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DRI vs. YUM: Darden Restaurants vs. Yum! Brands Stock Comparison

How do Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Yum! Brands (YUM) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Yum! Brands (YUM) are both classified in the Restaurants sub-industry within the broader Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Yum! Brands (YUM)
Profile ItemDRIYUM
NameDarden Restaurants, Inc.Yum! Brands, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorConsumer DiscretionaryConsumer Discretionary
GICS Industry GroupConsumer ServicesConsumer Services
GICS IndustryHotels, Restaurants & LeisureHotels, Restaurants & Leisure
GICS Sub-IndustryRestaurantsRestaurants
Market Capitalization25.61 billion USD43.35 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMay 9, 1995September 17, 1997
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

DRI
YUM
GSPC
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Darden Restaurants (DRI) vs. Yum! Brands (YUM), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Yum! Brands (YUM). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Yum! Brands (YUM). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Yum! Brands (YUM)
MetricDRIYUM
Total Return (1Y)33.36%10.53%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)19.59%11.17%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)11.78%7.10%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

DRI
YUM
GSPC
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Darden Restaurants (DRI) vs. Yum! Brands (YUM), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Yum! Brands (YUM). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Yum! Brands (YUM)
MetricDRIYUM
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)27.88%24.53%
Beta (5Y)0.630.52
Max Drawdown (5Y)-26.96%-23.10%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.09M2.39M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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DRI and YUM are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Yum! Brands (YUM)
MetricDRIYUM
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.040.25
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.570.37

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Darden Restaurants (DRI) earns 55.43% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Yum! Brands (YUM) has no ROE this period.

DRI

Consumer Services industry group

55.43%

Max
76.75%
DRI
55.43%
Q3
34.07%
Median
15.90%
Q1
3.23%
Min
-40.61%

YUM

Consumer Services industry group

--

Max
76.75%
Q3
34.07%
Median
15.90%
Q1
3.23%
Min
-40.61%
YUM
--
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Darden Restaurants (DRI) vs. Yum! Brands (YUM): YUM does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; DRI is benchmarked against the Consumer Services industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

Yum! Brands (YUM) at 39.14% converts revenue to bottom-line profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Darden Restaurants (DRI) at 8.85% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.

DRI

Consumer Services industry group

8.85%

Max
25.52%
Q3
12.95%
DRI
8.85%
Median
6.63%
Q1
1.46%
Min
-14.36%

YUM

Consumer Services industry group

39.14%

YUM
39.14%
Max
25.52%
Q3
12.95%
Median
6.63%
Q1
1.46%
Min
-14.36%
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Darden Restaurants (DRI) vs. Yum! Brands (YUM): A comparison of their net margin against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Yum! Brands (YUM) at 32.08% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Darden Restaurants (DRI) at 9.86%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

DRI

Consumer Services industry group

9.86%

Max
49.05%
Q3
24.35%
Median
14.23%
DRI
9.86%
Q1
5.67%
Min
-16.47%

YUM

Consumer Services industry group

32.08%

Max
49.05%
YUM
32.08%
Q3
24.35%
Median
14.23%
Q1
5.67%
Min
-16.47%
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Darden Restaurants (DRI) vs. Yum! Brands (YUM): A comparison of their operating margin against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Yum! Brands (YUM)
MetricDRIYUM
ROE (TTM)55.43%--
ROA (TTM)7.65%21.91%
Net Margin (TTM)8.85%39.14%
Operating Margin (TTM)9.86%32.08%
Gross Margin (TTM)21.66%44.70%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Darden Restaurants (DRI) at 9.39% and Yum! Brands (YUM) at 8.81% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Darden Restaurants (DRI) vs. Yum! Brands (YUM): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Darden Restaurants (DRI) at 17.16% and Yum! Brands (YUM) at 6.32% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Darden Restaurants (DRI) vs. Yum! Brands (YUM): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Yum! Brands (YUM)
MetricDRIYUM
Revenue Growth (YoY)9.39%8.81%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)8.00%6.28%
EPS Growth (YoY)17.16%6.32%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)9.11%6.69%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Yum! Brands (YUM) at 0.96 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Darden Restaurants (DRI) at 0.30 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for DRI.

