Yum! Brands Reports Second-Quarter Results

Rhea-AI Summary

Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM) reported second-quarter results for the period ended June 30, 2024. Highlights include:

• Worldwide system sales grew 3% excluding foreign currency translation
• GAAP operating profit increased 6%, while core operating profit rose 10%
• GAAP EPS was $1.28, and EPS excluding Special Items was $1.35
• Taco Bell saw 5% same-store sales growth and 7% system sales growth
• KFC achieved 8% unit growth and 2% system sales growth
• Pizza Hut had flat system sales growth

The company opened 894 gross new units, increasing its total unit count by 5%. Digital sales reached nearly $8 billion, representing over 50% of total sales. Yum! Brands continues to expect at least 8% core operating profit growth for the year.

Positive

• Worldwide system sales grew 3% excluding foreign currency translation
• GAAP operating profit increased 6%, while core operating profit rose 10%
• Taco Bell achieved 5% same-store sales growth and 7% system sales growth
• KFC saw 8% unit growth and 2% system sales growth
• Company opened 894 gross new units, increasing total unit count by 5%
• Digital sales reached nearly $8 billion, representing over 50% of total sales
• Company expects at least 8% core operating profit growth for the year

Negative

• Worldwide same-store sales declined 1%
• EPS excluding Special Items decreased 4% year-over-year to $1.35
• Higher current year tax rate and lower investment income negatively impacted EPS by $0.20
• Foreign currency translation unfavorably impacted EPS by $0.03
• KFC same-store sales declined 3%
• Pizza Hut same-store sales declined 3%

Financial Analyst

Yum! Brands' Q2 2024 results show resilience in a challenging environment. Core operating profit grew 10%, outpacing the 3% system sales growth. This efficiency is impressive, especially considering the 1% same-store sales decline. Taco Bell's 5% same-store sales growth and KFC's 8% unit growth were key drivers.

The $0.20 EPS impact from higher taxes and lower investment income is concerning, potentially affecting future profitability. However, the company's digital sales of nearly $8 billion, representing over 50% of total sales, demonstrate strong adaptation to changing consumer preferences.

Investors should monitor KFC's international performance, which offset U.S. weakness. The expansion of AI technology at Taco Bell could be a game-changer for operational efficiency and customer experience in 2025.

Market Research Analyst

Yum! Brands' Q2 results reveal intriguing market dynamics. Taco Bell's success with its Cantina Chicken platform highlights the importance of menu innovation in driving growth. This 7% system sales increase for Taco Bell contrasts sharply with Pizza Hut's flat performance, indicating shifting consumer preferences.

The 5% global unit count increase, including 894 new units, suggests confidence in long-term growth despite short-term challenges. However, the 1% same-store sales decline warrants attention, possibly indicating market saturation or increased competition in some areas.

Regional variations are notable: KFC's strong performance in Latin America and Africa (20% and 10% system sales growth respectively) contrasts with declines in Asia and the Middle East. This underscores the importance of tailored strategies for different markets and potential opportunities for targeted expansion.

Tech Expert

Yum! Brands' technology initiatives are promising. The expansion of drive-thru Voice AI technology at Taco Bell is a significant move towards automation and efficiency. This could lead to reduced labor costs, improved order accuracy and faster service times, potentially boosting customer satisfaction and sales.

The company's digital sales of nearly $8 billion, accounting for over 50% of total sales, demonstrate successful digital transformation. This high digital penetration provides valuable customer data for personalized marketing and menu optimization.

However, the report lacks specifics on other tech initiatives. Investors should seek more information on mobile app improvements, loyalty program enhancements and data analytics capabilities. These factors will be important for Yum! Brands to maintain its competitive edge in an increasingly tech-driven restaurant industry.

+6% GAAP Operating Profit Growth and +10% Core Operating Profit Growth

Taco Bell Same-Store Sales Growth +5%; KFC Unit Growth +8%

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM) today reported results for the second-quarter ended June 30, 2024. Worldwide system sales, excluding foreign currency translation, grew 3% including a 1% same-store sales decline. Second-quarter GAAP operating profit grew 6% and second-quarter core operating profit grew 10%. Second-quarter GAAP EPS was $1.28 and second-quarter EPS excluding Special Items was $1.35. Our year-over-year EPS excluding Special Items results reflect a $0.20 negative impact from a higher current year tax rate and lower investment income. Foreign currency translation also unfavorably impacted our EPS by $0.03.

