Bloomin' Brands Q1 2026 Earnings Call Insights
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 43 minutes ago
0mins
Should l Buy BLMN?
Source: seekingalpha
- Revenue Growth: Bloomin' Brands reported Q1 total revenues of $1.06 billion, reflecting a 1% year-over-year increase despite facing 4.6% commodity inflation and 3.1% labor inflation, showcasing the company's resilience in adversity.
- Brand Performance: Outback's comparable sales fell by 30 basis points with traffic down 240 basis points, while Carrabba’s and Bonefish saw increases of 130 and 610 basis points respectively, indicating significant performance disparities among brands that necessitate a stronger overall strategy.
- Service Model Innovation: The company launched a new service model in April, planning for each server to manage four tables during peak times, aimed at enhancing customer experience and improving service efficiency, which is expected to positively impact future performance.
- Future Outlook: Management expects Q2 U.S. comparable restaurant sales to grow between 1% and 2%, with adjusted earnings per share projected between $0.27 and $0.32, reflecting a cautiously optimistic view on future growth.
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Analyst Views on BLMN
Wall Street analysts forecast BLMN stock price to rise
6 Analyst Rating
2 Buy
3 Hold
1 Sell
Hold
Current: 5.760
Low
6.00
Averages
8.00
High
11.00
Current: 5.760
Low
6.00
Averages
8.00
High
11.00
About BLMN
Bloomin Brands, Inc. is a casual dining restaurant company. Its restaurant portfolio includes Outback Steakhouse, Carrabbas Italian Grill, BonefishGrill, and Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar. The Company’s segment includes U.S. and International Franchise. Outback Steakhouse is a casual steakhouse restaurant concept focused on steaks, bold flavors and Australian decor. Carrabbas Italian Grill offers authentic Italian cuisine passed down from its founder's family recipes. Bonefish Grill specializes in fish from around the world, hand-cut in-house every day, savory wood-grilled specialties, and locally created seasonal partner selection dishes. Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar is a contemporary interpretation of the classic American steakhouse, with culinary mastery, signature style and attentive service to create dining experiences for guests. The Company owns and operates 967 restaurants and franchised 493 restaurants across 46 states, Guam and 12 countries.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Revenue Growth: Bloomin' Brands reported Q1 total revenues of $1.06 billion, reflecting a 1% year-over-year increase despite facing 4.6% commodity inflation and 3.1% labor inflation, showcasing the company's resilience in adversity.
- Brand Performance: Outback's comparable sales fell by 30 basis points with traffic down 240 basis points, while Carrabba’s and Bonefish saw increases of 130 and 610 basis points respectively, indicating significant performance disparities among brands that necessitate a stronger overall strategy.
- Service Model Innovation: The company launched a new service model in April, planning for each server to manage four tables during peak times, aimed at enhancing customer experience and improving service efficiency, which is expected to positively impact future performance.
- Future Outlook: Management expects Q2 U.S. comparable restaurant sales to grow between 1% and 2%, with adjusted earnings per share projected between $0.27 and $0.32, reflecting a cautiously optimistic view on future growth.
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- Sales Growth: Bloomin' Brands reported a 0.9% increase in comparable sales for Q1, driven by a 6.1% rise at Bonefish Grill and a 1.3% increase at Carrabba's Italian Grill, effectively offsetting a 0.3% decline at Outback Steakhouse, showcasing brand differentiation.
- Margin Improvement: The restaurant-level operating margin increased by 10 basis points year-over-year to 14.0%, primarily due to higher average checks, cost-saving measures, and productivity initiatives, although inflationary pressures on commodity, operating, and labor costs partially offset these gains.
- Earnings Beat: Operating income reached $59.1 million, surpassing the consensus estimate of $56.7 million, while non-GAAP EPS of $0.67 exceeded expectations of $0.57, indicating ongoing improvements in profitability.
