Core Insights - Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) has recently seen a significant increase in stock price, with a noted rise of nine points in a short period, leading to concerns about the risk of further investment at current levels [1] - The stock is currently trading at a price-to-earnings ratio of 10 times earnings, which is considered a critical factor for potential investors [2] - Despite acknowledging the potential of EAT as an investment, there is a belief that certain AI stocks may offer better upside potential and lower downside risk compared to Brinker [2] Company Overview - Brinker International operates casual dining restaurants under the brands Chili's Grill & Bar and Maggiano's Little Italy [2] - The restaurant group is described as being "radically out of fashion," indicating a challenging market environment for casual dining establishments [2] Investment Strategy - A cautious approach is recommended for potential investors, suggesting that if one intends to buy shares, they should consider purchasing a fraction (e.g., 25 out of 100 shares) and wait for a more favorable market condition before buying more [2] - The commentary emphasizes the importance of timing and market conditions when considering investments in the restaurant sector [2]

Company Overview - Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) operates casual dining restaurants under the brands Chili's Grill & Bar and Maggiano's Little Italy [2] Earnings Report Reaction - Following the earnings report, Brinker’s stock experienced a significant decline, dropping 30% from its highs before the report and finishing down 7.5% on the day of the announcement [1] - Despite beating both top and bottom line expectations, the market reacted negatively due to management's comments on challenges related to tariffs and margin pressures, particularly concerning import duties on beef and shrimp [1] Market Sentiment - The stock's performance indicates a lack of confidence from investors, as the bulls found little to support their optimism, with management only reiterating the full-year forecast without providing additional positive guidance [1]

Core Insights - Brinker International (EAT) reported quarterly earnings of $1.93 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.76 per share, and showing significant growth from $0.95 per share a year ago [1] - The company achieved revenues of $1.35 billion for the quarter ended September 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.21% and increasing from $1.14 billion year-over-year [3] Earnings Performance - The earnings surprise for the quarter was +9.66%, and the company has consistently surpassed consensus EPS estimates over the last four quarters [2] - In the previous quarter, Brinker International reported earnings of $2.49 per share against an expectation of $2.43, resulting in a surprise of +2.47% [2] Future Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $2.60 on revenues of $1.4 billion, while the estimate for the current fiscal year is $10.34 on revenues of $5.7 billion [8] - The estimate revisions trend for Brinker International was mixed prior to the earnings release, leading to a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) for the stock, indicating expected performance in line with the market [7] Industry Context - The Retail - Restaurants industry, to which Brinker International belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 11% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting potential challenges ahead [9] - The performance of Brinker International's stock may be influenced by the overall industry outlook, as research indicates that the top 50% of Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by more than 2 to 1 [9]

Core Insights - Brinker International reported strong financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, with Chili's leading the way with a 21.4% increase in comparable restaurant sales, while overall company comparable restaurant sales rose by 18.8% [2][4]. Financial Performance - Company sales for Q1 fiscal 2026 reached $1,335.4 million, up from $1,127.3 million in Q1 fiscal 2025, representing a variance of $208.1 million [3]. - Total revenues increased to $1,349.2 million from $1,139.0 million, a rise of $210.2 million [3]. - Operating income was reported at $117.9 million, compared to $56.4 million in the previous year, with an operating income margin of 8.7% [3][10]. - Net income for the quarter was $99.5 million, significantly higher than $38.5 million in Q1 fiscal 2025 [3][18]. Segment Performance - Chili's generated sales of $1,236.2 million, up from $1,018.9 million, while Maggiano's saw a decline in traffic, impacting its sales [7][16]. - Chili's restaurant operating margin improved to 17.3%, up from 13.5% in the previous year, while Maggiano's experienced a decrease in its operating margin [9][29]. Comparable Restaurant Sales - Comparable restaurant sales for Brinker increased by 18.8%, with Chili's achieving a 21.4% increase, while Maggiano's faced a decline of 6.4% [4][21]. - The increase in comparable sales was attributed to higher traffic and menu pricing strategies [16][21]. Stock Repurchase and Investments - The company repurchased $92.0 million of its common stock during the quarter, reflecting confidence in its financial position [2][3]. Guidance for Fiscal 2026 - Brinker reiterated its full-year fiscal 2026 guidance, expecting total revenues between $5.60 billion and $5.70 billion, and net income per diluted share, excluding special items, in the range of $9.90 to $10.50 [5][8]. Restaurant Operations - As of September 24, 2025, Brinker operated a total of 1,630 restaurants, with 1,161 company-owned and 469 franchise locations [20]. - The company plans to open 32 to 38 new restaurants in fiscal 2026 [20]. Tax and Financial Metrics - The effective income tax rate for Q1 fiscal 2026 was 7.5%, lower than the statutory rate due to tax credits and benefits from stock-based compensation [10][18]. - Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $172.4 million, up from $111.6 million in the prior year [3][31].

