Yum! Brands (YUM) Projected to Announce Quarterly Earnings on Thursday

Yum! Brands (NYSE:YUM) will likely be releasing its Q2 2026 results before the market opens on Thursday, July 30th. Analysts expect Yum! Brands to announce earnings of $1.58 per share and revenue of $2.1814 billion for the quarter. Parties can find conference call details on the company’s upcoming Q2 2026 earning report for the latest details on the call scheduled for Thursday, July 30, 2026 at 8:15 AM ET.

Yum! Brands (NYSE:YUM) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 29th. The restaurant operator reported $1.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.39 by $0.11. The business had revenue of $2.06 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.04 billion. Yum! Brands had a negative return on equity of 23.51% and a net margin of 20.48%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 15.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.30 EPS. On average, analysts expect Yum! Brands to post $7 EPS for the current fiscal year and $7 EPS for the next fiscal year.

Yum! Brands Stock Performance

NYSE YUM opened at $150.34 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $41.44 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.25, a P/E/G ratio of 1.86 and a beta of 0.56. Yum! Brands has a one year low of $137.33 and a one year high of $170.14. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $153.94 and a 200-day moving average price of $156.73.

Yum! Brands Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 12th. Investors of record on Wednesday, May 27th were given a $0.75 dividend. This represents a $3.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.0%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, May 27th. Yum! Brands’s payout ratio is currently 48.39%.

Yum! Brands announced that its board has initiated a share buyback plan on Tuesday, June 16th that allows the company to buyback $4.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the restaurant operator to reacquire up to 9.4% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are typically an indication that the company’s leadership believes its shares are undervalued.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have commented on the stock. BMO Capital Markets reiterated a “market perform” rating and set a $168.00 price objective on shares of Yum! Brands in a research report on Monday, May 4th. Evercore reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Yum! Brands in a report on Tuesday, June 16th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on Yum! Brands from $160.00 to $165.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed a “sector perform” rating and issued a $165.00 price objective on shares of Yum! Brands in a research note on Monday, April 20th. Finally, Weiss Ratings cut Yum! Brands from a “buy (b+)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $174.81.

Key Headlines Impacting Yum! Brands

Here are the key news stories impacting Yum! Brands this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Taco Bell and KFC momentum supports expectations: UBS expects Yum! Brands to deliver solid second-quarter results, citing continued strength at Taco Bell, expansion at KFC and growth in digital sales. These trends could support revenue and same-store sales. Yum! Brands Set for Solid Q2 Results With Continued Taco Bell, KFC Momentum, UBS Says
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts remain constructive: Yum! Brands has received an average “Moderate Buy” rating from analysts, suggesting expectations for additional upside despite the stock trading below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages. Yum! Brands, Inc. Receives Average Rating of Moderate Buy from Analysts
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors are awaiting the Q2 numbers: Earnings previews highlight Wall Street forecasts for revenue, earnings and key operating metrics for the quarter ended June 2026. The report will determine whether Taco Bell’s momentum, KFC expansion and digital growth translated into results that exceed expectations. Countdown to Yum Q2 Earnings: Wall Street Forecasts for Key Metrics
• Negative Sentiment: Higher investments may pressure margins: Yum! Brands is increasing investments to support growth, which could weigh on second-quarter profitability even if sales remain solid. This creates a risk of a muted market reaction if earnings or guidance fall short of elevated expectations. Yum! Brands Gears Up to Report Q2 Earnings: Key Factors to Watch

Insider Transactions at Yum! Brands

In related news, CEO Aaron Powell sold 6,001 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $160.42, for a total value of $962,680.42. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 12,003 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,925,521.26. This represents a 33.33% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Scott Mezvinsky sold 277 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $160.42, for a total transaction of $44,436.34. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 483 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $77,482.86. The trade was a 36.45% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 12,423 shares of company stock worth $1,953,721. 0.14% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of YUM. Brighton Jones LLC lifted its position in shares of Yum! Brands by 8.0% during the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 7,861 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $1,055,000 after purchasing an additional 583 shares during the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP grew its holdings in shares of Yum! Brands by 124.5% in the second quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 151,316 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $22,422,000 after purchasing an additional 83,916 shares during the last quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc increased its stake in Yum! Brands by 10.0% in the 2nd quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 117,824 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $17,447,000 after buying an additional 10,755 shares during the period. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina increased its stake in Yum! Brands by 1.0% in the 2nd quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 130,205 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $19,294,000 after buying an additional 1,256 shares during the period. Finally, HUB Investment Partners LLC lifted its holdings in Yum! Brands by 59.1% during the 2nd quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC now owns 2,319 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $344,000 after buying an additional 861 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 82.37% of the company’s stock.

About Yum! Brands

Yum! Brands, Inc (NYSE: YUM) is a global quick-service restaurant company that develops, operates and franchises a portfolio of well-known restaurant brands. The company’s principal brands are KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, each focused on distinct product categories—KFC on fried chicken and related menu items, Pizza Hut on pizza and complementary offerings, and Taco Bell on Mexican-inspired quick-service food. Yum! is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky and was formed as Tricon Global Restaurants in 1997 when PepsiCo spun off its restaurant businesses, later adopting the Yum! Brands name.

The company’s operating model centers on brand development, system growth and franchising; a large portion of its restaurants are operated by independent franchisees, and Yum! generates revenue through franchise royalties and fees in addition to sales from company-operated locations.