Brinker International, Inc. Common Stock (EAT)

As the 2026 trading year kicks into high gear, Wall Street is closely watching the latest reshuffling of Piper Sandler’s influential 'Macro Select' model. After a stellar 2025 that saw the model outpace the broader market by a significant margin, Chief Investment Strategist Michael Kantrowitz has signaled a definitive

Restaurants are go-to meeting hubs for friends, family, and colleagues. Still, their demand can ebb and flow with the broader economy because consumers can always cook meals at home when times are tough, and the market seems to be baking in a downturn for the industry - over the past six months, it has pulled back by 11.1%. This drop is a noticeable divergence from the S&P 500’s 10.8% return.

Shares of casual restaurant chain Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) jumped 5% in the afternoon session after UBS upgraded the stock from "Neutral" to "Buy" and increased its price target to $175 from $144. 

A revamp at Chili’s has helped Brinker outpace the broader slowdown in the restaurant industry and drive traffic up.

Shareholders of Brinker International would probably like to forget the past six months even happened. The stock dropped 20.6% and now trades at $143.26. This may have investors wondering how to approach the situation.

Brinker International (EAT) presents a value investing opportunity, trading below industry averages with strong cash flow and solid returns on capital.

Shares of casual restaurant chain Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) jumped 4.6% in the afternoon session after Wells Fargo analyst Zachary Fadem raised the price target on the company's stock to $175 from $160, while keeping an "Overweight" rating. 

Small-cap stocks in the Russell 2000 (^RUT) can be a goldmine for investors looking beyond the usual large-cap names. But with less stability and fewer resources than their bigger counterparts, these companies face steeper challenges in scaling their businesses.

Shares of casual restaurant chain Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) jumped 4.7% in the afternoon session after JPMorgan raised its price target for the company, citing a positive outlook after a meeting with management. The bank increased its price target on the stock to $160 from $155 while it kept its "Overweight" rating. The decision followed discussions with Brinker's leadership that pointed to strong company fundamentals. JPMorgan noted the restaurant operator's effective cost reductions and notable growth in customer traffic as key reasons for its optimism. This positive view was not isolated, as it followed a previous upgrade by Citigroup, which had raised its rating on the stock to "Buy" from "Neutral" in the prior month.

Stability is great, but low-volatility stocks may struggle to deliver market-beating returns over time as they sometimes underperform during bull markets.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM), a titan of the financial industry and a significant component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), recently experienced a notable shift in market sentiment. Despite a year of robust financial performance characterized by surging earnings and revenue growth throughout 2024 and 2025, a cautious

Growth is a hallmark of all great companies, but the laws of gravity eventually take hold. Those who rode the COVID boom and ensuing tech selloff in 2022 will surely remember that the market’s punishment can be swift and severe when trajectories fall.

As the Q3 earnings season wraps, let’s dig into this quarter’s best and worst performers in the sit-down dining industry, including Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) and its peers.

Shares of casual restaurant chain Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) jumped 8.7% in the afternoon session after Citigroup upgraded the stock to "Buy" from "Neutral" and increased its price target. 

Shares of casual restaurant chain Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) jumped 8% in the morning session after Stifel maintained its Buy rating on the stock with a $200 price target. 

Shares of casual restaurant chain Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) jumped 6.1% in the morning session after investors focused on the company's previously reported upbeat quarterly earnings from late October. 

Brinker International (EAT) excels with 38% EBIT growth, 29% ROIC, and strong cash flow, making it a top pick for quality investors using the Caviar Cruise screening method.

Restaurants increase convenience and give many people a place to unwind. But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows as they’re notoriously hard to run thanks to perishable ingredients, labor shortages, or volatile consumer spending. Unfortunately, these factors have spelled trouble for the industry as it has shed 14.4% over the past six months. This performance is a stark contrast from the S&P 500’s 17.2% gain.

"Mad Money" host Jim Cramer discusses Bristol-Myers Squibb, Baidu, Alibaba, Brinker and New Era Energy & Digital.

Not all profitable companies are built to last - some rely on outdated models or unsustainable advantages. Just because a business is in the green today doesn’t mean it will thrive tomorrow.