Darden Restaurants Inc
Darden Restaurants Inc operates full-service restaurant chains, generating revenue through food and beverage sales across its portfolio of brands.
Business. Darden Restaurants Inc (DRI.O) is a consumer discretionary company operating in the Restaurants & Bars industry. The firm is headquartered in the United States and is primarily listed on the NASDAQ exchange. Specific details regarding its operating segments and geographic revenue mix are not available.
Analyst recommendations
29 analysts · consensus BuyAt a glance
What drives this business
The watch-list the newsroom runs for this company — derived from its sector path, sharpened layer by layer. Not investment advice.
News & coverage
2Sector rotation
Developing storylines
Analysis
AI analysisOpportunity
Upcoming catalysts
Scheduled public events. Informational only — not investment advice.
- Company
- EarningsQ3 2026 earnings (expected)2026-09-28 · estimated
- Macro
- Rate decisionBank of England rate decision (press conf.)2026-08-06 · GB
- Rate decisionReserve Bank of Australia rate decision (press conf.)2026-08-12 · AU
- Rate decisionNorges Bank rate decision (press conf.)2026-08-20 · NO
- Rate decisionSveriges Riksbank rate decision (press conf.)2026-09-03 · SE
- Rate decisionBank of Canada rate decision (press conf.)2026-09-09 · CA
- Rate decisionEuropean Central Bank rate decision (press conf.)2026-09-10 · EU
- Macro & political
- ElectionSE Swedish Election2026-09-14 · SE
- ElectionUS U.S. Midterms2026-11-03 · US
- ElectionFR French Legislative2027-06-01 · FR
- Congressional trades
- CongressJosh Gottheimer — Darden Restaurants, Inc. Common2026-04-09 · Democrat · NJ · Sale · $15,001 - $50,000
- CongressLisa McClain — Darden Restaurants, Inc. Common2025-10-31 · Republican · MI · Sale · $1,001 - $15,000
- CongressLisa McClain — Darden Restaurants, Inc. Common2025-10-30 · Republican · MI · Purchase · $1,001 - $15,000
- CongressLisa McClain — Darden Restaurants, Inc. Common2025-10-30 · Republican · MI · Sale · $1,001 - $15,000
- CongressLisa McClain — Darden Restaurants, Inc. Common2025-09-25 · Republican · MI · Purchase · $1,001 - $15,000
- CongressLisa McClain — Darden Restaurants, Inc. Common2025-07-22 · Republican · MI · Sale · $1,001 - $15,000
Pre-earnings brief
Darden Restaurants Inc (DRI.O) has recorded its first analysis in the current dataset, establishing a baseline for future monitoring with no prior basis for delta computation. This initial snapshot captures the company's current structural profile, including one reported officer, membership in one index, and a shareholder base comprising 35 top holders. The most material activity detected involves significant fluctuations in holdings by investor ID 587 as of March 31, 2026. On June 21, 2026, a major severity signal indicated a reduction in this investor's position from 57,944 shares, valued at approximately $11.36 million, down to just 488 shares, representing a negligible weight of 0.000055% in the portfolio. Subsequently, on June 24, 2026, another major severity signal detected a reversal of this transaction, showing the same investor increasing their holding back to 57,944 shares. This rapid sequence of a massive sell-off followed immediately by a repurchase of the exact same share quantity suggests a potential data correction or a complex trading maneuver rather than a fundamental shift in long-term sentiment. These holder changes are the primary signals available for Darden Restaurants at this time, as no analyst estimates, ESG updates, or cross-source events were reported. With zero analysts currently covering the ticker in this dataset, the focus remains on these institutional holding adjustments and the company's static corporate structure.
Signals & dispatch
Composite-score breakdown
Synthesis
Darden Restaurants Inc (DRI.O) is a consumer discretionary company operating in the Restaurants & Bars industry. The firm is headquartered in the United States and is primarily listed on the NASDAQ exchange. Specific details regarding its operating segments and geographic revenue mix are not available.
Darden Restaurants maintains a capital structure characterized by significant leverage, with a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.92 and total liabilities of $10.28 billion against total equity of $2.31 billion. The company holds $240 million in cash and equivalents, resulting in a negative net cash position after subtracting total debt, which contributes to a medium liquidity risk assessment. Operating cash flow stands at $1.71 billion, providing coverage for capital expenditures of $644.6 million, while the enterprise value to EBITDA multiple is 19.13.
Profitability metrics indicate strong returns on capital, with a return on equity of 45.41% and a return on assets of 8.34%. The company reports a net income of $1.05 billion on revenue of $12.08 billion, yielding a net margin of approximately 8.7%. The price-to-earnings ratio is 23.03, and the price-to-book ratio is 10.46, reflecting the market's valuation of these high returns relative to the book value.
