Darden Restaurants stock heads into earnings after sales rise 13.7 percent

Published on 09/23/2026 at 21:09 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Darden Restaurants stock trades at USD 215.22 on September 23, 2026, below its USD 229.76 52-week high. Fiscal 2027 guidance sets an EPS range of USD 11.10 to USD 11.35.

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Darden Restaurants (ISIN US2371941053) was trading at USD 215.22 on the NYSE on September 23, 2026, up USD 1.68 or 0.79 percent from the prior close. The restaurant operator heads into its fiscal first-quarter 2027 report after fourth-quarter sales rose 13.7 percent year over year to USD 3.7 billion.

Fourth-quarter sales set the bar

According to Fortune in its September 2026 earnings transcript, same-restaurant sales increased 4.6 percent in fiscal fourth-quarter 2026, while adjusted diluted earnings per share increased 22.8 percent to USD 3.66. The extra fiscal week contributed USD 0.25 per share to that result.

The comparison matters because Darden generated sales growth through both traffic and restaurant expansion. Management reported that same-restaurant guest counts exceeded the industry benchmark by more than 300 basis points in the quarter, giving the next report a clear operational hurdle.

Guidance points to slower growth

Darden's fiscal 2027 guidance calls for total sales of USD 13.6 billion to USD 13.75 billion, same-restaurant sales growth of 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent, and diluted earnings per share of USD 11.10 to USD 11.35, according to Fortune.

That outlook places the fiscal 2027 sales target above the USD 13 billion milestone reached in fiscal 2026. For investors, the key test is whether current-quarter results can preserve the prior quarter's 4.6 percent comparable-sales pace while meeting the lower full-year growth framework.

Analyst target sits above the stock

Investing.com reported on September 23, 2026, that KeyBanc reiterated an Overweight rating and a USD 237.00 price target. KeyBanc lowered its fiscal first-quarter EPS estimate from USD 2.07 to USD 2.05 and reduced its Olive Garden same-restaurant sales forecast from 2.0 percent to 1.3 percent.

Stock remains below its yearly high

Darden Restaurants stock was trading at USD 215.22 on the NYSE on September 23, 2026. The price stood 6.33 percent below its 52-week high of USD 229.76, while the market capitalization was USD 24,650,223,485.