Citigroup Issues Positive Forecast for Bloomin’ Brands (NASDAQ:BLMN) Stock Price

Bloomin’ Brands (NASDAQ:BLMN) had its target price hoisted by Citigroup from $6.75 to $7.00 in a research report sent to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a neutral rating on the restaurant operator’s stock.

Several other analysts also recently weighed in on the stock. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Bloomin’ Brands in a report on Monday, December 29th. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded shares of Bloomin’ Brands from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $7.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Friday, November 7th. Zacks Research raised Bloomin’ Brands from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, November 7th. Finally, Loop Capital set a $10.00 target price on Bloomin’ Brands in a research note on Tuesday, December 16th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and an average price target of $8.44.

Bloomin’ Brands Stock Performance

Shares of Bloomin’ Brands stock opened at $6.18 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $526.66 million, a P/E ratio of 61.81 and a beta of 1.15. Bloomin’ Brands has a 52 week low of $5.60 and a 52 week high of $10.70. The company has a quick ratio of 0.38, a current ratio of 0.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.77. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $6.72 and its two-hundred day moving average is $6.93.

Bloomin’ Brands (NASDAQ:BLMN) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 25th. The restaurant operator reported $0.26 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.25 by $0.01. Bloomin’ Brands had a return on equity of 25.55% and a net margin of 0.21%.The business had revenue of $975.22 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $980.64 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.38 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up .3% compared to the same quarter last year. Bloomin’ Brands has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.570-0.620 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 0.750-0.900 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Bloomin’ Brands will post 1.8 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Quarry LP acquired a new position in shares of Bloomin’ Brands in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. raised its position in shares of Bloomin’ Brands by 83,825.0% in the 2nd quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 3,357 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 3,353 shares during the period. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Bloomin’ Brands in the 4th quarter worth $31,000. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Bloomin’ Brands by 44.1% in the fourth quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 5,431 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 1,662 shares during the last quarter. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC grew its position in Bloomin’ Brands by 50.9% during the fourth quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 6,221 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $38,000 after acquiring an additional 2,099 shares during the period.

Key Bloomin’ Brands News

Here are the key news stories impacting Bloomin’ Brands this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 EPS slightly beat expectations (reported $0.26 vs. $0.25 consensus), which reduced near‑term downside risk and supported the share uptick. Bloomin’ Brands (BLMN) Q4 Earnings Top Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Management raised guidance: Q1 2026 EPS guidance (0.57–0.62) above street Q1 consensus and FY 2026 guidance (0.75–0.90) that frames a path to profitability improvement — a key catalyst for investor sentiment. Bloomin’ Brands Announces 2025 Q4 Financial Results
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support: Citigroup raised its price target to $7.00 (neutral rating), giving the stock incremental upward pressure from model/target repricing. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: Operational signs of turnaround: Outback Steakhouse reported its first quarter of positive traffic in years and management highlighted improving guest trends, supporting the narrative that the turnaround is gaining traction. Bloomin’s Turnaround Lifts Outback Traffic as Beef Inflation Persists
• Neutral Sentiment: Short‑interest data reported in the feed appears inconsistent/erroneous (shows 0 shares and 0 days to cover); no clear short squeeze signal from the available data.
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue missed analyst expectations (Q4 sales slightly below consensus: $975.2M vs. $980.6M), which tempers the EPS beat and leaves execution questions. Bloomin’ Brands (NASDAQ:BLMN) Reports Sales Below Analyst Estimates In Q4 CY2025 Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Input‑cost pressure (notably beef inflation) remains a material headwind; several analyst articles warn inflation is outweighing traffic gains and compressing margins. Bloomin’ Brands: Traffic Is Improving, But Inflation Is Winning The War
• Negative Sentiment: Mixed analyst/press commentary highlights remaining execution gaps (YOY EPS decline, negative net margin, elevated leverage), which could limit upside until margins sustainably recover. Bloomin’ Brands: Just Not Good Enough

About Bloomin’ Brands

Bloomin’ Brands, Inc engages in the ownership, operation and franchising of casual dining restaurants worldwide. The company’s portfolio includes five full-service restaurant chains: Outback Steakhouse, known for its Australian-inspired steakhouse concept; Carrabba’s Italian Grill, offering Italian-American cuisine; Bonefish Grill, specializing in handcrafted seafood dishes; Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, focusing on premium steak and wine experiences; and Aussie Grill by Outback, featuring a streamlined menu of signature items.