Revenue concentration is not detailed in the available segment or geographic data, but the total revenue base of $12.08 billion suggests a diversified operational footprint typical of a multi-brand restaurant operator. The gross profit of $2.47 billion indicates a gross margin of approximately 20.5%, consistent with industry norms for full-service dining.
Growth trajectory analysis is limited by the absence of historical period data in the current input. However, the current revenue run rate of $12.08 billion provides a baseline for assessing future performance against analyst expectations. The company's ability to maintain or grow this revenue base will be critical for sustaining its current valuation multiples.
Risk factors include medium liquidity risk due to the negative net cash position and high leverage. Dilution risk is assessed as low, with basic and diluted shares outstanding both at 117.03 million, indicating no significant recent equity issuance. The key flag of negative net cash highlights the company's reliance on operating cash flow and debt markets for liquidity management.
Recent events include analyst estimates with a mean price target of $227.12 and a median target of $230.00, suggesting upside potential from the current market price of $206.50. The mean recommendation is 2.21, with 8 strong buy and 8 buy ratings, indicating positive sentiment among analysts. No specific news events or filing observations are available in the current data set.
Darden Restaurants Inc (DRI.O) has recorded its first analysis in the current dataset, establishing a baseline for future monitoring with no prior basis for delta computation. This initial snapshot captures the company's current structural profile, including one reported officer, membership in one index, and a shareholder base comprising 35 top holders. The most material activity detected involves significant fluctuations in holdings by investor ID 587 as of March 31, 2026. On June 21, 2026, a major severity signal indicated a reduction in this investor's position from 57,944 shares, valued at approximately $11.36 million, down to just 488 shares, representing a negligible weight of 0.000055% in the portfolio. Subsequently, on June 24, 2026, another major severity signal detected a reversal of this transaction, showing the same investor increasing their holding back to 57,944 shares. This rapid sequence of a massive sell-off followed immediately by a repurchase of the exact same share quantity suggests a potential data correction or a complex trading maneuver rather than a fundamental shift in long-term sentiment. These holder changes are the primary signals available for Darden Restaurants at this time, as no analyst estimates, ESG updates, or cross-source events were reported. With zero analysts currently covering the ticker in this dataset, the focus remains on these institutional holding adjustments and the company's static corporate structure.
- High return on equity of 45.41% driven by significant leverage and strong net income.
- Medium liquidity risk due to negative net cash position and high debt-to-equity ratio of 0.92.
- Analyst consensus suggests upside potential with a mean price target of $227.12.
- Low dilution risk with no difference between basic and diluted shares outstanding.
- Strong operating cash flow of $1.71 billion covers capital expenditures of $644.6 million.
Bull / Bear case
Generated · model-assistedIn focus — financials by report
Valuation
Revenue by segment
Business relationships
Supply chain
Peer comparison
Market position
Stress test
Predictor forecast
| Metric | Our forecast | Guidance | Consensus |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPS | —no estimate | —no estimate | 11,28 |
| Revenue | —no estimate | —no estimate | 13,7B USD |
| Operating income | —no estimate | —no estimate | 1,7B USD |
Options
Short squeeze
Earnings-call key lines
Consensus distribution
sell-side coverageEstimate revisions
consensus EPS · 26-week trendSell-side observations
Themes
ESG
Risk factors
- Net cash is negative after subtracting total debt.
