Insider Trading March 25, 2026

Darden director offloads $475,838 in stock; analysts raise targets after Q3 beat

Simon S. William sold 2,333 shares as the company posts modest earnings upside and several firms lift price targets

By Sofia Navarro DRI
Darden director offloads $475,838 in stock; analysts raise targets after Q3 beat
DRI

A Darden Restaurants Inc. director disclosed the sale of 2,333 shares on March 23, 2026, at $203.96 per share for proceeds of $475,838. The transaction comes as the company reported a fiscal third-quarter revenue beat and multiple analysts raised price targets, even as third-party valuation tools flag the shares as slightly overvalued.

Key Points

  • Director Simon William S. sold 2,333 shares on March 23, 2026, at $203.96 per share for $475,838 in proceeds.
  • Darden reported fiscal third-quarter 2026 EPS that beat estimates by $0.01 and revenue of $3.35 billion, $12 million above expectations; multiple analysts raised price targets afterward.
  • InvestingPro flags the stock as slightly overvalued relative to its Fair Value while assigning a "GOOD" financial health score and noting a 2.99% dividend yield.

Director Simon William S. of Darden Restaurants Inc. (NYSE:DRI) registered the sale of 2,333 shares of common stock on March 23, 2026, according to a Form 4/A filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The reported sale price was $203.96 per share, producing total proceeds of $475,838.

At the time of the filing, DRI stock was trading at $201.66, which corresponds to a market capitalization of $23.2 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.13. Following the transaction, the director directly holds 6,281 shares of Darden Restaurants Inc.

Third-party analysis from InvestingPro notes that the shares appear slightly overvalued relative to the service's Fair Value assessment. The platform also assigns Darden a "GOOD" financial health score and records a dividend yield of 2.99%. For investors seeking additional context, InvestingPro offers an expanded Pro Research Report that includes valuation details and more than eight ProTips.

Separately, Darden reported fiscal third-quarter 2026 results that topped expectations by $0.01 per share. Revenue for the quarter reached $3.35 billion, exceeding consensus estimates by $12 million. Those results prompted several analysts to adjust their price targets and ratings.

Argus increased its price target to $240 while maintaining a Buy rating. Wolfe Research reiterated an Outperform rating and set a $220 target, citing strong February quarter sales in the Longhorn and Fine Dining segments. Evercore ISI lifted its target to $230, pointing to market share gains and menu management at Olive Garden. KeyBanc raised its price target to $226 after noting solid third-quarter results and strong performances at LongHorn Steakhouse and Olive Garden. Morgan Stanley kept an Overweight rating with a $236 target, highlighting robust same-store sales growth and constructive guidance for the fourth quarter.

The juxtaposition of an insider sale with positive quarterly results and multiple analyst target increases presents a mixed signal for market participants. The disclosed transaction and the firm-level developments together form the observable facts reported by regulatory filing and company earnings, while third-party tools provide an independent valuation perspective.


Context for readers

This report compiles the director-level transaction, the company's recent quarterly performance, and subsequent analyst reactions to those results. It does not speculate on motives behind the share sale or on future stock movements beyond the documented analyst commentary and valuation notes.

Risks

  • Insider stock sale - The director's sale is a documented change in insider holdings and may influence investor perception of insider confidence in the near term; impacts investor sentiment in the equity markets.
  • Valuation concerns - Third-party analysis indicates the shares are slightly overvalued versus Fair Value, posing potential downside risk if market conditions shift; impacts equity valuation assessments.
  • Reliance on analyst outlooks - Several firms raised price targets after Q3 results, but such revisions are forecasts and not guarantees; impacts market expectations for the restaurant sector and related equities.

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