DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

Franchise restaurant operator Brinker International Inc. (NYSE:EAT) (EAT) said Tuesday it posted a third-quarter loss of $38.8 million, or 38 cents a share, swinging from a profit of $54.6 million, or 43 cents per share, a year earlier.

A survey of analysts conducted by Thomson Reuters had predicted a gain of 32 cents a share.

Brinker said revenue for the 13-week period fell 3.9% to $908 million from $ 944 million during the same period last year, hurt by a 6.7% net decline in capacity due to sales of restaurants to franchisees and restaurant closures and higher costs for commodities.

-Riley McDermid; 415-439-6400; AskNewswires@dowjones.com

    (END) Dow Jones Newswires   04-22-08 0841   Copyright (c) 2008 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.