Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI) awards stock and options to LongHorn chief
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
Darden Restaurants executive Laura B. Williamson, President of LongHorn Steakhouse, received equity awards on July 29, 2026. Grants included 1,154 restricted stock units and stock options for 3,405 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $212.23 per share, plus additional RSUs and options held indirectly by her spouse.
The RSUs convert into common stock on a one-for-one basis, and the options vest in two equal annual installments beginning July 29, 2029, expiring July 29, 2036. Following these awards, she reports direct ownership of 11,864.405 common shares, with further indirect holdings through a 401(k) plan and her spouse, including shares acquired via an employee stock purchase plan and dividend reinvestment.
Positive
- None.
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Insider Trade Summary
7 transactions reported
Mixed
7 txns
Insider
Williamson Laura B
Role
President, LongHorn Steakhouse
| Type | Security | Shares | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grant/Award | Restricted Stock Units (FY27 Annual Grant) F2 | 1,154 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Grant/Award | Stock Option (Right to Buy) F3 | 3,405 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Grant/Award | Restricted Stock Units (FY27 Annual Grant) F2 | 125 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Grant/Award | Stock Option (Right to Buy) F3 | 368 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| holding | Common Stock F1 | -- | -- | -- |
| holding | Common Stock | -- | -- | -- |
| holding | Common Stock F1 | -- | -- | -- |
Holdings After Transaction:
Restricted Stock Units (FY27 Annual Grant) — 1,154 shares (Direct);
Stock Option (Right to Buy) — 3,405 shares (Direct);
Restricted Stock Units (FY27 Annual Grant) — 125 shares (Indirect, By Spouse);
Stock Option (Right to Buy) — 368 shares (Indirect, By Spouse);
Common Stock — 11,864.405 shares (Direct);
Common Stock — 936.419 shares (Indirect, By 401k);
Common Stock — 5,978.801 shares (Indirect, By Spouse)
Footnotes (3)
- F1. Includes shares acquired pursuant to the Darden Restaurants, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan and dividend reinvestment feature of the Plan.
- F2. Restricted stock units convert into common stock on a one-for-one basis.
- F3. This option vests in two equal annual installments beginning on July 29, 2029.
Key Figures
RSUs granted to officer: 1154.0000 units
Stock options granted to officer: 3405.0000 shares
Option exercise price: $212.2300 per share
+5 more
8 metrics
RSUs granted to officer
1154.0000 units
Restricted Stock Units granted July 29, 2026 to Laura B. Williamson
Stock options granted to officer
3405.0000 shares
Stock Option (Right to Buy) granted July 29, 2026
Option exercise price
$212.2300 per share
Exercise price of stock options granted to Williamson and spouse
RSUs granted to spouse
125.0000 units
Restricted Stock Units reported as held indirectly by spouse
Stock options granted to spouse
368.0000 shares
Spouse-held Stock Option (Right to Buy) grant on July 29, 2026
Direct common stock holdings
11864.4050 shares
Common stock directly owned by Laura B. Williamson after awards
401(k) indirect holdings
936.4190 shares
Common stock held indirectly through a 401(k) plan
Spouse indirect holdings
5978.8010 shares
Common stock held indirectly by spouse, including ESPP and reinvestment shares
Key Terms
Restricted Stock Units, Stock Option (Right to Buy), Employee Stock Purchase Plan, dividend reinvestment
4 terms
Restricted Stock Units financial
"Restricted stock units convert into common stock on a one-for-one basis."
Restricted stock units are a type of company reward where employees are promised shares of stock, but they only fully own these shares after meeting certain conditions, like staying with the company for a set time. They matter because they can become valuable assets and are often used to motivate employees to help the company succeed.
Stock Option (Right to Buy) financial
"Stock Option (Right to Buy) with an exercise price of $212.23 per share."
Employee Stock Purchase Plan financial
"Includes shares acquired pursuant to the Darden Restaurants, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan."
An employee stock purchase plan is a company program that lets workers buy shares through small payroll deductions, often at a discount to the market price and after a set offering period. Think of it like a workplace savings plan that turns into ownership: it encourages employees to share in the company’s success and can create predictable buying or selling of stock that investors watch because it affects supply, demand and employee incentives.
dividend reinvestment financial
"Includes shares from the dividend reinvestment feature of the Plan."
Dividend reinvestment is when the money earned from a company's profit sharing, called dividends, is automatically used to buy more shares of that company instead of being received as cash. This process helps investors grow their holdings over time without extra effort, much like using earned interest to buy more of a savings account. It encourages long-term investment growth by continuously increasing the amount of shares owned.
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
FAQ
What equity awards did Darden Restaurants (DRI) grant to Laura B. Williamson?
Laura B. Williamson received 1,154 restricted stock units and stock options for 3,405 shares of Darden common stock at an exercise price of $212.23 per share, along with additional spouse-held RSUs and options tied to the same underlying stock.
What is the exercise price and vesting schedule of the new DRI stock options?
The new stock options have an exercise price of $212.23 per share and expire on July 29, 2036. They vest in two equal annual installments beginning on July 29, 2029, meaning half the options vest each year over that two-year period.
Were any equity awards granted to Laura B. Williamson's spouse in this DRI transaction?
Yes. Her spouse received 125 restricted stock units and stock options covering 368 shares of Darden common stock, both reported as indirect holdings. These spouse-held options have the same $212.23 exercise price and July 29, 2036 expiration as Williamson’s own option grant.
How do the restricted stock units in this DRI grant convert into common stock?
The restricted stock units convert into Darden common stock on a one-for-one basis. Each RSU becomes a single share of common stock upon conversion, meaning 1,154 RSUs would yield 1,154 shares, and 125 spouse-held RSUs would yield 125 shares when settled.