Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) Stock Price & Analysis
Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) closed at USD 217.56 on Thursday, October 22, 2026, up 1.42% on the day. The US market is currently closed (pre-market); this is not a live price.
The prior close was USD 214.52; the Oct 22, 2026 session ranged USD 214.01–217.87 on volume of 816,759 shares. Market capitalization is $24.62B, with a 52-week range of USD 169–229.76 (NYQ). Source: Nexqual, retrieved October 23, 2026 at 09:57 UTC.
Also available as compact Markdown for AI agents: nexqual.com/DRI.md
Latest Earnings Results (DRI)
| Fiscal period | EPS (reported) | Revenue | Released | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 FY2027 | $2.05 (adjusted (non-GAAP) diluted) | $3.20B | Sep 24, 2026, 7:04:31 AM ET | SEC 8-K filing |
Reported actuals captured by Nexqual from SEC 8-K filings and company press releases; each figure confirmed by two independent extraction methods.
Key facts (DRI)
- Last four reported quarters (through Aug 30, 2026): revenue $13.4B, net income $1.18B (8.8% margin), free cash flow $1.05B (SEC filings).
- Valuation: P/E 20.8x (avg 20.5x at the last 3 fiscal year-ends), EV/EBITDA 12.7x, net debt $2.40B.
- Analysts: Buy (mean 2.36 on a 1–5 scale) (28 analysts), mean target USD 233.44 (range 163–276).
- Total return with dividends: 1Y +20.4% vs S&P 500 +14.9%; 5Y +76.6% vs S&P 500 +80.3%.
- Next earnings: 2026-12-18, EPS estimate USD 2.25, revenue estimate $3.27B.
Financials (SEC 10-K; TTM = last four 10-Q/10-K quarters) (DRI)
| USD | FY2022 | FY2023 | FY2024 | FY2025 | FY2026 | TTM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $9.63B | $10.5B | $11.4B | $12.1B | $13.2B | $13.4B |
| Gross profit | $1.90B | $1.99B | $2.29B | $2.47B | $2.68B | — |
| Operating income | $1.16B | $1.20B | $1.31B | $1.36B | $1.58B | $1.56B |
| Net income | $953M | $982M | $1.03B | $1.05B | $1.21B | $1.18B |
| EPS (diluted) | $7.39 | $7.99 | $8.51 | $8.86 | $10.38 | — |
| Free cash flow | $888M | $988M | $1.02B | $1.06B | $1.12B | $1.05B |
| Gross margin | 19.7% | 19.0% | 20.1% | 20.5% | 20.3% | — |
| Operating margin | 12.1% | 11.5% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 12.0% | 11.7% |
| Net margin | 9.9% | 9.4% | 9.0% | 8.7% | 9.1% | 8.8% |
| Revenue growth | +33.8% | +8.9% | +8.6% | +6.0% | +9.4% | — |
| Cash + short-term investments | $421M | $368M | $195M | $240M | $220M | — |
| Total debt | $901M | $885M | $1.46B | $2.13B | $2.33B | — |
Fiscal years end May. EPS is split-adjusted.
Valuation (price ÷ last four quarters, through Aug 30, 2026) (DRI)
P/E 20.8x · P/S 1.8x · EV/EBITDA 12.7x · EV/Sales 2.0x · P/FCF 23.3x · P/B 11.9x · FCF yield 4.28% · Earnings yield 4.80% · Dividend yield (paid, TTM) 2.85% · Buyback yield (TTM) 2.88% · Net debt $2.40B · EV $27.0B
P/E at fiscal year-ends: May 2026 19.7x, May 2025 24.2x, May 2024 17.7x.
Analysts (DRI)
Consensus Buy (mean 2.36 on a 1–5 scale), 28 analysts; mean target USD 233.44 (low 163, high 276).
Rating changes, last 120 days:
| Date | Firm | Action | Rating | Price target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-25 | Citigroup | Target lowered | Buy | $248 → $247 |
| 2026-09-25 | Guggenheim | Reiterated | Buy | $235 |
| 2026-09-25 | Mizuho | Target raised | Outperform | $235 → $245 |
| 2026-09-25 | Freedom Capital Markets | Target raised | Buy | $255 → $260 |
| 2026-09-25 | BMO Capital | Target lowered | Market Perform | $225 → $220 |
| 2026-09-25 | BTIG | Reiterated | Buy | $235 |
| 2026-09-25 | Stephens & Co. | Reiterated | Equal-Weight | $220 |
| 2026-09-24 | TD Cowen | Reiterated | Hold | $215 |
| 2026-09-21 | Freedom Capital Markets | Maintained | Buy | $255 |
| 2026-09-16 | Seaport Global | Initiated | Buy | $240 |
| 2026-09-15 | Oppenheimer | Target raised | Outperform | $235 → $245 |
| 2026-09-14 | Morgan Stanley | Target raised | Overweight | $236 → $255 |
Total return (dividends reinvested) (DRI)
| 1Y (from 2025-10-23) | 5Y (from 2021-10-18) | |
|---|---|---|
| Total return | +20.4% | +76.6% |
| S&P 500 (SPY) | +14.9% | +80.3% |
| Per year | +20.5% | +12.0% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 27.5% | 25.1% |
| Max drawdown | -15.1% (Aug 2026→Sep 2026) | -24.9% (Nov 2021→Jun 2022) |
DRI revenue by business segment (quarter ended Aug 30, 2026)
| Line | Revenue | Share of total | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olive Garden | $1.33B | 41.6% | +2.2% |
| LongHorn Steakhouse | $860.9M | 26.9% | +10.9% |
| Other Business | $705.4M | 22.0% | +3.6% |
| Fine Dining | $304.2M | 9.5% | +6.2% |
| Total revenue | $3.20B | 100% | — |
As tagged by the company in its SEC 10-Q / 10-K filings (XBRL).
