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DRI Stock Forecast: Darden Restaurants, Inc. Price Predictions for 2026-2027

Last close, 14 Oct 2026
$209
+1.42% on the day

The 28 Wall Street analysts covering Darden Restaurants, Inc. hold a median 12-month price target of $235 — +12.7% from the last close. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model, run across ~4,600 US stocks, ranks it 66 of 100 as at 14 Oct 2026 — in the upper half.

Market cap
$23.3B
Ticker Nerd rank
66 / 100
Median analyst target
$235
Analysts covering
28
Revenue$3.7B+13.7% y/y
Operating income$537.6M
Net income$404.9M
Free cash flow$368.7M
Quarterly, 8 quarters to 31 May 2026 · latest quarter's figure shown
Total return, dividends reinvested
1W
+4.3%
1M
−3.8%
YTD
+16.9%
1Y
+15.0%
From 52W high
−7.7%
From 52W low
+27.1%
$164
$226
52-week range, adjusted closes · the dot is the last close
Ticker Nerd rank

DRI stock analysis: one number for the whole business

Consensus tells you what everyone already believes. The model scores Darden Restaurants, Inc. on its factor families — the same systematic rank behind the Ticker Nerd portfolio.

Where the model ranks itAs at 14 Oct 2026
66 / 100

Percentile across ~4,600 US stocks on Ticker Nerd’s systematic factor model. Higher is better. How the model is built and tested

Volatility
94
Quality
78
Growth
69
Momentum
68
Value
66
Issuance
57
Revisions
52
Accruals
49
Size
9

Volatility (94): The share price has been relatively steady.

Accruals (49): A large share of reported profit has not shown up as cash, or the balance sheet is expanding quickly — both tend to unwind.

Size (9): Larger than most of the companies we track — more scrutinised, less often mispriced.

Built and run by Aslam Ghouse, an ex-Goldman Sachs quant trader with fourteen years in markets.

Wall Street

DRI stock forecast 2026-2027: analyst price targets & predictions

The bullish and bearish analyst opinions on DRI, reported as data — targets and ratings, the market's view beside the model's.

Share price and the analyst range, 12 monthsAdjusted close, US dollars
$160$180$200$220$240$260$280Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26Oct 26DRIHigh $276Median $235Low $163

Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Data provided by Twelve Data

What Wall Street says28 analysts
18 Buy9 Hold1 Sell
Low $163Median $235High $276

The green dot is the last close — the median target sits +12.7% from it.

Recent analyst actionsNewest first

Of the 20 most recent actions, 7 moved their price target up and 2 moved it down.

DateFirmActionRatingTarget
25 Sept 2026BMO CapitalMaintainsMarket Perform$225 → $220
25 Sept 2026BTIGReiteratesBuy$235
25 Sept 2026CitigroupMaintainsBuy$248 → $247
25 Sept 2026Freedom Capital MarketsMaintainsBuy$255 → $260
25 Sept 2026GuggenheimReiteratesBuy$235
25 Sept 2026MizuhoMaintainsOutperform$235 → $245
25 Sept 2026Stephens & Co.ReiteratesEqual-Weight$220
24 Sept 2026TD CowenReiteratesHold$215
21 Sept 2026Freedom Capital MarketsMaintainsBuy$255
16 Sept 2026Seaport GlobalInitiatesBuy—
16 Sept 2026Seaport GlobalInitiatesBuy$240
15 Sept 2026OppenheimerMaintainsOutperform—
15 Sept 2026OppenheimerMaintainsOutperform$235 → $245
14 Sept 2026Morgan StanleyMaintainsOverweight$236 → $255
14 Sept 2026Morgan StanleyMaintainsOverweight—
11 Sept 2026CitigroupMaintainsBuy—
11 Sept 2026CitigroupMaintainsBuy$245 → $248
11 Sept 2026Stephens & Co.MaintainsEqual-Weight$216 → $220
11 Sept 2026Stephens & Co.MaintainsEqual-Weight—
27 Aug 2026KeybancMaintainsOverweight$228 → $237

Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Market Radar

This page is one stock. Monday covers all of them.

Computed off the Friday close and sent before the US open.

Market Radar reports the week’s largest rank changes across roughly 4,600 US stocks, the factor behind each one, and where the market went. DRI appears on the weeks it earns a place.

Free, every Monday. Unsubscribe any time.

Performance

DRI vs the S&P 500

Both lines are total return — dividends reinvested — so the comparison is honest on both sides.

Over the twelve months to 14 Oct 2026, Darden Restaurants, Inc. returned +15.0% against +17.5% for the S&P 500, dividends included.

