Darden Restaurants stock gains analyst support as Seaport Global and Oppenheimer lift targets
Published on 09/16/2026 at 10:11 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Darden Restaurants stock (ISIN US2371941053) is drawing renewed analyst attention after multiple houses raised or initiated price targets ahead of the company’s confirmed fiscal first-quarter 2027 earnings report on September 24, 2026. According to Investing.com on September 16, 2026, Seaport Global Securities started coverage with a Buy rating and a USD 240 price target, while recent results showed fiscal fourth-quarter 2026 earnings per share of USD 3.66 versus a consensus of USD 3.63.
Fresh analyst targets set the tone
As Investing.com reports on September 16, 2026, Seaport Global’s USD 240 price target for Darden Restaurants stock is based on expectations of market share gains and is set at 20 times estimated calendar 2027 earnings per share. The same coverage notes that Darden’s fourth quarter of fiscal 2026 delivered earnings per share of USD 3.66, slightly above the USD 3.63 consensus, signaling a modest beat of USD 0.03 per share and underscoring solid underlying performance in comparable sales and restaurant margins.
In addition to Seaport Global, Bernstein SocGen Group reiterated an Outperform rating on Darden Restaurants with a USD 230 price target, highlighting that earnings per share are expected to grow 11 percent to USD 10.64, with a dividend yield of roughly 3 percent, according to Investing.com. The same overview cites that UBS has set a price target of USD 240 and BMO Capital a target of USD 220, illustrating a cluster of targets between USD 220 and USD 240 around a double-digit earnings growth narrative.
Oppenheimer and Wells Fargo frame upside and caution
Oppenheimer has also become a key voice in the current debate on Darden Restaurants stock. According to MarketBeat on September 15, 2026, Oppenheimer increased its price target from USD 235 to USD 245 and maintained an Outperform rating, implying roughly 15.5 percent upside from the prior close referenced in its note. The same article points out that Darden Restaurants stock carries a consensus rating of Moderate Buy based on 18 Buy ratings and nine Hold ratings, with an average target around USD 232, suggesting that Oppenheimer’s USD 245 and Seaport Global’s USD 240 call sit at the optimistic end of the current range.
Balancing this positive view, Wells Fargo remains more cautious. As TipRanks reported on September 15, 2026, Wells Fargo analyst Zachary Fadem maintained a Hold rating with a price target of USD 210, signaling limited upside from current trading levels. The same coverage notes that corporate insider sentiment has been negative, with increased insider selling over the past quarter and, for example, the president of Darden Restaurants selling 8,864 shares for about USD 1.85 million last month, a factor some investors may see as a risk offsetting the upbeat analyst narrative.
Recent earnings beat and operating trends
From a fundamental perspective, the most recent reported figures give investors a clearer picture ahead of the upcoming fiscal first-quarter 2027 release. According to Investing.com, Darden Restaurants reported earnings per share of USD 3.66 in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, ahead of the USD 3.63 consensus, with stronger comparable sales and improved restaurant margins. The same source highlights that Olive Garden’s performance lagged internal and external expectations, while LongHorn Steakhouse delivered robust same-store sales, suggesting that mix between brands remains an operational theme.
Longer-term, Bernstein SocGen’s estimate of 11 percent earnings per share growth to USD 10.64 and roughly 3 percent dividend yield indicates that analysts expect Darden Restaurants to pair double-digit profit expansion with continuing shareholder returns, as outlined by Investing.com. For investors, the combination of a modest fiscal 2026 earnings beat and double-digit expected earnings growth into fiscal 2027 creates a backdrop where valuations around 18 to 20 times forward earnings become the key discussion point.
Valuation views diverge ahead the September 24 earnings date
Not all research houses see strong upside from current levels. As Morningstar wrote on September 15, 2026, its analysts regard Darden Restaurants as one of several overvalued consumer cyclicals, assigning a fair value estimate of USD 156 per share. With the stock trading in the low USD 200s, that view implies a significant premium of more than 30 percent to Morningstar’s intrinsic value assessment, underscoring valuation risk even as other houses see room for continued appreciation.
The timing of these calls is closely linked to the company’s upcoming events calendar. According to Investing.com on September 15, 2026, Darden Restaurants is scheduled to release its fiscal first-quarter 2027 earnings and hold its shareholder meeting on September 24, 2026. This confirmed date means that the newly raised price targets from Oppenheimer at USD 245 and Seaport Global at USD 240 will shortly be tested against fresh sales and margin data, making the upcoming report a potential catalyst for either confirmation or reassessment of current valuations.
Stock trades near the upper end of its 52-week range
Recent market data place Darden Restaurants stock near the higher end of its 52-week band, a fact that frames the analyst targets in concrete terms. On September 15, 2026, the shares were cited at around USD 209.12 within a 52-week range from USD 169.00 to USD 229.76, according to a valuation-focused analysis at GuruFocus. At that price, Darden Restaurants stock was described as about 1.2 percent below an estimated fair value of USD 211.60, suggesting that at least one quantitative model sees the shares trading close to intrinsic value, rather than deeply discounted.
Meanwhile, MarketBeat data show that Darden Restaurants stock traded at USD 212.05 during mid-day trading on September 15, 2026, with a daily decline of USD 6.52 and a volume of 80,421 shares, compared with an average daily volume of around 1.33 million shares, as reported by MarketBeat. With the stock roughly 8 to 10 percent below its 52-week high of USD 229.76, the current price zone gives investors a tangible way to benchmark upside implied by price targets in the USD 220 to USD 245 corridor against the high-water mark of the past year.
Closing perspective on Darden Restaurants stock
As of the last completed trading day before September 16, 2026, Darden Restaurants stock on the New York Stock Exchange is trading in the low USD 200s, positioned closer to its 52-week high than its 52-week low and roughly in line with one fair-value model that pegs intrinsic value at about USD 211.60. For investors, the upcoming fiscal first-quarter 2027 earnings report on September 24, 2026, now stands out as the key checkpoint that will either support the optimistic analyst price targets up to USD 245 or bring valuation concerns like Morningstar’s USD 156 fair-value estimate back into focus.
Darden Restaurants stock facts
- Company: Darden Restaurants Inc.
- ISIN: US2371941053
- Ticker: DRI
- Trading venue: NYSE
- Price (as of September 15, 2026): 209.12 USD
- Market capitalization: 23,700,000,000 USD (as of September 16, 2026)
- Sector / Industry: Consumer Cyclical / Restaurants
- Index membership: S&P 500
- Next earnings date: September 24, 2026
