Core Insights - Brinker International, Inc. (EAT) reported a strong quarter with Chili's achieving 13% traffic growth in Q1 fiscal 2026, significantly outperforming the casual dining industry [1][11] - The sustainability of this growth is questioned, but management suggests it reflects structural gains rather than just promotional timing [2][5] Management Commentary - Chili's has outperformed the industry in traffic for eight consecutive quarters, indicating consistent execution rather than temporary boosts [2] - Traffic growth is attributed to everyday value, improved food quality, and better in-restaurant execution, rather than reliance on short-term discounts [2] - The $10.99 value platform remains stable and profitable, with operational upgrades driving repeat visits [2] Cohort-Level Data - Management tracks monthly guest cohorts, showing stable return rates for both new and existing guests, which counters the idea that traffic spikes are solely due to promotions [3] - This data indicates that advertising-driven traffic is being retained, suggesting sustained engagement [3] Promotional Impact - While promotional timing does influence traffic, management noted that explicit value pricing leads to stronger traffic lifts compared to unpriced promotions [4] - This indicates that marketing strategies can affect traffic dynamics even within a structurally strong base [4] Comparison with Peers - Darden Restaurants (DRI) relies more on limited-time offers, which leads to softer traffic trends when promotions rotate, indicating a dependence on timing [6] - Texas Roadhouse (TXRH) maintains traffic resilience through consistent execution and service culture, but its higher prices make it vulnerable to economic slowdowns [7] - EAT's Chili's stands out as its traffic growth appears more structural, supported by everyday value and operational improvements, placing it between DRI's promotional reliance and TXRH's execution-led model [8] Price Performance and Valuation - EAT's shares have increased by 14.2% over the past three months, outperforming the industry's 1% growth [9] - EAT is currently trading at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 12.99, significantly lower than the industry average of 23.94 [12] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for EAT's fiscal 2026 earnings per share has seen an increase over the past 30 days [15]

We recently published 10 Stocks Jim Cramer Talked About.  Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer discussed recently. Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI) is an American full-service restaurant company that operates brands such as Olive Garden. The firm reported its second fiscal quarter earnings on Thursday and posted $3.1 billion in revenue and $2.08 in adjusted earnings per share. While Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI)’s revenue beat analyst revenue estimates of $3.07 bill ...

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 ...

Darden Restaurants has reported sales growth for its fiscal 2026 (FY2026) second quarter (Q2) and lifted its revenue outlook for the full year. The company’s sales totalled $3.1bn in the three months to 23 November, a 7.3% increase from the prior year. Same-store sales grew 4.3%, supported by gains across major brands. Olive Garden, Darden’s largest chain, recorded a 4.7% rise in same-restaurant sales while LongHorn Steakhouse logged a 5.9% rise. The group’s “other business” segment posted same-store ...

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. ...

Darden Restaurants (DRI) came out with quarterly earnings of $2.08 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.09 per share. This compares to earnings of $2.03 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -0.48%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this owner of Olive Garden and other chain restaurants would post earnings of $2 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.97, delivering a surprise of -1.5%.O ...

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 ...

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: DRI) is a prominent player in the restaurant industry, known for its popular brands like Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse. The company is set to release its quarterly earnings on December 18, 2025. Analysts expect earnings per share (EPS) of $2.10 and revenue of approximately $3.07 billion.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 ...