As the craze of earnings season draws to a close, here's a look back at some of the most exciting (and some less so) results from Q4. Today, we are looking at traditional fast food stocks, starting with Yum China (NYSE:YUMC).

Traditional fast-food restaurants are renowned for their speed and convenience, boasting menus filled with familiar and budget-friendly items. Their reputations for on-the-go consumption make them favored destinations for individuals and families needing a quick meal. This class of restaurants, however, is fighting the perception that their meals are unhealthy and made with inferior ingredients, a battle that's especially relevant today given the consumers increasing focus on health and wellness.

The 15 traditional fast food stocks we track reported a decent Q4; on average, revenues beat analyst consensus estimates by 0.6%. Inflation progressed towards the Fed's 2% goal at the end of 2023, leading to strong stock market performance. The start of 2024 has been a bumpier ride, as the market switches between optimism and pessimism around rate cuts due to mixed inflation data, and traditional fast food stocks have held roughly steady amidst all this, with share prices up 2.9% on average since the previous earnings results.

Best Q4: Yum China (NYSE:YUMC)

One of China’s largest restaurant companies, Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) is an independent entity spun off from Yum! Brands in 2016.

Yum China reported revenues of $2.49 billion, up 19.4% year on year, topping analyst expectations by 7%. IIt was a stunning quarter for the company, with revenue outperforming Wall Street's estimates, driven by better-than-expected same store sales and a higher number of locations. Profitability was solid, leading to an EPS beat.

Yum China achieved the biggest analyst estimates beat of the whole group. The stock is up 2.2% since the results and currently trades at $38.27.

Is now the time to buy Yum China? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it's free.

Carrols (NASDAQ:TAST)

With a reputation for reviving underperforming locations, Carrols Restaurant Group (NASDAQ:TAST) is the largest franchisee of Burger King restaurants and also a major Popeyes franchisee.

Carrols reported revenues of $475.8 million, up 7.2% year on year, outperforming analyst expectations by 1.5%. It was a stunning quarter for the company, with an impressive beat of analysts' earnings estimates.

The stock is up 52.4% since the results and currently trades at $9.47.

Is now the time to buy Carrols? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it's free.

Weakest Q4: Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX)

Started by three friends in Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market, Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) is a globally-renowned coffeehouse chain that offers a wide selection of high-quality coffee, beverages, and food items.

Starbucks reported revenues of $9.43 billion, up 8.2% year on year, falling short of analyst expectations by 2.1%. It was a weak quarter for the company, with a miss of analysts' revenue estimates.

The stock is down 8.5% since the results and currently trades at $86.08.

Read our full analysis of Starbucks's results here.

Dutch Bros (NYSE:BROS)

Started in 1992 by two brothers as a single pushcart, Dutch Bros (NYSE:BROS) is a dynamic coffee chain that’s captured the hearts of coffee enthusiasts across the United States.

Dutch Bros reported revenues of $254.1 million, up 25.9% year on year, in line with analyst expectations. It was a slower quarter for the company, with full-year revenue guidance missing analysts' expectations.

Dutch Bros delivered the fastest revenue growth among its peers. The stock is up 22.1% since the results and currently trades at $33.

Read our full, actionable report on Dutch Bros here, it's free.

Yum! Brands (NYSE:YUM)

Spun off as an independent company from PepsiCo, Yum! Brands (NYSE:YUM) is a multinational corporation that owns KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and The Habit Burger Grill.

Yum! Brands reported revenues of $2.04 billion, flat year on year, falling short of analyst expectations by 3.3%. It was a slower quarter for the company, with a miss of analysts' revenue and earnings estimates.

Yum! Brands had the weakest performance against analyst estimates among its peers. The stock is up 8.3% since the results and currently trades at $137.74.

Read our full, actionable report on Yum! Brands here, it's free.

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