DRI vs S&P 500, last 12 monthsTotal return, rebased to 100
90100110120130Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26Oct 26DRIS&P 500

Download this chart as an image — free to reuse; link this page as the source.

Data provided by Twelve Data

Estimates

DRI analyst estimate revisions

Not the forecast itself — the direction analysts are revising it. Revision direction is one of the model's factor families.

Which way the estimates are movingNext fiscal year
EPS revision, 90 days
−0.2%
Analysts raising
9
Analysts cutting
7
Fundamentals

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) financial data

A margin means little on its own. Each bar marks where the figure sits across the whole US universe we score.

Valuation
Trailing P/E
20.0×

Cheaper than 37% of US stocks

Price / sales
1.7×

Cheaper than 55% of US stocks

Price / book
11.3×

Cheaper than 8% of US stocks

EV / EBITDA
14.8×

Cheaper than 23% of US stocks

Growth & margins
Revenue growth (YoY)
5.1%

Higher than 39% of US stocks

Earnings growth (YoY)
−9.5%

Higher than 27% of US stocks

Gross margin
23.3%

Higher than 25% of US stocks

Operating margin
9.9%

Higher than 64% of US stocks

Net margin
8.8%

Higher than 68% of US stocks

Returns & dividend
Return on equity
55.4%

Higher than 94% of US stocks

Return on assets
7.6%

Higher than 87% of US stocks

Dividend yield
3.2%

Higher than 87% of US dividend payers

Bars mark the percentile across the ~4,600 US stocks Ticker Nerd covers, among those reporting the figure.

Key statistics

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) statistics: revenue, profit & scale

The headline figures, each with its date. Every row carries its own link — cite it straight from here.

  • Darden Restaurants, Inc. has a market value of $23.3B and an enterprise value of $31.6B.

  • Revenue in the twelve months to 31 May 2026: $13.2B. The latest quarter grew 5.1% year on year.

  • Net income over the same four quarters: $1.2B, a 9.1% net margin.

  • Diluted earnings per share, trailing twelve months: $10.38.

  • Free cash flow in the twelve months to 31 May 2026: $1.1B, after $26.4M of capital spending.

  • Darden Restaurants, Inc. spent $671.7M on share buybacks and $693.0M on dividends in the twelve months to 31 May 2026.

  • Shares outstanding: 114.1M.

  • Trailing P/E: 20.0×; forward P/E: 16.6× — the forward figure prices analyst consensus estimates, not reported earnings.

  • Forward dividend yield: 3.15%, paying out 59% of earnings.

  • Darden Restaurants, Inc. employs 209,931 people — $63K of revenue per employee.

Statement figures: company filings via Twelve Data, four quarters to 31 May 2026 · market figures as at 15 Oct 2026

Data provided by Twelve Data

Peers

DRI vs competitors

The nearest names by industry and size, scored by the same model — like for like.

Its peer group, ranked by the same modelRestaurants
CompanyMarket capTKN rank
DRIDarden Restaurants, Inc.$23.3B
66
QSRRestaurant Brands International, Inc.$32.9B
65
YUMCYum China Holdings, Inc.$15.3B
86
CMGChipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.$39.1B
58
YUMYum! Brands, Inc.$40.7B
53
TXRHTexas Roadhouse, Inc.$11.0B
62
DPZDomino's Pizza, Inc.$9.8B
64

Look up any of the roughly 4,600 stocks we score.

The rank is the raw material. Whether the rules would actually own Darden Restaurants, Inc. — and when they’d sell — is the membership. See the Ticker Nerd 20 →

News

Latest DRI news & analysis

FCPT Announces Extensions for 100% of Olive Garden and LongHorn Leases Maturing in 2027

Business Wire · 14 Oct 2026positive

Four Corners Property Trust announced a master agreement with Darden Restaurants and certain affiliates covering all 66 Olive Garden and LongHorn leases previously identified as maturing in 2027. The headline states that extensions were announced for 100% of those leases.

Why it matters — A DRI watcher may note the announced extensions involving Darden’s Olive Garden and LongHorn lease arrangements.

Darden vs. McDonald's: Which Restaurant Stock Is the Better Buy for Income Investors

24/7 Wall Street · 14 Oct 2026neutral

The article compares Darden and McDonald’s as income investments, noting that their dividends are nearly identical but their payout histories differed during downturns. It says one cut its dividend substantially while the other continued raising it, without identifying which company in the excerpt.

Why it matters — Darden investors may want to consider the companies’ contrasting dividend records when assessing DRI’s income profile.

