Go Pro

Yum! Brands (YUM) Stock Forecast & Price Target

Yum! Brands logo
$138.69 +1.35 (+0.98%)
Closing price 09/25/2026 03:59 PM Eastern
Extended Trading
$138.66 -0.03 (-0.02%)
As of 09/25/2026 07:33 PM Eastern
Extended trading is trading that happens on electronic markets outside of regular trading hours. This is a fair market value extended hours price provided by Massive. Learn more.

Yum! Brands - Analysts' Recommendations and Stock Price Forecast (2026)

Consensus Rating

Sell
1
Hold
7
Buy
13

Based on 21 Wall Street analysts who have issued ratings for Yum! Brands in the last 12 months, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy." Out of the 21 analysts, 1 has given a sell rating, 7 have given a hold rating, and 13 have given a buy rating for YUM.

Consensus Price Target

$174.67
25.94% Upside
According to the 21 analysts' twelve-month price targets for Yum! Brands, the average price target is $174.67. The highest price target for YUM is $190.00, while the lowest price target for YUM is $158.00. The average price target represents a forecasted upside of 25.94% from the current price of $138.69.
MarketBeat calculates consensus analyst ratings for stocks using the most recent rating from each Wall Street analyst that has rated a stock within the last twelve months. Each analyst's rating is normalized to a standardized rating score of 1 (sell), 2 (hold), 3 (buy) or 4 (strong buy). Analyst consensus ratings scores are calculated using the mean average of the number of normalized sell, hold, buy and strong buy ratings from Wall Street analysts. Each stock's consensus analyst rating is derived from its calculated consensus ratings score (0 to .5 = Strong Sell, .5 to 1 = Sell, 1 to 1.5 = Reduce, 1.5 to 2.5 = Hold, 2.5 to 3.0 = Moderate Buy, 3.0 to 3.5 = Buy, >3.5 = Strong Buy). MarketBeat's consensus price targets are a mean average of the most recent available price targets set by each analyst that has set a price target for the stock in the last twelve months. MarketBeat's consensus ratings and consensus price targets may differ from those calculated by other firms due to differences in methodology and available data.
Get the Latest News and Ratings for YUM and Related Stocks

Enter your email address to receive the latest news and analysts' ratings for Yum! Brands and its competitors.

Sign Up
SMS is currently available in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. By entering your phone number and clicking the sign-up button, you agree to receive periodic text messages from MarketBeat at the phone number you submitted, including texts that may be sent using an automatic telephone dialing system. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary. Messages will consist of stock alerts, news stories, and partner advertisements/offers. Consent is not a condition of the purchase of any goods or services. Text HELP for help/customer support. Unsubscribe at any time by replying "STOP" to any text message that you receive from MarketBeat or by visiting our mailing preferences page. Read our full terms of service and privacy policy.

YUM Analyst Ratings Over Time

TypeCurrent Forecast
9/27/25 to 9/27/26
1 Month Ago
8/28/25 to 8/28/26
3 Months Ago
6/29/25 to 6/29/26
1 Year Ago
9/27/24 to 9/27/25
Strong Buy
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
1 Strong Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
Buy
13 Buy rating(s)
12 Buy rating(s)
12 Buy rating(s)
11 Buy rating(s)
Hold
7 Hold rating(s)
7 Hold rating(s)
7 Hold rating(s)
12 Hold rating(s)
Sell
1 Sell rating(s)
1 Sell rating(s)
0 Sell rating(s)
0 Sell rating(s)
Consensus Price Target$174.67$174.65$176.12$161.23
Forecasted Upside25.94% Upside13.35% Upside11.26% Upside5.56% Upside
Consensus RatingModerate BuyModerate BuyModerate BuyHold

YUM Analyst Recommendations By Month

The chart below shows how a company's ratings by analysts have changed over time. Each bar represents the previous year of ratings for that month. Within each bar, the sell ratings are shown in red, the hold ratings are shown in yellow, the buy ratings are shown in green, and the strong buy ratings are shown in dark green.
Skip Chart & View Analyst Rating History

YUM Price Targets by Month

The chart below shows how a company's share price and consensus price target have changed over time. The dark blue line represents the company's actual price. The lighter blue line represents the stock's consensus price target. The even lighter blue range in the background of the two lines represents the low price target and the high price target for each stock.
Skip Chart and View Analyst Price Target HistorySkip Chart & View Price History Table

Yum! Brands Stock vs. The Competition

TypeYum! BrandsConsumer Discretionary CompaniesBroader Market
Consensus Rating Score
2.57
2.19
2.53
Consensus RatingModerate BuyHoldModerate Buy
Predicted Upside25.94% Upside199.07% Upside19.20% Upside
News Sentiment Rating
Positive News

