Bank of America Corp DE Acquires 66,383 Shares of Brinker International, Inc. $EAT

Key Points

• Bank of America increased its Brinker International stake by 37.7% in the first quarter, purchasing 66,383 additional shares and bringing its holdings to 242,648 shares valued at approximately $34.6 million.
• Analyst sentiment remains positive: 16 analysts rate EAT a Buy and seven rate it a Hold, producing a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $234.35. Several firms recently raised their targets, including KeyCorp and Mizuho to $275 and Wells Fargo to $280.
• Brinker reported quarterly revenue of $1.54 billion, up 5.1% year over year, though EPS of $3.07 narrowly missed estimates. Management issued fiscal 2027 EPS guidance of $12.60–$13.40, while the stock has climbed sharply and trades near its 52-week high.

Bank of America Corp DE increased its holdings in Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT - Free Report) by 37.7% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 242,648 shares of the restaurant operator's stock after purchasing an additional 66,383 shares during the quarter. Bank of America Corp DE owned approximately 0.57% of Brinker International worth $34,643,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Brinker International by 570.4% during the 4th quarter. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC now owns 181 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 154 shares during the last quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd bought a new stake in Brinker International during the third quarter valued at $25,000. Allworth Financial LP boosted its position in Brinker International by 58.5% during the third quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 225 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC grew its holdings in Brinker International by 45.1% during the 4th quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 299 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $45,000 after acquiring an additional 93 shares during the period. Finally, First Horizon Corp grew its holdings in Brinker International by 116.0% during the 4th quarter. First Horizon Corp now owns 337 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $48,000 after acquiring an additional 181 shares during the period.

Analyst Ratings Changes

EAT has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Weiss Ratings raised Brinker International from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note on Tuesday. Barclays lifted their target price on Brinker International from $170.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, April 30th. KeyCorp raised their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $204.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday. Mizuho increased their target price on shares of Brinker International from $175.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Brinker International from $220.00 to $280.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday. Sixteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $234.35.

Brinker International Stock Performance

Shares of EAT stock opened at $237.42 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95, a quick ratio of 0.35 and a current ratio of 0.45. The firm has a market cap of $10.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.80, a P/E/G ratio of 1.34 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 firm's 50-day simple moving average is $186.95 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $160.73.

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). The firm had revenue of $1.54 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.53 billion. Brinker International had a net margin of 8.39% and a return on equity of 122.35%. Brinker International's revenue for the quarter was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.30 EPS. Brinker International has set its FY 2027 guidance at 12.600-13.400 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Brinker International, Inc. will post 13.07 earnings per share for the current year.

Key Headlines Impacting Brinker International

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

• Positive Sentiment: Fiscal fourth-quarter results were broadly encouraging: revenue exceeded expectations, EPS increased 23.3% year over year, and Chili’s delivered strong sales and traffic growth with expanding margins. However, reported EPS was slightly below consensus in the company’s earnings release. Brinker Q4 Earnings Meet Estimates, Revenues Beat on Chili's Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Management’s fiscal 2027 outlook calls for $12.60-$13.40 in EPS, supported in part by an extra 53rd operating week. Continued Chili’s traffic gains, restaurant reimages and cost control will determine whether the company can meet or exceed that guidance. EAT's Fiscal 2027 Guidance Gets a Boost From the 53rd Operating Week
• Positive Sentiment: Several firms raised their price targets following the results, including Bank of America to $310 with a Buy rating, Stephens to $300, Citi to $282, Wells Fargo to $280 and KeyCorp to $275. These revisions reflect increased confidence in Chili’s execution and earnings growth.
• Neutral Sentiment: Brinker’s stock has risen 28.7% over the past month and reached a new 52-week high, raising expectations. Investors may now require continued traffic growth, margin delivery and guidance execution for further upside. EAT Jumps 28.7% in a Month
• Negative Sentiment: Northcoast Research downgraded EAT from Buy to Neutral, signaling that the recent rally may have priced in much of the expected improvement.
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts continue to flag elevated valuation, inflation and labor-cost risks, while Maggiano’s slower turnaround could limit consolidated growth. These concerns are contributing to profit-taking despite the favorable operating trends. Is EAT a Buy Now as Chili's Growth Meets Cost and Valuation Risks?

Brinker International 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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