Yum! Pushes Unit Growth

LOUISVILLE, KY-Yum! Brands will continue to expand its fast-food chains this year, adding about 1,500 restaurants to its portfolio of nearly 32,000 in 100 countries. Last year the company, which operates A&W, KFC, Long John Silver’s, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, opened 1,554 units, including a record 409 nine in China.

Yum! will likely continue to growth its existing brands before considering any new acquisitions, though executives are looking at buying opportunities, said David Novak, chairman and chief executive officer, during the company’s full-year earnings conference call. “We’re obviously one of the few strategic buyers out there,” he says. “I think we could run a lot more brands if wanted to.”

During the company’s Q4, which ended Dec. 31, US year-over-year same-store sales grew 3%, while they increased 2% worldwide. For the first month of the current year, Taco Bell has done particularly well, with an 11% year-on-year gain, followed by KFC’s 8% boost. However, Pizza Hut has struggled, falling 4%.