Laura Williamson Buys Shares of Darden Restaurants, Inc.
Darden's LongHorn Steakhouse President, Laura Williamson, buys 869 shares.
Key Points
- Laura Williamson, President of LongHorn Steakhouse, purchased 869 shares of Darden Restaurants, Inc. on June 23, 2026.
- As of Thursday, Darden Restaurants' stock traded near $209.98 with a market cap of about $24.28 billion.
- Analysts such as Guggenheim and Citigroup maintained their buy ratings, with price targets ranging from $228 to $276.
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Laura Williamson, President of LongHorn Steakhouse, purchased 869 shares of Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI) on June 23, 2026. This insider transaction was not part of a pre-planned trading program. Shares of Darden traded near $209.98 on Thursday.
Insider Buying and Selling at Darden Restaurants, Inc.
Several insiders at Darden Restaurants, Inc. made purchases on June 23, 2026. Ricardo Cardenas, the company's President and CEO, bought 23,249 shares. John Wilkerson, President of Olive Garden, acquired 2,325 shares. Rajesh Vennam, SVP and CFO, added 5,890 shares to his holdings. Susan Connelly, SVP and Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer, purchased 1,551 shares. Additionally, Melvin John Martin, Group President, acquired 4,650 shares.
Other Institutional Activity in Darden Restaurants
Several institutional investors have adjusted their positions in Darden Restaurants. Capital World Investors reduced its position by 232,593 shares, bringing its total to 14,928,684 shares valued at approximately $2.93 billion, marking a 1.5% decrease. BlackRock, Inc. also trimmed its holdings by 280,271 shares, ending with 9,649,638 shares worth about $1.89 billion, a 2.8% decrease. On the other hand, Vanguard Capital Management LLC opened a new position with 7,473,998 shares valued at roughly $1.47 billion. Wellington Management Group LLP decreased its stake by 1,228,575 shares to 6,848,992 shares valued at approximately $1.34 billion, a 15.2% decrease. Vanguard Portfolio Management LLC also initiated a new position with 5,355,047 shares worth about $1.05 billion.
Darden Restaurants, Inc. Stock Down 2.1%
Darden Restaurants, Inc. has a market capitalization of approximately $24.28 billion. The company's stock has a P/E ratio of 22.3 and a forward P/E of 18.6, with a beta of 0.587. The stock's 52-week range spans from $169.00 to $224.94. Its 50-day moving average is $199.51, while the 200-day moving average is $195.85. Darden maintains a current ratio of 0.387 and a quick ratio of 0.133, with a debt-to-equity ratio of 387.681.
$DRI stock price
Daily closing prices, year to date. Not investment advice.
Recent Earnings
Darden Restaurants reported revenue of $12.76 billion, reflecting a growth rate of 5.9%. The company's net margin stands at 8.7%, with a return on equity of 51.5%. Darden's earnings per share is $9.50. The next earnings report is scheduled for June 25, 2026.
Earnings drift grade
Outlook vs expectations on the last report — not price action.
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Forward outlook
8 target raises vs 1 cuts.
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EPS & revenue
EPS missed estimates by 0.8%. Revenue missed estimates by 0.6%.
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Profit surprise
EBITDA missed by 7 percent. Operating income missed by 9 percent.
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Pre-earnings setup
Expectations were about average.
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Analyst signal
8 target raises, 1 target cut.
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Earnings quality
Gross margin down 4.3 points. Positive free cash flow.
Earnings Call Summary
Darden delivered a strong second quarter with 3.1 billion in sales and 4.3 percent same restaurant sales growth, outperforming the industry by 300 basis points. Olive Garden led with 4.7 percent growth driven by the Never Ending Pasta Bowl promotion and strong Uber Direct delivery at 4 percent of sales. However, elevated beef prices compressed margins as the company priced 130 basis points below inflation to protect guest value. Management expects beef costs to ease in the fourth quarter and margins to improve in the back half.
Guidance Darden raised its full year sales guidance to 8.5 to 9.3 percent growth, up from prior range. The company expects same restaurant sales of 3.5 to 4.3 percent for the year and 65 to 70 new openings. Full year adjusted earnings per share guidance stays at 10.60 to 10.70, which includes about 20 cents from a fifty-third week.
Fine but not compelling. Acceptable results that likely do not create a meaningful forward reset.
Dividend
Darden Restaurants offers an annual dividend rate of $6.00, yielding 2.81%. The dividend payout ratio is 62.17%.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Guggenheim maintained its buy rating on June 24, 2026, with a price target of $235. Oppenheimer reiterated its buy rating on June 18, 2026, also with a target of $235. Citigroup, on June 15, 2026, maintained its buy rating with a target of $245. B of A Securities kept its buy rating with a target of $276 on June 5, 2026. Overall, analysts have a consensus buy rating with a mean price target of $226.23.
About Darden Restaurants, Inc.
Darden Restaurants, Inc. operates full-service restaurants across the United States and Canada. The company owns popular brands like Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, and Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Darden employs nearly 198,000 people under the leadership of CEO Ricardo Cardenas.
Bottom Line
Laura Williamson's purchase of Darden Restaurants shares is a notable insider transaction, reflecting continued interest in the company's stock. Investors keep an eye on such moves, though it's important to remember that insider actions can be influenced by many factors. Darden's upcoming earnings report on June 25, 2026, will be closely watched by analysts and investors alike.
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