Principal Financial Group Inc. Grows Stock Holdings in Brinker International, Inc. $EAT

Principal Financial Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) by 5.7% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 294,926 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 15,897 shares during the period. Principal Financial Group Inc. owned about 0.69% of Brinker International worth $42,107,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of EAT. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Brinker International by 1,118.9% in the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 1,158 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $173,000 after buying an additional 1,063 shares during the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Brinker International by 271.1% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 846 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $153,000 after acquiring an additional 618 shares in the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP increased its position in shares of Brinker International by 1.9% during the second quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 52,249 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $9,422,000 after acquiring an additional 978 shares in the last quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in Brinker International in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $3,222,000. Finally, Brown Advisory Inc. raised its stake in Brinker International by 33.0% during the 2nd quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. now owns 1,789 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $323,000 after acquiring an additional 444 shares during the period.

Brinker International Trading Up 2.1%

Shares of EAT opened at $189.28 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05, a current ratio of 0.40 and a quick ratio of 0.35. Brinker International, Inc. has a 1 year low of $100.30 and a 1 year high of $192.20. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $156.45 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $152.85. The firm has a market cap of $8.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.17 and a beta of 1.24.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The restaurant operator reported $2.90 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.85 by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $1.47 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.47 billion. Brinker International had a net margin of 8.07% and a return on equity of 123.22%. Brinker International’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.66 earnings per share. Brinker International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.60-10.850 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Brinker International, Inc. will post 10.75 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on EAT shares. TD Cowen dropped their price target on shares of Brinker International from $188.00 to $170.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 29th. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $205.00 to $207.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Stephens initiated coverage on shares of Brinker International in a research note on Friday. They set an “overweight” rating and a $220.00 target price on the stock. KeyCorp upped their target price on shares of Brinker International from $177.00 to $204.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Citigroup cut their price target on Brinker International from $190.00 to $186.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 13th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $189.20.

Brinker International News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Stephens initiated coverage on Brinker International with an overweight rating and a $220 price target, signaling meaningful upside from current levels.
• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo also raised its price target on Brinker International to $220 from $200 and kept an overweight rating, reinforcing the bullish analyst outlook. Benzinga report on Wells Fargo price target raise
• Positive Sentiment: KeyCorp lifted its price target to $204, adding to the cluster of positive analyst revisions for EAT.
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlighted Brinker as an incredible growth stock and said the company could beat earnings estimates again, which supports investor confidence ahead of the next report. Zacks growth-stock article
• Positive Sentiment: Another Zacks article noted Brinker’s strong earnings surprise history and favorable setup for another quarterly beat, which can be a catalyst for the shares. Zacks earnings beat article
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage from market commentary on Brinker versus other consumer cyclical names helped keep the stock in focus, but it did not appear to materially change the investment thesis. The Globe and Mail analyst coverage article

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.