Home / Business and Economy / Darden Revenue Meets Goals, Profit Slightly Misses
Darden Revenue Meets Goals, Profit Slightly Misses
24 Sep
Summary
- Darden's Q3 revenue reached $3.2 billion, meeting expectations.
- GAAP profit per share was $2.04, slightly below estimates.
- Same-store sales increased by 3.1% year-on-year.
In the third quarter of fiscal year 2026, restaurant company Darden announced its financial results, with revenue reaching $3.2 billion. This figure met analyst expectations, representing a 5.1% increase from the same period last year.
However, the company's GAAP profit per share was $2.04, which was slightly below the consensus estimate of $2.07. Darden's full-year GAAP EPS guidance was reaffirmed at $11.23 per share on average. Operating margins saw a decrease to 10% from 11.1% year-over-year, and free cash flow margin also declined to 3.2% from 5.5%.
Same-restaurant sales showed a positive trend, increasing by 3.1% compared to the prior year's 4.7% growth. Darden expanded its footprint, ending the quarter with 2,218 locations, up from 2,165 in the previous year. CEO Rick Cardenas highlighted the solid performance across all segments and emphasized a continued focus on operational excellence and brand investment.