Benchmarks vs cohort
Corporate actions / M&A
FX exposure
Comparable transactions
Derivatives & instruments
Derivative transactions
- President, LongHorn Steakhouse · Stock Option (Right to Buy) → Common StockAcquired 368 @ $212,23grant · 2026-07-29
- SVP General Counsel · Restricted Stock Units (FY27 Annual Grant) → Common StockAcquired 1 373grant · 2026-07-29
- SVP, Corporate Controller · Restricted Stock Units (FY27 Annual Grant) → Common StockAcquired 624grant · 2026-07-29
- SVP, Corporate Controller · Stock Option (Right to Buy) → Common StockAcquired 1 841 @ $212,23grant · 2026-07-29
- SVP, Chief Supply Chain Ofcr · Restricted Stock Units (FY27 Annual Grant) → Common StockAcquired 936grant · 2026-07-29
- SVP, Chief Supply Chain Ofcr · Stock Option (Right to Buy) → Common StockAcquired 2 761 @ $212,23grant · 2026-07-29
- President, LongHorn Steakhouse · Restricted Stock Units (FY27 Annual Grant) → Common StockAcquired 1 154grant · 2026-07-29
- President, LongHorn Steakhouse · Stock Option (Right to Buy) → Common StockAcquired 3 405 @ $212,23grant · 2026-07-29
- President, LongHorn Steakhouse · Restricted Stock Units (FY27 Annual Grant) → Common StockAcquired 125grant · 2026-07-29
- SVP, Chief Comm & PA Officer · Restricted Stock Units (FY27 Annual Grant) → Common StockAcquired 749grant · 2026-07-29
- SVP, CFO · Stock Option (Right to Buy) → Common StockAcquired 11 044 @ $212,23grant · 2026-07-29
- SVP, CFO · Restricted Stock Units (FY27 Annual Grant) → Common StockAcquired 3 744grant · 2026-07-29
- Group Pres, Pres, Chuy's · Stock Option (Right to Buy) → Common StockAcquired 5 890 @ $212,23grant · 2026-07-29
- Group Pres, Pres, Chuy's · Restricted Stock Units (FY27 Annual Grant) → Common StockAcquired 1 997grant · 2026-07-29
- Group President · Stock Option (Right to Buy) → Common StockAcquired 5 890 @ $212,23grant · 2026-07-29
- Group President · Restricted Stock Units (FY27 Annual Grant) → Common StockAcquired 1 997grant · 2026-07-29
- President, Olive Garden · Stock Option (Right to Buy) → Common StockAcquired 4 786 @ $212,23grant · 2026-07-29
- SVP General Counsel · Stock Option (Right to Buy) → Common StockAcquired 4 050 @ $212,23grant · 2026-07-29
- President, Olive Garden · Restricted Stock Units (FY27 Annual Grant) → Common StockAcquired 1 622grant · 2026-07-29
- SVP, Chief Comm & PA Officer · Stock Option (Right to Buy) → Common StockAcquired 2 209 @ $212,23grant · 2026-07-29
- Director, President and CEO · Restricted Stock Units (FY27 Annual Grant) → Common StockAcquired 12 792grant · 2026-07-29
- SVP, Chief People Officer · Stock Option (Right to Buy) → Common StockAcquired 5 338 @ $212,23grant · 2026-07-29
- SVP, Chief People Officer · Restricted Stock Units (FY27 Annual Grant) → Common StockAcquired 1 810grant · 2026-07-29
- Director, President and CEO · Stock Option (Right to Buy) → Common StockAcquired 37 735 @ $212,23grant · 2026-07-29
- Director, President and CEO · Stock Option (Right to Buy) → Common StockDisposed 19 091 @ $124,24exercise · 2026-07-28
Actions
Ask Handelsavisen
- Market data
- Market data cache
- Issuer disclosures
- Public news
- Earnings transcripts
- Consensus estimates
- ESG data
- Reference data
- Price To Tangible Bookmarket_price / (tangible_book_value / shares_outstanding_diluted)
- Price To Bookmarket_price / (adjusted_book_value / shares_outstanding_diluted)
- Return On Equitynet_income / total_equity
- Enterprise Valuemarket_cap - net_cash
- Ev To Revenueenterprise_value / revenue
- Net Cashcash_and_equivalents + short_term_investments - short_term_debt - long_term_debt
- DARDEN RESTAURANTS, INC. Market data — financials · 2026-07-28
- failed_redrive (failed_redrive) on DRI.O · 2026-07-28
- Darden Restaurants Inc Market data — analyst estimates · 2026-07-28
- Darden Restaurants Inc Market data — ESG · 2026-07-28
- Darden Restaurants Inc HA canonical relationships · 2026-07-28
- Darden Restaurants Inc — company reference export (2026-07-05) · 2026-07-28
Ownership & reference
Top holders
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,25 %$1 343M
- Brokerage Firms · as of 2026-03-310,22 %$699M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,10 %$660M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,07 %$131M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,07 %$107M
- Institutional Investor · as of 2026-03-310,06 %$279M
- Funds · as of 2026-03-310,06 %$365M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,05 %$119M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,05 %$248M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,04 %$331M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,04 %$674M
- Institutional Investor · as of 2026-03-310,04 %$112M
- Investment Managers · as of 2025-12-310,04 %$2 588M
