Louisville, Kentucky-based Yum! Brands, Inc. (YUM) develops, operates, franchises, and licenses quick service restaurants. Valued at $39.2 billion by market cap, the company prepares, packages, and sells a menu of food items. 

Shares of this fast-food company have underperformed the broader market over the past year. YUM has gained 4.8% over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has rallied nearly 20.6%. In 2025, YUM’s stock rose 5.9%, compared to the SPX’s 9.6% rise on a YTD basis. 

Narrowing the focus, YUM’s underperformance is also apparent compared to the AdvisorShares Restaurant ETF (EATZ). The exchange-traded fund has gained about 16.6% over the past year. However, YUM’s gains on a YTD basis outshine the ETF’s 1.5% returns over the same time frame.

On Aug. 5, YUM shares closed down more than 5% after reporting its Q2 results. Its adjusted EPS of $1.44 did not meet Wall Street expectations of $1.45. The company’s revenue was $1.9 billion, matching Wall Street forecasts.

For the current fiscal year, ending in December, analysts expect YUM’s EPS to grow 9.3% to $5.99 on a diluted basis. The company’s earnings surprise history is mixed. It beat the consensus estimate in two of the last four quarters while missing the forecast on two other occasions. 

Among the 27 analysts covering YUM stock, the consensus is a “Moderate Buy.” That’s based on nine “Strong Buy” ratings, and 18 “Holds.”

This configuration is more bullish than two months ago, with eight analysts suggesting a “Strong Buy.”

On Aug. 6, Gregory Francfort from Guggenheim reiterated a “Buy” rating on YUM with a price target of $167, implying a potential upside of 17.5% from current levels.

The mean price target of $160.65 represents a 13.1% premium to YUM’s current price levels. The Street-high price target of $185 suggests an ambitious upside potential of 30.2%.