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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

Core Insights - Darden Restaurants, Inc. plans to release its fiscal 2026 second quarter financial results on December 18, 2025, before the market opens [1] - A conference call will follow at 8:30 am ET, where CEO Rick Cardenas and senior management will discuss the results and answer questions [1] Company Overview - Darden Restaurants operates a diverse portfolio of restaurant brands, including Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, and Ruth's Chris Steak House, among others [1]

Company Overview - Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) has a market cap of approximately $20 billion and operates over 1,700 restaurants across multiple brands in the U.S. and Canada, including Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, and Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen [1] Stock Performance - DRI shares have underperformed the broader market over the past 52 weeks, rising only 5.1% compared to a 14.5% increase in the S&P 500 Index [2] - Year-to-date, DRI shares are down 5.9%, while the S&P 500 has gained 16.5% [2] - The company has also lagged behind the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund's 9.9% return over the same period [3] Recent Financial Results - On September 18, DRI shares fell 7.7% after reporting Q1 2026 adjusted EPS of $1.97, which missed Wall Street estimates [4] - Quarterly sales reached $3.04 billion, meeting forecasts, but operating costs surged 8.8% to $2.71 billion due to increased ingredient and marketing expenses [4] - Management raised its annual sales growth outlook to 7.5% - 8.5%, but the midpoint fell slightly below analysts' average expectations, negatively impacting investor sentiment [4] Earnings Expectations - For the fiscal year ending in May 2026, analysts project DRI's adjusted EPS to grow 11.1% year-over-year to $10.61 [5] - The company's earnings surprise history is mixed, with one beat and three misses in the last four quarters [5] - Among 30 analysts covering the stock, the consensus rating is a "Moderate Buy," consisting of 17 "Strong Buy" ratings, two "Moderate Buy," and 11 "Holds" [5] Analyst Ratings - The current analyst configuration is slightly more bullish than three months ago, with 16 "Strong Buy" ratings [6] - On September 19, BMO Capital lowered Darden's price target to $205 while maintaining a "Market Perform" rating [6]

Group 1 - Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI) experienced a mixed quarterly report, with results that were not entirely negative but affected by inflation leading to margin pressure [1] - The stock price declined from 208 to below 185, which some analysts believe is unjustified given the company's efforts to attract customers despite higher-than-expected costs [1] - Darden operates several well-known restaurant brands, including Olive Garden, Ruth's Chris Steak House, and LongHorn Steakhouse, among others [2]

Company Overview - Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) has a market cap of $22.5 billion and operates over 1,700 locations in North America under brands like Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse [1][2] Stock Performance - Darden's shares have decreased 16.4% over the past three months, underperforming the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLY), which increased by 14.7% in the same period [3] - Year-to-date, DRI stock is down slightly, while XLY has risen by 7.6% [4] - Over the past 52 weeks, Darden's shares gained 8.1%, compared to XLY's 22.5% return [4] Recent Financial Results - In Q1 2026, Darden reported adjusted EPS of $1.97, missing Wall Street estimates, while quarterly sales of $3.04 billion met forecasts [5] - Operating costs surged by 8.8% to $2.71 billion, influenced by higher ingredient and marketing expenses [5] - Management raised its annual sales growth outlook to 7.5% - 8.5%, but the midpoint fell slightly below analysts' expectations, affecting investor sentiment [5] Competitive Landscape - Rival Yum! Brands, Inc. (YUM) has outperformed DRI, with shares increasing by 11.5% over the past 52 weeks and 8.9% year-to-date [6] - Despite Darden's underperformance, analysts maintain a "Moderate Buy" consensus rating, with a mean price target of $234.64, indicating a potential upside of 26.2% from current levels [6]

Core Insights - Darden Restaurants, Inc. reported first-quarter fiscal 2026 results with earnings missing estimates but revenues exceeding expectations, leading to an 8% decline in stock price during pre-market trading [1] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for the fiscal first quarter were $1.97, below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.00, compared to $1.75 in the prior-year quarter [2] - Total sales reached $3,044.7 million, surpassing the consensus mark of $3,040 million, reflecting a 10.4% increase from the previous year, supported by a 4.7% increase in same-restaurant sales [3] Segment Performance - Sales at Olive Garden increased 7.6% year over year to $1.3 billion, matching estimates, with same-restaurant sales up 5.9% [4] - LongHorn Steakhouse saw an 8.8% year-over-year sales increase to $776.4 million, though below the estimate of $811.5 million, with comps rising 5.5% [5] - Fine Dining segment sales rose 2.7% to $286.5 million, slightly above the estimate of $285 million, but comps fell 0.2% [5] - Other Business segment sales surged 22.5% year over year to $680.7 million, exceeding the estimate of $628.5 million, with comps up 3.3% [6] Operating Costs - Total operating costs and expenses increased 8.8% year over year to $2.7 billion, primarily due to higher food and beverage expenses, labor costs, and marketing expenses, missing the projection of $2.72 billion [7] Balance Sheet - As of August 24, 2025, cash and cash equivalents were $211 million, down from $240 million as of May 25, 2025, while inventories decreased slightly to $309.6 million [8] Future Outlook - For fiscal 2026, Darden raised its total sales growth outlook to 7.5% to 8.5%, including approximately 2% growth related to the 53rd week, with same-restaurant sales growth anticipated between 2.5% to 3.5% [11] - The company plans to open approximately 65 net new restaurants and allocate $700-$750 million for capital spending in fiscal 2026 [12]

Core Insights - Darden Restaurants, Inc. reported strong financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, with total sales increasing by 10.4% to $3.0 billion, driven by a same-restaurant sales increase of 4.7% and contributions from acquisitions [2][6][7]. Financial Performance - Consolidated sales for Q1 2026 were $3,044.7 million, compared to $2,757.0 million in Q1 2025, reflecting a growth of 10.4% [4]. - Same-restaurant sales growth was reported at 4.7%, with Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse showing increases of 5.9% and 5.5%, respectively [2][4]. - Adjusted diluted net earnings per share from continuing operations increased by 12.6% to $1.97, up from $1.75 in the prior year [7][19]. Segment Performance - Olive Garden generated sales of $1,301.1 million in Q1 2026, with a segment profit of $267.6 million, compared to $1,209.1 million and $250.1 million in Q1 2025 [4]. - LongHorn Steakhouse reported sales of $776.4 million and a segment profit of $134.9 million, up from $713.5 million and $128.4 million, respectively [4]. - The Fine Dining segment experienced a slight decline in profit, with a segment profit of $38.7 million compared to $38.9 million in the previous year [4]. Shareholder Returns - The Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.50 per share, payable on November 3, 2025 [5]. - During the quarter, the company repurchased approximately 0.9 million shares for a total of $183 million, with $865 million remaining under the current $1 billion repurchase authorization [8][7]. Future Outlook - The company updated its full-year financial outlook for fiscal 2026, projecting total sales growth of 7.5% to 8.5%, including approximately 2% growth related to the addition of a 53rd week [14]. - Same-restaurant sales growth is expected to be between 2.5% to 3.5%, with plans to open approximately 65 new restaurants [14].