Principal Financial Group Inc. Boosts Stock Holdings in Brinker International, Inc. $EAT

Key Points

• Principal Financial Group increased its Brinker International stake by 8% in the fourth quarter, adding 20,654 shares and bringing its total to 279,029 shares valued at about $40.0 million.
• Brinker International reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings of $2.90 per share, topping estimates, while revenue came in line at $1.47 billion and rose 3.2% year over year.
• Analyst sentiment remains mostly positive, with a Moderate Buy consensus and an average price target of $185.11, though a few firms recently downgraded the stock to hold or neutral.

Principal Financial Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT - Free Report) by 8.0% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 279,029 shares of the restaurant operator's stock after acquiring an additional 20,654 shares during the quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. owned 0.64% of Brinker International worth $40,046,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of EAT. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd purchased a new position in Brinker International in the third quarter valued at $25,000. Allworth Financial LP increased its holdings in Brinker International by 58.5% in the third quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 225 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC increased its holdings in Brinker International by 45.1% in the fourth quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 299 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $45,000 after buying an additional 93 shares during the last quarter. First Horizon Corp increased its holdings in Brinker International by 116.0% in the fourth 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 last quarter. Finally, Rakuten Securities Inc. increased its holdings in Brinker International by 481.6% in the second quarter. Rakuten Securities Inc. now owns 599 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $108,000 after buying an additional 496 shares during the last quarter.

Brinker International Stock Performance

NYSE EAT opened at $138.97 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05, a current ratio of 0.40 and a quick ratio of 0.35. Brinker International, Inc. has a 1 year low of $100.30 and a 1 year high of $187.12. The company has a market capitalization of $5.96 billion, a PE ratio of 13.62, a P/E/G ratio of 0.99 and a beta of 1.32. The company has a fifty day moving average of $145.36 and a two-hundred day moving average of $144.37.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The restaurant operator reported $2.90 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.85 by $0.05. Brinker International had a net margin of 8.07% and a return on equity of 123.22%. The business had revenue of $1.47 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.47 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.66 earnings per share. The business's quarterly revenue was up 3.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Brinker International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.60-10.850 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Brinker International, Inc. will post 10.73 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Brinker International news, Director James C. Katzman sold 447 shares of the stock in a transaction dated 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 of the company's stock, valued at approximately $4,760,524.86. This trade represents a 1.52% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. 1.43% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts recently commented on EAT shares. Wall Street Zen lowered Brinker International from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, January 31st. DA Davidson started coverage on Brinker International in a report on Friday, March 6th. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $155.00 target price on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Brinker International from $175.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Zacks Research lowered Brinker International from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, March 23rd. Finally, KeyCorp raised Brinker International from a "sector weight" rating to an "overweight" rating and set a $177.00 target price on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 2nd. Fourteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $185.11.

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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