Yum! Brands Reports Second-Quarter Results
YUM BRANDS INC (YUM) filed an SEC Form 8-K — Results of Operations and Financial Condition. NEWS Yum! Brands Reports Second-Quarter Results Taco Bell Same-Store Sales Growth 7%; KFC Unit Growth 7%; Digital System Sales Mix Excluding Pizza Hut Exceeded 60% Louisville, KY (July 30, 2026) - Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM) today reported results for the second quarter ended J
How this was made
The 30-second read
Why it matters
Traders can update models for near-term earnings power (EPS, operating profit, same-store sales) and for longer-term valuation as Pizza Hut is carved out via separate buyers.
Market read
Q2 performance was solid across KFC and Taco Bell, while Pizza Hut showed weaker operating metrics; the Pizza Hut sale agreements are the key strategic catalyst.
What to watch
The filing highlights FX favorability and digital mix, but does not provide full deal economics or timing for the Pizza Hut separation, which could drive uncertainty.
Yum! Brands Reports Second-Quarter Results Taco Bell Same-Store Sales Growth 7%; KFC Unit Growth 7%; Digital System Sales Mix Excluding Pizza Hut Exceeded 60%
Worldwide system sales grew 5% excluding foreign currency translation, unit count increased 5%, and GAAP and Core Operating Profit each grew 5%. Taco Bell and KFC delivered growth, while Pizza Hut posted declining system sales excluding F/X and operating profit ahead of its announced sale.
Key metrics
shortened, hover for the filing’s print| Metric | Value | q/q | y/y |
|---|---|---|---|
| GAAP EPSGAAP | $3.08 | – | +131% |
| EPS Excluding Special Itemsnon-GAAP | $1.62 | – | +12% |
| Less Special Items EPSnon-GAAP | $1.46 | – | NM |
| Year-to-date GAAP EPSGAAP | $4.62 | – | +107% |
| Year-to-date EPS Excluding Special Itemsnon-GAAP | $3.12 | – | +14% |
| Year-to-date Less Special Items EPSnon-GAAP | $1.50 | – | NM |
| Worldwide system sales growth excluding F/Xother | +5% | – | – |
| Worldwide same-store sales growthother | +3% | – | – |
| Worldwide unit count growthother | +5% | – | – |
| Worldwide GAAP Operating Profit growthGAAP | +5% | – | – |
| Worldwide Core Operating Profit growthnon-GAAP | +5% | – | – |
| Gross new unitsother | 1,053 | – | – |
| Digital system sales excluding Pizza Hutother | approached $9 billion | – | – |
| Digital system sales mix excluding Pizza Hutother | exceeding 60% | – | – |
| System sales growth excluding Pizza Hut and excluding F/Xother | 7% | – | – |
| Unit count growth excluding Pizza Hutother | 6% | – | – |
| Same-store sales growth excluding Pizza Hutother | 4% | – | – |
| Core Operating Profit growth excluding Pizza Hutnon-GAAP | 8% | – | – |
| KFC restaurantsother | 34,747 | – | +7% |
| KFC system salesother | 9,566 ($MM) | – | +10% |
| KFC system sales growth excluding F/Xother | +6% | – | – |
| KFC same-store sales growthother | +2% | – | – |
| KFC franchise and property revenuesother | 477 ($MM) | – | +9% |
| KFC Operating ProfitGAAP | 410 ($MM) | – | +13% |
| KFC Operating Profit growth excluding F/Xother | +9% | – | – |
| KFC Operating MarginGAAP | 44.3% | – | +1.6 |
| KFC company-owned restaurant marginsother | 12.0% | – | down 10 basis points year-over-year |
| KFC foreign currency translation impact on operating profitother | $14M | – | – |
| Taco Bell restaurantsother | 9,046 | – | +3% |
| Taco Bell system salesother | 4,677 ($MM) | – | +9% |
| Taco Bell same-store sales growthother | +7% | – | – |
| Taco Bell franchise and property revenuesother | 271 ($MM) | – | +9% |
| Taco Bell Operating ProfitGAAP | 311 ($MM) | – | +19% |
| Taco Bell Operating MarginGAAP | 36.4% | – | (0.4) |
| Taco Bell U.S. company-owned restaurant marginsother | 26.2% | – | – |
| Pizza Hut restaurantsother | 19,985 | – | +1% |
| Pizza Hut system salesother | 3,108 ($MM) | – | Even |
| Pizza Hut system sales growth excluding F/Xother | (2)% | – | – |
| Pizza Hut same-store sales growthother | (1)% | – | – |
| Pizza Hut franchise and property revenuesother | 143 ($MM) | – | (3)% |
