Yum! Brands Reports Strong First Quarter Results

Yum! Brands ( (YUM) ) has released its Q1 earnings. Here is a breakdown of the information Yum! Brands presented to its investors.

Yum! Brands, Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, operates and franchises a global network of nearly 61,000 restaurants under the KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and Habit Burger & Grill brands, specializing in chicken, Mexican-inspired food, pizza, and chargrilled burgers, respectively.

In its latest earnings report, Yum! Brands announced a strong first quarter, highlighted by a 9% same-store sales growth at Taco Bell U.S. and a 7% unit growth for KFC International. The company achieved a 5% increase in GAAP operating profit and an 8% rise in core operating profit, demonstrating resilience in a challenging consumer environment.

Key financial metrics for the quarter include a 5% worldwide system sales growth, excluding foreign currency impacts, and a 13% increase in EPS excluding special items. Taco Bell led the performance with an 11% system sales growth, while KFC saw a 5% increase. However, Pizza Hut experienced a decline, with system sales dropping by 3% and operating profit decreasing by 20%.

Strategically, Yum! Brands announced a collaboration with NVIDIA to integrate AI technologies across its restaurants and outlined Taco Bell’s growth plan through 2030. Additionally, CEO David Gibbs announced his retirement in 2026, with a selection committee in place to find his successor.

Looking forward, Yum! Brands remains optimistic about its growth prospects, leveraging its global scale, proprietary technologies, and strategic initiatives to continue delivering strong performance and long-term success.