Yum Brands and Yum China Report Mixed Fourth Quarter 2025 Results

Yum Brands and its China-based spin-off, Yum China Holdings, have released their financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ending December 31, 2025.

Yum Brands, which owns fast-food chains such as Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut, reported higher revenue for the quarter, boosted mainly by strong sales at Taco Bell and international growth at KFC. Taco Bell's same-store sales grew by 7%. However, performance varied across brands, with Pizza Hut underperforming, which caused the company's quarterly earnings to fall short of some analysts’ expectations. Despite this, Yum Brands reported a 12% increase in operating profit for the quarter and a 7% increase for the full year. The company also announced an increase in its dividend.

Yum China, which manages the KFC and Pizza Hut brands in China, reported a 7% increase in total system sales and a 3% rise in same-store sales for the fourth quarter. Operating profit was up 25% for the quarter and 11% for the full year. The company announced a 21% increase in its dividend and confirmed plans to return $1.5 billion to shareholders in 2026.

The growth was mainly driven by strong performance at Taco Bell and international sales at KFC.

Earnings were affected by weaker results at Pizza Hut, which offset gains made by other brands.

Yum China operates KFC and Pizza Hut in China. It reported increases in sales and profits for the quarter and full year, and also raised its dividend.

PRNewsWire

Fourth Quarter Same-Store Sales Increased 3%, System Sales Grew 7% and Operating Profit Up 25% Full Year Operating Profit Rose 11%; Diluted EPS Up 8%, or 14% Excluding Mark-to-Market and F/X Impact Increase Dividend by 21% and On Track to Return $1.5 billion to Shareholders in 2026 SHANGHAI, Feb. 4,...

CNBC

Yum Brands reported quarterly earnings that missed Wall Street's expectations, but its revenue was better than expected. Taco Bell's same-store sales spiked 7% in the quarter.

Business Wire

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM) today reported results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2025. Fourth-quarter GAAP operating profit grew 12%, and fourth-quarter Core Operating Profit excluding the lap of the 53rd week grew 11%. Fourth-quarter GAAP EPS...

WSJ

Yum Brands logged higher revenue in its latest quarter, helped by growth at its Taco Bell and KFC businesses.

Invezz

Yum Brands ended the final quarter of the year with results that reflected a widening performance gap across its restaurant portfolio. Strong demand at Taco Bell and steady international growth at KFC helped lift revenue beyond expectations, but earnings came in below forecasts and Pizza Hut continu...

Proactive Investors

Yum! Brands Inc (NYSE:YUM) reported fourth quarter 2025 earnings that modestly exceeded Wall Street expectations, with shares little changed in early trading.

Zacks Investment Research

While the top- and bottom-line numbers for Yum (YUM) give a sense of how the business performed in the quarter ended December 2025, it could be worth looking at how some of its key metrics compare to Wall Street estimates and year-ago values.