DAVID GIBBS COMMENTS

David Gibbs, CEO, said “I’m incredibly pleased with how well our teams have managed through a challenging operating environment to deliver a 10% increase in Core Operating Profit. Our twin growth engines of Taco Bell U.S. and KFC International combined delivered 5% system sales growth led by 8% unit growth. Second-quarter results most clearly showcased the power of the Taco Bell brand thanks to unmatched, crave-worthy innovation and a successful menu expansion to a new platform offering, Cantina Chicken. Based on our first half results, we continue to expect to deliver at least 8% Core Operating Profit growth this year. Meanwhile, as we progress into the next phase of our technology and digital journey, we are laying the groundwork for another promising year in 2025 as evidenced by the expansion of drive-thru Voice AI technology at Taco Bell.”

SECOND-QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

• Worldwide system sales grew 3%, excluding foreign currency translation, with KFC at 2%, Taco Bell at 7% and Pizza Hut flat.
• Unit count increased 5% including 894 gross new units in the quarter.
• Robust digital sales of nearly $8 billion, with digital mix over 50%.
• GAAP operating profit grew 6%, and core operating profit grew 10%.
• Foreign currency translation unfavorably impacted divisional operating profit by $12 million.

Reported Results	% Change
	System Sales Ex F/X	Same-Store Sales	Units	GAAP Operating Profit	Core Operating Profit1
KFC Division	+2	(3)	+8	+3	+6
Taco Bell Division	+7	+5	+3	+10	+10
Pizza Hut Division	Even	(3)	+3	+4	+6
Worldwide	+3	(1)	+5	+6	+10

	Second-Quarter			Year-to-Date
	2024	2023	% Change	2024	2023	% Change
GAAP EPS	$1.28	$1.46	(12)	$2.38	$2.51	(5)
Less Special Items EPS1	$(0.07)	$0.05	NM	$(0.12)	$0.05	NM
EPS Excluding Special Items	$1.35	$1.41	(4)	$2.50	$2.46	+1

1 See reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measurements to GAAP Results within this release for further detail of Core Operating Profit and Special Items.

All comparisons are versus the same period a year ago.

System sales growth figures exclude foreign currency translation ("F/X") and core operating profit growth figures exclude F/X and Special Items. Special Items are not allocated to any segment and therefore only impact worldwide GAAP results. See reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measurements to GAAP Results within this release for further details.

Digital system sales includes all transactions at system restaurants where consumers utilize ordering interaction that is primarily facilitated by automated technology.

KFC DIVISION

	Second-Quarter				Year-to-Date
			%/ppts Change				%/ppts Change
	2024	2023	Reported	Ex F/X	2024	2023	Reported	Ex F/X
Restaurants	30,689	28,500	+8	N/A	30,689	28,500	+8	N/A
System Sales ($MM)	8,226	8,298	(1)	+2	16,354	16,355	Even	+3
Same-Store Sales Growth (%)	(3)	+13	NM	NM	(3)	+11	NM	NM
Franchise and Property Revenues ($MM)	405	416	(3)	Even	802	828	(3)	(1)
Operating Profit ($MM)	334	326	+3	+6	647	631	+3	+6
Operating Margin (%)	46.6	47.7	(1.1)	(0.4)	48.0	46.0	+2.0	+2.7

	Second-Quarter (% Change)		Year-to-Date (% Change)
	International	U.S.	International	U.S.
System Sales Growth Ex F/X	+3	(7)	+5	(7)
Same-Store Sales Growth	(3)	(5)	(2)	(6)

• KFC Division opened 598 gross new restaurants across 57 countries.
• Foreign currency translation unfavorably impacted operating profit by $10 million.

KFC Markets1	Percent of KFC System Sales2	System Sales Growth Ex F/X
		Second-Quarter (% Change)	Year-to-Date (% Change)
China	27%	+5	+7
United States	15%	(7)	(7)
Europe	11%	+9	+8
Asia	10%	(10)	(8)
Australia	7%	+3	+4
Latin America	7%	+20	+21
United Kingdom	6%	(3)	(2)
Middle East / Turkey / North Africa	6%	(11)	(8)
Africa	5%	+10	+10
Thailand	2%	+8	+8
Canada	2%	+5	+4
India	2%	+9	+10

1Refer to investors.yum.com/financial-information/financial-reports/ for a list of the countries within each of the markets.

2Reflects Full Year 2023.

