Among the earnings projection stories for Friday, Oct. 10, from AP Financial News:

Shares of Brinker International Inc., which operates the Chili's Grill & Bar chain, fell sharply Friday after the company slashed its 2009 profit guidance and said its first quarter profit will likely drop about 32 percent due to slow sales.

Ruby Tuesday Inc. shares plummeted again on Friday, two days after the casual dining chain reported lackluster fiscal first-quarter profits and sales.

A Goldman Sachs analyst took a dim view of the nation's casual dining restaurant chains, telling investors in a research note that the industry will likely face pressure as diners ratchet down discretionary spending at least through next year.

A KeyBanc Capital Markets analyst said Wednesday third-quarter same-store sales and profits at casual dining companies were likely hurt by the Olympics, hurricanes, the political conventions and news about the liquidity crisis and bank failures.

Shares of restaurant companies were hit during the past three months by concerns about a slowdown in consumer spending and high commodity costs.

After a second quarter of too many empty tables and falling profits, restaurant companies are planning to woo diners back with lower-priced dishes as the weather grows colder.