DRI

Consumer Services industry group

0.30

Max
3.41
Q3
1.85
Median
1.06
Q1
0.72
DRI
0.30
Min
0.22

YUM

Consumer Services industry group

0.96

Max
3.41
Q3
1.85
Median
1.06
YUM
0.96
Q1
0.72
Min
0.22
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Darden Restaurants (DRI) vs. Yum! Brands (YUM): A comparison of their current ratio against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Only one side’s leverage can be read here: Darden Restaurants (DRI) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 4.15 against its industry range, while Yum! Brands (YUM) reports no figure this period.

DRI

Consumer Services industry group

4.15

Max
6.12
DRI
4.15
Q3
2.93
Median
1.29
Q1
0.37
Min
0.01

YUM

Consumer Services industry group

--

Max
6.12
Q3
2.93
Median
1.29
Q1
0.37
Min
0.01
YUM
--
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Darden Restaurants (DRI) vs. Yum! Brands (YUM): YUM does not report debt-to-equity ratio, so it has no value marker; DRI is benchmarked against the Consumer Services industry group.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Yum! Brands (YUM)
MetricDRIYUM
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.300.96
Debt / Equity (MRQ)4.15--
Net Debt / EBITDA3.913.12

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Darden Restaurants (DRI) at 2.68% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Yum! Brands (YUM) at 0.45% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, DRI the richer one.

DRI

Consumer Services industry group

2.68%

Max
4.10%
DRI
2.68%
Q3
1.82%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

YUM

Consumer Services industry group

0.45%

Max
4.10%
Q3
1.82%
YUM
0.45%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Darden Restaurants (DRI) vs. Yum! Brands (YUM): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Yum! Brands (YUM) at 23.83% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Darden Restaurants (DRI) at 59.42% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

DRI

Consumer Services industry group

59.42%

Max
89.80%
DRI
59.42%
Q3
36.83%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

YUM

Consumer Services industry group

23.83%

Max
89.80%
Q3
36.83%
YUM
23.83%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Darden Restaurants (DRI) vs. Yum! Brands (YUM): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Yum! Brands (YUM)
MetricDRIYUM
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.68%0.45%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)59.42%23.83%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Yum! Brands (YUM) at 12.97 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Darden Restaurants (DRI) at 21.98 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for YUM, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

DRI

Consumer Services industry group

21.98

Max
71.70
Q3
37.12
DRI
21.98
Median
21.88
Q1
13.00
Min
5.72

YUM

Consumer Services industry group

12.97

Max
71.70
Q3
37.12
Median
21.88
Q1
13.00
YUM
12.97
Min
5.72
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Darden Restaurants (DRI) vs. Yum! Brands (YUM): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Darden Restaurants (DRI) at 1.92 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Yum! Brands (YUM) at 4.93 sits in the pricier quartile — YUM costs more per dollar of sales.

DRI

Consumer Services industry group

1.92

Max
6.40
Q3
3.01
DRI
1.92
Median
1.54
Q1
0.74
Min
0.08

YUM

Consumer Services industry group

4.93

Max
6.40
YUM
4.93
Q3
3.01
Median
1.54
Q1
0.74
Min
0.08
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Darden Restaurants (DRI) vs. Yum! Brands (YUM): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Yum! Brands (YUM) reports a negative P/B ratio of -7.03, meaning negative book equity — the multiple itself is not meaningful for valuation. Meanwhile Darden Restaurants (DRI) reports 12.40, ranking against industry peers normally.

DRI

Consumer Services industry group

12.40

DRI
12.40
Max
12.02
Q3
5.58
Median
2.37
Q1
1.09
Min
-4.51

YUM

Consumer Services industry group

-7.03

Max
12.02
Q3
5.58
Median
2.37
Q1
1.09
Min
-4.51
YUM
-7.03
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Darden Restaurants (DRI) vs. Yum! Brands (YUM): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Consumer Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Yum! Brands (YUM)
MetricDRIYUM
P/E Ratio (TTM)21.9812.97
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.924.93
P/B Ratio (MRQ)12.40-7.03
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.10%3.04%