Table of Contents UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 ☒ QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the quarterly period ended August 24, 2025 or ☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from to 1-13666 Commission File Number DARDEN RESTAURANTS, INC. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) FORM 10-Q Florida 59-3305930 (State or other j ...

With the major equity indices continuing to sit around record highs, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s been smooth sailing for investors. But dig a little deeper, especially in non-tech names, and plenty of individual stocks are being punished. For investors with an appetite for risk and contrarians, that’s often where the biggest opportunity can be lying. As Wall Street likes to say, trying to “catch a falling knife” can be risky, but the payoff can be huge if you time it right. Two stocks that now fit t ...

You might know Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI ) best as the company that owns Olive Garden, but this company actually owns 10 restaurant concepts in total, including LongHorn Steakhouse and Yard House. This portfolio of restaurants gives itI am a freelance business writer. I formerly wrote articles for the Motley Fool Blogging Network, where I won several editor's choice awards. After that, I wrote articles for the main Motley Fool site. I typically focus on restaurants, retailers, and food manufacturers, co ...

Market Overview - Stocks fell on Wednesday as Wall Street digested mixed messages from Federal Reserve officials regarding interest rates, with the Dow down approximately 150 points [1] - The S&P 500 and Nasdaq both decreased by about 0.3% [2][3] - The Russell 2000, which had recently reached a record high, fell by 0.7% [4] Bond and Currency Markets - Bond yields increased slightly, with the 30-year yield rising to 4.76% and the 10-year yield at 4.15% [4] - The US dollar index rose by 0.65%, although it remains down 10% over the past month [5] Sector Performance - The energy sector led gains, up 1.4%, with crude oil prices also rising [6] - Other sectors performing well included utilities, consumer discretionary, and consumer staples, while materials and real estate sectors faced declines [6] Notable Stocks - Tesla's stock increased by 3.5%, marking a 10% rise year-to-date [7] - Alibaba's stock surged by 8%, reflecting strong investor sentiment towards its recent AI spending plans [8] Government Shutdown Concerns - A potential government shutdown looms as lawmakers remain divided over spending and policy issues, with significant implications for markets and federal workers [10][12] - The political dynamics suggest that factions within both parties may view a shutdown as an opportunity, increasing the likelihood of a shutdown [13][15] Economic Outlook - The Federal Reserve is facing challenges with higher inflation and lower employment, prompting discussions on the need for more aggressive rate cuts [42][44] - Job growth has significantly slowed, with a three-month moving average of only 29,000 job gains, compared to 80,000 previously [44][45] Company-Specific Developments - Alibaba plans to ramp up its AI spending to over $50 billion, which has positively impacted its stock price and investor sentiment [62][63] - Amazon received an upgrade from Wells Fargo, with expectations for AWS revenue growth to reach 22% in 2026 [67] Lithium Americas - Shares of Lithium Americas surged following reports that the Trump administration is seeking a 10% equity stake in the company as part of a renegotiation of a $2.26 billion loan [75][76] - The company's market cap increased from $730 million to $1.4 billion due to this news [78]

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer offered insights on. Cramer defended the stock after its quarterly report and explained his bullish stance. He remarked: “It’s funny, when you look at the numbers, the results don’t seem all that bad, more of a mix of positive and negative… However, thanks to inflation, their margins came under pressure… So sure, it’s a mixed quarter, but does that justify the stock’s decline from 208 to below 185? Come on. Look, I think Wall Street got f ...

We recently published 12 Hot, Cold & Stable Stocks Jim Cramer Recently Discussed. Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer recently discussed. Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI)’s shares faced significant pressure last week when they dipped by 11.5%. According to media reports, the shares fell after the firm’s fiscal first-quarter earnings report. The results saw Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI)’s earnings-per-share of $1.97 and revenue of $3 billion miss analyst estimates o ...

