What is DRI's Intrinsic value?

Darden Restaurants Inc (DRI) Intrinsic Value Analysis

Executive Summary

As of May 23, 2025, Darden Restaurants Inc's estimated intrinsic value ranges from $113.51 to $329.89 per share, depending on the valuation methodology applied.

Valuation Method Fair Value (USD) Implied Upside/Downside
Discounted Cash Flow (10Y) $329.89 +61.8%
Discounted Cash Flow (5Y) $242.12 +18.8%
Dividend Discount Model (Multi-Stage) $210.61 +3.3%
Dividend Discount Model (Stable) $113.51 -44.3%
Earnings Power Value $125.05 -38.7%

Is Darden Restaurants Inc (DRI) undervalued or overvalued?

With the current market price at $203.88, the stock appears to be moderately undervalued.

Understanding Intrinsic Value

Intrinsic value represents the "true" worth of a company based on its fundamentals rather than market sentiment. We've employed multiple methodologies to triangulate Darden Restaurants Inc's intrinsic value, including:

  1. Discounted Cash Flow (DCF): Values the company based on projected future cash flows
  2. Dividend Discount Model (DDM): Values the company based on expected future dividend payments
  3. Earnings Power Value (EPV): Values the company based on its current earnings power, assuming no growth

Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC)

The cost of capital is a critical factor in valuation models, representing the required return for investors.

WACC Component Low High
Long-term bond rate 3.9% 4.4%
Equity market risk premium 4.6% 5.6%
Adjusted beta 0.65 0.72
Cost of equity 6.8% 8.9%
Cost of debt 4.8% 4.8%
Tax rate 12.3% 12.5%
Debt/Equity ratio 0.11 0.11
After-tax WACC 6.6% 8.4%

Valuation Methods

1. Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Valuation

Our DCF model projects cash flows over 5-year and 10-year horizons, with the following key assumptions:

  • Forecast Period: 5-year DCF and 10-year DCF
  • Terminal Growth Rate: 0.0% (range: 3.0% - 5.0%)
  • Discount Rate: 7.5% (range: 0.0% - 9.3%)

Key Projections:

  • Revenue growth from $11,390 (FY05-2024) to $21,095 (FY05-2034)
  • Net profit margin expansion from 9% to 16%
  • Capital expenditures maintained at approximately 5% of revenue
DCF Model Fair Value Enterprise Value % from Terminal Value
5-Year Growth $242 $31,841M 77.8%
10-Year Growth $330 $42,113M 61.1%
5-Year EBITDA $265 $34,515M 79.5%
10-Year EBITDA $350 $44,426M 63.2%

2. Dividend Discount Model (DDM)

The DDM values a company based on its expected future dividend payments. We used two approaches:

Multi-Stage DDM:

  • Current payout ratio: 61.8%
  • Stable payout ratio: 90.0%
  • Growth transition: 5 years
  • Cost of equity: 7.9%
  • Long-term growth rate: 1.0%
  • Fair value: $210.61 (3.3% from current price)

Stable DDM:

  • Stable payout ratio: 70% (Low) to 90% (High)
  • Cost of equity: 8.9% (Low) to 6.8% (High)
  • Long-term growth rate: 0.5% (Low) to 1.5% (High)
  • Fair value range: $75 to $152
  • Selected fair value: $113.51 (-44.3% from current price)

3. Earnings Power Value (EPV)

EPV assesses a company's value based on its current normalized earnings power, assuming no growth.

EPV Component Value
Normalized Earnings $1,338M
Discount Rate (WACC) 8.4% - 6.6%
Enterprise Value $15,903M - $20,379M
Net Debt $3,507M
Equity Value $12,397M - $16,872M
Outstanding Shares 117M
Fair Value $106 - $144
Selected Fair Value $125.05

Key Financial Metrics

Metric Value
Market Capitalization $23860M
Enterprise Value $27367M
Trailing P/E 22.64
Forward P/E 19.16
Trailing EV/EBITDA 11.75
Current Dividend Yield 262.78%
Dividend Growth Rate (5Y) 18.17%
Debt-to-Equity Ratio 0.11

Investment Decision Framework

To determine the most reliable intrinsic value estimate, we weigh each valuation method based on:

  1. Forecast Certainty: DCF methods rely on long-term projections, while earnings power value focuses on current normalized earnings
  2. Business Model Alignment: Dividend models are more appropriate for mature companies with established dividend policies
  3. Historical Accuracy: How well each method has predicted fair value historically

Valuation Weight Matrix

Valuation Method Weight Weighted Value
Discounted Cash Flow (10Y) 30% $98.97
Discounted Cash Flow (5Y) 25% $60.53
Dividend Discount Model (Multi-Stage) 20% $42.12
Dividend Discount Model (Stable) 15% $17.03
Earnings Power Value 10% $12.50
Weighted Average 100% $231.15

Investment Conclusion

Based on our comprehensive valuation analysis, Darden Restaurants Inc's weighted average intrinsic value is $231.15, which is approximately 13.4% above the current market price of $203.88.

Key investment considerations:

  • Strong projected earnings growth (9% to 16% margin)
  • Consistent cash flow generation
  • Conservative capital structure (Debt/Equity of 0.11)
  • Historical dividend growth of 18.17%

Given these factors, we believe Darden Restaurants Inc is currently moderately undervalued with the potential for long-term appreciation based on the company's growth trajectory and financial strength.