22nd Century Group Inc vs Yum! Brands, Inc. — how do they compare? 22nd Century Group Inc trades at $4.44 (market cap $1.52M), while Yum! Brands, Inc. trades at $150.01 (market cap $39.50B). The key difference: Yum! Brands, Inc. is far larger — about 25986.8× 22nd Century Group Inc's market cap, and Yum! Brands, Inc. pays a 2.07% dividend while 22nd Century Group Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| XXII | YUM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $1.52M | $39.50B |
Sector | Technology | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $801.00 | $168.16 |
52-Week Low | $3.72 | $138.21 |
Enterprise Value | -$6.71M | $51.10B |
Dividend Yield | — | 2.07% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
22nd Century Group (XXII) trades at $4.31, down 0.92% on the day, with a neutral technical signal and bearish moving averages. The company shows deep unprofitability with a gross margin of -52.19% and net margin of -65.76%, though revenue was $7.05M in 2025. Recent corporate actions include a 20:1 reverse stock split in June 2026, and news highlights retail expansion for VLN reduced-nicotine cigarettes in California and New York.
The outlook remains speculative with high execution risk amid persistent losses, but analyst sentiment is bullish with 75% buy ratings. Key risks include negative cash flow from operations, regulatory hurdles for tobacco products, and the need for successful commercialization of VLN to achieve profitability.
YUM trades at $150.15, up 3.32% in the past 24 hours, with a bearish technical signal from moving averages but neutral oscillators. Recent earnings show a Q2 2026 beat with EPS of $1.62 versus $1.57 expected, while revenue grew to $8.21B in 2025. The company completed the sale of Pizza Hut China for $1.2B in August 2026, aiming to streamline operations and reduce debt. Cash flow from operations improved to $2.01B in 2025, supporting a dividend payment of $0.75 per share.
The outlook is mixed, with analyst consensus leaning hold (56.87%) but a price target of $174.60 implying 16% upside. Risks include ongoing legal investigations and a parasite outbreak impacting Taco Bell sales, though management reports recovery. Debt remains high at $11.25B long-term, but the debt-to-asset ratio improved to 143.49 in 2025. Execution on digital growth and brand focus post-Pizza Hut sale are key to unlocking value.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
22nd Century Group is a plant biotechnology company that uses genetic engineering and gene editing to control the levels of nicotine in tobacco plants. Its flagship product line, VLN®, is the first and only combustible cigarette authorized by the FDA as a Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP), containing 95% less nicotine than traditional cigarettes to help adult smokers smoke less.
Read more on XXII →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 →