Citigroup Issues Positive Forecast for Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) Stock Price

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) had its price target lifted by analysts at Citigroup from $187.00 to $190.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a “buy” rating on the restaurant operator’s stock. Citigroup’s price target suggests a potential upside of 17.52% from the company’s current price.

Other research analysts have also issued reports about the stock. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Brinker International from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, November 28th. UBS Group lifted their price objective on Brinker International from $175.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on Brinker International from $177.00 to $187.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday. TD Cowen started coverage on Brinker International in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $192.00 target price for the company. Finally, Mizuho boosted their price target on shares of Brinker International from $155.00 to $175.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Thirteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Brinker International presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $188.72.

Brinker International Price Performance

EAT traded up $5.03 on Thursday, hitting $161.67. 662,791 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,172,788. Brinker International has a fifty-two week low of $100.30 and a fifty-two week high of $192.21. The stock has a market cap of $7.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.75, a P/E/G ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 1.34. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $150.66 and a 200-day moving average price of $144.13. The company has a current ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 0.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The restaurant operator reported $2.87 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.53 by $0.34. The business had revenue of $1.45 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.41 billion. Brinker International had a net margin of 7.94% and a return on equity of 164.66%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 6.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.80 earnings per share. Brinker International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.045-10.850 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Brinker International will post 8.3 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Trading of Brinker International

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Meeder Asset Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of Brinker International by 56.3% in the third quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. now owns 22,580 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $2,860,000 after buying an additional 8,137 shares in the last quarter. Alberta Investment Management Corp acquired a new position in Brinker International during the 2nd quarter worth about $4,112,000. Seeds Investor LLC purchased a new position in Brinker International during the 2nd quarter valued at about $414,000. Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd grew its position in Brinker International by 87.7% in the 3rd quarter. Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd now owns 23,023 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $2,917,000 after acquiring an additional 10,754 shares in the last quarter. Finally, DAVENPORT & Co LLC increased its stake in Brinker International by 117.0% during the second quarter. DAVENPORT & Co LLC now owns 4,272 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $770,000 after purchasing an additional 2,303 shares during the period.

More Brinker International News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 beat: Brinker reported EPS of $2.87 vs. consensus ~$2.53 and revenue of $1.45B vs. ~$1.41B — the core beat on both metrics is the primary catalyst for the rally. Brinker International (EAT) Beats Q2 Earnings and Revenue Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Raised FY?2026 outlook: Management updated full?year guidance, which exceeded prior Street expectations and supports earnings visibility for the year. See company release for details. PR Newswire: Brinker Reports Q2 Results and Updates FY2026 Guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Chili’s outperformance: Company highlighted +9% comp sales this quarter and multi?year comp strength (2?year comps ~+43%), with Chili’s driving growth — a structural win for Brinker’s portfolio. Brinker International Q2 Results Presentation
• Positive Sentiment: Positive market/press reaction and technical setup: Coverage from Barron’s/WSJ highlighted the beat and guidance lift; Zacks notes a bullish technical signal (50?day crossing above 200?day). These amplify investor interest. Brinker Stock Jumps on Earnings Beat Zacks: Technical Outlook Bright After Golden Cross
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call color and strategy: Management discussed unit-level performance, marketing and margin initiatives — useful for medium?term modeling but not an incremental catalyst beyond the beat/guidance. Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Trading context: Today’s move has occurred on below?average volume, so monitor follow?through for confirmation of a sustainable trend. (Background trading data referenced.)
• Negative Sentiment: Balance?sheet and liquidity considerations: Brinker shows high leverage and low short?term liquidity metrics (low current/quick ratios, debt/equity ~1.5) — a reminder of financial risk if consumer trends weaken.

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.