Cynosure Group LLC Invests $766,000 in Brinker International, Inc. $EAT

Key Points

• Cynosure Group LLC acquired 4,562 shares of Brinker International during the second quarter, valued at approximately $766,000. Several other institutional investors also increased or initiated positions.
• Brinker’s latest quarter showed strong momentum, with revenue of $1.54 billion, up 5.1% year over year, and EPS of $3.07 versus $2.30 a year earlier; EPS was slightly below the $3.09 consensus while revenue exceeded estimates.
• Analysts remain broadly positive, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and a $234.35 target price, but elevated valuation, labor and inflation costs, and slower Maggiano’s performance pose risks after the stock’s sharp rally.

Cynosure Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT - Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm acquired 4,562 shares of the restaurant operator's stock, valued at approximately $766,000.

A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd purchased a new position in Brinker International in the third quarter worth $25,000. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC raised its position in Brinker International by 570.4% during the fourth quarter. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC now owns 181 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 154 shares in the last quarter. Allworth Financial LP lifted its stake in Brinker International by 58.5% during the third quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 225 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC boosted its stake in Brinker International by 45.1% in the fourth quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 299 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $45,000 after buying an additional 93 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First Horizon Corp boosted its position in Brinker International by 116.0% during the 4th quarter. First Horizon Corp now owns 337 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $48,000 after buying an additional 181 shares during the period.

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 Stock Down 0.5%

Shares of Brinker International stock opened at $237.42 on Friday. Brinker International, Inc. has a 1 year low of $100.30 and a 1 year high of $253.71. The firm has a market cap of $10.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.80, a PEG ratio of 1.33 and a beta of 1.24. The company has a 50-day moving average of $186.95 and a 200 day moving average of $160.73. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95, a current ratio of 0.45 and a quick ratio of 0.35.

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 business had revenue of $1.54 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.53 billion. Brinker International had a return on equity of 122.35% and a net margin of 8.39%.The company's revenue was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.30 EPS. Brinker International has set its FY 2027 guidance at 12.600-13.400 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Brinker International, Inc. will post 13.19 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages recently commented on EAT. Barclays raised their price target on Brinker International from $170.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. TD Cowen lifted their target price on shares of Brinker International from $210.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on shares of Brinker International from $175.00 to $230.00 and gave the company a "market perform" rating in a research report on Thursday. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Brinker International from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, DA Davidson raised their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $160.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Thursday. Sixteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $234.35.

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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