Darden Restaurants, Inc.
DRIConsumer Cyclical · Restaurants · Stock · quarterly payer
Forward Yield
2.98%
Annual Dividend
$6.48
Payout Ratio
59%
5-Yr Growth
19.7%
Ex-Date
Oct 9, 2026
Frequency
Quarterly
Key facts about DRI's dividend
Data as of · Source: SmarterDividends data
- As of Oct 23, 2026, Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) has a forward dividend yield of 2.98%, based on an annual dividend of $6.48 per share and a share price of $217.56.
- As of Oct 23, 2026, DRI's dividend safety grade from SmarterDividends is C (55 out of 100), which rates the dividend as borderline.
- By SmarterDividends' count, Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) has raised its dividend for 5 consecutive years as of Oct 23, 2026.
- DRI last cut its regular dividend in 2021.
- DRI's most recent ex-dividend date was Oct 9, 2026, for a dividend of $1.62 per share.
- As of Oct 23, 2026, DRI pays out 59% of its trailing 12-month earnings as dividends (its payout ratio).
- DRI's dividend has grown at an average rate of 19.7% a year over the past five years.
- As of Oct 23, 2026, SmarterDividends' blended fair-value estimate for DRI is $209.41 per share, 4% below the $217.56 share price, so DRI screens as fairly valued.
- Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) pays its dividend quarterly, 4 times a year.
- Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) has raised its regular dividend 23 times and cut it 3 times across the 99 payments on record since 1995. Its most recent change was a 8.0% increase to $1.62 per share, going ex-dividend on Jul 10, 2026. The last cut went ex-dividend on Oct 8, 2020.
- Darden Restaurants (DRI) has declared its first higher dividend of the year in June in 4 of the last 5 years; its most recent raise, 8.0%, was declared on Jun 25, 2026.
Cite this page
SmarterDividends, "DRI Dividend: Yield, Safety Grade & Next Ex-Date," updated Oct 23, 2026, https://smarterdividends.com/stocks/DRI
Summary
As of Oct 23, 2026, Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) yields 2.98% ($6.48 a year per share), has a dividend safety grade of C (55/100) and has 5 consecutive years of dividend increases on record.
Is DRI a good dividend stock?
MixedDarden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) pays a quarterly dividend yielding 2.98% ($6.48/yr), with 5 years of growth and a dividend-safety grade of C. The picture is mixed — the dividend pays, but safety or growth signals are weaker than ideal.
Advantages
- Comfortable payout ratio (59%)
- Strong 19.7% 5-yr dividend growth
- 57% total price return over 5 years
Risks
- Cut its dividend in 2021
Key Data
- Dividend Yield
- 2.98%
- Payout Ratio
- 59%
- Annual Dividend
- $6.48
- 5-Yr Avg Growth
- 19.7%
- Ex-Dividend Date
- Oct 9, 2026
- Years of Growth
- 5
- Frequency
- quarterly
- Beta
- 0.62
- Market Cap
- $24.6B
- P/E Ratio
- 21.1
- 5-Yr Total Return
- 57%
- 52-Week Range
- $169.00 – $229.76
- Dividend Safety
- C · 55/100
- Ever Cut?
- Yes (2021)
DRI dividend raises and cuts
Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) has raised its regular dividend 23 times and cut it 3 times across the 99 payments on record since 1995. Its most recent change was a 8.0% increase to $1.62 per share, going ex-dividend on Jul 10, 2026. The last cut went ex-dividend on Oct 8, 2020.
| Ex-date | Change | Old → new | Move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 10, 2026 | Raise | $1.50 → $1.62 | +8.0% |
| Jul 10, 2025 | Raise | $1.40 → $1.50 | +7.1% |
| Jul 10, 2024 | Raise | $1.31 → $1.40 | +6.9% |
| Jul 7, 2023 | Raise | $1.21 → $1.31 | +8.3% |
| Jul 7, 2022 | Raise | $1.10 → $1.21 | +10.0% |
| Jul 8, 2021 | Raise | $0.880 → $1.10 | +25.0% |
| Apr 8, 2021 | Raise | $0.370 → $0.880 | +137.8% |
| Jan 7, 2021 | Raise | $0.300 → $0.370 | +23.3% |
| Oct 8, 2020 | Cut | $0.880 → $0.300 | −65.9% |
| Jul 9, 2019 | Raise | $0.750 → $0.880 | +17.3% |
| Jul 9, 2018 | Raise | $0.630 → $0.750 | +19.0% |
| Jul 6, 2017 | Raise | $0.560 → $0.630 | +12.5% |
Show all 26 changes since 1996
| Ex-date | Change | Old → new | Move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 7, 2016 | Raise | $0.500 → $0.560 | +12.0% |
| Jan 6, 2016 | Raise | $0.492 → $0.500 | +1.7% |
| Jul 8, 2013 | Raise | $0.447 → $0.492 | +10.0% |
| Jul 6, 2012 | Raise | $0.384 → $0.447 | +16.3% |
| Jul 7, 2011 | Raise | $0.286 → $0.384 | +34.4% |
| Jul 7, 2010 | Raise | $0.223 → $0.286 | +28.0% |
| Jul 8, 2009 | Raise | $0.179 → $0.223 | +25.0% |
| Jul 8, 2008 | Raise | $0.161 → $0.179 | +11.1% |
| Jul 6, 2007 | Cut | $0.179 → $0.161 | −10.0% |
| Oct 5, 2005 | Raise | $0.0358 → $0.179 | +400.0% |
| Oct 8, 2002 | Raise | $0.0238 → $0.0358 | +50.0% |
| Oct 6, 1999 | Raise | $0.0119 → $0.0238 | +100.0% |
| Apr 7, 1999 | Cut | $0.0238 → $0.0119 | −50.0% |
| Oct 8, 1996 | Raise | $0.0119 → $0.0238 | +100.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is DRI a good dividend stock?
