Darden Restaurants (DRI) surged 5.47% in pre-market trading following the release of its fiscal Q2 results. The company reported sales of $3.102 billion, surpassing the analyst consensus estimate of $3.071 billion, representing a 7.34% year-over-year increase. Adjusted EPS came in at $2.08, slightly below the $2.10 estimate.

The positive market reaction was driven by Darden's raised fiscal 2026 outlook, including same-restaurant sales growth of 3.5-4.3% and total sales growth of 8.5-9.3%. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of $1.50 per share, further boosting investor confidence.