- Institutional Investor · as of 2026-03-310,04 %$198M
- Institutional Investor · as of 2022-09-300,04 %$0M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,03 %$189M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,03 %$141M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,03 %$953M
- Investment Managers · as of 2024-06-300,03 %$1 323M
- Brokerage Firms · as of 2026-03-310,02 %$113M
- Investment Managers · as of 2024-12-310,02 %$76M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,02 %$350M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,02 %$140M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,01 %$0M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,01 %$60M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,01 %$27M
- Institutional Investor · as of 2026-03-310,01 %$27M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,01 %$15M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,01 %$16M
- Institutional Investor · as of 2026-03-310,01 %$16M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,01 %$28M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,01 %$23M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,01 %$11M
- Institutional Investor · as of 2026-03-310,00 %$33M
- Investment Managers · as of 2026-03-310,00 %$0M
Leadership
- Rick CardenasPresident, Chief Executive Officer, Director
Insider activity
- SVP, Chief People Officer · Common StockSold 2 873 @ $210,83$606K · 2026-07-29
- SVP, CFO · Common StockSold 8 478 @ $210,00$1,8M · 2026-07-29
- SVP, Chief People Officer · Common StockSold 1 500 @ $209,63$314K · 2026-07-29
- SVP, Chief Comm & PA Officer · Common StockSold 2 226 @ $208,17$463K · 2026-07-29
- Director, President and CEO · Common StockSold 15 290 @ $209,00$3,2M · 2026-07-28
- Director, President and CEO · Common StockSold 12 802 @ $208,79$2,7M · 2026-07-28
- Director, President and CEO · Common StockSold 7 241 @ $209,41$1,5M · 2026-07-28
- Director, President and CEO · Common StockOther 19 091 @ $124,24$2,4M · 2026-07-28
- Director, President and CEO · Common StockSold 3 801 @ $209,58$797K · 2026-07-28
- SVP, Chief Supply Chain Ofcr · Common StockOther 3 000 · 2026-07-27
- Group Pres, Pres, Chuy's · Common StockOther 2 361 @ $196,31$463K · 2026-07-27
- SVP, Corporate Controller · Common StockOther 366 @ $196,31$72K · 2026-07-27
- President, LongHorn Steakhouse · Common StockOther 344 · 2026-07-27
- President, LongHorn Steakhouse · Common StockOther 84 @ $196,31$16K · 2026-07-27
- SVP, Chief Supply Chain Ofcr · Common StockOther 768 @ $196,31$151K · 2026-07-27
- SVP, CFO · Common StockOther 7 286 · 2026-07-27
- SVP, CFO · Common StockOther 2 868 @ $196,31$563K · 2026-07-27
- President, Olive Garden · Common StockOther 3 214 · 2026-07-27
- President, Olive Garden · Common StockOther 1 105 @ $196,31$217K · 2026-07-27
- SVP, Corporate Controller · Common StockOther 1 500 · 2026-07-27
- Group President · Common StockOther 2 361 @ $196,31$463K · 2026-07-27
- Director, President and CEO · Common StockOther 21 426 · 2026-07-27
- SVP, Chief Comm & PA Officer · Common StockOther 844 @ $196,31$166K · 2026-07-27
- SVP, Chief Comm & PA Officer · Common StockOther 2 144 · 2026-07-27
- Director, President and CEO · Common StockOther 8 432 @ $196,31$1,7M · 2026-07-27
Short positioning
Geographic breakdown
Intel & risk
Evidence & claims
From filings & derived data- Gross profit (annual): USD 2.68BUnknown
- Capex (annual): USD 734MUnknown
- Operating income (annual): USD 1.58BUnknown
- Net income (annual): USD 1.21BUnknown
- EPS (basic) (annual): USD-PER-SHARES 10Unknown
- Revenue (annual): USD 13.21BUnknown
- Pre-tax income (annual): USD 1.39BUnknown
- EPS (diluted) (annual): USD-PER-SHARES 10Unknown
- Current ratio (FY 2025-11-23): 0.39xDerived (calculated)
- Cash & equivalents (YoY) (2025-11-23 vs 2024-11-24): 3.1%Derived (calculated)
- Long-term debt (YoY) (2025-11-23 vs 2024-11-24): 0.8%Derived (calculated)
- Shareholders' equity (YoY) (2025-11-23 vs 2024-11-24): 0.5%Derived (calculated)
- Total liabilities (YoY) (2025-11-23 vs 2024-11-24): 3.9%Derived (calculated)
- Debt-to-equity (FY 2025-11-23): 5.22xDerived (calculated)
- Total assets (YoY) (2025-11-23 vs 2024-11-24): 0.0%Derived (calculated)
- Long-term debt (annual): USD 2.14BSEC XBRL filing
- Cash & equivalents (annual): USD 224.1MSEC XBRL filing
- Total assets (annual): USD 12.94BSEC XBRL filing
- Current liabilities (annual): USD 2.65BSEC XBRL filing
- Current assets (annual): USD 1.04BSEC XBRL filing
- Total liabilities (annual): USD 10.86BSEC XBRL filing
- Shareholders' equity (annual): USD 2.08BSEC XBRL filing
- Operating income (YoY) (2025-05-25 vs 2024-05-26): 3.7%Derived (calculated)
- Net margin (FY 2025-05-25): 8.7%Derived (calculated)