On May 1, after the market close, restaurateur Yum! Brands (NYSE:YUM), owner of the venerable Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut chains, released first-quarter results for the period ended March 31. Here are the quick and dirty details for the quarter.

  • Net sales grew 6.6%, driven mainly by China store unit growth of 19%. Same-store sales in the United States fell 3%, including company-owned and franchised stores.
  • Gross margins fell, but strong international growth and fewer shares outstanding benefited the bottom line.
  • Management increased guidance for the coming year and now expects 11% earnings growth to $3.23, slightly above its long-term goal of 10% annual earnings improvements.
  • Yum! carries an average three-star rating in The Motley Fool's CAPS community. Fast-food restaurant rival McDonald's (NYSE:MCD) also has a three-star rating, as does Jack in the Box (NYSE:JBX). Wendy's (NYSE:WEN) and Burger King (NYSE:BKC) carry unappetizing one-star ratings.

(Figures in millions, except per-share data)

Income Statement Highlights

Avg. Est.

Q1 2007

Q1 2006

Change

Sales

$2,160

$2,223

$2,085

6.6%

Net Profit

--

$194

$170

14.1%

EPS

$0.64

$0.70

$0.59

18.6%

Diluted Shares

--

275

286

(3.8%)

Get back to basics with a look at the income statement.

Margin Checkup

Q1 2007

Q1 2006

Change*

Gross Margin

25.60%

26.38%

(0.78)

Operating Margin

14.22%

13.53%

0.69

Net Margin

8.73%

8.15%

0.58

*Expressed in percentage points.

Margins are the earnings engine.

Balance Sheet Highlights

Assets

Q1 2007

Q1 2006

Change

Cash + ST Invest.

$341

$195

74.9%

Accounts Rec.

$278

$258

7.8%

Inventory

$97

$84

15.5%

Liabilities

Q1 2007

Q1 2006

Change

Accounts Payable

$1,278

$1,208

5.8%

Long-Term Debt

$2,208

$1,710

29.1%

The balance sheet reflects the company's health.

Cash Flow Highlights

Q1 2007

Q1 2006

Change

Cash From Ops.

$341

$297

14.8%

Capital Expenditures

$81

$64

26.6%

Free Cash Flow

$260

$233

11.6%

Find out why free cash flow is a Fool's best friend.

Related Foolishness:

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Fool by Numbers is designed to give you the raw earnings information in a timely fashion, putting all the numbers you need in one easy-to-read place. But at The Motley Fool, we believe numbers tell only part of the story, so check Fool.com for more of our in-depth discussion of what the numbers mean.

Fool contributor Ryan Fuhrmann has no financial interest in any company mentioned. Feel free to email him with feedback or to discuss any companies mentioned further. The Fool has an ironclad disclosure policy.