Good market position in the casual dining industry under the Chili's and Maggiano's brands; Solid track record as a restaurant operator with expanding margins in recent years; Participates in the highly competitive restaurant industry that is characterized by changing consumer tastes and sometimes volatile input costs. Steady and satisfactory operating cash flow generation; Moderate financial policy; and Credit metrics that are consistent with an "intermediate" financial risk profile. Our rating outlook on Brinker International Inc. is stable. We expect operating performance to improve modestly in fiscal 2015 and 2016 as the company implements operating initiatives to drive traffic and protect margins in an improved but still volatile, discretionary dining environment. We also believe Brinker will continue to manage its debt
