TXRH vs DRI

For growth investors, Texas Roadhouse, Inc.

(TXRH) is the stronger pick with 16. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 6. 0% for Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI). Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) offers the better valuation at 22. 1x trailing P/E (18. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) a "Buy" — based on 59 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Darden Restaurants, Inc.

(DRI) is the cheapest at 22. 1x versus Texas Roadhouse, Inc. at 24. 7x. On forward P/E, Darden Restaurants, Inc. is actually cheaper at 18. 4x.

Over the past 5 years, Texas Roadhouse, Inc.

(TXRH) delivered a total return of +65. 3%, compared to +56. 5% for Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: TXRH returned +302. 2% versus DRI's +274. 0%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Darden Restaurants, Inc.

(DRI) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 55β versus Texas Roadhouse, Inc. 's 0. 70β — meaning TXRH is approximately 27% more volatile than DRI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Texas Roadhouse, Inc. (TXRH) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 62% versus 3% for Darden Restaurants, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Texas Roadhouse, Inc.

(TXRH) is pulling ahead at 16. 0% versus 6. 0% for Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Texas Roadhouse, Inc. grew EPS 42. 5% year-over-year, compared to 4. 1% for Darden Restaurants, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, TXRH leads at 15. 8% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Darden Restaurants, Inc.

(DRI) is the more profitable company, earning 8. 7% net margin versus 8. 1% for Texas Roadhouse, Inc. — meaning it keeps 8. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: DRI leads at 11. 3% versus 9. 6% for TXRH. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — DRI leads at 21. 9%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, Darden Restaurants, Inc.

(DRI) trades at 18. 4x forward P/E versus 25. 3x for Texas Roadhouse, Inc. — 6. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for TXRH: 20. 0% to $191. 64.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) offers the highest yield at 2. 8%, versus 1. 5% for Texas Roadhouse, Inc. (TXRH).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Darden Restaurants, Inc.

(DRI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 55), 2. 8% yield, +274. 0% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (DRI: +274. 0%, TXRH: +302. 2%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Consumer Cyclical sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: TXRH is a mid-cap high-growth stock; DRI is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.