Zacks Research Analysts Lift Earnings Estimates for DRI

Posted by Geri Gentry on Oct 9th, 2026

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI – Free Report) – Analysts at Zacks Research increased their Q2 2027 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for Darden Restaurants in a report issued on Wednesday, October 7th. Zacks Research analyst Team now expects that the restaurant operator will post earnings per share of $2.27 for the quarter, up from their previous forecast of $2.22. The consensus estimate for Darden Restaurants’ current full-year earnings is $11.24 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Darden Restaurants’ Q3 2027 earnings at $3.20 EPS, Q1 2028 earnings at $2.22 EPS, Q4 2028 earnings at $3.85 EPS and FY2028 earnings at $12.33 EPS.

Darden Restaurants (NYSE:DRI – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, September 24th. The restaurant operator reported $2.05 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $2.05. The business had revenue of $3.20 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.21 billion. Darden Restaurants had a return on equity of 58.64% and a net margin of 8.85%.The company’s quarterly revenue was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.97 EPS. Darden Restaurants has set its FY 2027 guidance at 11.100-11.350 EPS.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently weighed in on DRI. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $230.00 price target on shares of Darden Restaurants in a research report on Friday, September 25th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price objective on shares of Darden Restaurants from $225.00 to $220.00 and set a “market perform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, September 25th. Guggenheim reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $235.00 price objective on shares of Darden Restaurants in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Mizuho lifted their target price on shares of Darden Restaurants from $235.00 to $245.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, September 25th. Finally, UBS Group reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Darden Restaurants in a research report on Friday, September 11th. Seventeen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Darden Restaurants presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $232.48.

View Our Latest Analysis on Darden Restaurants

Darden Restaurants Stock Down 0.4%

Shares of NYSE:DRI opened at $200.60 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $22.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.61, a PEG ratio of 1.89 and a beta of 0.63. Darden Restaurants has a 12-month low of $169.00 and a 12-month high of $229.76. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $211.76 and a 200 day moving average price of $204.48. The company has a current ratio of 0.30, a quick ratio of 0.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79.

Darden Restaurants Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 2nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 9th will be given a $1.62 dividend. This represents a $6.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 9th. Darden Restaurants’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 63.34%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, insider Laura B. Williamson sold 1,110 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, July 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $204.32, for a total value of $226,795.20. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 10,754 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,197,257.28. This trade represents a 9.36% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider John W. Wilkerson sold 8,864 shares of Darden Restaurants stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $208.33, for a total value of $1,846,637.12. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 18,794 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,915,354.02. This trade represents a 32.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 60,255 shares of company stock worth $12,589,319 over the last three months. 0.67% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Darden Restaurants

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bell Investment Advisors Inc acquired a new stake in Darden Restaurants in the second quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Union Savings Bank acquired a new position in Darden Restaurants during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Darden Restaurants in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $34,000. HHM Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Darden Restaurants by 44.8% in the 1st quarter. HHM Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 181 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 56 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Keating Financial Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Darden Restaurants in the 2nd quarter valued at $39,000. 93.64% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Darden Restaurants News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Darden Restaurants this week:

Positive Sentiment: Higher FY2028 expectations: Zacks Research raised its FY2028 EPS forecast to $12.33 from $12.17. It also increased estimates for Darden’s second and third quarters of FY2027 and fourth quarter of FY2028, suggesting expectations for improving earnings momentum.
Positive Sentiment: Longer-term quarterly upgrades: Zacks lifted estimates for FY2028’s second and third quarters and FY2029’s first and third quarters. These upward revisions indicate some confidence in Darden’s ability to generate earnings growth across its restaurant portfolio.
Neutral Sentiment: Analyst outlook remains broadly mixed: Zacks raised several quarterly estimates but trimmed its FY2027 forecast to $11.21 from $11.24, cut fourth-quarter FY2027 EPS to $3.69 from $3.76, and reduced FY2029 EPS to $13.15 from $13.19. The revisions are small and do not represent a significant change to the overall outlook.
Negative Sentiment: Insider selling may weigh on sentiment: A Darden insider sold shares valued at approximately $447,565, according to a recent SEC filing. The filing does not establish the reason for the transaction, but insider selling can create a modest overhang for investors. Darden Restaurants Insider Sold Shares Worth $447,565, According to a Recent SEC Filing

About Darden Restaurants

(Get Free Report)

Darden Restaurants, Inc is a full-service restaurant company that owns and operates a portfolio of well-known dining brands. Its restaurants serve a range of cuisines and occasions, from Italian and American casual dining to seafood, steak, and upscale experiences.

The company’s portfolio includes Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Yard House, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Seasons 52, Bahama Breeze, Eddie V’s, and The Capital Grille. In 2024, Darden expanded its brand portfolio through the acquisition of Chuy’s, a full-service Mexican restaurant concept.

Founded by William B.