On Thursday, Citi reaffirmed its Buy rating and $191.00 price target for Darden Restaurants (NYSE:DRI) shares, following a challenging quarter for the company. The firm's analysis pointed to Darden's proactive measures to boost sales, including the expansion of promotional activities and a strategic look at off-premise dining options for its Olive Garden chain.
Specifically, the company is embarking on a test partnership with Uber for exclusive delivery services, slated to begin in late 2024. If successful, a full rollout is expected by the end of fiscal year 2025.
The report acknowledged the recent underperformance in sales at Darden Restaurants, noting the company's efforts to address the issue by modifying its promotional strategies. For instance, Darden has adjusted the timing and length of its Never Ending Pasta Bowl (NEPB) promotion to attract more customers. Moreover, the company is reevaluating its off-premise dining potential at Olive Garden, a move that includes a unique third-party delivery (3PD) test with Uber.
The potential for incrementality with third-party delivery is uncertain, given Olive Garden's existing to-go sales mix is in the mid-20% range. However, the partnership with Uber is seen as an opportunity to access a new marketing channel that could appeal to a younger and possibly more affluent demographic.
Investors had braced for a subdued quarterly report from Darden, which the company delivered. However, the unchanged fiscal year 2025 guidance came as a relief to some who feared a downward revision. The announcement of the Uber delivery collaboration was also highlighted as a positive development that could lead to near-term stock gains.
Citi's commentary suggests that despite the recent hurdles, Darden Restaurants is taking significant steps to improve its performance and capitalize on new growth avenues. The company's strategic initiatives, including the exploration of third-party delivery services, are aimed at driving sales and expanding its customer base.
In other recent news, Darden Restaurants announced a new partnership with Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER) for on-demand delivery services, starting with a pilot program at select Olive Garden locations in late 2024. The company also reported an 8.6% increase in total sales for fiscal year 2024, reaching $11.4 billion, and adjusted diluted net earnings per share of $8.88.
Further, Darden acquired Chuy's, a chain of full-service Tex-Mex restaurants, for $605 million, expected to have a neutral impact on the earnings per share for fiscal year 2025.
Various analysts have also weighed in on these developments. BTIG reiterated its Buy rating on Darden shares with a price target of $175.00, while Baird maintained a Neutral rating, keeping the price target at $156.00. Citi kept its Buy rating but slightly lowered the price target to $191.00. KeyBanc Capital Markets upheld its Overweight rating and a price target of $170.00.
However, TD Cowen downgraded its rating to hold due to concerns about sales drivers and potential distractions from Darden's involvement with Chuy's. These are recent developments offering insights into Darden's business strategy and financial performance.
InvestingPro Insights
As Darden Restaurants (NYSE:DRI) navigates a challenging quarter and lays out strategies for growth, the latest data and insights from InvestingPro can provide investors with a deeper understanding of the company's financial health and market position. With a market capitalization of $18.92 billion and a P/E ratio of 18.78, Darden appears to be trading at a premium relative to its near-term earnings growth. This is further emphasized by the company's Price/Book ratio of 8.44 and a PEG ratio of 2.82 as of the last twelve months leading up to Q4 2024, suggesting that investors are paying a high price for the anticipated growth.
Despite some analysts revising their earnings expectations downwards for the upcoming period, Darden has demonstrated a commitment to its shareholders by raising its dividend for three consecutive years and maintaining dividend payments for an impressive 30 years. The company's dividend yield stands at 3.52%, with a notable dividend growth of 15.7% in the last twelve months as of Q4 2024. This could be a point of interest for income-focused investors.
InvestingPro Tips for Darden Restaurants highlight that the company has been profitable over the last twelve months and analysts predict profitability will continue this year. Moreover, Darden has achieved a high return over the last decade. For readers interested in exploring additional insights, there are more InvestingPro Tips available for Darden Restaurants at https://www.investing.com/pro/DRI, which can provide further guidance on investment decisions.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.