Brinker International's Marketing Strategy: CEO Kevin Hochman highlighted a significant increase in marketing spending from $32 million to $137 million, which has positively impacted the company's restaurant franchises, Chili's and Maggiano's Little Italy, leading to a 23.7% rise in same-store sales.
Response to Inflation and Cost Management: Hochman discussed how Brinker is addressing rising labor and goods costs through strategic growth investments rather than cost-cutting, emphasizing that improvements in locations, food quality, and labor are enhancing profit margins.
EAT
$145.81+Infinity%1D
Analyst Views on EAT
Wall Street analysts forecast EAT stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for EAT is 161.60 USD with a low forecast of 140.00 USD and a high forecast of 210.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
17 Analyst Rating
Wall Street analysts forecast EAT stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for EAT is 161.60 USD with a low forecast of 140.00 USD and a high forecast of 210.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
10 Buy
7 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 144.600
Low
140.00
Averages
161.60
High
210.00
Current: 144.600
Low
140.00
Averages
161.60
High
210.00
Jefferies
Hold
maintain
$125 -> $155
2025-12-15
New
Reason
Jefferies
Price Target
$125 -> $155
2025-12-15
New
maintain
Hold
Reason
Jefferies raised the firm's price target on Brinker to $155 from $125 and keeps a Hold rating on the shares. The firm views Brinker as a defensive share gainers excelling in everyday value, the analyst tells investors in a 2026 restaurants and foodservice distribution outlook note.
JPMorgan
Overweight
maintain
$155 -> $160
2025-12-11
Reason
JPMorgan
Price Target
$155 -> $160
2025-12-11
maintain
Overweight
Reason
JPMorgan raised the firm's price target on Brinker to $160 from $155 and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares following a meeting with management. The firm recommends adding to positions at current levels with the company's fundamentals strong.
Citi
Neutral -> Buy
upgrade
$144 -> $176
2025-11-25
Reason
Citi
Price Target
$144 -> $176
2025-11-25
upgrade
Neutral -> Buy
Reason
Citi upgraded Brinker to Buy from Neutral with a price target of $176, up from $144. The company's cost environment is getting better with Brazil food tariffs dropping and its sales can see momentum through fiscal 2026, the analyst tells investors in a research note. Citi's work indicates Brinker's efforts to attract younger guests are working. It sees upside to consensus estimates.
Argus
Christine Dooley
Buy
downgrade
$175 -> $128
2025-11-12
Reason
Argus
Christine Dooley
Price Target
$175 -> $128
2025-11-12
downgrade
Buy
Reason
Argus analyst Christine Dooley lowered the firm's price target on Brinker to $128 from $175 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares. Brinker's turnaround continues to gain traction, with Q1 revenue up 18% year over year to $1.3B and comparable sales rising 19%, driven by a 13% traffic increase at Chili's, the analyst tells investors in a research note. Streamlined menus, targeted marketing, pricing initiatives, and operational efficiencies under CEO Kevin Hochman have strengthened fundamentals and customer engagement, creating value amid broader market uncertainty, the firm says.
About EAT
Brinker International, Inc. is a casual dining restaurant company. The Company owns, develops, operates and franchises the Chili’s Grill & Bar (Chili’s) and Maggiano’s Little Italy (Maggiano’s) restaurant brands. The Company operates through two segments: Chili’s and Maggiano’s. The Chili’s segment includes its Company-owned Chili’s restaurants, which are principally located in the United States, within the full-service casual dining segment of the industry. The Chili’s segment also includes its Canadian Company-owned restaurants and royalties from its franchised locations in the United States, 27 other countries and two United States territories. The Maggiano’s segment includes its Company-owned Maggiano's restaurants in the United States as well as royalties from its domestic franchise business. It owns, operates or franchises more than 1,600 restaurants in the United States and 27 other countries and two United States territories.
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.
