Yum! Brands, Inc. · YUM · FY2026 Q3 · Calendar Q4 2026
Yum! Brands: Taco Bell recovery and KFC momentum meet transition costs
The supplied Q3 call analysis points to a stronger operating focus after the Pizza Hut divestiture, with Taco Bell recovering and international KFC growth supporting the outlook. The case remains conditional: management's stated priorities and operating-efficiency gains must offset consumer, food-safety and transition-cost risks. EPS and revenue actuals were not supplied in the event facts.
Earnings scorecard
Reported versus consensusMarket reaction
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Transcript intelligence
What changed
Compared with Q2, the Pizza Hut transaction moved from being described as on track to completed, and the Q3 analysis emphasizes Taco Bell's recovery and KFC's international performance. The supplied analysis also highlights reported operating benefits from voice AI; it does not provide actual EPS or revenue for this event.
Guidance delta
Guidance sentiment is marked maintained. The supplied analysis says Taco Bell expects Q4 margin improvement to 21.5–23.5%; it does not include a broader change to company guidance.
Key takeaways
- Pizza Hut's divestiture is complete; the analysis cites $2.4 billion in net proceeds and a $1.7 billion pre-tax gain.
- Management describes Taco Bell as recovering from a summer food-safety issue and sees Q4 margin improvement.
- KFC's international results, including U.K. same-store sales, and record unit openings feature in the analysis.
- Management cited voice-AI operating benefits, while planning further deployment and expansion of digital tools.
Management priorities
- Execute the Raise the B.A.R. priorities: value, loyalty, digital and unit economics.
- Expand Kw(en)ch beverage availability, Byte Kitchen Display System and voice AI.
- Support international restaurant development and new-market entries.
- Manage Pizza Hut transition-service costs while G&A reductions phase in.
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Try FN2 freeEarnings History
Analyst 52W Price Targets
Latest persisted target per named analyst; persisted current price from FN2's market snapshot as of Nov 3, 2026. Not an FN2 forecast.
Firm-level rating actions
FMP grade actions identify the grading firm, not a named analyst.
| Firm | Rating | Prior rating | Action | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citigroup | Neutral | Neutral | Maintain | Oct 21, 2026 |
| TD Cowen | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Oct 7, 2026 |
| Guggenheim | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Oct 6, 2026 |
| JP Morgan | Overweight | Overweight | Maintain | Sep 29, 2026 |
| Argus Research | Hold | Buy | Downgrade | Sep 24, 2026 |
| Baird | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Sep 16, 2026 |
| Wells Fargo | Overweight | Equal Weight | Upgrade | Sep 10, 2026 |
| RBC Capital | Sector Perform | Sector Perform | Maintain | Jul 31, 2026 |
| Morgan Stanley | Overweight | Equal Weight | Upgrade | Jun 3, 2026 |
| Evercore ISI Group | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Feb 13, 2026 |
| Gordon Haskett | Buy | Hold | Upgrade | Jan 8, 2026 |
| Oppenheimer | Perform | Outperform | Downgrade | Jan 7, 2026 |
| Barclays | Overweight | Overweight | Maintain | Jan 7, 2026 |
| Piper Sandler | Neutral | Neutral | Maintain | Nov 5, 2025 |
| BMO Capital | Market Perform | Market Perform | Maintain | Nov 5, 2025 |
| Bernstein | Market Perform | Market Perform | Maintain | Nov 5, 2025 |
