DRI

In the past six months (April 2026 - October 2026), Darden reported strong fiscal 2026 fourth-quarter and full-year results on June 25, 2026, with total sales increasing by 13.7% for the quarter and 9.4% for the full year. The company also increased its quarterly cash dividend by 8.0% to $1.62 per share and authorized a new $1.5 billion share repurchase program. On September 24, 2026, Darden released its fiscal 2027 first-quarter results, showing a 5.1% year-over-year increase in total sales to $3.20 billion, driven by positive same-restaurant sales and 53 net new restaurants. However, diluted net earnings per share from continuing operations decreased to $2.05 from $2.19, and net earnings from continuing operations fell 9.2% to $234.3 million. Operating cash flow from continuing operations also decreased. Despite the earnings miss, Darden reaffirmed its fiscal 2027 outlook, including diluted EPS of $11.10 to $11.35. The stock experienced a 1-month change of -7.9% from September 4, 2026, to October 5, 2026, and a significant daily move of -4.7% on January 26, 2026.