Brinker International reported third-quarter fiscal 2026 company sales of $1.46 billion, up $42.5 million from $1.41 billion a year earlier. Total revenues rose to $1.47 billion from $1.43 billion.
Operating income increased to $166.6 million from $156.9 million, while net income climbed to $127.9 million from $119.1 million. Earnings per diluted share rose to $2.87 from $2.56.
Comparable restaurant sales increased 3.3% companywide, led by Chili’s, which posted a 4.0% gain. That marked Chili’s 20th consecutive quarter of same-store sales growth. Within the quarter, Chili’s comparable sales rose 0.6% in January, then accelerated to 5.9% in both February and March.
Maggiano’s comparable restaurant sales fell 4.6% in the quarter.
Adjusted EBITDA increased to $223.7 million from $220.6 million. Restaurant operating margin was $267.4 million, little changed from $266.8 million a year ago, while restaurant operating margin as a percentage of company sales slipped to 18.4% from 18.9%.
Brinker also said it repurchased $108.0 million of common stock during the quarter and paid down the outstanding balance on its revolver using operating cash flow.
For fiscal 2026, Brinker raised the low end of its revenue outlook to $5.78 billion to $5.82 billion, from $5.76 billion to $5.83 billion. It also narrowed capital spending to $240 million to $250 million from $250 million to $260 million and lifted the low end of its earnings outlook to $10.60 to $10.85 per diluted share, excluding special items, from $10.45 to $10.85. The market has reacted to these announcements by moving the company's shares -3.6% to a price of $138.67. For more information, read the company's full 8-K submission here.