| Redburn Atlantic | Buy | Neutral | Upgrade | Jun 10, 2025 |
| Goldman Sachs | Buy | Neutral | Upgrade | Jun 4, 2025 |
| TD Securities | Hold | Hold | Maintain | May 1, 2025 |
| Stifel | Hold | Hold | Maintain | Feb 28, 2025 |
| UBS | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Feb 7, 2025 |
| Loop Capital | Hold | Hold | Maintain | Nov 6, 2024 |
| Deutsche Bank | Hold | Hold | Maintain | Nov 6, 2024 |
| B of A Securities | Neutral | Neutral | Maintain | Oct 22, 2024 |
| Credit Suisse | Neutral | Neutral | Maintain | May 4, 2023 |
| Cowen & Co. | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Feb 9, 2023 |
| Atlantic Equities | Overweight | Neutral | Upgrade | Dec 9, 2021 |
| MKM Partners | Neutral | Neutral | Maintain | Jan 7, 2021 |
| CFRA | Hold | Hold | Maintain | Apr 30, 2020 |
| Jefferies | Hold | Hold | Maintain | Apr 22, 2020 |
| BTIG Research | Neutral | Buy | Downgrade | Feb 7, 2020 |
| BTIG | Neutral | Buy | Downgrade | Feb 7, 2020 |
| Stifel Nicolaus | Hold | Hold | Maintain | Oct 31, 2019 |
| Longbow Research | Underperform | Neutral | Downgrade | Jul 1, 2019 |
| KeyBanc | Equal Weight | Sector Weight | Maintain | Oct 4, 2018 |
| Argus | Buy | Buy | Maintain | May 5, 2018 |
| Nomura Instinet | Neutral | Buy | Downgrade | Jan 30, 2018 |
| Instinet | Neutral | Buy | Downgrade | Jan 30, 2018 |
| Edward Jones | Buy | Hold | Upgrade | Jan 26, 2018 |
| Nomura | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Nov 3, 2017 |
| Bank of America | Neutral | Neutral | Maintain | Oct 6, 2017 |
| Mizuho | Neutral | Neutral | Maintain | Jun 9, 2017 |
| CLSA | Underperform | Underperform | Maintain | Jul 14, 2016 |
| OTR Global | Sell | Negative | Maintain | Nov 9, 2015 |
| Janney Montgomery Scott | Buy | Neutral | Upgrade | Nov 20, 2014 |
| Janney Capital | Buy | Neutral | Upgrade | Nov 20, 2014 |
| FirstEnergy Capital | Outperform | Market Perform | Upgrade | Mar 20, 2014 |
| Buckingham Research | Neutral | Buy | Downgrade | Aug 13, 2013 |
| Raymond James | Market Perform | Underperform | Upgrade | Apr 25, 2013 |
| Argus Capital | Hold | Buy | Downgrade | Jan 17, 2013 |
| Susquehanna | Neutral | Positive | Downgrade | Nov 30, 2012 |
Named analyst price targets
Upside is calculated against the persisted current price $157.01. FMP does not supply a rating on these named-analyst rows.
| Firm | Analyst | 52W target | Price when posted | Upside | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deutsche Bank | Lauren Silberman | $167 | $149.72 | +6.4% | Oct 21, 2026 |
| Guggenheim | Analyst unavailable | $155 | $139.34 | -1.3% | Oct 6, 2026 |
| Robert W. Baird | Chris O'Cull | $165 | $140.77 | +5.1% | Sep 16, 2026 |
| Seaport Global | Analyst unavailable | $162 | $140.77 | +3.2% | Sep 16, 2026 |
| Wells Fargo | Zachary Fadem | $175 | $145.09 | +11.5% | Sep 10, 2026 |
| Argus Research | John Staszak | $180 | $143.7 | +14.6% | Aug 17, 2026 |
| RBC Capital | Logan Reich | $170 | $153.92 | +8.3% | Jul 31, 2026 |
| Deutsche Bank | Lauren Silberman | $174 | $153.16 | +10.8% | Jul 31, 2026 |
| Morgan Stanley | Brian Harbour | $185 | $146.58 | +17.8% | Jun 3, 2026 |
| BMO Capital | Andrew Strelzik | $168 | $156.76 | +7.0% | May 4, 2026 |
| Morgan Stanley | Analyst unavailable | $180 | $157.71 | +14.6% | May 1, 2026 |
| Deutsche Bank | Analyst unavailable | $177 | $159.46 | +12.7% | Apr 30, 2026 |
| Deutsche Bank | Lauren Silberman | $171 | $161.46 | +8.9% | Apr 15, 2026 |
| Evercore ISI | Analyst unavailable | $190 | $162.04 | +21.0% | Feb 13, 2026 |
| Guggenheim | Gregory Francfort | $180 | $159.06 | +14.6% | Feb 12, 2026 |
