Darden Restaurants Boosts FY26 Outlook; Declares Dividend - Update

(RTTNews) - While reporting financial results for the third quarter on Thursday, restaurant company Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) raised its net earnings from continuing operations and net sales growth guidance for the full-year 2026.

For fiscal 2026, the company now projects net earnings from continuing operations in a range of $10.57 to $10.67 per share on total sales growth of about 9.5 percent, with same-restaurant sales growth of about 4.5 percent.

Previously, the company expected net earnings from continuing operations in the range of $10.50 to $10.70 per share on total sales growth of 8.5 to 9.3 percent, with same-restaurant sales growth of 3.5 to 4.3 percent.

It also now expects 70 new restaurant openings, up from the previously expected 60 openings. Darden's Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.50 per share on the Company's outstanding common stock, payable on May 1, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business on April 10, 2026.

In Thursday's pre-market trading, DRI is trading on the NYSE at $201.00, up $0.22 or 0.11 percent.

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