EAT Brinker short interest spikes at recent highs.$EAT Brinker Intl... relative to the casual dining segment is a leader in p/e, roe operating margins and sports a 1.89% div yield funded by massive debt. Debt/Equity = 189% vs BWLD 0.07. Operation margins are excellent vs the group but gross margins lag considerably. EAT currently trades at an astronomical 739.50 times book value vs BWLD 6.18 times. A little financial engineering? Borrow to pay dividends and buybacks... YES. I cannot justify a new position up here. Short interest has been rising since Sept 2014 but has dropped off somewhat since the beginning of the year. You can see the spikes as pro traders jump on any weakness. I would be more concerned about a plunge if EAT Brinker fails to engineer a quarter or two that beats the street's expectations. Always do you own due diligence.
