Deep-pocketed investors have adopted a bearish approach towards Yum Brands YUM, and it's something market players shouldn't ignore. Our tracking of public options records at Benzinga unveiled this significant move today. The identity of these investors remains unknown, but such a substantial move in YUM usually suggests something big is about to happen.
We gleaned this information from our observations today when Benzinga's options scanner highlighted 10 extraordinary options activities for Yum Brands. This level of activity is out of the ordinary.
The general mood among these heavyweight investors is divided, with 0% leaning bullish and 60% bearish. Among these notable options, 7 are puts, totaling $231,695, and 3 are calls, amounting to $134,500.
What's The Price Target?
After evaluating the trading volumes and Open Interest, it's evident that the major market movers are focusing on a price band between $155.0 and $170.0 for Yum Brands, spanning the last three months.
Insights into Volume & Open Interest
In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for Yum Brands options trades today is 716.75 with a total volume of 1,859.00.
In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for Yum Brands's big money trades within a strike price range of $155.0 to $170.0 over the last 30 days.
Yum Brands Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days
Noteworthy Options Activity:
| Symbol | PUT/CALL | Trade Type | Sentiment | Exp. Date | Ask | Bid | Price | Strike Price | Total Trade Price | Open Interest | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YUM | CALL | TRADE | BEARISH | 06/20/25 | $11.1 | $10.8 | $10.9 | $155.00 | $49.0K | 595 | 83 |
| YUM | CALL | TRADE | NEUTRAL | 06/20/25 | $3.4 | $3.0 | $3.2 | $170.00 | $45.1K | 1.9K | 733 |
| YUM | PUT | SWEEP | NEUTRAL | 10/17/25 | $10.1 | $7.2 | $8.71 | $160.00 | $43.8K | 7 | 50 |
| YUM | CALL | TRADE | BEARISH | 06/20/25 | $11.1 | $10.9 | $10.9 | $155.00 | $40.3K | 595 | 38 |
| YUM | PUT | TRADE | NEUTRAL | 04/17/25 | $7.0 | $6.3 | $6.65 | $165.00 | $33.2K | 355 | 251 |
About Yum Brands
Yum Brands is a US-based restaurant operator featuring a portfolio of four brands: KFC (31,981 global units at year-end 2024), Pizza Hut (20,225 units), Taco Bell (8,757 units), and Habit Burger & Grill (nearly 400 units). With more than $65 billion in 2024 systemwide sales, the firm is the second-largest restaurant company in the world behind McDonald's ($131 billion), ahead of Restaurant Brands International ($44 billion) and Starbucks ($30 billion). Yum is 98% franchised, with the largest franchisee, Yum China, spun out in 2016, after which Yum China agreed to pay 3% royalties to Yum Brands in perpetuity. Yum is the newest evolution of Tricon, formerly a division of PepsiCo, and generates the bulk of its revenue from franchise royalties and marketing contributions.
After a thorough review of the options trading surrounding Yum Brands, we move to examine the company in more detail. This includes an assessment of its current market status and performance.
Current Position of Yum Brands
- With a trading volume of 1,766,194, the price of YUM is down by -2.97%, reaching $157.71.
- Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be approaching overbought.
- Next earnings report is scheduled for 51 days from now.
Expert Opinions on Yum Brands
Over the past month, 4 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $162.0.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. Click here for access. * Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Wells Fargo keeps a Equal-Weight rating on Yum Brands with a target price of $160. * An analyst from TD Securities persists with their Hold rating on Yum Brands, maintaining a target price of $164. * Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Stifel keeps a Hold rating on Yum Brands with a target price of $148. * An analyst from Baird has decided to maintain their Outperform rating on Yum Brands, which currently sits at a price target of $176.
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Yum Brands, Benzinga Pro gives you real-time options trades alerts.
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