Brinker: Oil Prices A Lower Risk As Chili's Boom Continues In Q3

Brinker International is rated a 'buy' with a conservative price target of $160, citing strong Chili's performance and resilient consumer demand. Chili's, comprising over 90% of EAT's business, posted its 20th consecutive quarter of same-restaurant sales growth, offsetting Maggiano's ongoing turnaround. Management raised EPS guidance to $10.60–$10.85 and expects free cash flow to exceed $475 million, supporting aggressive buybacks and a robust balance sheet.