Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) Receives Average Rating of “Hold” from Analysts

Shares of Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) have been assigned a consensus rating of “Hold” from the nineteen research firms that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have assigned a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12-month price target among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $89.63.

A number of research analysts have weighed in on EAT shares. Bank Of America (Bofa) raised their target price on shares of Brinker International from $94.00 to $97.00 in a research note on Tuesday, October 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered shares of Brinker International from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and upped their price objective for the company from $67.00 to $100.00 in a report on Thursday, October 31st. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their target price on Brinker International from $110.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, November 4th. Argus cut Brinker International from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 1st. Finally, Raymond James cut shares of Brinker International from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 17th.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CFO Michaela M. Ware sold 3,753 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $103.02, for a total value of $386,634.06. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 23,071 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,376,774.42. This trade represents a 13.99 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. 1.72% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Brinker International

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD lifted its stake in Brinker International by 5.0% in the first quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 33,253 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $1,653,000 after buying an additional 1,588 shares during the last quarter. Comerica Bank boosted its stake in Brinker International by 26.5% during the 1st quarter. Comerica Bank now owns 31,284 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $1,554,000 after purchasing an additional 6,553 shares during the period. Cetera Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Brinker International during the 1st quarter worth $714,000. CWM LLC increased its position in Brinker International by 96.2% in the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 416 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 204 shares during the period. Finally, Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC acquired a new stake in Brinker International during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $352,000.

Brinker International Stock Up 2.2 %

Shares of EAT opened at $129.76 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $5.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.65, a PEG ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 2.51. Brinker International has a 12 month low of $37.25 and a 12 month high of $133.82. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $109.13 and its two-hundred day moving average is $83.34. The company has a current ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 0.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 63.54.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 30th. The restaurant operator reported $0.95 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.69 by $0.26. Brinker International had a negative return on equity of 839.19% and a net margin of 4.11%. The firm had revenue of $1.14 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.10 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.28 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 12.5% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts predict that Brinker International will post 5.52 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

About Brinker International

Brinker International, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the ownership, development, operation, and franchising of casual dining restaurants in the United States and internationally. It operates and franchises Chili's Grill & Bar and Maggiano's Little Italy restaurant brands.