JPMorgan analyst John Ivankoe downgraded Brinker International to Neutral from Overweight with an unchanged price target of $43. The analyst recommends taking short-term profits in the shares. Some of Brinker's early-quarter delivery momentum may have faded in what is clearly a difficult segment, Ivankoe tells investors in a research note. The analyst senses an overdependence on the DoorDash delivery relationship to drive comps in fiscal 2020.

Evercore ISI raised the firm's price target on Brinker to $50 from $48 and keeps an In Line rating on the shares. After a weather impaired January and February, the firm had hoped for a mid-quarter acceleration in restaurant industry same-store sales growth, but "trends remained lackluster," the analyst tells investors in a Q1 preview for the group. The firm estimates fast food industry same-store sales growth of 1.5% in Q1 and a casual dining segment same-store sales decline of 1%, noting that it recently lowered top-line forecasts for much of its coverage because of the sluggish trends lately.