See Recent YUM News
Positive News
Positive News
DateBrokerageAnalystActionRatingPrice TargetReport Date
Upside/Downside
Details
9/24/2026
Argus logo
Argus
3 of 5 stars
John Staszak
John Staszak
3 of 5 stars
Reiterated RatingBuy ➝ Hold
9/16/2026
Robert W. Baird logo
Robert W. Baird
3 of 5 stars
Chris O'Cull
Not Rated
Lower TargetOutperform$174.00 ➝ $165.00+17.11%
9/10/2026
Zachary Fadem
Zachary Fadem
1 of 5 stars
UpgradeEqual Weight ➝ Overweight$165.00 ➝ $175.00+20.66%
8/24/2026 DowngradeHold ➝ Strong Sell
8/4/2026Lower TargetOverweight$170.00 ➝ $160.00+6.93%
7/31/2026Boost TargetSector Perform$165.00 ➝ $170.00+10.25%
7/31/2026Reiterated RatingHold$174.00+12.78%
7/28/2026 DowngradeBuy (B) ➝ Buy (B-)
7/12/2026Boost TargetNeutral$175.00 ➝ $178.00+8.82%
6/18/2026 Reiterated RatingBuy
6/16/2026 Reiterated RatingOutperform
6/16/2026Reiterated RatingBuy$180.00+13.61%
6/3/2026UpgradeEqual Weight ➝ Overweight$180.00 ➝ $185.00+26.22%
5/4/2026 Reiterated RatingMarket Perform$168.00+7.24%
2/12/2026Reiterated RatingBuy$180.00+13.11%
2/5/2026Set TargetOverweight$185.00+16.19%
1/8/2026UpgradeHold ➝ Buy
1/7/2026Reiterated RatingOverweight$179.00+18.17%
1/6/2026DowngradeOutperform ➝ Market Perform
12/5/2025Reiterated RatingNeutral
11/17/2025Set Target$160.00+8.07%
11/5/2025 Reiterated RatingBuy$177.00+18.88%
7/14/2025 Initiated CoverageBuy$200.00+33.50%
6/10/2025UpgradeNeutral ➝ Buy$145.00 ➝ $177.00+23.68%
4/30/2025Reiterated RatingHold$158.00 ➝ $158.00+7.05%
11/6/2024 Lower TargetHold$143.00 ➝ $140.00+4.69%
10/22/2024 Lower TargetNeutral$147.00 ➝ $145.00+8.66%

Analyst ratings data on MarketBeat is provided by Benzinga and other data providers. This page was last refreshed on Sunday at 04:10 PM ET.


Should I Buy Yum! Brands Stock? YUM Pros and Cons Explained

These pros and cons were generated based on recent news and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate insights. They were last updated on Saturday, September 26, 2026. Please send any questions or comments about these Yum! Brands pros and cons to contact@marketbeat.com.

Yum! Brands
Bull Case

green Wall Street bull icon

Here are some ways that investors could benefit from investing in Yum! Brands, Inc.:

  • Yum! Brands, Inc. recently reported second-quarter earnings that exceeded analyst expectations, posting an earnings per share of $1.62 against a consensus estimate of $1.58, while revenue grew 12.2% year-over-year to $2.17 billion, demonstrating strong operational momentum and top-line growth that supports the investment case.
  • The company's stock is currently trading at $138.69, which is significantly below the consensus price target of $175.23 set by analysts, suggesting substantial upside potential as the market may be undervaluing the firm's recent performance and strategic initiatives.
  • Yum! Brands, Inc. maintains a consistent dividend yield of 2.16%, providing investors with a steady income stream that is attractive for long-term holders seeking regular cash flow alongside potential capital appreciation.
  • The firm has authorized a $4.00 billion share buyback plan, which signals management's confidence in the company's intrinsic value and its commitment to returning capital to shareholders, potentially supporting the stock price and reducing the number of outstanding shares.
  • With a beta of 0.55, Yum! Brands, Inc. exhibits lower volatility compared to the broader market, making it a relatively stable investment option for investors looking to reduce portfolio risk while still participating in the growth of the restaurant sector.

Yum! Brands
Bear Case

red Wall Street bear icon

Investors should be bearish about investing in Yum! Brands, Inc. for these reasons:

  • Argus Research recently downgraded Yum! Brands, Inc. from a "Buy" to a "Hold" rating, citing headwinds in meeting growth objectives, which raises concerns about the sustainability of the company's previously reliable growth model and may dampen investor sentiment.
  • Insider selling has been significant, with executives such as CEO Aaron Powell and CEO Scott Mezvinsky selling substantial portions of their holdings in recent months, which can be interpreted as a lack of confidence in the stock's near-term performance or a desire to diversify personal wealth.
  • The stock has experienced a notable decline from its fifty-two-week high of $170.14 to its current level of $138.69, indicating a downward trend that may reflect broader market skepticism or specific company-related challenges that have not yet been fully resolved.
  • Short interest in Yum! Brands, Inc. has increased, with the number of shares shorted rising to 9,851,469 as of the latest reporting period, suggesting that a growing number of investors are betting against the stock's future performance, which could put additional downward pressure on the price.
  • Some institutional investors, such as QRG Capital Management Inc., have significantly reduced their positions in Yum! Brands, Inc., with QRG cutting its stake by 47.7% in the second quarter, which may indicate a shift in institutional confidence or a reallocation of capital to other opportunities.

YUM Forecast - Frequently Asked Questions

According to the research reports of 21 Wall Street equities research analysts, the average twelve-month stock price forecast for Yum! Brands is $174.67, with a high forecast of $190.00 and a low forecast of $158.00.

21 Wall Street analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Yum! Brands in the last year. There is currently 1 sell rating, 7 hold ratings and 13 buy ratings for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street analysts is that investors should "moderate buy" YUM shares.

According to analysts, Yum! Brands's stock has a predicted upside of 25.94% based on their 12-month stock forecasts.

Over the previous 90 days, Yum! Brands's stock had 2 upgrades and 2 downgrades by analysts.

Analysts like Yum! Brands more than other "consumer discretionary" companies. The consensus rating for Yum! Brands is Moderate Buy while the average consensus rating for "consumer discretionary" companies is Hold. Learn more on how YUM compares to other companies.


MarketBeat monitors more than a dozen sources for Yum! Brands analyst ratings, with the most recent rating issued on 9/24/2026.
From Our Partners