Darden’s Stock Climbs on $1B Buyback and Dividend Hike as $220M Volume Ranks 497th in Market Activity

On August 4, 2025, Darden Restaurants (DRI) rose 0.65% with a trading volume of $0.22 billion, ranking 497th in market activity. The stock’s performance followed a $1 billion share buyback authorization and a dividend increase to $1.50 per share, signaling management’s confidence in undervalued equity.

Institutional investors adjusted positions, with Harvest Fund Management Co. Ltd. boosting holdings by 302.7% and Banque Cantonale Vaudoise entering a new stake worth $343,000. Federated Hermes Inc. and Geneos Wealth Management also increased their stakes, while Eastern Bank reduced its position by 34%. Analyst upgrades highlighted a "Moderate Buy" consensus, with target prices raised across major brokerages.

Insider sales included CFO Rajesh Vennam and SVP Susan M. Connelly reducing holdings by over 50%, while Todd Burrowes sold 13,569 shares, cutting his stake by 22.65%. Total insider sales in the last 90 days reached $10.02 million. Darden’s Q2 earnings beat estimates by $0.01, with revenue rising 10.6% year-over-year to $3.27 billion and a net margin of 8.69%.

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