Darden Restaurants (NYSE:DRI – Get Free Report)‘s stock had its “equal weight” rating reiterated by Stephens in a research report issued on Friday, Benzinga reports. They presently have a $220.00 price objective on the restaurant operator’s stock. Stephens’ price target would indicate a potential upside of 10.32% from the stock’s previous close.
A number of other equities analysts have also commented on the stock. UBS Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of Darden Restaurants in a research report on Friday, September 11th. Seaport Research Partners started coverage on shares of Darden Restaurants in a research report on Wednesday, September 16th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $240.00 price target on the stock. Evercore downgraded shares of Darden Restaurants from an “outperform” rating to an “in-line” rating and set a $230.00 target price for the company. in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $235.00 target price on shares of Darden Restaurants in a research note on Friday. Finally, Oppenheimer boosted their target price on shares of Darden Restaurants from $235.00 to $245.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 15th. Eighteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $232.38.
Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on DRI
Darden Restaurants Price Performance
Darden Restaurants (NYSE:DRI – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, September 24th. The restaurant operator reported $2.05 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.05. The firm had revenue of $3.20 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.21 billion. Darden Restaurants had a net margin of 9.13% and a return on equity of 57.44%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.97 earnings per share. Darden Restaurants has set its FY 2027 guidance at 11.100-11.350 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Darden Restaurants will post 11.26 EPS for the current year.
Insider Buying and Selling
In other Darden Restaurants news, insider Laura Williamson sold 1,110 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $204.32, for a total value of $226,795.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 10,754 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,197,257.28. The trade was a 9.36% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Ricardo Cardenas sold 39,134 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $209.06, for a total transaction of $8,181,354.04. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 86,146 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $18,009,682.76. This represents a 31.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 70,185 shares of company stock valued at $14,636,984. Insiders own 0.67% of the company’s stock.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Darden Restaurants
Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Bell Investment Advisors Inc bought a new stake in shares of Darden Restaurants during the second quarter worth approximately $28,000. Union Savings Bank bought a new stake in shares of Darden Restaurants during the fourth quarter worth approximately $28,000. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Darden Restaurants during the second quarter worth approximately $34,000. HHM Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Darden Restaurants by 44.8% during the first quarter. HHM Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 181 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 56 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Keating Financial Advisory Services Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Darden Restaurants during the second quarter worth approximately $39,000. 93.64% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
More Darden Restaurants News
Here are the key news stories impacting Darden Restaurants this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Fiscal 2027 first-quarter revenue rose 5.1% year over year to $3.20 billion, while blended same-restaurant sales increased 3.1%. LongHorn Steakhouse and Yard House were cited as stronger performers, and management said it continues to gain market share. Darden revenue rises but misses estimates in fiscal first quarter
- Positive Sentiment: Darden reaffirmed fiscal 2027 adjusted EPS guidance of $11.10–$11.35 and maintained its broader full-year outlook. The company also highlighted plans for 13 new Yard House locations, supporting its longer-term growth strategy. Darden reaffirms fiscal 2027 guidance
- Positive Sentiment: Darden declared a quarterly dividend of $1.62 per share, equal to $6.48 annually and an approximately 3.1% yield. Analysts at Mizuho, Bernstein, Guggenheim and BTIG remained constructive, with price targets generally above the current trading level.
- Neutral Sentiment: Shareholders approved the board and maintained the company’s existing governance structure, removing a potential source of uncertainty. Darden shareholders back board and governance status quo
- Negative Sentiment: Adjusted EPS of $2.05 was roughly in line with estimates but revenue narrowly missed forecasts of about $3.21 billion. Reported net income declined to approximately $233.4 million from $257.8 million a year earlier as higher food and labor expenses compressed profitability. Darden stock falls as Olive Garden reports slower growth
- Negative Sentiment: Olive Garden, Darden’s largest brand, delivered only 1.1% same-store sales growth, raising concerns about slowing customer traffic and consumer sensitivity in casual dining. Analysts also described the stock as fairly valued, limiting the upside from an otherwise resilient quarter. Darden is winning share but stock is fairly priced
About Darden Restaurants
Darden Restaurants, Inc (NYSE: DRI) is a full-service restaurant company headquartered in Orlando, Florida. It operates and franchises a portfolio of dining brands serving a range of cuisines, price points and occasions, with restaurants primarily located in the United States and select international markets.
Its restaurant portfolio includes Olive Garden, an Italian-American dining chain; LongHorn Steakhouse; Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen; Yard House; The Capital Grille; Seasons 52; Bahama Breeze; Eddie V’s; Ruth’s Chris Steak House; and Chuy’s.
Featured Stories
- Five stocks we like better than Darden Restaurants
- Costco Ends Its Fiscal Year on a High Note, Eyes Big Expansion
- Cracker Barrel Stock Is Rallying Again, But the Turnaround Still Has a Traffic Problem
- Oracle’s Force Majeure Notice Exposes a Bigger Problem for the AI Build-Out
- Oil May Be Stronger Than It Looks—And Diamondback Is on Sale
Receive News & Ratings for Darden Restaurants Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Darden Restaurants and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
