In fiscal 2026, which ended May 31, 2026, Darden Restaurants, Inc. generated $1.9 billion of cash from operations, up 8.6% from the year before. It spent $734.0 million on capital expenditures. That left free cash flow of $1.1 billion. The company returned $693.0 million in dividends and $671.7 million in share buybacks to shareholders.
USD in millions, except per-share amounts and ratios. The percent under a figure is the change from the year before.
| Line |
FY 2027
Aug 30, 2026
|
FY 2026
May 31, 2026
|
FY 2025
May 25, 2025
|
FY 2024
May 26, 2024
|
FY 2023
May 28, 2023
|
FY 2022
May 29, 2022
|
FY 2021
May 30, 2021
|
FY 2020
May 31, 2020
|
FY 2019
May 26, 2019
|
FY 2018
May 27, 2018
|
FY 2017
May 28, 2017
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating | |||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization |
570
+7.6%
|
561
+8.7%
|
516
+12.2%
|
460
+18.6%
|
388
+5.3%
|
368
+5.0%
|
351
-1.4%
|
356
+5.7%
|
337
+7.5%
|
313
+14.7%
|
273
-6.0%
|
| Stock-based compensation |
81
+16.3%
|
79
+0.0%
|
79
+15.5%
|
68
+1.5%
|
68
+11.6%
|
60
-16.4%
|
72
+36.6%
|
53
-11.4%
|
60
+39.7%
|
43
+5.2%
|
41
+9.1%
|
| Operating cash flow |
1,790
+0.7%
|
1,853
+8.6%
|
1,707
+5.3%
|
1,622
+4.4%
|
1,553
+22.8%
|
1,265
+6.0%
|
1,194
+66.4%
|
717
-43.4%
|
1,268
+24.3%
|
1,020
+11.3%
|
916
+11.7%
|
| Investing | |||||||||||
| Capital expenditures |
735
+9.2%
|
734
+13.9%
|
645
+7.2%
|
601
+6.4%
|
565
+49.9%
|
377
+47.9%
|
255
-44.6%
|
460
+1.7%
|
452
+14.1%
|
396
+35.2%
|
293
+28.3%
|
| Investing cash flow |
-723
+43.8%
|
-711
+44.3%
|
-1,278
+3.5%
|
-1,325
-133.0%
|
-568
-46.1%
|
-389
-47.5%
|
-264
+51.5%
|
-544
-17.6%
|
-463
-2.5%
|
-451
+57.8%
|
-1,070
-1518.7%
|
| Financing | |||||||||||
| Debt issued |
—
|
0
-100.0%
|
750
-31.8%
|
1,100
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
0
|
0
-100.0%
|
300
-40.0%
|
500
|
| Debt repaid |
—
|
0
|
0
-100.0%
|
600
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
0
|
0
-100.0%
|
408
|
0
-100.0%
|
| Short-term debt issued |
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
427
|
0
|
0
-100.0%
|
1,020
+641.8%
|
138
|
—
|
—
|
| Short-term debt repaid |
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
427
|
0
-100.0%
|
270
-64.0%
|
750
+445.5%
|
138
-85.7%
|
960
|
0
|
| Dividends paid |
702
+5.2%
|
693
+5.2%
|
658
+4.8%
|
628
+6.5%
|
590
+4.8%
|
563
+177.9%
|
203
-37.1%
|
322
-13.1%
|
371
+18.3%
|
314
+12.3%
|
279
+4.1%
|
| Stock buybacks |
710
+65.6%
|
672
+60.6%
|
418
-7.9%
|
454
-1.0%
|
459
-57.2%
|
1,071
+2259.7%
|
45
-86.3%
|
330
+59.2%
|
208
-11.6%
|
235
+2.0%
|
230
+24.6%
|
| Financing cash flow |
-1,056
-124.1%
|
-1,164
-201.7%
|
-386
+20.2%
|
-483
+53.2%
|
-1,033
+35.8%
|
-1,610
-236.1%
|
-479
-445.3%
|
