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SBUX vs YUM
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Starbucks Corporation (SBUX) vs. Yum! Brands, Inc. (YUM) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- SBUX has outperformed YUM year-to-date (YTD, or year-to-date, meaning performance from the start of the current year), with approximately 18% gains compared to YUM's 6%.
- Both stocks trade near the middle of their 52-week ranges, but SBUX shows stronger recent monthly momentum at around 14% gains.
- YUM offers a lower price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of about 29 versus SBUX's 82, suggesting relatively cheaper valuation.
- Recent developments include SBUX investing $100 million in a Nashville hub and launching an AI platform, while YUM reviews a potential Pizza Hut sale.
- Upcoming quarterly earnings for both—SBUX on April 28 and YUM on April 29—could drive near-term volatility amid soft restaurant sector demand.
- Tickeron’s AI tools highlight diverse trading strategies applicable to both stocks in the competitive quick-service restaurant space.
Introduction
Starbucks Corporation (SBUX) and Yum! Brands, Inc. (YUM) represent key players in the quick-service restaurant sector, with SBUX dominating premium coffee and YUM leading through franchise-heavy chains like Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut. This stock comparison analyzes their recent market positioning, performance, and catalysts, aiding traders seeking momentum plays and investors evaluating relative value in consumer-facing equities. In a landscape of shifting consumer spending and operational efficiencies, understanding their contrasts in growth drivers, sentiment, and risk profiles supports informed relative performance assessments.
SBUX Overview and Recent Performance
Starbucks Corporation operates a global chain of coffeehouses, emphasizing premium beverages, food, and licensed products, with significant company-operated stores driving revenue. In recent market activity, SBUX shares have climbed about 18% YTD and 14% over the past month, trading around $98.67 near the midpoint of its 52-week range ($75.50–$104.82). Positive sentiment stems from a $100 million Nashville operations hub to boost U.S. growth, loyalty program enhancements contributing 60% of sales, and a new AI platform for operations. Analyst upgrades, like Stifel's target increase, reflect earnings alignment expectations ahead of Q2 results, though soft demand and competition temper gains. The stock's beta of 0.94 indicates moderate market sensitivity.
YUM Overview and Recent Performance
Yum! Brands, Inc. oversees franchise-dominated brands including Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut, focusing on system-wide sales and digital innovation for profitability. Recently, YUM shares hover at $160.28, up 6% YTD and 11% over one year, within its 52-week range ($137.33–$169.39) amid consolidation. Influences include a strategic review for Pizza Hut's potential sale, new Hut Rewards loyalty membership, and momentum at Taco Bell and KFC noted by UBS. Q1 earnings anticipation projects 6% EPS growth, supporting stability with a lower beta of 0.66. Restaurant sector headwinds and value-focused shifts have capped upside, positioning the stock for measured recovery.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
SBUX and YUM both navigate consumer discretionary pressures, but differ in models: SBUX relies on company stores for control and premium pricing, while YUM's franchise emphasis yields higher margins (profit margin ~19% vs. SBUX's 4%) but exposes it to royalty fluctuations. Growth drivers contrast with SBUX's international expansion and loyalty tech versus YUM's U.S. value brands and digital rewards. Recent momentum favors SBUX's 18% YTD surge over YUM's steadier 6%, though YUM exhibits lower risk via beta (0.66 vs. 0.94) and valuation. Sector exposure ties both to dining trends, with sentiment boosted by SBUX's investments and challenged by YUM's Pizza Hut uncertainties, highlighting trade-offs in growth versus stability.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI currently leans toward SBUX with higher probability due to superior recent momentum, YTD gains, and catalysts like the Nashville hub and AI initiatives amid upcoming earnings. YUM's stability and cheaper P/E offer appeal for conservative positioning, but SBUX's trend consistency edges it in observable relative strength.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer. Disclaimers and Limitations
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is SBUX is a Hold and YUM is a Buy.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
SBUX’s FA Score shows that 3 FA rating(s) are green whileYUM’s FA Score has 2 green FA rating(s).
- SBUX’s FA Score: 3 green, 2 red.
