Yum! Brands Inc. (YUM) Stock

Yum! Brands Inc. trades at a P/E ratio of 30.13, which is above the market average of approximately 20. This premium valuation suggests investors expect above-average growth or the company has competitive advantages justifying the higher multiple. Looking ahead, the forward P/E of 22.99 is lower than the current P/E, indicating analysts expect earnings to grow over the next year. The PEG ratio of 1.97 indicates reasonable value when growth is considered.

With a beta of 0.73, Yum! Brands Inc. is less volatile than the overall market. This means when the market moves up or down by 10%, this stock typically moves less than 10% in the same direction. Lower beta stocks are often preferred by conservative investors seeking stability.

Yum! Brands Inc. achieves a profit margin of 18.10%, meaning it retains $18.10 from every $100 in revenue after all expenses. This is an impressive margin, indicating strong pricing power and efficient cost management that allows the company to generate substantial profits. The operating margin of 33.50% reveals how efficiently the company runs its core business operations before interest and taxes.0

Yum! Brands Inc.'s revenue grew by 9.60% year-over-year, showing steady progress in growing the business. This positive trajectory indicates the company maintains competitive positioning in its markets. Earnings increased by 3.90% year-over-year, reflecting the bottom-line impact of business performance. These growth metrics should be evaluated against RESTAURANTS industry averages for proper context.

Yum! Brands Inc. offers a dividend yield of 1.83%, paying $2.80 per share annually. This modest yield below 2% suggests the company prioritizes growth investments over current income. While the dividend provides some return, investors are likely attracted more by capital appreciation potential than income generation. To receive the next dividend, shares must be purchased before the ex-dividend date of Sep 2, 2025.

The dividend sustainability can be assessed through the payout ratio - Yum! Brands Inc. pays $2.80 per share in dividends against earnings of $5.11 per share, resulting in a payout ratio of 54.79%. This balanced payout between 30-60% suggests a sustainable dividend policy that allows both shareholder returns and business reinvestment. The dividend appears well-covered by earnings. The next dividend payment is scheduled for Sep 12, 2025.

Yum! Brands Inc. has a market capitalization of $42.7B, classifying it as a large-cap stock ($10B-$200B). Large-caps are typically industry leaders with established business models, offering a balance of stability and growth potential. They often provide dividend income and are core holdings in institutional portfolios. With 277.54M shares outstanding, the company's ownership is relatively concentrated. As a participant in the RESTAURANTS industry, it competes with other firms in this sector.

Yum! Brands Inc.'s book value per share is -$27.63, while the current stock price is $138.31, resulting in a price-to-book (P/B) ratio of -5.01. Trading below book value can indicate the market perceives challenges ahead, or it might represent a value opportunity if the assets are quality and earnings can recover. Value investors often screen for P/B ratios below 1.0. As a common stock, this represents equity ownership with voting rights.

29 analysts cover YUM with 34% recommending buy/strong buy ratings. Analyst predictions have mixed reliability - studies show consensus rarely beats market returns consistently. The mixed views reflect uncertainty about the outlook. The consensus target of $160.25 implies 15.9% upside, but targets are often adjusted to follow price moves rather than predict them.

Current analyst recommendations:2 Strong Buy, 8 Buy, 19 Hold, 00The neutral stance suggests uncertainty or fair valuation at current levels.Remember that analyst opinions often lag price movements and can be influenced by investment banking relationships.