Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) Price Target Raised to $207.00 at Morgan Stanley

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) had its target price hoisted by Morgan Stanley from $205.00 to $207.00 in a research note released on Thursday morning,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an overweight rating on the restaurant operator’s stock.

Several other brokerages have also recently commented on EAT. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Brinker International from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, January 31st. Wolfe Research assumed coverage on shares of Brinker International in a report on Monday, March 9th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $184.00 target price on the stock. KeyCorp raised shares of 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. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their target price on shares of Brinker International from $180.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, Raymond James Financial raised shares of Brinker International from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $195.00 target price on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Fifteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $185.11.

Brinker International Stock Up 2.8%

Brinker International stock opened at $151.92 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $6.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.89, a P/E/G ratio of 1.03 and a beta of 1.34. The company has a quick ratio of 0.31, a current ratio of 0.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05. Brinker International has a twelve month low of $100.30 and a twelve month high of $187.12. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $145.16 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $143.80.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The restaurant operator reported $2.90 earnings per share for the quarter, beating 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 firm had revenue of $1.47 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.47 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.66 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 3.2% on a year-over-year basis. Brinker International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.60-10.850 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Brinker International will post 10.71 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Brinker International

In related news, CMO George S. Felix sold 10,431 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $161.00, for a total transaction of $1,679,391.00. Following the sale, the chief marketing officer owned 8,064 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,298,304. This trade represents a 56.40% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Michaela M. Ware sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $162.40, for a total transaction of $812,000.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 19,923 shares in the company, valued at $3,235,495.20. This represents a 20.06% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 23,278 shares of company stock worth $3,784,312 in the last three months. Company insiders own 1.43% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Brinker International

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in EAT. UBS Group AG boosted its position in shares of Brinker International by 103.2% during the 4th quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 2,975,655 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $427,066,000 after acquiring an additional 1,511,266 shares in the last quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. boosted its position in shares of Brinker International by 667.5% during the 4th quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 1,142,263 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $163,938,000 after acquiring an additional 993,435 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Brinker International during the 4th quarter worth approximately $83,603,000. Congress Asset Management Co. acquired a new stake in shares of Brinker International during the 4th quarter worth approximately $80,518,000. Finally, Capital World Investors boosted its position in shares of Brinker International by 96.5% during the 4th quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 1,137,863 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $163,306,000 after acquiring an additional 558,799 shares in the last quarter.

Key Brinker International News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q3 beat and guidance bump — Brinker reported $2.90 EPS vs. $2.85 expected, raised FY26 EPS guidance to $10.60–$10.85 and reiterated strong margin/ROE profile, supporting the bullish reaction. BRINKER INTERNATIONAL REPORTS THIRD QUARTER OF FISCAL 2026 RESULTS AND UPDATES FISCAL 2026 GUIDANCE
• Positive Sentiment: Chili’s momentum and cash returns — Management said Chili’s delivered its 20th straight quarter of same-store sales growth and lifted free-cash-flow expectations (> $475M), supporting aggressive buybacks and a stronger balance sheet. This operational strength is the primary growth engine for EAT. Brinker Raises Outlook As Chili’s Extends Blazing 20-Quarter Streak
• Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley raises price target — Morgan Stanley bumped its PT to $207 and kept an “overweight” rating, signaling a sizable upside to the street and likely contributing to buying interest. Benzinga
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst nuance — Barclays raised its PT to $175 with an “equal weight” view; the lift is supportive but less bullish than Morgan Stanley’s call. Benzinga
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor materials available — Earnings call transcript and presentation were posted (useful for modeling and management commentary on margins, comps, and buybacks). Brinker International, Inc. 2026 Q3 – Results – Earnings Call Presentation
• Negative Sentiment: TD Cowen trimmed its target — TD Cowen lowered its PT from $188 to $170 (still a “buy”), a reminder that some analysts see less upside than the most bullish calls. Benzinga
• Negative Sentiment: Slight revenue miss — Revenue came in at $1.47B vs. a ~$1.48B consensus, showing that top-line acceleration is modest and that margins/efficiency drove the EPS beat; this tempers the upside for revenue-sensitive investors. Compared to Estimates, Brinker International (EAT) Q3 Earnings: A Look at Key Metrics

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.