Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM) saw a decent share price growth of 11% on the NYSE over the last few months. The recent jump in the share price has meant that the company is trading around its 52-week high. As a large-cap stock with high coverage by analysts, you could assume any recent changes in the company's outlook is already priced into the stock. However, what if the stock is still a bargain? Today we will analyse the most recent data on Yum! Brands's outlook and valuation to see if the opportunity still exists.

What Is Yum! Brands Worth?

The stock seems fairly valued at the moment according to our valuation model. It's trading around 7.83% above our intrinsic value, which means if you buy Yum! Brands today, you'd be paying a relatively reasonable price for it. And if you believe that the stock is really worth $129.76, then there isn't really any room for the share price grow beyond what it's currently trading. So, is there another chance to buy low in the future? Given that Yum! Brands's share is fairly volatile (i.e. its price movements are magnified relative to the rest of the market) this could mean the price can sink lower, giving us an opportunity to buy later on. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for share price volatility.

What does the future of Yum! Brands look like?

Future outlook is an important aspect when you're looking at buying a stock, especially if you are an investor looking for growth in your portfolio. Although value investors would argue that it's the intrinsic value relative to the price that matter the most, a more compelling investment thesis would be high growth potential at a cheap price. Yum! Brands' earnings over the next few years are expected to increase by 29%, indicating a highly optimistic future ahead. This should lead to more robust cash flows, feeding into a higher share value.

What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? YUM's optimistic future growth appears to have been factored into the current share price, with shares trading around its fair value. However, there are also other important factors which we haven't considered today, such as the track record of its management team. Have these factors changed since the last time you looked at the stock? Will you have enough confidence to invest in the company should the price drop below its fair value?

Are you a potential investor? If you've been keeping an eye on YUM, now may not be the most advantageous time to buy, given it is trading around its fair value. However, the positive outlook is encouraging for the company, which means it's worth diving deeper into other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to take advantage of the next price drop.

So if you'd like to dive deeper into this stock, it's crucial to consider any risks it's facing. To that end, you should learn about the 4 warning signs we've spotted with Yum! Brands (including 2 which don't sit too well with us).

If you are no longer interested in Yum! Brands, you can use our free platform to see our list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.