DRIDRIConsumer Cyclical · Restaurants

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

Last close, 14 Aug 2026
$225
+0.79% on the day

The 28 Wall Street analysts covering Darden Restaurants, Inc. hold a median 12-month price target of $230 — +2.1% from the last close. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model, run across ~4,600 US stocks, ranks it 72 of 100 as at 13 Aug 2026 — in the upper half. Here, the model and the Street point the same way.

Market cap
$26.0B
Ticker Nerd rank
72 / 100
Median analyst target
$230
Analysts covering
28
Total return, dividends reinvested
1W
+5.4%
1M
+15.1%
YTD
+25.3%
1Y
+12.8%
From 52W high
−1.1%
From 52W low
+36.2%
$165
$228
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 13 Aug 2026
72 / 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
97
Growth
81
Quality
78
Value
69
Issuance
66
Momentum
60
Accruals
57
Revisions
49
Size
9

Volatility (97): The share price has been relatively steady.

Revisions (49): Analysts have, on balance, been cutting their forecasts.

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
$150$200$250$300Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26DRIHigh $276Median $230Low $156

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

What Wall Street says28 analysts
16 Buy11 Hold1 Sell
Low $156Median $230High $276

The green dot is the last close — the median target sits +2.1% from it.

Recent analyst actionsNewest first

Of the 20 most recent actions, 8 moved their price target up and 0 moved it down.

DateFirmActionRatingTarget
30 June 2026Argus ResearchMaintainsBuy$240$245
26 June 2026BairdMaintainsNeutral$210$220
26 June 2026BTIGMaintainsBuy$225$235
26 June 2026Deutsche BankMaintainsBuy$230$236
26 June 2026Piper SandlerMaintainsNeutral$208$212
26 June 2026Stephens & Co.MaintainsEqual-Weight$210$216
26 June 2026UBSMaintainsBuy$230$240
24 June 2026GuggenheimMaintainsBuy$230$235
23 June 2026Evercore ISI GroupDowngradeIn-Line$230
18 June 2026OppenheimerReiteratesOutperform
18 June 2026Stephens & Co.ReiteratesEqual-Weight
15 June 2026CitigroupMaintainsBuy
5 June 2026B of A SecuritiesMaintainsBuy
27 May 2026KeybancMaintainsOverweight
20 Mar 2026BairdMaintainsNeutral
20 Mar 2026BarclaysMaintainsOverweight
20 Mar 2026BTIGReiteratesBuy
20 Mar 2026CitigroupMaintainsBuy
20 Mar 2026Deutsche BankMaintainsBuy
20 Mar 2026Evercore ISI GroupMaintainsOutperform

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.

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
−0.7%
Analysts raising
4
Analysts cutting
21
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
21.0×

Cheaper than 38% of US stocks

Price / sales
2.0×

Cheaper than 54% of US stocks

Price / book
11.8×

Cheaper than 9% of US stocks

EV / EBITDA
16.0×

Cheaper than 22% of US stocks

Growth & margins
Revenue growth (YoY)
13.7%

Higher than 61% of US stocks

Earnings growth (YoY)
33.3%

Higher than 68% of US stocks

Gross margin
23.3%

Higher than 26% of US stocks

Operating margin
14.1%

Higher than 71% of US stocks

Net margin
9.1%

Higher than 68% of US stocks

Returns & dividend
Return on equity
53.7%

Higher than 93% of US stocks

Return on assets
7.7%

Higher than 87% of US stocks

Dividend yield
2.8%

Higher than 63% of US dividend payers

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

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.$26.0B
72
QSRRestaurant Brands International, Inc.$34.8B
63
YUMCYum China Holdings, Inc.$16.7B
89
CMGChipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.$41.8B
52
YUMYum! Brands, Inc.$41.9B
54
TXRHTexas Roadhouse, Inc.$13.7B
65
DPZDomino's Pizza, Inc.$11.6B
74

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

Six Darden Executives Sold Within a Week. Here's What to Make of It

The Motley Fool · 9 Aug 2026neutral

A Darden executive sold 2,226 shares for about $463,386 based on the July 29 weighted average execution price, reducing their direct common stock holdings by 35% in the filing. The article notes this was one of several insider sales by six Darden executives within a week.

