Zacks trims Darden forecast for Darden Restaurants stock

Published on 10/08/2026 at 20:58 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Fiscal first-quarter sales rose 5.10 percent to USD 3.20 billion. Darden Restaurants stock costs EUR 179.23 on October 8, 2026 after EUR 179.95.

Key points in brief

Zacks Research lowered its fiscal 2027 earnings estimate from USD 11.24 to USD 11.21 on October 7, 2026.
Fiscal first-quarter sales rose 5.10 percent to USD 3.20 billion, while reported diluted earnings per share were USD 2.05.
Lang & Schwarz quoted Darden Restaurants stock at EUR 179.23 on October 8, 2026, down 0.40 percent from EUR 179.95.
Darden reaffirmed fiscal 2027 earnings guidance of USD 11.10 to USD 11.35 and declared a USD 1.62 quarterly dividend.

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Darden Restaurants stock was quoted at EUR 179.23 at Lang & Schwarz on October 8, 2026 at 8:50 p.m. CEST, down 0.40 percent from the EUR 179.95 prior close. The latest estimate change came from Zacks Research, which lowered its fiscal 2027 earnings forecast from USD 11.24 to USD 11.21 in a report released on October 7, 2026, according to MarketBeat.

Three dated signals for Darden

On September 11, 2026, Stephens raised its Darden price target from USD 216.00 to USD 220.00 while maintaining an Equalweight rating, as reported by MarketScreener. On September 24, 2026, Darden reported fiscal first-quarter sales of USD 3.20 billion, up 5.10 percent from the year-earlier period, according to Darden Restaurants. On October 7, 2026, Zacks cut its fiscal 2027 estimate to USD 11.21 from USD 11.24, leaving the forecast USD 0.11 above the company guidance midpoint of USD 11.225.

What does the estimate cut change

The reduction is small in absolute terms, but it places the Zacks forecast below the USD 11.24 consensus estimate cited by MarketBeat. Darden had reaffirmed a fiscal 2027 earnings range of USD 11.10 to USD 11.35 after the first quarter, so the revised estimate remains inside management's stated outlook.

The operating mix remains uneven. LongHorn Steakhouse delivered 6.20 percent comparable sales growth in the fiscal first quarter, while Olive Garden reached 1.10 percent, according to the company release. CNBC reported that Darden's first-quarter earnings per share from continuing operations of USD 2.05 came in below the USD 2.06 expectation, while revenue of USD 3.20 billion was below the USD 3.21 billion consensus, as CNBC reported on September 24, 2026.

Dividend dates carry the next figures

The next dated events are the October 9, 2026 record date and ex-dividend date for Darden's USD 1.62 quarterly payment, followed by the November 2, 2026 payment date, according to the company release. The dividend is therefore a concrete cash-return item alongside the estimate revision, while the 1.10 percent Olive Garden comparison remains the clearest operating pressure point.

Stock trades below its recent range high

Darden Restaurants had a market capitalization of USD 23.0 billion on October 8, 2026. Its NYSE quote was USD 201.01 at 2:57 p.m. EDT on that date, while the primary-exchange 52-week range stood at USD 169.00 to USD 229.76. The euro quote was in after-hours trading at Lang & Schwarz at EUR 179.23 on October 8, 2026 at 8:50 p.m. CEST, down 0.40 percent versus the EUR 179.95 prior close. The further course of trading is shown by the continuously updated real-time quote of Darden Restaurants stock.