TACO BELL DIVISION

	Second-Quarter				Year-to-Date
			%/ppts Change				%/ppts Change
	2024	2023	Reported	Ex F/X	2024	2023	Reported	Ex F/X
Restaurants	8,565	8,320	+3	N/A	8,565	8,320	+3	N/A
System Sales ($MM)	4,017	3,760	+7	+7	7,614	7,224	+5	+5
Same-Store Sales Growth (%)	+5	+4	NM	NM	+3	+6	NM	NM
Franchise and Property Revenues ($MM)	234	218	+7	+7	444	419	+6	+6
Operating Profit ($MM)	250	228	+10	+10	458	432	+6	+6
Operating Margin (%)	37.5	36.8	0.7	0.7	36.3	36.2	0.1	0.1

• Taco Bell Division opened 56 gross new restaurants across 11 countries.
• Taco Bell U.S. system sales grew 7% and Taco Bell International system sales excluding foreign currency grew 4%.
• Taco Bell U.S. same-store sales grew 5% and Taco Bell International same-store sales declined 1%.
• Company-owned restaurant margins were 25.6%, flat year-over-year.

PIZZA HUT DIVISION

	Second-Quarter				Year-to-Date
			%/ppts Change				%/ppts Change
	2024	2023	Reported	Ex F/X	2024	2023	Reported	Ex F/X
Restaurants	19,864	19,242	+3	N/A	19,864	19,242	+3	N/A
System Sales ($MM)	3,140	3,201	(2)	Even	6,307	6,537	(4)	(2)
Same-Store Sales Growth (%)	(3)	+4	NM	NM	(5)	+5	NM	NM
Franchise and Property Revenues ($MM)	148	149	Even	+1	296	304	(3)	(1)
Operating Profit ($MM)	94	91	+4	+6	187	195	(4)	(2)
Operating Margin (%)	39.3	37.3	2.0	2.5	39.2	39.3	(0.1)	0.3

	Second-Quarter (% Change)		Year-to-Date (% Change)
	International	U.S.	International	U.S.
System Sales Growth Ex F/X	Even	(1)	(1)	(3)
Same-Store Sales Growth	(4)	(1)	(6)	(3)

• Pizza Hut Division opened 236 gross new restaurants across 30 countries.
• Foreign currency translation unfavorably impacted operating profit by $2 million.

Pizza Hut Markets1	Percent of Pizza Hut System Sales2	System Sales Growth Ex F/X
		Second-Quarter (% Change)	Year-to-Date (% Change)
United States	41%	(1)	(3)
China	18%	+10	+4
Asia	13%	(5)	(5)
Europe	12%	(6)	(5)
Latin America	6%	+1	+2
Middle East / Africa	5%	(6)	(6)
Canada	3%	+7	+5
India	2%	+4	+1

1Refer to investors.yum.com/financial-information/financial-reports/ for a list of the countries within each of the markets.

2Reflects Full Year 2023.

HABIT BURGER GRILL DIVISION

• The Habit Burger Grill Division opened 4 gross new restaurants this quarter.
• The Habit Burger Grill Division system sales declined 1% with same-store sales declining 6%.

OTHER ITEMS

• See reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measurements to GAAP results within this release for further detail of Special Items by financial statement line item including the impact of Special Items on General and administrative expenses.
• In June 2024, the Company completed a strategic transaction to transfer certain rights related to trademarks of the Jeno’s and Telepizza brands in Colombia and Chile to restaurant operator Food Delivery Brands, S.A. As a result of the transaction, approximately 120 Jeno’s and Telepizza branded restaurant units were removed from Pizza Hut’s global unit count.
• Disclosures pertaining to outstanding debt in our Restricted Group capital structure will be provided at the time of the filing of the second-quarter Form 10-Q.

CONFERENCE CALL

Yum! Brands, Inc. will host a conference call to review the company's financial performance and strategies at 8:15 a.m. Eastern Time August 6, 2024. The number is 404/975-4839 for U.S. callers, 833/950-0062 for Canada callers, and 929/526-1599 for international callers, conference ID 125949.

The call will be available for playback beginning at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time August 6, 2024 through August 15, 2024. To access the playback, dial 866/813-9403 in the U.S., 226/828-7578 in Canada, 0204/525-0658 for U.K. (local), and +44/204-525-0658 internationally, conference ID 908951.

The webcast and the playback can be accessed by visiting Yum! Brands' website, investors.yum.com/events-and-presentations and selecting “Q2 2024 Yum! Brands, Inc. Earnings Call.”

