Darden Restaurants Inc.(FINANCIAL BRIEFS)(Brief article)(Statistical data)

ORLANDO, Fla. -- DARDEN RESTAURANTS INC., whose 1,443 casual-dining restaurants include the Red Lobster and Olive Garden chains, reported a 12-percent year-over-year increase in second-quarter profit, on a 4.5-percent jump in total sales. For the 13 weeks ended Nov. 26, Darden earned $61.7 million, or 41 cents per share, versus $55.1 million, or 35 cents a share, a year earlier. Total sales were $1.39 billion. Sales at 595-unit Olive Garden rose 7.1 percent to $662.1 million for the quarter, …