- YUM’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
SBUX’s TA Score shows that 5 TA indicator(s) are bullish while YUM’s TA Score has 2 bullish TA indicator(s).
- SBUX’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
- YUM’s TA Score: 2 bullish, 6 bearish.
Price Growth
SBUX (@Restaurants) experienced а -1.42% price change this week, while YUM (@Restaurants) price change was -2.54% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Restaurants industry was -3.48%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +2.35%, and the average quarterly price growth was +1.71%.
Reported Earning Dates
SBUX is expected to report earnings on Aug 04, 2026.
YUM is expected to report earnings on Jul 30, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Restaurants (-3.48% weekly)The industry includes companies that operate full-service restaurants, fast food restaurants, cafeterias and snack bars. McDonald`s Corporation, Starbucks Corporation, YUM! Brands, Inc. and Restaurant Brands International Inc. are some of the largest U.S. restaurant-owning companies in terms of market capitalization. While restaurant spending could be viewed as discretionary for consumers, some companies in the business have been able to weather economic cycles by establishing strong loyalty among customers over the years. Many of them also have a strong global presence as well.
| SBUX | YUM | SBUX / YUM | |
| Capitalization | 115B | 41.8B | 275% |
| EBITDA | 4.77B | 2.89B | 165% |
| Gain YTD | 20.397 | 0.592 | 3,444% |
| P/E Ratio | 76.45 | 24.31 | 314% |
| Revenue | 38.5B | 8.49B | 454% |
| Total Cash | 1.7B | 689M | 247% |
| Total Debt | 24.4B | 12B | 203% |
SBUX | YUM | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 12 | 9 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 21 Undervalued | 29 Undervalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 99 | 35 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 8 | 8 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 51 | 54 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 8 | 66 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
SBUX's Valuation (21) in the Restaurants industry is in the same range as YUM (29). This means that SBUX’s stock grew similarly to YUM’s over the last 12 months.
YUM's Profit vs Risk Rating (35) in the Restaurants industry is somewhat better than the same rating for SBUX (99). This means that YUM’s stock grew somewhat faster than SBUX’s over the last 12 months.
YUM's SMR Rating (8) in the Restaurants industry is in the same range as SBUX (8). This means that YUM’s stock grew similarly to SBUX’s over the last 12 months.
SBUX's Price Growth Rating (51) in the Restaurants industry is in the same range as YUM (54). This means that SBUX’s stock grew similarly to YUM’s over the last 12 months.
SBUX's P/E Growth Rating (8) in the Restaurants industry is somewhat better than the same rating for YUM (66). This means that SBUX’s stock grew somewhat faster than YUM’s over the last 12 months.
| SBUX | YUM | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 66% | N/A |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 57% | 2 days ago 49% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 49% | 2 days ago 41% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 62% | 2 days ago 49% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 55% | 2 days ago 42% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 59% | 2 days ago 38% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 12 days ago 57% | 8 days ago 44% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 22 days ago 58% | 2 days ago 41% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 62% | 2 days ago 36% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 56% | 2 days ago 40% |
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SBUX and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, SBUX has been loosely correlated with FRSH. These tickers have moved in lockstep 53% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if SBUX jumps, then FRSH could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To SBUX | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SBUX | 100% | -0.50% | ||
| FRSH - SBUX | 53% Loosely correlated | +0.79% | ||
| YUM - SBUX | 47% Loosely correlated | -0.82% | ||
| CAKE - SBUX | 41% Loosely correlated | -0.35% | ||
| BLMN - SBUX | 39% Loosely correlated | +3.35% | ||
| CMG - SBUX | 37% Loosely correlated | -6.00% | ||
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YUM and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, YUM has been loosely correlated with MCD. These tickers have moved in lockstep 54% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if YUM jumps, then MCD could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To YUM | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YUM | 100% | -0.82% | ||
| MCD - YUM | 54% Loosely correlated | -3.05% | ||
| FRSH - YUM | 47% Loosely correlated | +0.79% | ||
| DPZ - YUM | 46% Loosely correlated | -5.56% | ||
| YUMC - YUM | 36% Loosely correlated | -3.26% | ||
| DRI - YUM | 35% Loosely correlated | -0.68% | ||
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