Yum Brands earnings top estimates, fueled by Taco Bell's 8% same-store sales growth

Facade of a Taco Bell Cantina restaurant in Danville, California, Jan. 8, 2026. Smith Collection | Gado | Archive Photos | Yum Brands on Wednesday reported quarterly earnings and revenue that topped analysts' expectations, fueled by another strong quarter for Taco Bell. Here's what the company reported compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG: Earnings per share: $1.50 adjusted vs. $1.38 expected Revenue: $2.06 billion vs. $2.04 billion expected Yum reported first-quarter net income of $432 million, or $1.55 per share, up from $253 million, or 90 cents per share, a year earlier. Excluding charges related to its strategic review of Pizza Hut and other items, the company earned $1.50 per share. Net sales climbed 15% to $2.06 billion, lifted by higher revenue from company-owned restaurants. Last year, the company bought more than 100 Taco Bell locations across the Southeast with a goal of accelerating development and profitability. Across Yum, global same-store sales rose 3%, driven by growth at Taco Bell, the gem of the company's portfolio. Taco Bell's same-store sales increased 8%, topping Wall Street's estimates of 5.6% growth, according to a survey by StreetAccount. "Taco Bell delivered an outstanding 8% same-store sales growth, meaningfully ahead of the [quick-service restaurant] industry, building off a very strong Q1 same-store sales growth rate in 2025," Yum CEO Chris Turner said in a statement. …