Brinker International Stock Sinks as Higher Costs Eat Into Earnings
Brinker International stock is spiraling Wednesday after the restaurant operator reported weak earnings results and provided a soft outlook.
Brinker International (EAT) stock is down nearly 13% Wednesday afternoon. The selloff comes after the parent company of Chili's and Maggiano's Little Italy came up short of earnings expectations for its fiscal fourth quarter and issued a weak earnings outlook for its new fiscal year.
In the thirteen weeks ended June 26, Brinker's revenue increased 12.3% year-over-year to $1.2 billion, driven by same-restaurant sales rising 13.5%. Comparable sales at Chili's were up an impressive 14.8%. The company also said its earnings per share (EPS) rose 15.8% from the year-ago period to $1.61 and that operating expenses were up 11.7% to $1.14 billion.
"We achieved another quarter of solid progress against our strategy to deliver profitable, sustainable growth," said Brinker CEO Kevin Hochman in a statement. "We significantly outperformed the industry in both sales and traffic during the quarter, while maintaining record high guest metrics."
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
The results were mixed compared with analysts' expectations. Wall Street was anticipating revenue of $1.16 billion and earnings of $1.72 per share, according to Yahoo Finance.
Sentiment worsened toward Brinker after the company provided its outlook for fiscal 2025. Brinker anticipates EPS to arrive between $4.35 to $4.75. The midpoint of this range, $4.55, is well short of the consensus analyst estimate of $4.78.
On a positive note, Brinker anticipates revenue in the range of $4.55 billion to $4.62 billion in fiscal 2025, which is ahead of the $4.53 billion in revenue analysts are anticipating.
Is Brinker stock a buy, sell or hold?
Heading into today's trading, Brinker was up an impressive 63% for the year to date. Yet, Wall Street is on the sidelines when it comes to the consumer discretionary stock.
According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, the average analyst target price for EAT stock is $66.78, representing implied upside of more than 8% to current levels. Meanwhile, the consensus recommendation is Hold.
Related Content
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.

Joey Solitro is a freelance financial journalist at Kiplinger with more than a decade of experience. A longtime equity analyst, Joey has covered a range of industries for media outlets including The Motley Fool, Seeking Alpha, Market Realist, and TipRanks. Joey holds a bachelor's degree in business administration.
-
S&P 500 Tops 7,000, Fed Pauses Rate Cuts: Stock Market TodayInvestors, traders and speculators will probably have to wait until after Jerome Powell steps down for the next Fed rate cut.
-
The Met Opera May Sell Its Iconic Paintings. Is it a Good Investment?Buying the Marc Chagall murals would come with a big stipulation attached.
-
Do You Really Need All Those Phone Plan Perks?Unlimited data plans now come bundled with streaming, travel perks and device deals — but many people pay for extras they rarely use.
-
S&P 500 Tops 7,000, Fed Pauses Rate Cuts: Stock Market TodayInvestors, traders and speculators will probably have to wait until after Jerome Powell steps down for the next Fed rate cut.
-
Today's Senior Living Communities Are Not Your Grandma's 'Old Folks' Home': An Expert Guide to Shopping for the Right FitSenior living facilities have improved and are as diverse as the people who inhabit them. Now, they're more than just a place to go — they're a place to grow.
-
3 Common Misconceptions About Working With a Financial PlannerThink financial planners are only for the wealthy and that AI can replace human advice? Nope. Even people with moderate wealth need professional advice.
-
Should You Consider Investing in the Quantum Computing Sector? This Investment Adviser Has Some SuggestionsInvestors interested in quantum computing could consider ETFs focused on cloud services enabling small businesses to use big technology.
-
S&P 500 Hits New High Before Big Tech Earnings, Fed: Stock Market TodayThe tech-heavy Nasdaq also shone in Tuesday's session, while UnitedHealth dragged on the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average.
-
Yes, Artificial Intelligence Stocks Are BoomingIt's fair to ask about the latest tech boom, "Is it really different this time?"
-
I'm an Estate Planning Attorney: These Are the Estate Plan Details You Need to Discuss (And What to Keep Private)Gen Xers and Millennials would like to know if they're going to inherit (and how much), but Baby Boomers in general don't like to talk about money. What to do?
-
I'm a Financial Adviser: This Is How You Can Minimize the Damage of Bad Market Timing at RetirementPoor investment returns early in retirement on top of withdrawals can quickly drain your savings. The ideal plan helps prevent having to sell assets at a loss.