Let's talk about the popular Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI). The company's shares saw a decent share price growth of 16% on the NYSE over the last few months. The company is now trading at yearly-high levels following the recent surge in its share price. As a large-cap stock with high coverage by analysts, you could assume any recent changes in the company’s outlook is already priced into the stock. However, could the stock still be trading at a relatively cheap price? Today we will analyse the most recent data on Darden Restaurants’s outlook and valuation to see if the opportunity still exists.

Check out our latest analysis for Darden Restaurants

What Is Darden Restaurants Worth?

According to our valuation model, Darden Restaurants seems to be fairly priced at around 18% below our intrinsic value, which means if you buy Darden Restaurants today, you’d be paying a fair price for it. And if you believe the company’s true value is $221.14, then there’s not much of an upside to gain from mispricing. So, is there another chance to buy low in the future? Given that Darden Restaurants’s share is fairly volatile (i.e. its price movements are magnified relative to the rest of the market) this could mean the price can sink lower, giving us an opportunity to buy later on. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for share price volatility.

What does the future of Darden Restaurants look like?

Investors looking for growth in their portfolio may want to consider the prospects of a company before buying its shares. Although value investors would argue that it’s the intrinsic value relative to the price that matter the most, a more compelling investment thesis would be high growth potential at a cheap price. Darden Restaurants' earnings over the next few years are expected to increase by 31%, indicating a highly optimistic future ahead. This should lead to more robust cash flows, feeding into a higher share value.

What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? It seems like the market has already priced in DRI’s positive outlook, with shares trading around its fair value. However, there are also other important factors which we haven’t considered today, such as the financial strength of the company. Have these factors changed since the last time you looked at the stock? Will you have enough confidence to invest in the company should the price drop below its fair value?

Are you a potential investor? If you’ve been keeping tabs on DRI, now may not be the most advantageous time to buy, given it is trading around its fair value. However, the positive outlook is encouraging for the company, which means it’s worth further examining other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to take advantage of the next price drop.

In light of this, if you'd like to do more analysis on the company, it's vital to be informed of the risks involved. For example - Darden Restaurants has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of.

If you are no longer interested in Darden Restaurants, you can use our free platform to see our list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.