SBUX vs YUM vs KO

For growth investors, Yum!

Brands, Inc. (YUM) is the stronger pick with 8. 8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 1. 9% for The Coca-Cola Company (KO). The Coca-Cola Company (KO) offers the better valuation at 26. 1x trailing P/E (24. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Starbucks Corporation (SBUX) a "Buy" — based on 59 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, The Coca-Cola Company (KO) is the cheapest at 26.

1x versus Starbucks Corporation at 61. 7x. On forward P/E, Yum! Brands, Inc. is actually cheaper at 22. 4x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Yum! Brands, Inc. wins at 1. 65x versus Starbucks Corporation's 2. 70x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, The Coca-Cola Company (KO) delivered a total return of +65.

3%, compared to +1. 9% for Starbucks Corporation (SBUX). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: YUM returned +185. 6% versus SBUX's +114. 2%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), The Coca-Cola Company (KO) is the lower-risk stock at -0.

23β versus Starbucks Corporation's 0. 71β — meaning SBUX is approximately -402% more volatile than KO relative to the S&P 500.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Yum!

Brands, Inc. (YUM) is pulling ahead at 8. 8% versus 1. 9% for The Coca-Cola Company (KO). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: The Coca-Cola Company grew EPS 23. 6% year-over-year, compared to -50. 8% for Starbucks Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, YUM leads at 6. 3% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

The Coca-Cola Company (KO) is the more profitable company, earning 27.

3% net margin versus 5. 0% for Starbucks Corporation — meaning it keeps 27. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: YUM leads at 30. 8% versus 9. 6% for SBUX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — KO leads at 61. 6%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Yum! Brands, Inc. (YUM) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 65x versus Starbucks Corporation's 2. 70x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, Yum! Brands, Inc. (YUM) trades at 22. 4x forward P/E versus 42. 1x for Starbucks Corporation — 19. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for YUM: 17. 1% to $178. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

The Coca-Cola Company (KO) offers the highest yield at 2. 6%, versus 1. 9% for Yum! Brands, Inc. (YUM).

For long-horizon retirement investors, The Coca-Cola Company (KO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0.

23), 2. 6% yield, +115. 0% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (KO: +115. 0%, SBUX: +114. 2%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

These companies operate in different sectors (SBUX (Consumer Cyclical) and YUM (Consumer Cyclical) and KO (Consumer Defensive)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.