Darden Restaurants stock falls 2.92 percent as revenue misses estimates

Published on 09/25/2026 at 14:51 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Darden Restaurants stock stood at USD 207.44 on September 24, 2026, while fiscal Q1 sales reached USD 3.20 billion. Fiscal 2027 EPS guidance spans USD 11.10 to USD 11.35.

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Darden Restaurants (ISIN US2371941053) stock fell 2.92 percent to USD 207.44 on the NYSE on September 24, 2026, after fiscal first-quarter revenue missed the analyst estimate. The company reported USD 3.20 billion in sales for the quarter ended August 30, 2026.

Revenue grows despite the miss

Darden Restaurants reported on September 24, 2026, that sales increased 5.1 percent from USD 3.04 billion in the comparable prior-year quarter. Revenue nevertheless came in below the USD 3.21 billion consensus estimate cited by Yahoo Finance.

Adjusted earnings per share reached USD 2.05 and matched the USD 2.05 analyst estimate, according to Yahoo Finance. Comparable-calendar same-restaurant sales increased 3.2 percent, while the fiscal-calendar measure rose 3.1 percent.

LongHorn leads the portfolio

LongHorn Steakhouse delivered 6.2 percent same-restaurant sales growth, compared with 1.1 percent at Olive Garden, Darden's largest brand by sales. The company operated 2,218 company-owned restaurants at the end of the quarter, including 624 LongHorn and 953 Olive Garden locations.

CNBC reported on September 24, 2026, that analysts expected USD 3.21 billion in revenue and USD 2.06 in earnings per share. The same report highlighted slower Olive Garden growth and said Darden's fiscal 2027 sales outlook was USD 13.60 billion to USD 13.75 billion.

Guidance stays at USD 11.10

Darden reaffirmed fiscal 2027 diluted earnings per share guidance of USD 11.10 to USD 11.35, while its quarterly dividend was set at USD 1.62 per share, payable November 2, 2026. The company also repurchased USD 222.3 million of common stock during the quarter.

Darden Restaurants stock traded between USD 206.22 and USD 212.99 on September 24, 2026. Its 52-week range was USD 169.00 to USD 229.76, putting the reference price 9.71 percent below the high; market capitalization stood at USD 23,759,141,022 and volume reached 1,953,554 shares.