Core Insights - Brinker International, Inc. operates casual dining restaurants, primarily known for its brands Chili's Grill & Bar and Maggiano's Little Italy [1] Company Overview - Brinker International, Inc. is involved in owning, franchising, and operating various restaurant brands globally, aiming to create a welcoming atmosphere for guests [1] Industry Context - The company is part of the casual dining sector, which is influenced by macroeconomic trends and consumer behavior [1]

Core Insights - Zacks Premium provides tools for investors to enhance their stock market strategies, including daily updates on Zacks Rank and Industry Rank, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens [1][2] Zacks Style Scores - Zacks Style Scores are indicators that rate stocks based on value, growth, and momentum methodologies, helping investors identify stocks likely to outperform the market in the next 30 days [2][3] - Stocks are rated from A to F, with A indicating the highest potential for outperformance [3] Value Score - The Value Style Score focuses on identifying undervalued stocks using financial ratios such as P/E, PEG, and Price/Sales [3] Growth Score - The Growth Style Score assesses a company's financial health and future outlook, analyzing projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow [4] Momentum Score - The Momentum Style Score identifies trends in stock prices and earnings estimates, helping investors time their positions effectively [5] VGM Score - The VGM Score combines Value, Growth, and Momentum Scores, serving as a comprehensive indicator for stock selection alongside the Zacks Rank [6] Zacks Rank - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that uses earnings estimate revisions to identify stocks with high return potential, with 1 (Strong Buy) stocks averaging a +23.64% annual return since 1988, outperforming the S&P 500 [7][8] - Investors are encouraged to focus on stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B for optimal returns [9] Stock Highlight: Brinker International (EAT) - Brinker International operates restaurants like Chili's and Maggiano's and currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) with a VGM Score of A [11] - The company is positioned well for growth, with a Growth Style Score of A and a projected year-over-year earnings growth of 14.2% for the current fiscal year [12] - Recent upward revisions in earnings estimates and a Zacks Consensus Estimate increase to $10.16 per share further enhance its attractiveness to investors [12]

Company Performance - Brinker International's stock closed at $144.18, reflecting a -5.67% change from the previous day's closing price, underperforming compared to the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.13% [1] - Over the last month, the company's shares decreased by 1.94%, lagging behind the Retail-Wholesale sector's gain of 2.5% and the S&P 500's gain of 2.71% [2] Earnings Forecast - The upcoming earnings release is anticipated, with an expected EPS of $1.71, indicating an 80% increase from the same quarter last year, and projected revenue of $1.32 billion, reflecting a 15.5% rise year-over-year [3] - For the entire fiscal year, earnings are projected at $10.16 per share and revenue at $5.68 billion, representing increases of +14.16% and +5.46% respectively from the prior year [4] Analyst Estimates and Valuation - Recent changes in analyst estimates suggest a positive outlook for Brinker International, with the Zacks Rank system indicating a current rank of 3 (Hold) [4][6] - The company is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 15.04, which is lower than its industry's Forward P/E of 20.14, indicating a potential valuation discount [7] - Brinker International has a PEG ratio of 0.99, significantly lower than the Retail - Restaurants industry's average PEG ratio of 2.32 [8] Industry Context - The Retail - Restaurants industry, part of the Retail-Wholesale sector, holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 182, placing it in the bottom 27% of over 250 industries [9]

