Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) Price Target Raised to $205.00 at Morgan Stanley

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) had its price target raised by research analysts at Morgan Stanley from $200.00 to $205.00 in a report released on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an “overweight” rating on the restaurant operator’s stock. Morgan Stanley’s target price would indicate a potential upside of 26.80% from the stock’s current price.

Several other analysts also recently weighed in on EAT. Wall Street Zen upgraded Brinker International from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, November 28th. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Brinker International from $187.00 to $190.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $175.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Mizuho increased their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $155.00 to $175.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on shares of Brinker International from $180.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday. Thirteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Brinker International presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $188.72.

Brinker International Price Performance

Shares of NYSE EAT traded up $5.03 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $161.67. 662,791 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,172,788. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $150.66 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $144.13. The company has a market cap of $7.18 billion, a PE ratio of 16.75, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 1.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53, a quick ratio of 0.29 and a current ratio of 0.35. Brinker International has a 1-year low of $100.30 and a 1-year high of $192.21.

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

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Brinker International by 1,118.9% in the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 1,158 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $173,000 after buying an additional 1,063 shares during the period. Farther Finance Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Brinker International by 266.7% in the second quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 693 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $125,000 after acquiring an additional 504 shares during the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio boosted its holdings in Brinker International by 253.6% in the second quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 1,312 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $237,000 after acquiring an additional 941 shares during the last quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC increased its position in Brinker International by 8.4% during the 2nd quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 25,817 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $4,656,000 after purchasing an additional 2,011 shares during the period. Finally, USA Financial Formulas acquired a new stake in shares of Brinker International during the second quarter worth $89,000.

Brinker International News Roundup

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.

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.