| Wells Fargo | Analyst unavailable | $160 | $159.57 | +1.9% | Feb 5, 2026 |
| BMO Capital | Analyst unavailable | $165 | $159.57 | +5.1% | Feb 5, 2026 |
| Barclays | Analyst unavailable | $185 | $159.57 | +17.8% | Feb 5, 2026 |
| UBS | Dennis Geiger | $180 | $157.16 | +14.6% | Feb 2, 2026 |
| Morgan Stanley | Brian Harbour | $176 | $157.23 | +12.1% | Jan 20, 2026 |
| Gordon Haskett Capital Corporation | Analyst unavailable | $176 | $152.64 | +12.1% | Jan 8, 2026 |
| Bernstein | Jeffrey Bernstein | $179 | $151.41 | +14.0% | Jan 7, 2026 |
| Stifel Nicolaus | Chris O'Cull | $160 | $148.03 | +1.9% | Nov 17, 2025 |
| Goldman Sachs | Analyst unavailable | $177 | $148.31 | +12.7% | Nov 5, 2025 |
| Piper Sandler | Brian Mullan | $158 | $148.52 | +0.6% | Nov 5, 2025 |
| Barclays | Analyst unavailable | $175 | $149.55 | +11.5% | Nov 5, 2025 |
| Bernstein | Danilo Gargiulo | $160 | $149.55 | +1.9% | Nov 5, 2025 |
| Evercore ISI | David Palmer | $180 | $149.55 | +14.6% | Nov 5, 2025 |
| Guggenheim | Gregory Francfort | $160 | $142.38 | +1.9% | Oct 28, 2025 |
| Barclays | Analyst unavailable | $163 | $148.53 | +3.8% | Oct 22, 2025 |
| Morgan Stanley | Analyst unavailable | $165 | $148.16 | +5.1% | Oct 21, 2025 |
| RBC Capital | Logan Reich | $165 | $146.03 | +5.1% | Oct 8, 2025 |
| Piper Sandler | Brian Mullan | $157 | $153.19 | -0.0% | Oct 2, 2025 |
| Bernstein | Jeffrey Bernstein | $164 | $139.5 | +4.5% | Aug 5, 2025 |
| Guggenheim | Analyst unavailable | $167 | $147 | +6.4% | Aug 4, 2025 |
| Oppenheimer | Brian Bittner | $185 | $147.3 | +17.8% | Apr 28, 2025 |
| Robert W. Baird | David Tarantino | $174 | $143.47 | +10.8% | Apr 7, 2025 |
| Piper Sandler | Brian Mullan | $150 | $161.45 | -4.5% | Apr 3, 2025 |
| Robert W. Baird | Analyst unavailable | $176 | $159.37 | +12.1% | Mar 5, 2025 |
| Bernstein | Jeffrey Bernstein | $162 | $128.55 | +3.2% | Jan 7, 2025 |
| Citigroup | Jon Tower | $162 | $133.35 | +3.2% | Oct 17, 2024 |
| Loop Capital Markets | Alton Stump | $143 | $136.85 | -8.9% | Aug 7, 2024 |
| Citigroup | Jon Tower | $160 | $136.85 | +1.9% | Aug 6, 2024 |
| Deutsche Bank | Lauren Silberman | $143 | $133.32 | -8.9% | Aug 6, 2024 |
| Stifel Nicolaus | Chris O'Cull | $130 | $126.93 | -17.2% | Jul 22, 2024 |
| Loop Capital Markets | Alton Stump | $135 | $128.31 | -14.0% | Jul 19, 2024 |
| Morgan Stanley | Brian Harbour | $153 | $128.1 | -2.6% | Jul 16, 2024 |
| Evercore ISI | David Palmer | $145 | $127.89 | -7.6% | Jul 16, 2024 |
| Guggenheim | Gregory Francfort | $145 | $129.17 | -7.6% | Jul 11, 2024 |
| Goldman Sachs | Christine Cho | $150 | $137.3 | -4.5% | Jun 13, 2024 |
| Bernstein | Jeffrey Bernstein | $148 | $135.33 | -5.7% | May 2, 2024 |
| BMO Capital | Andrew Strelzik | $135 | $135.33 | -14.0% | May 2, 2024 |
| Oppenheimer | Brian Bittner | $154 | $128.34 | -1.9% | Jan 5, 2024 |
| Goldman Sachs | Jared Garber | $135 | $118.15 | -14.0% | Jul 18, 2022 |
| Citigroup | Jon Tower | $156 | $122.97 | -0.6% | Apr 16, 2022 |
| Guggenheim | Gregory Francfort | $153 | $123 | -2.6% | Feb 15, 2022 |
| Morgan Stanley | John Glass | $150 | $126.47 | -4.5% | Jan 14, 2022 |
| Bank of America Securities | Sara Senatore | $157 | $130.06 | -0.0% | Jan 11, 2022 |
| UBS | Dennis Geiger | $155 | $136.29 | -1.3% | Jan 6, 2022 |
| Jefferies | Andy Barish | $124 | $131.32 | -21.0% | Dec 17, 2021 |
| Atlantic Equities | Edward Lewis | $151 | $132.5 | -3.8% | Dec 9, 2021 |
| BMO Capital | Andrew Strelzik | $130 | $123.87 | -17.2% | Oct 29, 2021 |
| MKM Partners | Brett Levy | $145 | $124.8 | -7.6% | Oct 28, 2021 |