139
+128.6%
|
-484
+23.9%
|
-637
-592.7%
|
129
+111.5%
|
| Change in cash | |||||||||||
| Net change in cash |
3
-64.0%
|
-27
-178.2%
|
34
+117.5%
|
-196
-250.8%
|
-56
+92.5%
|
-743
-264.5%
|
451
+47.5%
|
306
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
| Free cash flow |
1,054
-4.4%
|
1,119
+5.3%
|
1,062
+4.1%
|
1,020
+3.3%
|
988
+11.3%
|
888
-5.4%
|
939
+264.5%
|
258
-68.4%
|
816
+30.7%
|
624
+0.1%
|
623
+5.3%
|
| Per share | |||||||||||
| Free cash flow per share |
9.13
-2.3%
|
9.62
+7.2%
|
8.97
+6.2%
|
8.45
+5.1%
|
8.04
+16.8%
|
6.88
-3.4%
|
7.12
+239.3%
|
2.10
-67.7%
|
6.50
+31.4%
|
4.95
+0.1%
|
4.95
+8.0%
|
| Dividend per share |
6.12
+7.4%
|
6.00
+7.1%
|
5.60
+6.9%
|
5.24
+8.3%
|
4.84
+10.0%
|
4.40
+183.9%
|
1.55
-41.3%
|
2.64
-12.0%
|
3.00
+19.0%
|
2.52
+12.5%
|
2.24
+6.7%
|
| Shareholder returns | |||||||||||
| Returned to shareholders |
1,412
|
1,365
|
1,077
|
1,082
|
1,048
|
1,634
|
248
|
653
|
578
|
548
|
509
|
| Share of free cash flow |
133.91%
|
121.95%
|
101.35%
|
106.06%
|
106.13%
|
184.10%
|
26.42%
|
253.44%
|
70.90%
|
87.90%
|
81.71%
|
| Ratios | |||||||||||
| Free cash flow margin |
7.89%
|
8.47%
|
8.80%
|
8.96%
|
9.42%
|
9.22%
|
13.04%
|
3.30%
|
9.58%
|
7.72%
|
8.69%
|
| Capital expenditures to revenue |
5.50%
|
5.56%
|
5.34%
|
5.28%
|
5.39%
|
3.91%
|
3.54%
|
5.89%
|
5.31%
|
4.90%
|
4.09%
|
| Stock-based compensation to revenue |
0.60%
|
0.60%
|
0.65%
|
0.60%
|
0.64%
|
0.63%
|
1.01%
|
0.68%
|
0.70%
|
0.53%
|
0.57%
|
| Cash conversion |
1.51x
|
1.54x
|
1.63x
|
1.58x
|
1.58x
|
1.33x
|
1.90x
|
—
|
1.78x
|
1.71x
|
1.91x
|
How these figures are calculated
Annual columns are full-year amounts from the annual report (Form 10-K, 20-F, or 40-F). If a company restates a year, the latest filed number is shown. USD in millions, except per-share amounts and ratios. Capital expenditures, debt repaid, dividends, and buybacks are positive amounts. Investing and financing cash flow keep the filing sign, so an outflow is negative. Free cash flow is operating cash flow minus capital expenditures. The first column is the trailing twelve months through the latest quarter. Returned to shareholders is dividends plus buybacks. Free cash flow margin, capital expenditures, and stock-based compensation are divided by revenue. Cash conversion is operating cash flow divided by net income. More on our methodology.
Company profile
- Industry
- Retail-Eating Places (SIC 5812)
- Listed as
- DRI (NYSE)
- Fiscal year ends
- May 30
- Incorporated in
- FL
- Headquarters
- Orlando, FL
- SEC filer status
- Large accelerated filer
- SEC CIK
- 940944
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Source: SEC EDGAR filings. This is company-reported data, not investment advice.