Darden Restaurants' Q2 2026 Earnings: What to Expect

Core Viewpoint - Darden Restaurants, Inc. is a leading full-service restaurant company with a market cap of $21.6 billion, operating well-known brands like Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse [1] Financial Performance - Darden is expected to announce its fiscal Q2 2026 results on December 18, with analysts predicting an adjusted EPS of $2.09, a nearly 3% increase from $2.03 in the same quarter last year [2] - For fiscal 2026, analysts forecast an adjusted EPS of $10.59, representing a 10.9% increase from $9.55 in fiscal 2025 [3] Stock Performance - Darden's shares have increased by 10.7% over the past 52 weeks, underperforming the S&P 500 Index's nearly 12% gain but outperforming the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund's 2.2% return [4] - On September 18, shares fell by 7.7% after reporting Q1 2026 adjusted EPS of $1.97, which missed Wall Street estimates despite quarterly sales of $3.04 billion meeting forecasts [5] Analyst Sentiment - The consensus view on DRI stock is cautiously optimistic, with a "Moderate Buy" rating from 30 analysts; 17 recommend "Strong Buy," 2 suggest "Moderate Buy," and 11 indicate "Hold" [6] - The average analyst price target for Darden Restaurants is $220.45, indicating a potential upside of 18.8% from current levels [6]