Darden Restaurants (DRI Quick QuoteDRI - Free Report) reported $2.79 billion in revenue for the quarter ended February 2023, representing a year-over-year increase of 13.8%. EPS of $2.34 for the same period compares to $1.93 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +2.30% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.72 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $2.24, the EPS surprise was +4.46%.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how Darden Restaurants performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Same-restaurant sales-Olive Garden-YoY change: 12.3% versus the 10-analyst average estimate of 8%.
• Same-restaurant sales-LongHorn Steakhouse-YoY change: 10.8% versus 6.68% estimated by 10 analysts on average.
• Same-restaurant sales-Blended -YoY change [%]: 11.7% versus the nine-analyst average estimate of 7.71%.
• Company operated restaurants-Olive Garden: 893 versus the eight-analyst average estimate of 895.63.
• Number of restaurants-LongHorn Steakhouse: 554 versus 557.13 estimated by eight analysts on average.
• Same-restaurant sales-Fine Dining -YoY change [%]: 11.7% versus 9.63% estimated by eight analysts on average.
• Same-restaurant sales-Other Business -YoY change [%]: 11.7% versus 9.71% estimated by seven analysts on average.
• Company operated restaurants-Total: 1890 versus 1901 estimated by six analysts on average.
• Sales-Olive Garden [$M]: $1.30 billion compared to the $1.25 billion average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of +13.9% year over year.
• Sales-Other Business [$M]: $553.90 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $545.58 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +14.1%.
• Sales-Fine Dining [$M]: $235.60 million compared to the $234.86 million average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of +13.2% year over year.
• Sales-LongHorn Steakhouse [$M]: $695.50 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $668.07 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +13.5%.

View all Key Company Metrics for Darden Restaurants here>>>

Shares of Darden Restaurants have returned +1.4% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -1.2% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.