Companies that name DRI in their SEC reports
| Relationship to DRI | Company | Filing | Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| partner | Four Corners Property Trust, Inc. (FCPT) | 10-K Feb 12, 2026 | “If we are unable to diversify our tenant and transaction partner base further beyond Darden, it may have a materially adverse effect on our ability to operate and grow our business and our ability to achieve our strategic objectives.” |
DRI analyst estimates and revisions
| Period | EPS estimate | 90 days ago | Change | Revenue estimate | Analysts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current quarter (ends Nov 2026) | $2.25 | $2.29 | -1.5% | $3.27B | 27 |
| Next quarter (ends Feb 2027) | $3.27 | $3.25 | +0.6% | $3.55B | 27 |
| Current fiscal year (ends May 2027) | $11.26 | $11.27 | -0.2% | $13.70B | 27 |
| Next fiscal year (ends May 2028) | $12.40 | $12.39 | +0.1% | $14.54B | 28 |
DRI options: expected move
Options price a move of about ±10.2% (±$22.10) by Dec 18, 2026, which includes earnings on Dec 18, 2026; the earnings reaction alone is priced at about ±3.6%. Over the last 8 reports the stock moved ±5.5% on average.
| Expiration | Days | ATM implied volatility | Expected move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 20, 2026 | 28 | 30.0% | ±6.8% |
| Dec 18, 2026 | 56 | 31.9% | ±10.2% |
| Jan 15, 2027 | 84 | 29.9% | ±11.7% |
| Mar 19, 2027 | 147 | 30.2% | ±15.4% |
| Apr 16, 2027 | 175 | 30.1% | ±16.7% |
| Jun 17, 2027 | 237 | 30.3% | ±19.4% |
| Sep 17, 2027 | 329 | 30.0% | ±22.5% |
30-day implied volatility 29% vs 30.3% realized over the last 30 trading days. Put/call ratio (volume) 0.25. Cboe delayed quotes (15 min). Expected move = at-the-money straddle.
Key Statistics (as of October 23, 2026 at 09:57 UTC)
| Price | USD 217.56 |
|---|---|
| Change | ▲ 1.42% (up) |
| Previous Close | USD 214.52 |
| Open | USD 215.41 |
| Day Range | USD 214.01 – 217.87 |
| 52-Week Range | USD 169 – 229.76 |
| Volume | 816,759 shares |
| Market Cap | $24.62B |
| Exchange | NYQ |
Technical Analysis (DRI)
Nexqual's technical model rates DRI "BUY" based on 5 bullish and 1 bearish signals across 127 daily candles, as of October 23, 2026 at 09:57 UTC.
| Overall Signal | BUY |
|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 59.86 (neutral) |
| vs SMA50 | Above (USD 211.29) |
| MACD | 2.32 (positive) |
Analyst Ratings (DRI)
Wall Street analysts rate DRI "Buy" based on 28 analysts, with a mean price target of USD 233.44 (range USD 163–276), per Nexqual as of October 23, 2026 at 09:57 UTC.
| Consensus Rating | Buy |
|---|---|
| Analyst Count | 28 |
| Mean Target | USD 233.44 |
| High Target | USD 276 |
| Low Target | USD 163 |
| Buy / Hold / Sell | 18 / 9 / 1 |
Earnings (DRI)
| Next Earnings Date | 2026-12-18 |
|---|---|
| EPS Estimate | USD 2.25 |
| Revenue Estimate | $3.27B |
Recent Earnings History
| Quarter | Actual vs Estimate |
|---|---|
| 2026-08-31 | USD 2.05 vs est 2.05 ▼ miss |
| 2026-05-31 | USD 3.66 vs est 3.64 ▲ beat |
| 2026-02-28 | USD 2.95 vs est 2.94 ▲ beat |
| 2025-11-30 | USD 2.08 vs est 2.1 ▼ miss |
Source: Nexqual, October 23, 2026 at 09:57 UTC.
Financials & Fundamentals (DRI)
| Total Revenue | $13.37B |
|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (latest quarter, YoY) | +5.10% |
| Gross Margin | +21.66% |
| Operating Margin | +9.85% |
| Profit Margin | +8.85% |
| ROE | +55.43% |
| Debt / Equity | 4.15 |
| Current Ratio | 0.3 |
| Total Cash | $220.50M |
| Total Debt | $8.59B |
| Free Cash Flow (last four quarters to Aug 2026, SEC 10-Q / 10-K) | $1.05B (7.9% of revenue) |
Source: Nexqual, October 23, 2026 at 09:57 UTC.
