Darden Restaurants (DRI) Q4 Earnings: Taking a Look at Key Metrics Versus Estimates

Darden Restaurants (DRI) reported $2.96 billion in revenue for the quarter ended May 2024, representing a year-over-year increase of 6.8%. EPS of $2.65 for the same period compares to $2.58 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -0.88% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.98 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $2.62, the EPS surprise was +1.15%.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how Darden Restaurants performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Same-restaurant sales - LongHorn Steakhouse - YoY change: 4% versus 2.3% estimated by 10 analysts on average.

• Same-restaurant sales - Olive Garden - YoY change: -1.5% versus the 10-analyst average estimate of -0.1%.

• Company-owned restaurants - Total: 2,031 versus 2,048 estimated by 10 analysts on average.

• Company-owned restaurants - Olive Garden: 920 versus 923 estimated by nine analysts on average.

• Same-restaurant sales - Consolidated - YoY change: 0% versus the nine-analyst average estimate of 0.3%.

• Company-owned restaurants - LongHorn Steakhouse: 575 compared to the 578 average estimate based on nine analysts.

• Same-restaurant sales - Other Business - YoY change: -1.1% versus the eight-analyst average estimate of -0.6%.

• Same-restaurant sales - Fine Dining - YoY change: -2.6% versus -0.7% estimated by eight analysts on average.

• Sales- Olive Garden: $1.28 billion compared to the $1.30 billion average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of +0.7% year over year.

• Sales- Other Business: $590 million compared to the $591.40 million average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of +2% year over year.

• Sales- Fine Dining: $327.10 million versus $352.78 million estimated by six analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +55.9% change.

• Sales- LongHorn Steakhouse: $762.70 million versus the six-analyst average estimate of $744.51 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +7.2%.

View all Key Company Metrics for Darden Restaurants here>>>

Shares of Darden Restaurants have returned +2.2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +3.6% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

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