Brinker International, Inc. (EAT)

In the past six months, Brinker International's stock has experienced volatility but has generally performed positively over the past year, adding 14%. The stock price fell by -0.85% on January 13, 2026, from $167.69 to $166.27. Over the past two weeks, the price has risen in 7 out of 10 days, showing a 16.03% increase. The company reported strong fiscal first-quarter 2026 results on October 29, 2025, with earnings of $1.93 per share, beating estimates by $0.17, and sales growing nearly 20% to $1.3 billion. Chili's comparable sales grew by 21.4% in that quarter. Several analysts have recently raised their price targets and ratings for Brinker International, indicating a positive sentiment. Concerns about the sustainability of restaurant spending and margins due to affordability issues have impacted the sector and EAT shares.

While specific detailed information on demand seasonality for Brinker International's products and services was not explicitly found, the restaurant sector, particularly casual dining, can experience seasonal fluctuations. Factors such as holidays, weather, and consumer spending habits throughout the year can influence demand. The company's Q1 results (ending September) showed strong performance, and free cash flow in Q1 was noted to have working capital headwinds that are "largely seasonal," suggesting that certain periods may naturally see higher or lower demand or operational costs.

Brinker International, Inc. (EAT) is a leading casual dining restaurant company that owns, develops, operates, and franchises restaurants in the United States and internationally. Its primary brands are Chili's Grill & Bar and Maggiano's Little Italy. As of September 24, 2025, Brinker International owned, operated, or franchised 1,630 restaurants, with Chili's accounting for 1,579 and Maggiano's for 51.

Brinker International, Inc. operates and franchises over 1,600 restaurants across 29 countries and two U.S. territories. The Chili's segment includes company-owned restaurants primarily in the United States and Canada, as well as royalties from franchised locations in the U.S., 27 other countries, and two U.S. territories. The Maggiano's segment consists of company-owned restaurants in the United States and royalties from its domestic franchise business.

In the past year, Brinker International's Chili's brand has undergone a significant reinvigoration, making it one of the top-performing brands in the industry. This has been driven by product innovation, with rib sales up 35% and revamped margaritas selling at twice the pace. Chili's has achieved 18 consecutive quarters of organic sales growth, with a 13.1% increase in foot traffic in the first quarter of fiscal year 2026. The company's "3 for Me" value platform, anchored by the $10.99 Big QP burger, has been a significant driver of sales. The virtual brand "It's Just Wings" also continues to capture off-premise demand. Management has focused on optimizing existing assets through renovations rather than aggressive expansion of new locations, which has contributed to improved operational performance.

Brinker International, Inc. has a diverse ownership structure, with institutional investors holding a significant portion of the stock. Approximately 45.87% of the company's stock is owned by Institutional Investors, 1.45% by Insiders, and 25.37% by Public Companies and Individual Investors. Major institutional owners include BlackRock, Inc., Vanguard Group Inc, Fmr Llc, D. E. Shaw & Co., Inc., State Street Corp, and UBS Group AG. Brooks is noted as the largest individual Brinker International shareholder, owning 506,645 shares, representing 1.14% of the company.