Darden Restaurants stock holds near support as Q1 earnings catalyst nears

Darden Restaurants stock (ISIN US2371941053) closed at USD 206.74 on the New York Stock Exchange on September 17, 2026, trading just below a key technical resistance level at USD 207.25 ahead of its fiscal first-quarter 2027 earnings release on September 24, 2026.

Q1 2027 earnings in focus with guidance as key benchmark

Darden Restaurants, Inc. is scheduled to report fiscal first-quarter 2027 results before the market opens on September 24, 2026, with its earnings call set for 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time, making the update the next major catalyst for Darden Restaurants stock according to TradingKey.

For fiscal Q1 2027, the consensus among analysts referenced by TradingKey is revenue of USD 3.21 billion and earnings per share of USD 2.05, implying mid-single-digit top-line growth versus the prior-year quarter.

Looking beyond the quarter, Darden has provided initial guidance for fiscal year 2027, projecting consolidated sales between USD 13.60 billion and USD 13.75 billion and diluted net earnings per share from continuing operations of USD 11.10 to USD 11.35, as reported by ScanX.

Recent fiscal 2026 results show strong growth across brands

Darden’s most recently reported figures cover the fourth quarter and full fiscal year 2026, ended May 31, 2026, which included a 53rd week of operations, giving investors a current fundamental baseline for evaluating Darden Restaurants stock.

According to ScanX, Darden reported fiscal 2026 total sales of USD 13,210.9 million, up 9.4% from USD 12,076.7 million in fiscal 2025, driven by a 4.5% increase in blended same-restaurant sales and contributions from 43 net new restaurants.

Adjusted diluted net earnings per share from continuing operations for fiscal 2026 were USD 10.64, an increase of 11.4% from the prior year, while adjusted EPS in the fourth quarter reached USD 3.66, up 22.8% compared with the year-earlier quarter, as summarized by ScanX.

Segment data show that Olive Garden generated fiscal 2026 sales of USD 5,594.8 million, up from USD 5,212.9 million a year earlier, while LongHorn Steakhouse increased annual sales to USD 3,423.0 million from USD 3,025.5 million, reflecting growth of 7.2% in LongHorn same-restaurant sales and 4.0% at Olive Garden, according to the same ScanX report.

LongHorn leads growth while Olive Garden lags

The brand mix behind Darden Restaurants stock performance matters for investors because different concepts contribute differently to growth and margins.

In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, LongHorn Steakhouse delivered same-restaurant sales growth of 9.5%, its strongest performance in more than three years, compared with Olive Garden’s 2.4% same-restaurant sales increase, as noted by ScanX.

Earlier, TradingKey highlighted that LongHorn’s quarterly sales in the final fiscal 2026 quarter were approximately USD 1,020 million, generating segment profits of roughly USD 215.2 million, up from USD 167.8 million in the prior-year quarter. That represents an increase of about 28.3% in segment profit, underscoring the steakhouse brand’s outsized contribution to Darden’s earnings growth.

By contrast, Olive Garden, which remains Darden’s largest revenue contributor with approximately USD 1,538.0 million in quarterly sales in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, delivered slower same-restaurant sales growth of 2.4% versus LongHorn’s 9.5%, as reported by both TradingKey and ScanX.

Analyst expectations and rating context ahead of the print

Several analyst and market commentary pieces have framed the upcoming earnings as a test of Darden’s ability to sustain recent growth while managing consumer and inflation risks.

Zacks notes that the Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal first-quarter EPS stands at USD 2.06, up 4.6% from USD 1.97 in the same quarter a year earlier, with revenues projected at USD 3.20 billion, implying a 5.3% increase over the prior-year quarter’s reported figure.

At the same time, Zacks points out that Darden currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) with an Earnings ESP of negative 0.32%, a combination that does not conclusively signal an earnings beat under its model.

From a broader market perspective, commentary on Money and Markets highlights that Darden’s estimate for the upcoming quarter is USD 2.05 per share, compared with USD 3.51 in the immediately preceding quarter and USD 1.97 in the same quarter a year earlier, framing expected year-over-year EPS growth of roughly 4% against much stronger 22.8% adjusted EPS growth in the last quarter.

Capital returns and inflation risks for margins

Aside from earnings and sales trajectories, capital allocation and cost pressures are important elements for understanding Darden Restaurants stock over fiscal 2027.

As part of its fiscal 2026 update, Darden’s Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of USD 1.62 per share, representing an 8.0% increase from the prior quarterly dividend, and authorized a new share repurchase program for up to USD 1.5 billion of outstanding common stock, according to ScanX.

The guidance for fiscal 2027 includes expected total capital spending of approximately USD 875 million, a 3% overall inflation assumption and same-restaurant sales growth of 2.5% to 3.5%, which together indicate that management expects to balance menu pricing, traffic and cost control to protect margins, as outlined by TradingKey.

TradingKey further notes that the company’s forward price-earnings ratio is in the 18 to 19 range, supported by expectations for continued positive performance but exposed to risks such as rising input costs, rate-sensitive consumer spending and potential traffic slumps if economic pressures intensify.

Stock trades near support ahead of September 24 report

From a technical standpoint, Darden Restaurants stock entered earnings week trading below a rising trendline, with immediate support at USD 202.73 and resistance at USD 207.25, according to TradingKey.

The same analysis indicates that a move above USD 207.25 would be an early sign of a stronger recovery, with further resistance levels projected at USD 211.84 and USD 213.37, while a break below USD 202.73 could open downside targets toward USD 197.05, giving investors clear price markers to watch around the September 24, 2026 earnings release.

More news and analyses on Darden Restaurants stock