DRI (Darden Restaurants Inc) vs S&P 500 Comparison

DRI

S&P 500

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DRI

S&P 500

Difference

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DRI

S&P 500

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Compare the stock's returns with its benchmark index and competitors. Gain insights into its relative performance over time.

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S&P 500

DRI

MCD

SBUX

CMG

CPG

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Compare the stock's returns with its benchmark index and competitors. Gain insights into its relative performance over time.

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Darden Restaurants Inc
Glance View

Economic Moat

None

Market Cap

21.6B USD

Industry

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure

Darden Restaurants Inc., a prominent player in the American dining landscape, has crafted a robust portfolio comprising some of the nation's beloved casual dining brands. It owns and operates well-known restaurant chains such as Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, and The Capital Grille, among others. Darden's story is one of strategic brand management and leveraging consumer loyalty through differentiated dining experiences. The company has honed its expertise in serving diverse culinary preferences, appealing to both casual diners and patrons seeking upscale steakhouse offerings. It ensures that each brand retains its unique identity while benefiting from the collective strength of Darden’s corporate resources, which include supply chain efficiencies, real estate acumen, and marketing prowess. The path to profitability for Darden is paved by a meticulously designed operating model that captures value across every facet of the dining experience. Revenue streams flow from the consistent turnover of high-volume restaurant traffic, enhanced by an emphasis on customer engagement and satisfaction. Darden invests heavily in brand-specific marketing to cultivate strong brand loyalty and repeat visits. The average guest check and operational efficiency are critical metrics, closely monitored to optimize performance across their vast network of locations. By maintaining a disciplined approach to cost management while investing in front-line innovation, such as digital ordering and delivery platforms, Darden ensures that it constantly adapts to shifting consumer preferences without losing its competitive edge in the bustling restaurant industry.

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DRI Intrinsic Value

What is Intrinsic Value?

Economic Moat is a concept popularized by Warren Buffett to describe a company's durable competitive advantage. It represents the 'moat' that protects a company from competitors and helps it sustain profitability over the long term. Our analysis of the past 10 years showed that companies with a wide economic moat significantly outperformed the market, delivering +645% returns compared to +189% for the S&P 500.

Our research into Economic Moat performance spans the past 10 years and focuses on companies with a wide economic moat. For this analysis, we calculated the average stock price returns of these companies, comparing them to the performance of the S&P 500 index over the same period.

The results were compelling: wide moat stocks achieved a remarkable +645% average return, compared to +188% for the broader market. This difference highlights the long-term benefits of investing in businesses that can maintain their market position and pricing power over time.

Note: This research does not account for survivorship bias. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Determining whether a company has an economic moat requires both a deep dive into financial metrics and a qualitative assessment of its competitive position. Our analysts conduct a rigorous evaluation that focuses on identifying structural advantages that enable a company to sustain profitability and defend its market share over the long term.

The process begins with an analysis of a company’s historical financial performance. We assess how consistently the company has generated returns above its cost of capital and whether those returns have been stable or improving. However, financial performance alone doesn’t reveal the full picture. To understand the sources of these advantages, we evaluate five key drivers of economic moats:

Network Effect: We analyze whether the value of a company’s product or service grows as its user base expands. Platforms like payment systems or marketplaces benefit from this self-reinforcing.

Switching Costs: We assess whether customers face significant costs or disruptions when switching to a competitor’s product or service. High switching costs create customer stickiness and provide pricing power.

Intangible Assets: Strong brands, patents, and regulatory licenses can protect a company’s market position by creating barriers for competitors or enabling premium pricing. For example, a well-recognized consumer brand may command higher customer loyalty and margins.

Efficient scale: Occurs when a market is optimally served by one or a few players, making it unprofitable for new entrants to compete. This typically happens in industries with high fixed costs or geographic constraints, such as utilities or pipelines.

Cost Advantage: Companies with structural cost advantages can produce goods or services at a lower cost than their competitors, enabling them to offer competitive pricing or maintain higher margins. These advantages often arise from economies of scale, superior supply chain management, or proprietary technology. Firms like Walmart leverage their massive scale to negotiate better terms with suppliers, allowing them to undercut competitors on price.

By examining these factors in combination with a company’s financial performance and market positioning, we classify each company into one of three categories:

This rigorous evaluation ensures that our moat ratings are both comprehensive and reliable, giving investors the tools they need to make well-informed, long-term decisions.

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DRI

vs

S&P 500

Stocks Performance
DRI vs S&P 500

Performance Gap
DRI vs S&P 500

Performance By Year
DRI vs S&P 500

Competitors Performance
Darden Restaurants Inc vs Peers

Darden Restaurants Inc
Glance View

Company

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DRI vs S&P 500

Stocks Performance DRI vs S&P 500

Performance Gap DRI vs S&P 500

Performance By Year DRI vs S&P 500

Competitors Performance Darden Restaurants Inc vs Peers

Darden Restaurants Inc Glance View

Company

Help

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Stocks

DRI

vs

S&P 500

Stocks Performance
DRI vs S&P 500

Performance Gap
DRI vs S&P 500

Performance By Year
DRI vs S&P 500

Competitors Performance
Darden Restaurants Inc vs Peers

Darden Restaurants Inc
Glance View