Yum Brands’ profits fall in fourth quarter

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Yum Brands’ fourth-quarter profit fell 5 percent due to costs related to refinancing some debt, but its adjusted results beat expectations as its KFC chain recovers from a series of setbacks in China.

The company, which also owns Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, indicated it is still confident its earnings per share will grow 20 percent this year. Its stock rose 4.5 percent in aftermarket trading.

Yum has been trying to get its China performance back on track since it was hit by a controversy over its poultry supply a little more than a year ago. It seemed to be making progress when an outbreak of bird flu upended its efforts a few months later. It launched a marketing campaign assuring customers in China of the safety of its food.

Although Yum has more than 40,000 restaurants around the world, China accounts for more than half its total revenue. The company is the biggest Western fast-food chain operator in China.