Mixed. Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) pays a quarterly dividend yielding 2.98% ($6.48/yr), with 5 years of growth and a dividend-safety grade of C. The picture is mixed — the dividend pays, but safety or growth signals are weaker than ideal.
Is DRI undervalued?
Based on a blend of discounted cash flow, a dividend-discount model and an earnings-multiple estimate, DRI's fair value is about $209.41 versus a $217.56 share price — so it looks fairly valued (-4% vs. fair value).
Is DRI's dividend safe?
DRI has a dividend-safety grade of C (55/100), based on its payout coverage, free-cash-flow, 5-year growth streak, a dividend cut in 2021, debt and yield-versus-history.
What is DRI's fair value?
Our blended fair-value estimate for DRI is about $209.41 per share, about 4% below the current $217.56 price — combining a discounted cash flow, a dividend-discount model and an earnings multiple.
Is DRI a buy, hold, or sell?
We don't issue formal ratings, but on the data DRI screens as "mixed" and fairly valued. Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) pays a quarterly dividend yielding 2.98% ($6.48/yr), with 5 years of growth and a dividend-safety grade of C. The picture is mixed — the dividend pays, but safety or growth signals are weaker than ideal. This is research for your own analysis, not investment advice.
Will DRI cut its dividend?
DRI earns a dividend-safety grade of C (55/100), and has cut its dividend before (last in 2021). A higher score means lower cut risk based on payout coverage, cash flow and history — but no score guarantees a dividend.
Does DRI pay a dividend?
Yes. Darden Restaurants, Inc. pays a quarterly dividend of about $6.48 per share annually, a forward yield of roughly 2.98%.
What is DRI's dividend yield?
As of Oct 23, 2026, DRI's forward dividend yield is 2.98%, based on a $6.48 annual dividend and a $217.56 share price.
What is DRI's dividend per share?
As of Oct 23, 2026, DRI pays $6.48 per share per year, distributed on a quarterly basis.
What is DRI's dividend payout ratio?
As of Oct 23, 2026, DRI's payout ratio is 59% of trailing 12-month earnings — a comfortable level that leaves room to keep raising the dividend.
How many years has DRI grown its dividend?
As of Oct 23, 2026, DRI has increased its dividend for 5 consecutive years.
When is the next DRI ex-dividend date?
As of Oct 23, 2026, DRI's next ex-dividend date hasn't been announced. The most recent was Oct 9, 2026, for $1.62 per share.
DRI Price — Last 12 Months
Daily close
Price Return
1 Year
+20%
3 Years
+38%
5 Years
+57%
52-Week Range
$169.00 – $229.76
Price change over each period (excludes dividends). Past performance doesn't guarantee future results.
What is DRI worth?
Fairly valuedhigh confidenceOur blended fair-value estimate for Darden Restaurants, Inc. is $209.41 per share, versus a market price of $217.56. That implies the stock is roughly fairly priced.
Fair Value
$209.41
Current Price
$217.56
Gap
-4%
Margin of Safety
-4%
How we get there
Discounted cash flow
Discounts projected free cash flow back to today.
Dividend discount
Discounts the future dividend stream back to today.
Earnings multiple (Graham)
Graham's earnings-multiple formula, anchored to bond yields.
At today's price, the market is pricing in about 11.6% annual free-cash-flow growth. We model 10.0% — so the price already assumes faster growth than we think is likely.
Assumptions: 8.0% discount rate (CAPM), 10.0% growth for five years fading to 2.5% over the next five, $10.30 EPS, $6.48 annual dividend. Updated weekly.
Fair-value estimates are model output for educational purposes only — not investment advice or a price target.
DRI Dividend Safety Score
Borderline
SmarterDividends' proprietary score, backtested against which dividends were actually cut over 15+ years (0.78 AUC). It blends a validated cut-risk model (growth streak, cut history) with current payout, cash-flow and debt. Higher is safer · not investment advice.
Dividend Growth
Total dividends per share by year
Dividend History
Full DRI dividend history →| Ex-Date | Pay Date | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 2, 2026 | $1.6200 | regular |
| Jul 10, 2026 | Aug 3, 2026 | $1.6200 | regular |
| Apr 10, 2026 | May 1, 2026 | $1.5000 | regular |
| Jan 9, 2026 | Feb 2, 2026 | $1.5000 | regular |
| Oct 10, 2025 | Nov 3, 2025 | $1.5000 | regular |
| Jul 10, 2025 | Aug 1, 2025 | $1.5000 | regular |
| Apr 10, 2025 | May 1, 2025 | $1.4000 | regular |
| Jan 10, 2025 | Feb 3, 2025 | $1.4000 | regular |
| Oct 10, 2024 | Nov 1, 2024 | $1.4000 | regular |
| Jul 10, 2024 | Aug 1, 2024 | $1.4000 | regular |
| Apr 9, 2024 | May 1, 2024 | $1.3100 | regular |
| Jan 9, 2024 | Feb 1, 2024 | $1.3100 | regular |
| Oct 6, 2023 | Nov 1, 2023 | $1.3100 | regular |
| Jul 7, 2023 | Aug 1, 2023 | $1.3100 | regular |
Income Calculator
At $6.48 / yr per share
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