Darden keeps annual guidance as Olive Garden growth trails LongHorn
Darden Restaurants ($DRI) grew fiscal first-quarter sales 5.1% to $3.2 billion. Same-restaurant sales rose 3.1% on its fiscal-calendar measure, with LongHorn Steakhouse up 6.2% and Olive Garden up 1.1%. Net income nevertheless declined to $233.4 million from $257.8 million, illustrating that higher sales did not translate into stronger reported bottom-line earnings. Earnings from continuing operations were $2.05 per share, compared with $2.19 reported a year earlier, or $1.97 after the prior yea
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