Darden Restaurants stock gains before fiscal 2027 results

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (US2371941053) traded at USD 212.33 on the NYSE on September 22, 2026, up USD 3.05, or 1.46 percent, at 10:32 a.m. EDT. The immediate test is the companys fiscal 2027 first-quarter report scheduled for September 24, 2026, while the stock remains below its 52-week high of USD 229.76.

Earnings set the next test

According to Yahoo Finance on September 22, 2026, Darden is scheduled to release fiscal 2027 first-quarter results on September 24, 2026. The same page lists trailing twelve-month revenue of USD 13.21 billion and trailing twelve-month diluted EPS of USD 10.44, both dated to the current market snapshot rather than to a single quarter.

For the upcoming quarter, Zacks reported on September 21, 2026, that analysts forecast EPS of USD 2.06, up 4.6 percent from the year-ago period, and revenue of USD 3.2 billion, up 5.3 percent. The estimate had been revised down by 0.2 percent over the prior 30 days, adding a quantified counterweight to the growth case.

Sales growth meets valuation

Darden reported fiscal 2026 sales of USD 13.21 billion, an increase of 9.4 percent, while consolidated same-restaurant sales rose 4.5 percent. LongHorn Steakhouse grew same-restaurant sales by 7.2 percent and Olive Garden by 4.0 percent in fiscal 2026, according to Barchart on September 22, 2026.

The market is also pricing in a material earnings hurdle. International Business Times reported on September 22, 2026, that Morgan Stanley raised its Darden price target to USD 255 from USD 236. The report also identified consumer concerns and inflation as risks, particularly if restaurant demand weakens.

Stock remains below its high

Darden shares were 8.4 percent below the 52-week high of USD 229.76 cited by Yahoo Finance on September 22, 2026. Over the same 52-week period, the stock had gained 13.9 percent, while the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF had fallen 7.0 percent, a relative performance gap that gives the earnings release added importance.

Darden Restaurants stock closed at USD 212.33 on the NYSE as of September 22, 2026, with a market capitalization of USD 24.108 billion. The companys next reported checkpoint is the September 24, 2026, fiscal 2027 first-quarter release.

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