Q1 26 EPS
$1.50
Q1 26 Revenue
$2.06B
BEAT +0.78%
Est. $2.04B
vs S&P Since Q1 26
-7.1%
TRAILING MARKET
YUM -3.4% vs S&P +3.6%
Market Reaction
Did YUM Beat Earnings? Q1 2026 Results
Yum! Brands kicked off fiscal 2026 with a stronger-than-expected quarter, posting adjusted diluted EPS of $1.50, beating the $1.39 consensus estimate by 7.95%, while revenue of $2.06 billion edged past the $2.04 billion forecast and climbed 15.2% yea… Read more Yum! Brands kicked off fiscal 2026 with a stronger-than-expected quarter, posting adjusted diluted EPS of $1.50, beating the $1.39 consensus estimate by 7.95%, while revenue of $2.06 billion edged past the $2.04 billion forecast and climbed 15.2% year over year. The primary engine behind the beat was Taco Bell, where U.S. Same-store sales surged 8% and total division revenue jumped 21% to $797 million, with company restaurant margins expanding 1.2 percentage points to 23.6%. KFC added further momentum, contributing 7% unit growth across 45 countries and 6% system sales growth excluding foreign exchange. Pizza Hut remained a drag, with U.S. Same-store sales falling 4% and division operating profit declining 14% to $64 million, prompting management to incur $37 million in advisory costs tied to an ongoing strategic review of the brand. Looking ahead, Yum! Reiterated its long-term algorithm targeting 5% unit growth, 7% system sales growth ex-FX, and at least 8% core operating profit growth, citing global consumer demand and expanding technology capabilities as key supports.
Key Takeaways
- • Taco Bell U.S. same-store sales growth of 8%, meaningfully ahead of QSR industry
- • KFC unit growth of 7% with 648 gross new restaurants across 45 countries
- • Worldwide system sales grew 6% excluding foreign currency translation
- • Digital system sales approached $11 billion with record 63% digital mix
- • KFC company-owned restaurant margins improved 100 basis points to 10.3%
- • Taco Bell International system sales grew 16% ex-FX with 5% same-store sales growth
- • Foreign currency translation favorably impacted divisional operating profit by $25 million
- • $44 million net litigation settlement from credit card interchange fees
- • Effective tax rate excluding Special Items improved to 18.0% from 19.8%
YUM YoY Financials
Q1 2026 vs Q1 2025, source: SEC Filings
YUM Revenue by Segment
With YoY comparisons, source: SEC Filings
“We delivered solid topline momentum to start the year, with our fundamentals as strong as ever. Taco Bell delivered an outstanding 8% same-store sales growth, meaningfully ahead of the QSR industry, building off a very strong Q1 same-store sales growth rate in 2025. KFC delivered impressive unit growth and resilient same-store growth, with many KFC markets growing system sales double-digits. Yum! is incredibly well positioned to sustain sales momentum thanks to strong global consumer appeal for our brands, long-term consumption tailwinds, and our tech and AI capabilities.”
— Chris Turner, Q1 2026 Earnings Press Release
YUM Earnings Trends
YUM vs Market 30 Day Price Reactions
30-day stock return vs benchmark after each earnings
YUM EPS Trend
Earnings per share: estimate vs actual
YUM Revenue Trend
Quarterly revenue: estimate vs actual
YUM Quarterly Results
6 quarters of earnings data
| Quarter | EPS Est. | EPS Act. | Surprise | Revenue | Rev. Surprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q2 26 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Q1 26 | — | $1.50 | — | $2.06B | +0.78% |
| Q4 25 MISS FY | $1.77 | $1.73 | -2.26% | $2.51B | +2.38% |
| FY Full Year | $6.07 | $6.05 | -0.31% | $8.21B | +0.73% |
| Q3 25 BEAT | $1.48 | $1.58 | +6.68% | $1.98B | +0.45% |
| Q2 25 MISS | $1.46 | $1.44 | -1.32% | $1.93B | -0.31% |
| Q1 25 BEAT | $1.28 | $1.30 | +1.41% | $1.79B | -3.44% |