Core Insights - DRI, the EU renewables arm of Ukraine's DTEK Group, has partnered with Fluence Energy to supply battery storage units for the 133 MW Trzebinia project in Poland, which will be the largest battery storage facility in the Polish Capacity Market starting in 2027 [1][2][9] Group 1: Project Overview - The Trzebinia project will provide an energy reserve to enhance Poland's energy security, allowing for rapid dispatch during peak demand or generation drops [2] - The project will utilize Fluence's Smartstack™ platform, which is designed for fast deployment and optimized performance, and will incorporate advanced cybersecurity features [5][6][9] - The project is part of a broader strategy by DTEK and DRI to create an interconnected energy system across Central and Eastern Europe [7][8] Group 2: Market Impact - Poland's installed energy storage capacity is expected to grow from 25 MWh at the end of 2024 to over 20 GWh by 2030, indicating significant market potential [8] - The integration of battery technology in the capacity market is projected to lower energy costs, as energy storage is cheaper to operate than traditional generation methods [2][3] Group 3: Strategic Importance - The Trzebinia project is crucial for Poland's goal of achieving over 50% renewables in its energy mix by the end of the decade [10] - The project also aims to enhance the grid's ability to integrate renewable energy sources, contributing to energy independence for Poland and the EU [8]

Summary of Key Points Core Viewpoint - Raymond James has lowered the price target for Darden (DRI) to $210 from $230 while maintaining an Outperform rating on the shares, indicating a cautious outlook following the company's Q1 results which fell below elevated expectations [1]. Company Performance - Darden's Q1 results were below expectations, prompting the price target adjustment by Raymond James [1]. - Despite the disappointing Q1 results, the firm believes Darden can sustain solidly positive comparable sales and market share gains over the next several quarters [1].

Market Overview - The Federal Reserve's 25 basis point rate cut led to a rally, with all four major indices reaching all-time highs during the week [1] - The S&P 500 closed nearly 1.4% higher, the Nasdaq increased nearly 2.25%, the Dow Jones was up just over 1%, and the Russell 2000 rose over 2% [1] Sector Performance - The communications sector was the biggest gainer for the week, followed by technology and consumer discretionary [2] - Real estate was the laggard, with consumer staples and materials also declining [2] Company Highlights - Intel's shares surged more than 20% after Nvidia announced a $5 billion investment to develop custom data center and PC products, with a purchase price of just over $23 per share [3] - Analysts had mixed reactions to Intel's investment, resulting in both upgrades and downgrades [3] - CrowdStrike's stock rose 15% following positive updates from its Falcon 2025 conference, highlighting AI innovations and partnerships with Nvidia and Amazon Business Prime, along with better-than-expected fiscal year 2027 growth [4][5] - Darden Restaurants, parent company of Olive Garden, saw a decline of 13% despite raising guidance and reporting a 4.7% year-over-year increase in same-store sales, citing rising costs for beef and shrimp impacting profitability [5] Upcoming Events - Investors will hear from several Federal Reserve governors, including Steven Meron and Fed Chair Powell, in the upcoming week [6] - Key data to watch includes durable goods and PCE numbers, along with earnings reports from Costco, Micron, and CarMax [6]

Core Viewpoint - Darden Restaurants' Q1 earnings report, while not exceeding expectations, still presents a bullish outlook for rising share prices, with a notable 10% share price reduction viewed as an opportunistic entry point for investors [1][2]. Financial Performance - Revenue grew by 8.7% due to acquisitions, an increase in organic store count, and positive comparable sales, despite falling short of analysts' consensus for revenue and earnings [6]. - Adjusted earnings reached $1.97, reflecting a 12.5% increase compared to slower top-line growth, indicating strong margin performance [7]. Analyst Sentiment - Initial analyst responses were favorable, with two revisions shortly after the earnings release maintaining previous ratings and price targets, forecasting a 20% upside post-sell-off [3]. - The consensus price target suggests a bullish bias, with increased coverage and a Moderate Buy rating trend [3]. Institutional Trends - Institutional ownership stands at 90%, with consistent buying trends observed every quarter this year, contributing over 6.7% to the market cap year-to-date [4]. Dividend and Capital Returns - Darden Restaurants offers a dividend yield of approximately 3.22%, with an annual dividend of $6.00 and a payout ratio of 67.57%, indicating a solid dividend increase track record over the past four years [6]. - The company is expected to continue share buybacks, enhancing shareholder returns through financial leverage [8][9]. Guidance and Market Outlook - The company updated its guidance to align with consensus forecasts, which is expected to support a higher share price [8]. - Current price action shows a 10% pullback, with support anticipated near $175, which aligns with previous highs and critical moving averages [10][11].