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ONLINE

Quarter-end dates for each division, restaurant count details, definitions of terms and Restricted Group financial information are available at investors.yum.com. Reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures are included in our Condensed Consolidated Summary of Results.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This announcement may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. We intend all forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and by the use of forward-looking words such as “expect,” “expectation,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “may,” “could,” “intend,” “belief,” “plan,” “estimate,” “target,” “predict,” “likely,” “seek,” “project,” “model,” “ongoing,” “will,” “should,” “forecast,” “outlook” or similar terminology. These statements are based on and reflect our current expectations, estimates, assumptions and/ or projections, our perception of historical trends and current conditions, as well as other factors that we believe are appropriate and reasonable under the circumstances. Forward-looking statements are neither predictions nor guarantees of future events, circumstances or performance and are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated by those statements. There can be no assurance that our expectations, estimates, assumptions and/or projections, including with respect to the future earnings and performance or capital structure of Yum! Brands, will prove to be correct or that any of our expectations, estimates or projections will be achieved.

Numerous factors could cause our actual results and events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: food safety and food- or beverage-borne illness concerns; adverse impacts of health epidemics, deterioration in public health conditions or the occurrence of other catastrophic or unforeseen events; the success of our concepts’ franchisees; the success of our development strategy; anticipated benefits from past or potential future acquisitions, investments, other strategic transactions or initiatives, or our portfolio business model; our significant exposure to the Chinese market; our global operations and related exposure to geopolitical instability; foreign currency risks and foreign exchange controls; our ability to protect the integrity or availability of IT systems or the security of confidential information and other cybersecurity risks; compliance with data privacy and data protection legal requirements; our ability to successfully implement technology initiatives, including utilization of artificial intelligence; our increasing dependence on digital commerce platforms; the impact of social media; our ability to protect our trademarks or other intellectual property; shortages or interruptions in the availability and the delivery of food, equipment and other supplies; the loss of key personnel, labor shortages and increased labor costs, including as a result of state and local legislation related to wages and working conditions; changes in food prices and other operating costs; our corporate reputation, the value and perception of our brands and changes in consumer preferences and wellness trends; evolving expectations and requirements with respect to social and environmental sustainability matters; adverse effects of severe weather and climate change; pending or future litigation and legal claims or proceedings; changes in, or noncompliance with, legal requirements; tax matters, including changes in tax rates or laws, impositions of new taxes, tax implications of our restructurings, or disagreements with taxing authorities; changes in consumer discretionary spending and macroeconomic conditions, including inflationary pressures and elevated interest rates; competition within the retail food industry; risks relating to our level of indebtedness. In addition, other risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial could affect the accuracy of any such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements should be evaluated with the understanding of their inherent uncertainty.

The forward-looking statements included in this announcement are only made as of the date of this announcement and we disclaim any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. You should consult our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the information set forth under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Forward-Looking Statements” in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q) for additional detail about factors that could affect our financial and other results.

Yum! Brands, Inc., based in Louisville, Kentucky, and its subsidiaries franchise or operate a system of over 59,000 restaurants in more than 155 countries and territories under the company’s concepts – KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and the Habit Burger Grill. The Company's KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut brands are global leaders of the chicken, Mexican-style food, and pizza categories, respectively. The Habit Burger Grill is a fast casual restaurant concept specializing in made-to-order chargrilled burgers, sandwiches and more. In 2024, Yum! was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America for the eighth consecutive year, and the company was recognized among TIME Magazine’s list of Best Companies for Future Leaders, Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Responsible Companies and USA Today’s America’s Climate Leaders. Yum! also received widespread recognition in 2023, including being listed on the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index; and Forbes’ list of America’s Best Employers for Diversity. In addition, KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut brands were ranked in the top five of Entrepreneur’s Top Global Franchises Ranking for 2023.

Category: Earnings

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240804393634/en/

Analysts are invited to contact:

Matt Morris, Head of Investor Relations at 888/298-6986



Members of the media are invited to contact:

Virginia Ferguson, Vice President, Public Relations, at 502/874-8200

Source: Yum! Brands, Inc.

FAQ

What was Yum! Brands' (YUM) system sales growth in Q2 2024?

Yum! Brands reported worldwide system sales growth of 3% in Q2 2024, excluding foreign currency translation.

How did Taco Bell perform in Yum! Brands' Q2 2024 results?

Taco Bell performed well, with 5% same-store sales growth and 7% system sales growth in Q2 2024.

What was KFC's unit growth in Yum! Brands' Q2 2024 report?

KFC achieved 8% unit growth in Q2 2024, according to Yum! Brands' report.

How much did Yum! Brands' (YUM) digital sales reach in Q2 2024?

Yum! Brands reported digital sales of nearly $8 billion in Q2 2024, representing over 50% of total sales.

What is Yum! Brands' (YUM) core operating profit growth expectation for 2024?

Yum! Brands continues to expect at least 8% core operating profit growth for the year 2024.