| Pizza Hut Operating ProfitGAAP | 70 ($MM) | – | (12)% |
| Pizza Hut Operating MarginGAAP | 27.6% | – | (5.9) |
| Pizza Hut foreign currency translation impact on operating profitother | $2M | – | – |
| Habit Burger & Grill system sales growthother | 7% | – | – |
| Habit Burger & Grill same-store sales growthother | 3% | – | – |
Segments
| Segment | Revenue | q/q | y/y |
|---|---|---|---|
| KFC DivisionSystem sales grew +6% excluding F/X, same-store sales grew +2%, and the division opened 660 gross new restaurants across 55 countries. | 477 ($MM) Franchise and Property Revenues | – | +9% |
| Taco Bell DivisionSystem sales and franchise and property revenues each grew +9%; Taco Bell U.S. system sales grew 9% and same-store sales grew 7%. | 271 ($MM) Franchise and Property Revenues | – | +9% |
| Pizza Hut DivisionSystem sales growth excluding F/X was (2)%, same-store sales growth was (1)%, and operating profit declined (12)%. | 143 ($MM) Franchise and Property Revenues | – | (3)% |
Long-term growth algorithm outlook
- Note5% Unit Growth
- Note7% System Sales Growth, excluding F/X
- NoteAt least 8% Core Operating Profit Growth
- NoteKFC's aspiration is to have core elements of its strategy live across its Top 20 markets by the end of 2027.
What drove it
- KFC opened 660 gross new restaurants across 55 countries.
- Taco Bell opened 54 gross new restaurants across 15 countries.
- Pizza Hut opened 333 gross new restaurants across 33 countries.
- Habit Burger & Grill opened 6 gross new restaurants.
- Yum! entered into two definitive agreements to sell Pizza Hut, excluding Mainland China to LongRange Capital and Pizza Hut in Mainland China to Yum China.
- KFC launched a refreshed brand identity and menu revamp centered around boneless chicken, beverages and sauces.
Concerns
- Pizza Hut system sales growth excluding F/X was (2)%, same-store sales growth was (1)%, and Operating Profit declined (12)%.
- Pizza Hut U.S. system sales growth excluding F/X was (5)% and same-store sales growth was (2)%.
- KFC United States system sales growth excluding F/X was (2)%.
- Taco Bell Operating Margin was 36.4%, compared with 36.8%.
- The filing cites the impact of the July 2026 cyclospora outbreak on sales and pace of recovery as a risk factor.
What to watch
- Closing and execution of the two definitive agreements to sell Pizza Hut.
- KFC's rollout of its refreshed brand identity and menu revamp across its Top 20 markets by the end of 2027.
- Taco Bell's U.S. same-store sales performance following 7% growth in the second quarter.
- Pizza Hut sales and operating-profit trends during the transition to new ownership.
- Progress toward the long-term targets of 5% Unit Growth, 7% System Sales Growth excluding F/X, and at least 8% Core Operating Profit Growth.
Balance sheet and cash flow
- Foreign currency translation favorably impacted divisional operating profit by $16 million.
- Disclosures pertaining to outstanding debt in the Restricted Group capital structure will be provided at the time of the filing of the second-quarter Form 10-Q.
Analysis
Yum! reported broad second-quarter operating growth, with worldwide system sales up 5% excluding foreign currency translation, same-store sales up 3%, and unit count up 5%. The company opened 1,053 gross new units. GAAP Operating Profit and Core Operating Profit each grew 5%, while foreign currency translation favorably affected divisional operating profit by $16 million. GAAP EPS of $3.08 rose +131%, whereas EPS Excluding Special Items increased +12% to $1.62.
Taco Bell was the strongest reported division on profit growth. System sales rose +9%, same-store sales grew +7%, franchise and property revenues rose +9% to 271 ($MM), and Operating Profit increased +19% to 311 ($MM). The division's operating margin was 36.4%, compared with 36.8%, while U.S. company-owned restaurant margins were 26.2%. Taco Bell opened 54 gross new restaurants, and Taco Bell International system sales excluding foreign currency translation grew 13%.
