Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) is set to report second-quarter earnings results before the opening bell on Thursday, December 18, and Wall Street's most accurate analysts have been adjusting their expectations downward in the weeks leading up to the release.
The consensus among analysts is that the Orlando, Florida-based restaurant operator will post quarterly earnings of $2.10 per share, representing a modest increase from $2.03 per share in the same period last year. Revenue is expected to come in at $3.07 billion, up from $2.89 billion a year earlier.
The cautious optimism comes after Darden reported worse-than-expected financial results for its first quarter back on September 18. Shares closed at $185.53 on Tuesday, down 0.5% for the session.
What the Most Accurate Analysts Are Saying
A closer look at recent ratings from analysts with the strongest track records on Darden reveals a pattern of downward price target revisions, even as the analysts maintain their bullish stances on the stock.
Raymond James analyst Brian Vaccaro, who boasts an impressive 76% accuracy rate, maintained an Outperform rating but trimmed his price target from $230 to $210 on September 19, 2025. That represents about a 9% reduction in his target price.
Deutsche Bank analyst Brian Mullan, with a 72% accuracy rate, maintained his Buy rating while slashing the price target from $239 to $220 on the same day. JP Morgan analyst John Ivankoe, who has a 71% accuracy rate, kept his Overweight rating but cut his target from $240 to $230 on October 6, 2025.
More recently, Citigroup analyst Jon Tower maintained a Buy rating but lowered his price target from $239 to $232 on December 3, 2025. This analyst has a 68% accuracy rate. Meanwhile, Mizuho analyst Nick Setyan, with a 67% accuracy rate, maintained a Neutral rating and reduced his target from $190 to $185 on November 24, 2025.
The pattern suggests that while analysts remain generally positive on the restaurant company's prospects, they're recalibrating their expectations in light of recent performance challenges and broader market conditions.
