Lea Anne Ottinger, a director at BJ's Restaurants Inc. (NASDAQ: BJRI), reported a series of stock transactions on June 18, 2026, involving the disposition of common equity valued at $149,372. This sale activity occurred in conjunction with the acquisition of shares through the exercise of stock options and the vesting of restricted stock units. The director disposed of 2,792 shares of BJ's Restaurants common stock at a price of $53.50 per share. This transaction took place while the stock was trading near its 52-week high of $56.21, with the share price recorded at $54.72. According to InvestingPro analysis, BJRI appears overvalued relative to its Fair Value, though the stock has delivered strong returns of 34% over the past six months. InvestingPro offers 13 additional exclusive tips for BJRI investors.
Prior to the sale, Ms. Ottinger acquired 4,153 shares of common stock through the exercise of non-qualified stock options at an exercise price of $35.95 per share, representing a total value of $149,300. Additionally, Ms. Ottinger received an award of 4,433 shares of common stock at no cost. These shares represent a Restricted Stock Unit award vesting in one equal installment on June 18, 2027. Each Restricted Stock Unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of the Issuer's common stock.
Following these transactions, Ms. Ottinger directly holds 44,134 shares of BJ's Restaurants Inc. common stock, an amount that includes 4,433 unvested Restricted Stock Units. The transactions were reported on June 22, 2026.
These insider moves coincide with recent corporate developments at BJ's Restaurants. The hospitality group announced its first-quarter fiscal 2026 results, reporting revenue of $358.1 million, which slightly exceeded the consensus estimate of $356.81 million. However, the company's earnings per share (EPS) fell short of expectations at $0.57 compared to the forecasted $0.61. Despite the revenue beat, BJ's Restaurants maintained its full-year 2026 guidance. Benchmark raised its price target for BJ's Restaurants shares to $50 from $48, maintaining a Buy rating, following the company's earnings report. Meanwhile, D.A. Davidson reiterated a Neutral rating on the stock with a $38 price target, noting the results were slightly above Wall Street expectations.
In other recent news, BJ's Restaurants appointed Monika Saxena as Brand President, effective June 3. Saxena brings over 20 years of experience, having most recently served as Executive Vice President of Brand Marketing for LongHorn Steakhouse at Darden Restaurants, Inc. This appointment is part of the company's ongoing efforts to strengthen its leadership team. These developments come as BJ's Restaurants continues to navigate the current fiscal year.