Street View: Darden 'stays the course' in challenging backdrop with Q4 profit beat
** Olive Garden owner Darden Restaurants DRI.N reported upbeat fourth-quarter profit, helped by lower input costs, including labor
** At least three brokerages raised PT on the stock; their median PT is $175 - LSEG
DARDEN BENEFITS FROM MODERATE PRICING, HIGH SERVICE LEVELS STRATEGY
** TD Cowen ("buy", PT: $170) says Darden is "staying the course" in an increasingly challenging casual dining environment
** "We feel more confident in the company's ability to achieve 2025 EPS guidance" - TD Cowen
** Raymond James ("outperform", PT: $170) believes Darden is operating from a position of strength given its "best-in-class" brands, strong margins and advertising
** BofA Securities ("buy", PO: $185) says LongHorn continues to outpace casual dining industry on sales and transaction growth as consumers recognize "the center-of-plate value" offered at its restaurant chains
** Brokerage adds sharp everyday value available on Olive Garden's menu, which is extremely competitive with price point value competitors are promoting, should support a widening traffic gap
** Stifel ("buy", PT: $180) says same-store sales and traffic continue to outperform the industry, but remains cautious on Olive Garden's traffic due to year-over-year transaction declines among lower-income customers for most brands
Reporting by Anuja Bharat Mistry in Bengaluru
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