701 Shares in Brinker International, Inc. $EAT Acquired by Virtus Advisers LLC

Key Points

• Virtus Advisers acquired 7,701 shares of Brinker International in the second quarter, valued at approximately $1.29 million, while several other institutional investors also increased or initiated positions.
• Brinker reported quarterly revenue of $1.54 billion, up 5.1% year over year and above estimates, though earnings of $3.07 per share narrowly missed consensus. The company issued fiscal 2027 EPS guidance of $12.60–$13.40.
• Analyst sentiment remains favorable, with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $238.05; however, company insiders sold 133,105 shares worth about $32.1 million during the quarter.

Virtus Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT - Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund acquired 7,701 shares of the restaurant operator's stock, valued at approximately $1,294,000.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. NewEdge Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Brinker International by 1,118.9% during the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 1,158 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $173,000 after acquiring an additional 1,063 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Brinker International by 271.1% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 846 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $153,000 after purchasing an additional 618 shares during the period. First Trust Advisors LP lifted its holdings in Brinker International by 1.9% during the 2nd quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 52,249 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $9,422,000 after purchasing an additional 978 shares in the last quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in Brinker International during the 2nd quarter worth about $3,222,000. Finally, Brown Advisory Inc. lifted its holdings in Brinker International by 33.0% during the 2nd quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. now owns 1,789 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $323,000 after purchasing an additional 444 shares in the last quarter.

Brinker International Price Performance

NYSE:EAT opened at $232.06 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.31, a P/E/G ratio of 1.20 and a beta of 1.24. Brinker International, Inc. has a 52-week low of $100.30 and a 52-week high of $253.71. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $193.76 and a 200 day moving average of $162.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95, a quick ratio of 0.35 and a current ratio of 0.45.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT - Get Free Report) last posted its 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 business had revenue of $1.54 billion for 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%.Brinker International's quarterly revenue was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.30 earnings per share. Brinker International has set its FY 2027 guidance at 12.600-13.400 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Brinker International, Inc. will post 13.24 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

EAT has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Weiss Ratings raised Brinker International from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Tuesday, August 11th. Northcoast Research downgraded shares of Brinker International from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating in a report on Friday, August 14th. TD Cowen raised their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $210.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 12th. Stephens raised their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $220.00 to $300.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, August 13th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $207.00 to $250.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, August 13th. Sixteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Brinker International presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $238.05.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP George S. Felix sold 14,349 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $237.47, for a total value of $3,407,457.03. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,293 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,494,398.71. This trade represents a 69.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, COO Douglas N. Comings sold 5,000 shares of Brinker International stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $236.29, for a total transaction of $1,181,450.00. Following the sale, the chief operating officer owned 17,527 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $4,141,454.83. The trade was a 22.20% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 133,105 shares of company stock worth $32,070,729. Company insiders own 1.43% of the company's stock.

Brinker International Company Profile

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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