Darden price target raised to $200 from $194 at KeyBanc

KeyBanc analyst Eric Gonzalez raised the firm’s price target on Darden (DRI) to $200 from $194 and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares. Darden reported Q2 results that included EPS and same-store sales growth that was ahead of consensus expectations, reflecting positive SSS trends in three out of four business segments and better than expected store level profitability, the analyst tells investors in a research note. While the Fine Dining segment remains an area of concern as lower- to middle-income consumers continued to pull back on aspirational purchases, Darden’s diversified portfolio more than offset these challenges, KeyBanc says.