{
  "id": 1770486,
  "title": "Darden Restaurants Stock: Analyst Estimates & Ratings",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/darden-restaurants-stock-analyst-estimates-ratings",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-08-17T09:57:38.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Finance",
    "slug": "yahoo-finance",
    "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/darden-restaurants-stock-analyst-estimates-095738208.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Darden Restaurants, a leading full-service restaurant operator in the U.S., boasts a market capitalization of $25.7 billion. The Orlando-based group operates under renowned brands like Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, and Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen. In the past year, its shares have surged 9.3%, outpacing both the S&P 500 Index's 20.4% increase and State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund's 3% return. Over the year-to-date period, DRI has climbed 22.4%, beating both the S&P 500's 13.7% gain and the XLY's 1.0% decline.\n\nIn fiscal year 2026, Darden Restaurants reported a 13.7% year-over-year sales increase to $3.72 billion. This growth was driven by a 53rd operating week, a 4.6% increase in same-restaurant sales, and 43 net new restaurants. Adjusted diluted EPS rose 22.8% to $3.66, showcasing robust earnings growth despite costs from closures and the Chuy's integration. For the current fiscal year ending in May 2027, analysts project DRI's EPS to increase 6% year-over-year to $11.28.\n\nOf the 28 analysts covering the stock, 16 maintain a \"Strong Buy\" rating, one suggests a \"Moderate Buy,\" and 11 recommend a \"Hold.\" The consensus rating is a \"Moderate Buy.\" This sentiment has become more bearish than a month ago, with 17 analysts now recommending a \"Strong Buy\" rating. J.P. Morgan's John Ivankoe maintained a \"Buy\" rating on Darden Restaurants and raised his price target to $225 from $220. The mean price target of $230 represents a 2.1% premium to the stock's current level, while a Street-high target of $276 implies a potential upside of 22.5%. As of the publication date, Kritika Sarmah had no positions in any of the mentioned securities.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}