Dividend Champion, Contender, And Challenger Highlights: Week October 4

Seeking Alpha · 2 Oct 2026neutral

A weekly summary of dividend activity for Dividend Champions, Contenders, and Challengers, covering companies that changed their dividends and those with upcoming ex-dividend dates for the week of October 4.

Why it matters — A Darden Restaurants watcher would care because this tracking reflects the company's dividend-related status among dividend-paying stocks, though no specific Darden changes are noted in the excerpt.

Top 25 Attractive Dividend Stocks For October 2026

Seeking Alpha · 1 Oct 2026neutral

Seeking Alpha published a screened list of the top 25 U.S. dividend growth stocks for October 2026, focusing on fundamental growth, economic moats, and yields above 2.5%. The list averages a 3.38% dividend yield with subsets highlighting high-yield, fast dividend growth, and undervaluation opportunities.

Why it matters — A Darden Restaurants watcher would care because such dividend stock screens often reflect prevailing valuation and yield trends that may influence investor positioning relative to DRI.

Darden Restaurants Serves Up Fresh Catalysts for a Stock Price Rally

MarketBeat · 26 Sept 2026positive

MarketBeat reports that Darden Restaurants' late-September post-earnings price pullback could be a sell-the-news, buy-the-dip event, since the company's strengths were already expected by the market.

Why it matters — DRI watchers would care because the pullback is framed as a potential buying opportunity with fresh catalysts for a stock price rally.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about DRI stock

What is the DRI stock price forecast for 2026-2027?

The 28 Wall Street analysts covering Darden Restaurants, Inc. have a median 12-month price target of $235, with estimates ranging from $163 to $276. These are third-party analyst estimates, not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Is DRI stock a buy right now?

Of the 28 analysts covering Darden Restaurants, Inc., 18 rate it a Buy, 9 a Hold and 1 a Sell. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model ranks Darden Restaurants, Inc. 66 out of 100 across roughly 4,600 US stocks as at 14 Oct 2026. None of this is personal advice — it does not consider your circumstances.

How does Ticker Nerd's model rank DRI?

As at 14 Oct 2026, Darden Restaurants, Inc. ranks 66 out of 100 on Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model — a percentile across roughly 4,600 US stocks, built from its factor families. Its strongest factor family is Volatility (94 of 100).

Will DRI stock go up?

No one can know that. What the data says: the median 12-month target from 28 analysts implies +12.7% from the last close, and Ticker Nerd's factor model ranks Darden Restaurants, Inc. 66 out of 100 as at 14 Oct 2026. Analyst targets are third-party estimates and frequently wrong; none of this is personal advice.

What is the DRI stock forecast for 2030?

No analyst covering Darden Restaurants, Inc. publishes a 2030 price target — Wall Street targets run 12 to 18 months out. Sites quoting a 2030 price for DRI are extrapolating price history, which says nothing about the business. The furthest attributed numbers are the current analyst targets: $163 to $276 over the next 12 months.

How has DRI stock performed over the past year?

Darden Restaurants, Inc. returned +15.0% over the 12 months to 14 Oct 2026, with dividends reinvested. Past performance does not indicate future returns.

What does Darden Restaurants, Inc. do?

Darden Restaurants, Inc. is a full-service restaurant company that owns and operates a portfolio of well-known dining brands across the United States and Canada.

What is the latest news on DRI?

The most recent item we track (Business Wire, 14 Oct 2026): "FCPT Announces Extensions for 100% of Olive Garden and LongHorn Leases Maturing in 2027". Four Corners Property Trust announced a master agreement with Darden Restaurants and certain affiliates covering all 66 Olive Garden and LongHorn leases previously identified as maturing in 2027. The headline states that extensions were announced for 100% of those leases.

Company

About Darden Restaurants, Inc.

Darden Restaurants, Inc. is a full-service restaurant company that owns and operates a portfolio of well-known dining brands across the United States and Canada. Its restaurant family includes Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Yard House, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, The Capital Grille, Chuy’s, Seasons 52, Eddie V’s, and Bahama Breeze, serving a broad mix of casual, polished casual, and fine-dining occasions. The company focuses on dine-in service, takeout, beverages, bar offerings, catering, and gift cards, supported by a multi-brand operating model designed to serve different customer preferences and dining experiences. Darden Restaurants plays an important role in the North American full-service dining market by combining scale, brand recognition, and operational consistency across a diverse restaurant portfolio. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Darden Restaurants remains one of the largest operators in the full-service restaurant sector.

CEO Mr. Ricardo Cardenas CPA · 209,931 employees · United States · https://www.darden.com