Xylem, Inc. vs Yum! Brands, Inc. — how do they compare? Xylem, Inc. trades at $107.97 (market cap $25.41B), while Yum! Brands, Inc. trades at $144.94 (market cap $40.80B). The key difference: Yum! Brands, Inc. is the larger of the two by market cap, and Yum! Brands, Inc. pays the higher dividend (2.01%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| XYL | YUM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $25.41B | $40.80B |
Sector | Industrials | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $152.95 | $168.16 |
52-Week Low | $105.69 | $138.21 |
Enterprise Value | $27.18B | $52.40B |
Dividend Yield | 1.58% | 2.01% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
XYL trades at $108.81, up 2.95% today, with a bearish technical signal but strong fundamentals including consistent earnings beats and a 10.59% net margin. Recent news highlights strategic acquisitions, a new CFO appointment, and a dividend declaration, supporting growth in water technology sectors. The stock shows resilience with revenue growth from $5.5B in 2022 to $9.04B in 2025, though it faces near-term resistance.
Outlook is cautiously optimistic with a consensus price target of $152.29 implying 40% upside, driven by margin expansion and AI-driven demand. Risks include execution of acquisitions and market volatility, but analyst sentiment leans buy/hold with low sell ratings. The stock presents a value opportunity for long-term investors focused on sustainable water solutions.
YUM trades at $149.59, down 0.74% on the day, with a bearish technical signal and neutral oscillators. The company reported revenue of $8.21B and net income of $1.56B in 2025, with a P/E ratio of 18.83. Recent developments include the sale of Pizza Hut for approximately $1.5B to LongRange Capital, with proceeds aimed at debt reduction and share buybacks, alongside a declared $0.75 quarterly dividend.
The outlook is mixed: analyst consensus is a buy with a $173.60 price target, but high debt and a legal investigation pose risks. Earnings have beaten expectations in two of the last three quarters, with Q3 2026 results pending. The stock offers potential upside from strategic refocusing and buybacks, balanced against consumer spending pressures and leverage concerns.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Xylem is a global leader in water technology and offers a wide range of solutions, including the transport, treatment, testing, and efficient use of water for customers in the utility, industrial, commercial, and residential sectors. Xylem was spun off from ITT in 2011. Based in Rye Brook, New York, Xylem has a presence in over 150 countries and employs 16,200. The company generated $6.2 billion in revenue and $611 million in adjusted operating income in 2021.
Read more on XYL →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 →