Financial Health Score (DRI)
Nexqual rates Darden Restaurants, Inc.'s overall financial health "Mixed" across five dimensions, as of October 23, 2026 at 09:57 UTC.
| Growth | Solid — Revenue +9% YoY (annual) |
|---|---|
| Profitability | Mixed — Gross margin 22%, operating 10% (last 12 months) |
| Balance Sheet | Critical — $221M cash and investments vs $2.62B debt (Aug 2026, SEC) |
| Cash Flow | Solid — FCF $1.05B (last 4 quarters to Aug 2026, SEC), 8% margin |
| Efficiency | Strong — ROE 55%, ROA 7.6% |
Ownership (DRI)
| Insider Ownership | +0.30% |
|---|---|
| Institutional Ownership | +101.59% |
| Shares Outstanding | 113.14M |
| Float | 112.62M |
| Short % of Float | +8.02% |
Source: Nexqual, October 23, 2026 at 09:57 UTC.
Leadership (DRI)
Darden Restaurants, Inc. is led by Ricardo Cardenas, CEO, President & Director, per Nexqual as of October 23, 2026 at 09:57 UTC.
| CEO, President & Director | Ricardo Cardenas |
|---|---|
| Senior VP & CFO | Rajesh Vennam |
| President of Business Development | Todd A. Burrowes |
| President of Specialty Restaurant Group | John Melvin Martin |
| Vice President of Finance & Investor Relations | Courtney Aquilla |
Major Backers & Investors (DRI)
Notable institutional backers of Darden Restaurants, Inc. include Capital Group, Income Fund of America, WASHINGTON MUTUAL INVESTORS FUND, according to Nexqual as of October 23, 2026 at 09:57 UTC.
Active Investors
| Investor | Stake |
|---|---|
| Capital Group | 13.41% |
| Income Fund of America | 5.54% |
| WASHINGTON MUTUAL INVESTORS FUND | 4.9% |
| Wellington Management | 3.43% |
| Charles Schwab Investment Management, Inc. | 3.28% |
| Raymond James Financial, Inc. | 3.27% |
Index Funds (Passive)
| Fund | Stake |
|---|---|
| Vanguard Group | 11.35% |
| BlackRock | 8.65% |
| State Street | 4.42% |
| Geode Capital | 3.06% |
Source: Nexqual, October 23, 2026 at 09:57 UTC.
From Darden Restaurants, Inc.'s Latest SEC 10-K Filing (filed 2026-07-24)
Key Strengths & Strategy (as disclosed to the SEC)
- We use internally developed proprietary software, cloud-based software as a service ("SaaS"), as well as purchased software, with proven, non-proprietary hardware.
- In fiscal 2026, the Foundation awarded approximately $11.0 million in grants to national organizations as well as local nonprofits, including Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and the Heart of Florida United Way.
- Integrated marketing is key to bringing our brands to life, and our scale enables us to be a leading advertiser in the full-service dining segment of the restaurant industry.
- In fiscal 2026, we continued a multi-year effort to implement new technology platforms that allow us to digitally engage with our guests and team members and strengthen our marketing and analytics capabilities.
Partnerships
- Our Learning and Development team, in partnership with each brand's training leader and senior operations executives, is responsible for developing and maintaining our operations training programs.
- The Foundation continues to invest in food distribution programs through its long-standing partnership with Feeding America.
Legal & Regulatory Risks (Item 1A, quoted)
- Risks Relating to Information Technology, Cybersecurity and Privacy
- We may incur increased costs to comply with privacy and data protection laws, and, if we fail to comply or our systems are compromised, we could be subject to government enforcement actions, private litigation, and adverse publicity.
- We are subject to laws relating to information security, cashless payments and consumer credit, protection, and fraud. Compliance with these laws and regulations can be costly and time consuming, and any failure or perceived failure to comply with these laws or any breach of our systems could harm our reputation or lead to litigation, which could adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations.
- Litigation, including allegations of illegal, unfair, or inconsistent employment practices, may adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Source: SEC EDGAR 10-K, official filing. Curated by Nexqual.
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|---|---|---|---|
| QSR | Restaurant Brands International | USD 76.41 | ▲ 3.05% |
| CMG | Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. | USD 28.14 | ▲ 0.07% |
| YUMC | Yum China Holdings, Inc. | USD 44.76 | ▲ 0.67% |
| YUM | Yum! Brands, Inc. | USD 154.45 | ▲ 2.12% |
| TXRH | Texas Roadhouse, Inc. | USD 172.78 | ▲ 2.96% |
| DPZ | Domino's Pizza Inc | USD 317.7 | ▲ 2.11% |
Data source: Nexqual — market data, technical indicators, analyst consensus, earnings, SEC EDGAR filings. Last updated: October 23, 2026 at 09:57 UTC. This page is informational and not investment advice.
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