- Outlook Confirmation: Bloomin' Brands reaffirmed its full-year guidance for comparable restaurant sales growth of 1% to 2% and adjusted EPS between $0.27 and $0.32, reflecting confidence in future growth prospects.
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- Strong Earnings: Bloomin' Brands reported Q1 non-GAAP EPS of $0.67, beating expectations by $0.10, indicating sustained profitability improvements and boosting market confidence in future performance.
- Revenue Growth: The company achieved $1.06 billion in revenue for the first quarter, a 1.0% year-over-year increase that exceeded market expectations by $20 million, primarily driven by higher comparable restaurant sales, reflecting stable consumer demand.
- Future Outlook: The company projects U.S. comparable restaurant sales growth of 1% to 2% for Q2 2026, with adjusted diluted EPS expected to range from $0.27 to $0.32, demonstrating management's confidence in continued growth.
- Brand Performance Variance: Among comparable restaurant sales, Outback Steakhouse saw a decline of 0.3%, while Carrabba’s Italian Grill and Bonefish Grill experienced increases of 1.3% and 6.1%, respectively, highlighting performance disparities that may influence future resource allocation.
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- Earnings Growth: Bloomin' Brands reported a first-quarter profit of $56.80 million, translating to $0.64 per share, which marks a significant increase from last year's $43.85 million and $0.50 per share, indicating strong market performance and enhanced profitability.
- Adjusted Earnings: Excluding items, the company reported adjusted earnings of $57.36 million or $0.67 per share, showcasing success in cost control and operational efficiency improvements.
- Revenue Increase: The company's revenue rose by 1.0% year-over-year to $1.059 billion, up from $1.049 billion last year, reflecting stable revenue growth amidst a competitive dining market.
- Future Guidance: The company provided EPS guidance for the next quarter ranging from $0.24 to $0.29, demonstrating management's confidence in future performance and offering clear expectations for investors, which may further drive stock price appreciation.
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- Earnings Announcement Schedule: Bloomin' Brands (BLMN) is set to release its Q1 2023 earnings report on May 6 before market open, with consensus EPS estimate at $0.57, reflecting a 3.4% year-over-year decline, and revenue estimate at $1.04 billion, down 1.0% year-over-year.
- Historical Performance Review: Over the past two years, BLMN has surpassed EPS estimates 75% of the time and revenue estimates 63% of the time, indicating a degree of stability and market confidence in the company's financial performance.
- Expectation Revision Dynamics: In the last three months, EPS estimates have seen 5 upward revisions and 7 downward revisions, while revenue estimates have experienced 2 upward revisions and 8 downward revisions, reflecting market divergence and uncertainty regarding the company's future performance.
- Market Reaction: Despite improvements in traffic for Bloomin' Brands, the market remains cautious about its future outlook due to inflationary pressures, particularly after JPMorgan adopted a bearish stance, leading to a decline in stock price.
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- Market Performance Comparison: Year-to-date in 2026, the Russell 1000 Value Index has returned approximately 8%, while the Russell 1000 Growth Index remains flat, indicating a strong performance of value stocks, particularly with widening gaps in mid-cap and small-cap stocks.
- Miller's Investment Strategy: Renowned value investor Bill Miller and his firm, Miller Value Partners, made notable additions of Bloomin' Brands and Crescent Energy in Q1, reflecting their deep value strategy focused on identifying undervalued stocks in uncertain markets.
- Bloomin' Brands Transformation: Bloomin' Brands has seen an average annual return of -28% over the past five years, currently trading around $6, as activist investor Starboard Value's 9% stake has prompted a turnaround plan aimed at enhancing financials and operations, with potential EBITDA growth from $270 million to $500 million.
- Crescent Energy Growth Potential: Crescent Energy's stock has surged 61% year-to-date, currently priced at $13.46, benefiting from rising oil and gas prices, while management's strategy of acquiring discounted assets is expected to improve operational efficiency and strengthen its position in the Permian Basin.
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