Darden restaurants SVP, CFO Vennam sells $1.78m in shares By Investing.com

Rajesh Vennam, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Darden Restaurants Inc. (), sold 8,478 shares of common stock on July 29, 2026, according to a recent SEC filing. The shares were sold at a price of $210.0 per share, totaling approximately $1,780,380. Following this transaction, Mr. Vennam directly holds 8,569.499 shares of Darden Restaurants common stock, which includes shares acquired through the company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan and its dividend reinvestment feature. The sale comes as DRI trades at $206.97, slightly below the CFO’s sale price. According to InvestingPro analysis, the stock appears overvalued relative to its Fair Value, though the company maintains a “GOOD” financial health score and has paid dividends for 32 consecutive years.

The filing also reported Mr. Vennam’s acquisition of derivative securities on the same date. He was granted 3,744 restricted stock units, which convert into common stock on a one-for-one basis and are set to vest on July 29, 2029. Additionally, Mr. Vennam acquired 11,044 stock options with an exercise price of $212.23. These options will vest in two equal annual installments, beginning on July 29, 2029, and have an expiration date of July 29, 2036.

In other recent news, Darden Restaurants reported its fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings per share at $3.66, surpassing the consensus estimate of $3.63. This performance was fueled by strong same-store sales growth at LongHorn Steakhouse, despite some anticipated softness at Olive Garden. UBS responded to these results by raising its price target for Darden to $240, maintaining a Buy rating due to the brand’s strength. Similarly, Mizuho reiterated an Outperform rating with a $235 target, acknowledging the company’s ability to manage higher operating expenses effectively.

Bernstein SocGen also maintained an Outperform rating, noting Darden’s earnings per share growth of approximately 11% and a dividend yield of around 3%. BMO Capital, however, reiterated a Market Perform rating with a $220 price target, pointing out the inflation pressures affecting the restaurant industry. Piper Sandler raised its price target to $212, reflecting confidence in Darden’s solid fiscal fourth-quarter results and its initial fiscal 2027 guidance. These developments highlight the varied analyst perspectives on Darden’s performance and future prospects.

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