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Investing.com - Stifel raised its price target on Brinker Int’l (NYSE:EAT) to $215 from $200 on Monday while maintaining a Buy rating on the stock, citing Chili’s strong traffic performance and market share gains. The optimism appears well-founded, as InvestingPro data shows the company has delivered an impressive 150.74% return over the past year, with revenue growing 19.8% in the last twelve months.
The research firm conducted analyses to evaluate Chili’s market share, growth capacity, and potential constraints to determine if its outperformance relative to the broader full-service industry would continue. Stifel estimates Chili’s has gained substantial traffic market share, potentially becoming the largest full-service restaurant chain in terms of total guest visits. According to InvestingPro’s analysis, Brinker maintains a GREAT financial health score, with particularly strong momentum and growth metrics. Subscribers can access 15+ additional ProTips and comprehensive financial analysis in the Pro Research Report.
Stifel believes Chili’s can continue gaining market share in a fragmented category where scale advantages are becoming more valuable. The firm’s analysis indicates that current traffic volume per store, although significantly improved from recent lows, remains well below historical peaks.
This suggests there is ample capacity for further share gains at Chili’s restaurants, according to the research note. Based on these findings, Stifel raised its long-term growth rate assumptions for the company.
Stifel concluded that Brinker has a "proven playbook that will lead to durable SRS gains," which factored into the firm’s decision to increase its target price to $215.
In other recent news, Brinker International reported strong financial performance for the first quarter of 2025, exceeding both earnings and revenue forecasts. The company posted an earnings per share (EPS) of $2.66, surpassing the forecast of $2.49, and achieved a revenue of $1.43 billion, exceeding expectations by $60 million. Despite these positive results, the company’s stock experienced a decline. Additionally, S&P Global Ratings upgraded Brinker’s credit rating to ’BB+’ from ’BB-’, citing the company’s continued outperformance and successful debt reduction. The adjusted debt to EBITDA ratio was lowered to 2.0x, showing significant improvement from the previous year.
In management news, Brinker International promoted Aaron White to Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief People Officer, highlighting her 29-year tenure and instrumental role in the company’s development. Raymond (NSE:RYMD) James analyst Brian Vaccaro maintained a Market Perform rating on Brinker’s stock, expressing a neutral stance on the company’s near-term risk/reward balance. Vaccaro noted Brinker’s strategic plans, including menu innovation and expansion efforts. These developments reflect Brinker’s ongoing efforts to enhance operational efficiency and maintain its competitive position in the casual dining sector.
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