| Wells Fargo | Roger Read | $144 | $125.37 | -8.3% | Oct 18, 2021 |
| Loop Capital Markets | Alton Stump | $120 | $122.54 | -23.6% | Oct 5, 2021 |
| Argus Research | John Staszak | $145 | $129.78 | -7.6% | Jul 30, 2021 |
| J.P. Morgan | John Ivankoe | $120 | $114.52 | -23.6% | Apr 12, 2021 |
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Start freeCompany context
Snapshot as of publicationYUM! Brands, Inc. (YUM) is a leading global quick-service restaurant enterprise that focuses on the creation, management, and franchising of its restaurant concepts internationally. Its business is organized into four main divisions: KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and The Habit Burger Grill. The company operates establishments under these well-known brands, offering diverse food categories such as chicken, pizza, Mexican-style dishes, and made-to-order chargrilled burgers and sandwiches, among other food products. As of December 31, 2021, YUM! Brands boasted a significant worldwide presence, comprising 26,934 KFC outlets, 18,381 Pizza Hut locations, 7,791 Taco Bell restaurants, and 318 The Habit Burger Grill units, spread across roughly 157 countries and territories. The company, which maintains its headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky, was established in 1997. It was formerly known as TRICON Global Restaurants, Inc., before officially adopting the name YUM! Brands, Inc. in May 2002.
Historical context
All YUM earningsConsumer Cyclical peers this season
Latest reports in the same sector| Company | Quarter | EPS surprise | Market move | Headline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YUMC Yum China Holdings, Inc. | FY2026 Q3 · Calendar Q4 2026 | — | +0.5% | Yum China pairs new-store growth with improving restaurant economics |
| APTV Aptiv PLC | FY2026 Q3 · Calendar Q4 2026 | — | -3.8% | Aptiv’s bookings and non-auto expansion offset a cautious automotive outlook |
| MAR Marriott International, Inc. | FY2026 Q3 · Calendar Q4 2026 | +6.3% | +4.3% | Marriott Raises 2026 RevPAR Outlook After Strong Q3 |
Latest beats and misses
Who reports nextBeat on EPS
- RRXFY2026 Q3 · November 3, 2026+41.1% EPS+11.8% move
- UDRFY2026 Q3 · November 2, 2026+340.8% EPS+0.1% move
- VNOMFY2026 Q3 · November 2, 2026+3.9% EPS-2.6% move
- EQH-PAFY2026 Q3 · November 2, 2026+14.5% EPS— move
- WMBFY2026 Q3 · November 2, 2026+0.2% EPS+3.5% move
- TSEMFY2026 Q3 · November 2, 2026+7.5% EPS-6.7% move
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Sources
- Earnings call transcript and parsed analysis · 2026-11-03T19:05:58.944038+00:00
- FN2 earnings calendar · 2026-11-03T01:23:13.143323+00:00
- Polygon adjusted daily market bars · 2026-11-03T19:20:44.487085+00:00
- Financial Modeling Prep analyst price-target consensus and quote snapshot · 2026-11-03T19:20:44.484426+00:00
Methodology
Reported and consensus figures come from FN2's earnings event records. Market reaction and volume are calculated from daily adjusted bars around the event; abnormal move subtracts the SPY move over the same window.
Analyst target low, average, and high values are derived at request time from each named analyst's latest persisted FMP target. The current-price marker comes from FN2's persisted market snapshot. They are sell-side estimates, not an FN2 valuation or recommendation.
Transcript intelligence is a structured synthesis of the current and prior earnings-call analyses. Missing values stay missing and are never estimated.
By FN2 Research · Updated · As of 2026-11-03. For educational purposes only; not investment advice.