Marathon Petroleum Corp vs Yum! Brands, Inc. — how do they compare? Marathon Petroleum Corp trades at $341.63 (market cap $94.48B), while Yum! Brands, Inc. trades at $145.35 (market cap $39.50B). The key difference: Marathon Petroleum Corp is far larger — about 2.4× Yum! Brands, Inc.'s market cap, and Yum! Brands, Inc. pays the higher dividend (2.07%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| MPC | YUM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $94.48B | $39.50B |
Sector | Energy | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $336.42 | $168.16 |
52-Week Low | $159.11 | $138.21 |
Enterprise Value | $121.00B | $51.10B |
Dividend Yield | 1.19% | 2.07% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Marathon Petroleum (MPC) trades at $320.32, up 7.42% in 24 hours, reflecting strong momentum after Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations by 22.1%. The stock is in a bullish technical trend, supported by robust refining margins and disciplined operations. Recent news highlights MPC's advantage from global refining tightness and geopolitical disruptions. Valuation ratios like P/E of 11.67 and P/S of 0.65 suggest potential undervaluation relative to earnings growth.
Outlook remains positive with analyst consensus at Buy (75.76%) and a $332.70 price target, though risks include volatile energy markets and debt levels. Earnings growth and cash returns via dividends and buybacks are key catalysts, but investors should monitor refining margin sustainability and macroeconomic pressures.
YUM trades at $145.33, down 3.6% amid bearish technical signals and recent parasite outbreak concerns affecting Taco Bell sales. The company reported strong Q2 2026 earnings of $1.62 per share, beating estimates, with revenue growth continuing from $8.21B in 2025 to projected $8.7B in 2026. Valuation metrics show a P/E of 18.23 and P/S of 4.63, while debt reduction improved with debt-to-asset ratio declining to 143.49 in 2025.
The outlook remains mixed with analyst consensus price target of $174.60 suggesting 20% upside, but legal investigations and food safety issues pose near-term risks. Long-term growth drivers include digital expansion and portfolio optimization following Pizza Hut China sale, though execution on Taco Bell recovery is critical for sentiment improvement.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Marathon Petroleum is an independent refiner with 13 refineries in the midcontinent, West Coast, and Gulf Coast of the United States with total throughput capacity of 2.9 million barrels per day. Its Dickinson, ND, facility produces 184 million gallons a year of renewable diesel. Its Martinez, CA, facility will have the ability to produce 730 million gallons a year of renewable diesel once converted. The firm also owns and operates midstream assets primarily through its listed MLP, MPLX.
Read more on MPC →Yum Brands is a U.S.-based restaurant operator featuring a portfolio of four brands: KFC (26,930 global units), Pizza Hut (18,380 units), Taco Bell (7,790 units), and The Habit Burger (310 units) at year-end 2021. With $58 billion in 2021 systemwide sales, the firm is the second-largest restaurant company in the world, behind McDonald's ($112.5 billion) but ahead of Restaurant Brands International ($36 billion) and Starbucks ($25 billion). Yum is 98% franchised, with the largest franchisee, Yum China, created via a 2016 spinoff transaction (after which Yum China agreed to pay 3% royalties to Yum Brands in perpetuity). Yum is the newest evolution of Tricon Brands, formerly a division of PepsiCo, and generates the bulk of its revenue from franchise royalties and marketing contributions.
Read more on YUM →