Why it matters — Insider selling activity can signal how company leadership views the stock, so Darden watchers track these filings for clues about executive sentiment.

A Darden Executive Kept Just 742 Shares Directly After Selling. Here's What Investors Should Know

The Motley Fool · 9 Aug 2026neutral

A Darden executive sold 4,373 shares at $210.42 per share on July 29, for a total of roughly $920,200, leaving just 742 shares. The sale represented an 85% reduction in the executive's total direct common stock holdings.

Why it matters — A large insider share sale by a Darden executive could draw investor attention as a signal of the executive's view of the company.

LongHorn's President Sold Darden Stock After a 9.5% Sales Jump. Here's What to Know

The Motley Fool · 9 Aug 2026neutral

LongHorn Steakhouse's president disposed of 1,553 Darden shares, valued at about $318,000, on July 31. The shares included 1,110 held directly and 443 held indirectly through a spouse.

Why it matters — A DRI watcher would care because insider stock transactions by a senior brand executive can signal executives' views on the company's outlook, especially coming after a reported 9.5% sales jump at LongHorn.

A Darden Insider Cut His Direct Holdings. Here's How Long-Term Investors Should Read It

The Motley Fool · 9 Aug 2026neutral

A Darden Restaurants insider, the CFO, sold 8,478 shares valued at about $1.8 million at a weighted average price of $210.00 per share on July 29. The sale cut his direct common stock holdings by 50%, though he retains additional restricted stock and options.

Why it matters — A DRI watcher would care because a significant insider reduction in direct holdings can signal management's view of the stock, though retained restricted stock and options may temper that reading.

Darden's CEO Sold Stock With Options Struck at $124. Here's How to Read It

The Motley Fool · 9 Aug 2026neutral

Darden's CEO reported selling 39,134 shares on July 28 at a weighted average price of $209.06, with part of the transaction executed as an option exercise at $124.24 per share followed by an immediate sale. No indirect holdings were reported in connection with the transaction.

Why it matters — A DRI watcher would care because insider option-exercise sales can offer a glimpse into executive activity around the company's stock.

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 $230, with estimates ranging from $156 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., 16 rate it a Buy, 11 a Hold and 1 a Sell. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model ranks Darden Restaurants, Inc. 72 out of 100 across roughly 4,600 US stocks as at 13 Aug 2026. None of this is personal advice — it does not consider your circumstances.

How does Ticker Nerd's model rank DRI?

As at 13 Aug 2026, Darden Restaurants, Inc. ranks 72 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 (97 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 +2.1% from the last close, and Ticker Nerd's factor model ranks Darden Restaurants, Inc. 72 out of 100 as at 13 Aug 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: $156 to $276 over the next 12 months.

How has DRI stock performed over the past year?

Darden Restaurants, Inc. returned +12.8% over the 12 months to 14 Aug 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 operates a broad portfolio of casual, polished casual, and fine-dining brands across the United States.

What is the latest news on DRI?

The most recent item we track (The Motley Fool, 9 Aug 2026): "Six Darden Executives Sold Within a Week. Here's What to Make of It". A Darden executive sold 2,226 shares for about $463,386 based on the July 29 weighted average execution price, reducing their direct common stock holdings by 35% in the filing. The article notes this was one of several insider sales by six Darden executives within a week.

Company

About Darden Restaurants, Inc.

Darden Restaurants, Inc. is a full-service restaurant company that operates a broad portfolio of casual, polished casual, and fine-dining brands across the United States. Its core business centers on delivering dine-in and takeout experiences through company-owned restaurants under banners such as Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Yard House, The Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Eddie V’s, Bahama Breeze, The Capital Burger, and Chuy’s. The company serves a wide range of consumers seeking Italian, steakhouse, seafood, and specialty dining formats, with operations organized around major business segments that reflect its diverse brand mix. Darden Restaurants, Inc. plays a significant role in the U.S. restaurant market by combining national scale with a portfolio of differentiated concepts that target everyday dining, premium occasions, and broader casual dining demand.

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