Free cash flow
Darden Restaurants Free cash flow increased by 277.2% to $451.90M in Q4 2025 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric grew by 5.1%, from $430.10M to $451.90M. Over 4 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Free cash flow shows an upward trend with a 3.1% CAGR. This is a positive signal — higher values indicate stronger performance for this metric.
Analysis
How to read this metric
An increase suggests improved operational efficiency or reduced capital intensity, providing more flexibility for capital allocation. A decrease may indicate higher investment in R&D or infrastructure, or potential challenges in converting earnings into cash.
Detailed definition
Free cash flow represents the cash generated by a company after accounting for cash outflows to support operations and m...
Peer comparison
Large-cap medical device and pharmaceutical peers typically maintain strong, positive free cash flow, though levels vary based on the intensity of R&D spending and the lifecycle stage of major product lines.
free_cash_flowHistorical Data
| Q1 '21 | Q2 '21 | Q3 '21 | Q4 '21 | Q1 '22 | Q2 '22 | Q3 '22 | Q4 '22 | Q1 '23 | Q2 '23 | Q3 '23 | Q4 '23 | Q1 '24 | Q2 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $369.90M | $97.60M | $210.60M | $332.70M | $246.80M | $305.00M | $50.30M | $374.70M | $257.90M | $118.20M | $179.30M | $437.40M | $285.60M | $128.00M | $219.30M | $430.10M | $285.00M | $168.40M | $119.80M | $451.90M |
| QoQ Change | — | -73.6% | +115.8% | +58.0% | -25.8% | +23.6% | -83.5% | +644.9% | -31.2% | -54.2% | +51.7% | +143.9% | -34.7% | -55.2% | +71.3% | +96.1% | -33.7% | -40.9% | -28.9% | +277.2% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | -33.3% | +212.5% | -76.1% | +12.6% | +4.5% | -61.2% | +256.5% | +16.7% | +10.7% | +8.3% | +22.3% | -1.7% | -0.2% | +31.6% | -45.4% | +5.1% |
Free cash flow at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Darden Restaurants's free cash flow?
- Darden Restaurants (DRI) reported free cash flow of $451.90M in Q4 2025.
- How has Darden Restaurants's free cash flow changed year-over-year?
- Darden Restaurants's free cash flow increased by 5.1% year-over-year, from $430.10M to $451.90M.
- What is the long-term trend for Darden Restaurants's free cash flow?
- Over 4 years (2021 to 2025), Darden Restaurants's free cash flow has grown at a 3.1% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $938.60M to $1.06B.
- What does free cash flow mean?
- The cash remaining after a company pays for its operating expenses and capital investments.