Van Hulzen Asset Management LLC Invests $341,000 in Brinker International, Inc. $EAT

Van Hulzen Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm bought 2,028 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock, valued at approximately $341,000.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. boosted its holdings in Brinker International by 667.5% in the fourth quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 1,142,263 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $163,938,000 after acquiring an additional 993,435 shares in the last quarter. UBS Group AG raised its stake in shares of Brinker International by 155.2% in the third quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 1,464,389 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $185,509,000 after purchasing an additional 890,593 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Brinker International during the fourth quarter worth about $83,603,000. Capital World Investors lifted its holdings in shares of Brinker International by 96.5% during the fourth quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 1,137,863 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $163,306,000 after purchasing an additional 558,799 shares during the period. Finally, Samlyn Capital LLC boosted its position in Brinker International by 104.9% in the third quarter. Samlyn Capital LLC now owns 878,584 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $111,299,000 after buying an additional 449,871 shares during the last quarter.

Insider Activity at Brinker International

In other Brinker International news, SVP James M. Butler sold 10,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $240.37, for a total transaction of $2,403,700.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 9,064 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,178,713.68. The trade was a 52.45% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Daniel S. Fuller sold 9,960 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $243.43, for a total value of $2,424,562.80. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 32,086 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,810,694.98. The trade was a 23.69% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 143,105 shares of company stock worth $34,474,429 in the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 1.43% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages recently weighed in on EAT. Bank of America increased their price target on shares of Brinker International from $224.00 to $310.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, August 14th. Piper Sandler lifted their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $166.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, August 17th. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $207.00 to $250.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, August 13th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $175.00 to $230.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 13th. Finally, UBS Group raised their target price on shares of Brinker International from $190.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, August 10th. Seventeen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Brinker International has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $242.19.

Brinker International News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Robert W. Baird initiated coverage with an “outperform” rating and a $325 price target, implying substantial upside from recent trading levels. The bullish view adds to a generally favorable analyst consensus, including recent target increases from Morgan Stanley and UBS. Analyst coverage report
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlighted Brinker as a strong growth stock, supported by its favorable growth characteristics and improving earnings outlook. The company’s latest quarterly revenue rose 5.1% year over year, while earnings increased from the prior-year period despite a small quarterly EPS miss. Why Brinker is a strong growth stock
• Positive Sentiment: Brinker was included among restaurant stocks positioned to benefit from strong July industry sales and continued consumer spending. Its Chili’s and Maggiano’s brands could benefit if restaurant demand remains resilient. Restaurant sales stock picks
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks also identified Brinker as having solid interest-coverage metrics, suggesting it has comparatively strong ability to service debt amid market volatility. However, the company’s current ratio and quick ratio remain below 1, indicating limited short-term liquidity. Interest coverage stock picks
• Negative Sentiment: Senior Vice President James Butler sold 10,000 shares for approximately $2.4 million, reducing his direct holdings by 52.45%. Although one insider transaction does not establish a broader trend, the sizable sale may concern investors, particularly after EAT’s sharp rally and elevated valuation. Brinker insider stock sale
• Negative Sentiment: At roughly 23 times earnings and near its 52-week high, expectations for continued growth appear demanding. The broader analyst consensus price target of $242.19 is below recent trading levels, creating a potential valuation overhang despite the new $325 bullish target.

Brinker International Price Performance

NYSE:EAT opened at $248.60 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.40, a current ratio of 0.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95. Brinker International, Inc. has a 52 week low of $100.30 and a 52 week high of $254.99. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $199.35 and its 200-day moving average price is $164.77. The stock has a market capitalization of $10.38 billion, a PE ratio of 22.83, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.31 and a beta of 1.24.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 12th. The restaurant operator reported $3.07 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.09 by ($0.02). The business had revenue of $1.54 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.53 billion. Brinker International had a net margin of 8.39% and a return on equity of 122.35%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.30 earnings per share. Brinker International has set its FY 2027 guidance at 12.600-13.400 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Brinker International, Inc. will post 13.24 EPS for the current fiscal year.

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.