KFC added the largest number of restaurants, opening 660 gross new restaurants across 55 countries. System sales grew +6% excluding F/X, franchise and property revenues increased +9% to 477 ($MM), and Operating Profit rose +13% to 410 ($MM). KFC operating margin increased to 44.3% from 42.7%. China system sales growth excluding F/X was +6%, while United States growth was (2)%; the company also stated that company-owned restaurant margins were 12.0%, down 10 basis points year-over-year.
Pizza Hut remained the principal weak point, with system sales down (2)% excluding F/X, same-store sales down (1)%, franchise and property revenues down (3)% to 143 ($MM), and Operating Profit down (12)% to 70 ($MM). Pizza Hut operating margin fell to 27.6% from 33.5%, and U.S. system sales growth excluding F/X was (5)%. These results were reported alongside the definitive agreements to sell the Pizza Hut business, with LongRange Capital acquiring Pizza Hut excluding Mainland China and Yum China acquiring Pizza Hut in Mainland China.
Excluding Pizza Hut, Yum! reported system sales growth of 7% excluding F/X, unit count growth of 6%, same-store sales growth of 4%, and Core Operating Profit growth of 8%. Digital system sales excluding Pizza Hut approached $9 billion and digital mix exceeded 60%. The company did not provide quarterly financial guidance, but reiterated its long-term targets of 5% Unit Growth, 7% System Sales Growth excluding F/X, and at least 8% Core Operating Profit Growth.
Management, verbatim
We delivered another strong quarter with robust same-store sales and restaurant-level margin performance. We also reached separate definitive agreements with two exceptional buyers for the Pizza Hut business, bringing our strategic review process to a close. Yum! will enter its next chapter as a more focused organization positioned to accelerate growth.
Chris Turner, CEO
Not in the filing
stated, not guessed- Total revenue
- Consolidated gross profit and gross margin
- Consolidated operating income or operating profit amount
- Net income
- Operating cash flow
- Free cash flow
- Cash balance
- Debt balance
- Share repurchases
- Dividends
- Quarterly financial guidance
- Prior-quarter comparisons for reported metrics
- Year-to-date restaurant, system sales, revenue, operating profit, and operating-margin metrics not individually included in key_metrics
- Habit Burger & Grill revenue and operating profit
- Full reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measurements to GAAP Results, which is referenced but not included in the provided filing text
Written by an AI language model from the company’s SEC earnings filing (Form 8-K Item 2.02, or Form 6-K for a foreign private issuer). Every figure was checked against the filing text, and a metric whose value, prior period and change do not add up is dropped from the metrics. The model can still misread a table, in the metrics or in the text, so check a number in the filing before you rely on it. Consensus estimates, price targets and share-price reactions are not shown because they are not in the filing. AI-generated research, not investment advice.
Background
Yum! Brands filed an 8-K with Q2 results and strategic updates, including definitive agreements to sell Pizza Hut.
Ticker impact
Yum! Brands reported Q2 GAAP EPS of $3.08 and disclosed Pizza Hut sale agreements, plus KFC and Taco Bell same-store sales growth.
Near-term bias positive on earnings strength and clearer strategic path, with volatility possible as investors price the Pizza Hut separation details.
The filing includes quantified Q2 performance (EPS, system sales, operating profit) and a definitive agreement to sell Pizza Hut, which is a concrete catalyst beyond routine reporting.
Market effects
QSR peers may see read-across from KFC and Taco Bell same-store momentum and digital mix strength.
International system sales and FX translation are explicitly cited, which can influence regional QSR sentiment.
Pizza Hut divestiture changes the global brand portfolio, potentially affecting franchise economics and investor positioning across branded restaurant operators.
Counterpoint
Pizza Hut operating profit and margins declined year over year, so the headline strength may be concentrated in KFC and Taco Bell.
Key entities
- issuerYum! Brands, Inc.
Reported Q2 2026 results and disclosed definitive agreements to sell Pizza Hut.
- buyerLongRange Capital
Agreed to acquire Pizza Hut excluding Mainland China.
- counterpartyYum China
Agreed to acquire Pizza Hut in Mainland China as Yum’s master franchisee for KFC and Taco Bell there.
