11:49 AM EDT, 03/19/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Darden Restaurants' ( DRI ) fiscal Q3 earnings per share would be "slightly" below the consensus of $2.79, Oppenheimer said in an earnings preview Wednesday.

Ahead of the release of the company's results on Thursday, Oppenheimer said it estimates a $2.78 EPS due to its updated same-store sales forecast for the company.

The firm said it now expects same-store sales growth of 1.2% for Darden Restaurants ( DRI ) versus the Street's estimate of 1.7% as the company's fiscal Q3 "included industry-wide headwinds from calendar shifts, weather, a challenging flu season, and consumer weakness."

Oppenheimer said it lowered its fiscal 2025 EPS forecast for the company to $9.48 from $9.52 after tweaking its sales assumptions.

Oppenheimer maintained the company's outperform rating and $218 price target.

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