Company Performance - Brinker International reported quarterly earnings of $2.49 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.43 per share, and up from $1.61 per share a year ago, indicating strong year-over-year growth [1] - The company achieved revenues of $1.46 billion for the quarter ended June 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.06% and up from $1.21 billion in the same quarter last year [3] - Over the last four quarters, Brinker International has consistently surpassed consensus EPS and revenue estimates [2][3] Stock Performance - Brinker International shares have increased approximately 17.1% since the beginning of the year, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 9.6% [4] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating it is expected to perform in line with the market in the near future [7] Future Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $1.54 on revenues of $1.29 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $9.77 on revenues of $5.59 billion [8] - The estimate revisions trend for Brinker International was mixed ahead of the earnings release, which may influence future stock movements [6][7] Industry Context - The Retail - Restaurants industry, to which Brinker International belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 25% of over 250 Zacks industries, which may impact stock performance [9] - Another company in the same industry, Dave & Buster's, is expected to report a year-over-year earnings decline of 19.6% in its upcoming quarterly report [10]

Core Insights - Brinker International, Inc. reported strong financial results for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, with Chili's sales increasing by 24% driven by a 16% increase in traffic, leading to a two-year sales growth of 39% and a three-year growth of 45% [2][4][17] - The company achieved total sales of $1,448.9 million in Q4 2025, up from $1,196.5 million in Q4 2024, with comparable restaurant sales increasing by 21.3% overall and 23.7% for Chili's [2][4][5] - The company’s operating income margin improved to 9.8%, with a restaurant operating margin (non-GAAP) of 17.8% for the fourth quarter [4][22] Financial Performance - Total revenues for Q4 2025 were $1,461.9 million, compared to $1,208.2 million in Q4 2024, marking a variance of $253.7 million [4][22] - Net income for Q4 2025 was $107.0 million, up from $57.3 million in Q4 2024, resulting in a diluted net income per share of $2.30 compared to $1.24 [4][23] - For the full fiscal year 2025, total revenues reached $5,384.2 million, an increase of $969.1 million from $4,415.1 million in fiscal 2024 [4][22] Operational Highlights - Chili's company sales increased to $1,326.8 million in Q4 2025 from $1,072.9 million in Q4 2024, while Maggiano's sales decreased slightly [10][17] - The company authorized an additional $400.0 million for its share repurchase program, bringing the total available authority to $507.0 million [3] - The company plans to invest in capital expenditures ranging from $270.0 million to $290.0 million for fiscal 2026 [9] Guidance for Fiscal 2026 - Brinker International expects total revenues for fiscal 2026 to be in the range of $5.60 billion to $5.70 billion, with net income per diluted share, excluding special items, projected between $9.90 and $10.50 [6][9] - The company anticipates a weighted average of 45.0 million to 46.0 million shares outstanding for the upcoming fiscal year [9]

Company Overview - Brinker International (EAT) closed at $151.97, down 4.71% from the previous trading session, underperforming the S&P 500 which gained 0.78% [1] - Over the past month, shares of Brinker International have depreciated by 4.34%, while the Retail-Wholesale sector gained 1.32% and the S&P 500 gained 1.86% [2] Upcoming Financial Results - Brinker International is set to announce its earnings on August 13, 2025, with projected earnings per share (EPS) of $2.43, reflecting a 50.93% increase year-over-year [3] - The consensus estimate for revenue is $1.43 billion, which represents an 18.56% increase from the prior-year quarter [3] Full-Year Estimates - The full-year Zacks Consensus Estimates for Brinker International are earnings of $8.84 per share and revenue of $5.35 billion, indicating year-over-year changes of +115.61% for earnings and 0% for revenue [4] Analyst Estimates and Stock Performance - Recent adjustments to analyst estimates for Brinker International are crucial as they reflect changing business trends, with positive revisions indicating analysts' confidence in performance [4] - The Zacks Rank system, which evaluates estimate changes, currently ranks Brinker International at 3 (Hold) [6] Valuation Metrics - Brinker International has a Forward P/E ratio of 16.32, which is below the industry average Forward P/E of 19.44 [7] - The company has a PEG ratio of 0.38, significantly lower than the Retail - Restaurants industry's average PEG ratio of 2.43 [8] Industry Context - The Retail - Restaurants industry, part of the Retail-Wholesale sector, has a Zacks Industry Rank of 181, placing it in the bottom 27% of all industries [9]