Core Insights - Texas Roadhouse, Inc. (TXRH) plans to open approximately 35 company-owned restaurants in 2026, including around 20 Texas Roadhouse locations, 10 Bubba's 33 units, and up to five Jaggers restaurants, alongside additional franchise openings [1][10] - The company anticipates a store-week growth of 5-6% in 2026, driven by new openings and the acquisition of remaining California franchise locations, with strong average weekly sales across all concepts [2][10] - Despite the growth plans, unit expansion may not significantly impact earnings in the short term due to beef inflation and margin pressures, with capital spending expected to rise to about $400 million in 2026 [3][10] Company Strategy - The 35-store expansion plan is viewed as a steady compounding strategy rather than a bold acceleration, reinforcing Texas Roadhouse's long-term growth engine [4] - The success of the expansion will depend on traffic trends, cost moderation, and the speed at which new units mature into high-cash-flow restaurants [4] Competitive Landscape - Competitors like LongHorn Steakhouse adopt a more conservative growth model, focusing on margin resilience and low-single-digit annual unit growth, while Outback Steakhouse has reduced aggressive U.S. unit expansion in favor of operational improvements [6][7] - Texas Roadhouse's 2026 development plan is considered one of the more assertive unit-growth strategies within the steakhouse category compared to its competitors [7] Stock Performance and Valuation - Texas Roadhouse shares have increased by 12.9% in the past month, outperforming the industry growth of 2.6% [8] - The company trades at a forward price-to-sales (P/S) multiple of 1.95, which is below the industry average of 3.63 [12] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TXRH's 2026 earnings per share has risen to $6.62, indicating a projected 3.4% increase in earnings for that year [14]

Company Overview - Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI) is an American full-service restaurant company operating brands such as Olive Garden [2]. Financial Performance - For the second fiscal quarter, Darden reported revenue of $3.1 billion, exceeding analyst estimates of $3.07 billion [2]. - Adjusted earnings per share were $2.08, which fell short of the expected $2.10 [2]. Analyst Ratings - BTIG reiterated a Buy rating with a price target of $225 on December 19 [2]. - Stephens maintained an Equal Weight rating but reduced the price target from $215 to $205 on December 11, citing weaker trends at Olive Garden [2]. Market Trends - The CFO noted that high beef prices are impacting margins, although comparable sales at LongHorn Steakhouse remain stable despite this volatility [2]. - Jim Cramer highlighted the influence of chicken prices on Darden's performance, particularly in relation to Olive Garden [3].

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI) is one of the tech and consumer sector stocks that Jim Cramer talked about. Cramer called it one of the “retail winners,” as he stated: “Retail’s such a huge portion of this economy, it can mask the questionable kinds of transactions we’ve been seeing at the highest level of tech. Consider the retail winners today. There’s Darden, that’s the owner of Olive Garden. It vaulted nearly 2%. Yes, the numbers from Olive Garden look great.” Olive Garden Darden Image: Courtes ...

Sales Performance - Darden Restaurants reported sales of $3.1 billion for Q2 FY2026, marking a 7.3% increase from the previous year [1] - Same-store sales grew by 4.3%, driven by strong performance across major brands, with Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse reporting increases of 4.7% and 5.9% respectively [1] Financial Results - The company achieved a net income of $237.2 million in Q2 FY2026, or $2.03 per share, compared to $215.7 million or $1.82 per share in the same quarter last year [2] - On an adjusted basis, diluted earnings from continuing operations were $2.08 per share, excluding costs related to restaurant closures and the acquisition of Chuy's [2] Future Outlook - Darden raised its full-year same-restaurant sales growth forecast to a range of 3.5% to 4.3%, up from a previous estimate of 2.5% to 3.5% [3] - The guidance for adjusted diluted earnings per share for FY2026 remains unchanged at $10.50 to $10.70 [3] Operational Insights - Darden's president and CEO noted that all segments delivered positive same-restaurant sales, exceeding top-line expectations [4] - The company has been enhancing delivery options through a partnership with Uber, utilizing Uber Direct's network for nationwide on-demand delivery for Olive Garden [5] - An on-demand delivery trial with Uber Technologies was initiated at Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen in March [6]

Core Insights - Darden Restaurants, Inc. reported fiscal second-quarter earnings with an EPS of $2.08, slightly missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.09, but showing a modest increase from $2.03 in the same quarter last year [1][5] - The company's revenue reached approximately $3.1 billion, exceeding estimates of $3.07 billion, marking a 7.3% increase from $2.89 billion reported in the same period last year [2][5] - Darden's net income was $237.2 million, or $2.03 per share, up from $215.1 million, or $1.82 per share, the previous year, with same-store sales rising by 4.3%, surpassing Wall Street's expectations of 3% [3][5] Financial Metrics - Darden's price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is approximately 20.04, indicating favorable market valuation of its earnings [4] - The price-to-sales ratio stands at about 1.81, and the enterprise value to sales ratio is roughly 2.30, reflecting investor confidence in its revenue and overall valuation [4] - The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of about 3.08, indicating significant reliance on debt financing, while a current ratio of approximately 0.39 highlights short-term liquidity challenges [4]

Darden Restaurants, which owns Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse, had a big jump in same-restaurant sales growth. ...

The consensus price target for Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: DRI) has decreased from $218.76 to $213.5 over the past year, indicating a cautious outlook from analysts.Credit Suisse analyst Lauren Siberman sets a conservative price target of $152, aligning with the average 1-year target price reported by MarketBeat.Despite the downward trend in price targets, Darden receives an average recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from analysts.Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: DRI) is a major player in the full-service ...

With a market cap of $21.6 billion, Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) is a leading full-service restaurant company that owns and operates a diverse portfolio of well-known dining brands across the United States and Canada. The company includes popular concepts such as Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, and Ruth’s Chris Steak House. The Orlando, Florida-based company is expected to announce its fiscal Q2 2026 results before the market opens on Thursday, Dec. 18. Ahead of this event, analysts predict Darden R ...

Core Viewpoint - Darden Restaurants, Inc. is expected to report quarterly earnings on December 18, 2025, with analysts predicting earnings per share (EPS) of $2.10 and revenue of approximately $3.07 billion [1]. Group 1: Performance Expectations - Darden's performance is anticipated to be driven by strong revenue growth from its Olive Garden and LongHorn brands, despite facing cost pressures from increased beef and labor expenses [2]. - The market is closely watching to see if Darden's actual results will surpass expectations, which could positively influence the stock price [4]. Group 2: Recent Financial Performance - In the previous quarter, Darden's earnings fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.5%, although they grew by 12.6% compared to the previous year [3]. - Revenues slightly exceeded expectations by 0.2%, marking a 10.4% year-over-year increase [3]. - Over the last four quarters, Darden has beaten the earnings estimate once and missed it three times, with an average surprise of negative 0.5% [3]. Group 3: Financial Metrics - Darden's financial metrics include a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of approximately 19.68 and a price-to-sales ratio of about 1.76, reflecting the market's valuation of its earnings and revenue [5]. - The company's debt-to-equity ratio is approximately 2.77, indicating its leverage level [5]. - The current ratio of around 0.40 suggests its ability to cover short-term liabilities with short-term assets [5].

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI), headquartered in Orlando, Florida, stands as a prominent operator of multi-brand casual and upscale dining establishments throughout North America. The company oversees well-known chains such as Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, and The Capital Grille, delivering diverse Italian, steakhouse, and fine-dining options to millions of patrons each year. The company has a market capitalization of $20.83 billion, which classifies it as a “large-cap” stock. Darden’s stock had rea ...