Darden Restaurants President Kiernan Sells Shares Worth $204.48 Each.

Darden Restaurants Inc. (DRI) has announced that President, Olive Garden Kiernan Daniel J. has made a series of transactions involving the sale of shares on July 27 and 28, 2025. On July 27, Kiernan Daniel J. sold 1265 shares at $204.48 per share, 2530 shares at $204.48 per share, 27 shares at $204.48 per share, and 52 shares at $204.48 per share. On July 28, Kiernan Daniel J. sold 1159 shares at $204.48 per share. On July 29, Kiernan Daniel J. sold 85 shares at $203.91 per share.

Darden Restaurants Inc. (DRI) has seen significant share transactions involving President Kiernan Daniel J. over the past few days. On July 27 and 28, 2025, Kiernan Daniel J. sold a total of 4,472 shares at an average price of $204.48 per share. Additionally, on July 29, 2025, Kiernan Daniel J. sold an additional 85 shares at $203.91 per share. These transactions totaled $997,455.60, representing a slight decrease in Kiernan Daniel J.'s ownership of the company's stock.

The share sales come at a time when Darden Restaurants has been experiencing strong analyst interest and positive earnings growth. Analysts have given the company a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" with an average rating score of 2.59 [1]. The company's earnings are expected to grow by 11.76% in the coming year, from $9.52 to $10.64 per share [1]. Despite the positive outlook, the recent insider sales could potentially influence investor sentiment, especially given the significant institutional ownership of 93.64% of the stock [2].

The P/E ratio of Darden Restaurants is 23.61, which is lower than the market average P/E ratio of about 26.63 and the sector average of 31.09 [1]. This indicates that the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers. However, the PEG ratio of 1.90 suggests that the company could be slightly overvalued [1]. Additionally, the short interest ratio ("days to cover") of 3 is considered acceptable, with a recent decrease in short interest by 0.44% indicating improving investor sentiment [1].

Darden Restaurants has also been increasing its dividend for the past four years, with a current dividend yield of 2.86% and a payout ratio of 67.57% [1]. The company's recent quarterly earnings report showed strong performance, with earnings per share (EPS) of $2.98, beating the consensus estimate of $2.97 [2]. Revenue was up 10.6% compared to the same quarter last year, and the company's return on equity (ROE) was 51.81% [2].

In summary, while Kiernan Daniel J.'s share sales represent a decrease in his ownership, they do not significantly impact the overall positive outlook for Darden Restaurants. The company's strong analyst ratings, earnings growth, and dividend history continue to support its stock. However, investors should monitor the impact of insider sales on stock performance and sentiment.

References:
[1] https://www.marketbeat.com/stocks/NYSE/DRI/
[2] https://www.marketbeat.com/instant-alerts/filing-geneos-wealth-management-inc-boosts-stake-in-darden-restaurants-inc-nysedri-2025-07-29/