Darling Ingredients (NYSE:DAR) Issues Earnings Results

Darling Ingredients (NYSE:DAR) posted its earnings results on Thursday. The company reported $0.83 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.56 by $0.27, Zacks reports. Darling Ingredients had a return on equity of 2.36% and a net margin of 1.02%.During the same period in the previous year, the business earned ($0.16) earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 12.3% compared to the same quarter last year.

Here are the key takeaways from Darling Ingredients’ conference call:

• Darling reported combined adjusted EBITDA of $406.8 million in Q1 2026 (Core Ingredients $255.6M; DGD $151.2M), a sharp improvement versus the prior-year quarter driven by margin expansion and operational execution.
• Diamond Green Diesel’s Q1 result included a one-time $97 million LCM inventory valuation benefit at the DGD entity, and Darling contributed ~$190 million of working capital to DGD that management expects will be returned in subsequent quarters.
• The feed segment posted EBITDA of $169 million (vs. $111M a year ago) with gross margin up to 25.3%, and the food/collagen business showed year‑over‑year sales growth and rising demand—supported by new applications and pending Nextida patents.
• Net debt (debt less cash) rose to about $4.0 billion and preliminary covenant leverage was 3.17x, although management reiterated a goal to reduce net debt toward ~$3.0 billion.
• Management guided Q2 Core Ingredients EBITDA to $260–$275 million, expects DGD volumes of ~320 million gallons in Q2, and sees improving renewables margins and cash flow as the RVO clarity supports higher feedstock prices.

Darling Ingredients Stock Up 2.3%

Shares of Darling Ingredients stock traded up $1.45 during trading on Thursday, reaching $64.25. The stock had a trading volume of 4,440,430 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,921,175. The company has a market capitalization of $10.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 164.73 and a beta of 1.08. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $57.72 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $44.79. Darling Ingredients has a 52 week low of $29.15 and a 52 week high of $64.90. The company has a current ratio of 1.50, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

DAR has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. UBS Group boosted their target price on Darling Ingredients from $58.00 to $78.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 2nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Darling Ingredients from $59.00 to $69.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 24th. Stephens boosted their target price on Darling Ingredients from $65.00 to $70.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 21st. Robert W. Baird boosted their target price on Darling Ingredients from $64.00 to $75.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 7th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on Darling Ingredients from $45.00 to $57.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, February 13th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $67.40.

Insider Transactions at Darling Ingredients

In related news, CEO Randall C. Stuewe sold 20,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $52.12, for a total transaction of $1,042,400.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 1,117,085 shares in the company, valued at approximately $58,222,470.20. This represents a 1.76% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 1.90% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Darling Ingredients

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Litman Gregory Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Darling Ingredients during the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. Danske Bank A S bought a new stake in Darling Ingredients during the third quarter worth about $25,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Darling Ingredients by 681.5% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,016 shares of the company’s stock worth $39,000 after acquiring an additional 886 shares in the last quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB raised its holdings in Darling Ingredients by 138.3% during the third quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB now owns 1,511 shares of the company’s stock worth $47,000 after acquiring an additional 877 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Advisory Services Network LLC bought a new stake in Darling Ingredients during the third quarter worth about $48,000. Institutional investors own 94.44% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Darling Ingredients

Here are the key news stories impacting Darling Ingredients this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 earnings beat and turnaround — Darling reported $0.83 EPS vs. $0.56 expected, returning to profit after a loss a year earlier and showing 12%+ revenue growth; management called the quarter an “inflection point.” Business Wire Q1 Release
• Positive Sentiment: Solid near-term EBITDA outlook for core ingredients — management is guiding Q2 core-ingredients EBITDA of $260M–$275M, which supports expectations for continued margin recovery in the core business. Guidance Report
• Neutral Sentiment: Top-line view is mixed across outlets — some reports characterise Q1 sales as in-line or showing a slight revenue miss versus certain expectations, so while EPS beat was clear, revenue beats vs. all street models are not uniform. Earnings Coverage
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor materials and call provide color but highlight sector headwinds — the earnings slide deck and call transcript discuss RVO-driven pressure on renewables margins even as core ingredients strengthen; investors should review the transcript/slides for details. Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Fatal workplace incident and OSHA investigation — a worker was killed at the Bastrop rendering plant and OSHA has opened a safety probe; this raises near-term operational, legal and reputational risks that could lead to fines, remediation costs or temporary disruptions. Local Coverage of Incident

About Darling Ingredients

Darling Ingredients Inc (NYSE: DAR) is a global leader in converting edible and inedible bio-nutrient streams into sustainable food, feed ingredients, renewable fuels and specialty products. Founded in 1882 and headquartered in Irving, Texas, the company builds on more than a century of experience in animal rendering and by-product recycling. Over time, Darling has expanded its capabilities beyond traditional rendering to include advanced processing technologies that support a circular economy and reduce waste from food and agricultural industries.

The company’s core operations revolve around four primary segments: Feed Ingredients & Services, Food & Nutrition, Fuel Ingredients & Services, and Specialty Ingredients.