Alpha DNA Investment Management LLC Buys Shares of 3,779 Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT)

Alpha DNA Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT - Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 3,779 shares of the restaurant operator's stock, valued at approximately $500,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the stock. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board increased its holdings in Brinker International by 120.1% in the fourth quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 176,300 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $23,323,000 after buying an additional 96,200 shares during the last quarter. Zacks Investment Management acquired a new stake in shares of Brinker International in the fourth quarter valued at about $1,140,000. EAM Investors LLC bought a new position in Brinker International in the 4th quarter worth approximately $5,413,000. Guggenheim Capital LLC acquired a new position in Brinker International during the 4th quarter valued at $227,000. Finally, Mariner LLC raised its position in shares of Brinker International by 64.8% during the fourth quarter. Mariner LLC now owns 8,482 shares of the restaurant operator's stock valued at $1,122,000 after buying an additional 3,336 shares during the last quarter.

Brinker International Stock Performance

Shares of EAT traded up $1.84 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $158.73. The stock had a trading volume of 688,633 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,452,261. Brinker International, Inc. has a one year low of $46.74 and a one year high of $192.22. The firm has a market cap of $7.05 billion, a PE ratio of 27.51, a P/E/G ratio of 0.49 and a beta of 2.21. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $148.46 and a 200-day simple moving average of $135.92. The company has a current ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 0.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.96.

Brinker International (NYSE:EAT - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The restaurant operator reported $2.80 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.37 by $1.43. Brinker International had a return on equity of 879.47% and a net margin of 5.45%. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Brinker International, Inc. will post 8.3 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Cindy L. Davis sold 5,802 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Monday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $187.86, for a total transaction of $1,089,963.72. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 11,107 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,086,561.02. This represents a 34.31 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, COO Douglas N. Comings sold 7,500 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $187.90, for a total value of $1,409,250.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 34,252 shares in the company, valued at $6,435,950.80. The trade was a 17.96 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 20,802 shares of company stock worth $3,752,464 over the last three months. Insiders own 1.72% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

EAT has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Brinker International from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Citigroup dropped their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $185.00 to $170.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, April 10th. Argus raised shares of Brinker International from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $150.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, December 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on Brinker International from $140.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on Brinker International from $162.00 to $208.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Thirteen analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Brinker International presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $142.53.

Brinker International Company Profile

Brinker International, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the ownership, development, operation, and franchising of casual dining restaurants in the United States and internationally. It operates and franchises Chili's Grill & Bar and Maggiano's Little Italy restaurant brands.