Earnings Preview: What To Expect From Darden Restaurants’ Report

With a market cap of $21.6 billion, Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) is one of the largest full-service restaurant companies in North America, owning and operating a portfolio of well-known dining brands. The Orlando, Florida-based company serves millions of guests annually through a network of restaurants spanning casual dining, fine dining, and upscale casual concepts, including Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, and Ruth’s Chris Steak House.

The company is expected to announce its fiscal Q4 2026 results before the market opens on Thursday, June 25. Ahead of this event, analysts predict Darden Restaurants to report an adjusted EPS of $3.63, up 21.8% from $2.98 in the year-ago quarter. It has exceeded or met Wall Street's earnings estimates in two of the last four quarters while missing on two other occasions.

For fiscal 2026, analysts forecast the Olive Garden parent to post an adjusted EPS of $10.62, up 11.2% from $9.55 in fiscal 2025. Its adjusted EPS is projected to rise 7.2% year over year to $11.38 in FY2027. 

Shares of Darden Restaurants have slumped 4.9% over the past 52 weeks, lagging behind both the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) nearly 22.2% gain, and the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund's (XLY) 6.1% return over the period. 

Darden Restaurants has underperformed the broader market over the past year as investors weighed concerns about slowing consumer spending and persistent cost pressures. Combined with softer results from certain brands and a challenging operating environment, these factors have tempered investor enthusiasm despite the company's resilient fundamentals.

Analysts' consensus view on DRI stock is cautiously optimistic, with an overall "Moderate Buy" rating. Among 30 analysts covering the stock, 17 recommend "Strong Buy," one suggests "Moderate Buy," and 12 indicate “Hold.” The average analyst price target for Darden Restaurants is $227.39, suggesting a potential upside of 8% from current levels.