Yum! Brands, in the Spotlight Soon

Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM  ) is expected to report Q4 earnings on Feb. 4. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:

The 10-second takeaway
Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict Yum! Brands's revenues will grow 0.1% and EPS will expand 9.3%.

The average estimate for revenue is $4.11 billion. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.82.

Revenue details
Last quarter, Yum! Brands notched revenue of $3.57 billion. GAAP reported sales were 9.0% higher than the prior-year quarter's $3.27 billion.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Dollar amounts in millions. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

EPS details
Last quarter, non-GAAP EPS came in at $0.99. GAAP EPS of $1.00 for Q3 were 25% higher than the prior-year quarter's $0.80 per share.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

Recent performance
For the preceding quarter, gross margin was 27.9%, 120 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 18.5%, 130 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 13.2%, 150 basis points better than the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead

The full year's average estimate for revenue is $13.59 billion. The average EPS estimate is $3.25.

Investor sentiment
The stock has a four-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 3,169 members out of 3,298 rating the stock outperform, and 129 members rating it underperform. Among 815 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 795 give Yum! Brands a green thumbs-up, and 20 give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Yum! Brands is outperform, with an average price target of $76.20.

Can your portfolio provide you with enough income to last through retirement? You'll need more than Yum! Brands. Learn how to maximize your investment income and "Secure Your Future With 9 Rock-Solid Dividend Stocks." Click here for instant access to this free report.

• Add Yum! Brands to My Watchlist.