百胜集团（Yum）第二季度收入报告今日宣布，但最终结果将于7月18日收盘后总结得出。这家全球大型快餐连锁巨头将在其财报发布后的第二天早晨召开电话会议。
分析师预计，坐拥塔可钟（Taco Bell）、必胜客（Pizza Hut）及肯德基（KFC）等多家知名连锁餐厅的快餐老大百胜集团，第二季度盈利增长约16.7%，每股70美分。销售额有望上升10.7%，达到31.2亿美元。
其中，中国的销售情况将是第二季度财报公布后，投资者最为关心的一点。因为在中国这个全球人口数量最多的国家，第一季度销售增长远低于预期值。Same-restaurant的销售额上升14%，但依然低于分析师的殷切希望。由于劳动力及商品成本的增加，百胜在华餐厅的利润暴跌25.1-23.6%。由于百胜在中国的销售业绩极大程度来自肯德基和必胜客，所以，中国市场盈利速度放缓对于整个集团的利益，会造成不可估量的巨大影响。
无独有偶，就在5月，麦当劳（McDonald's）也公布财报，表示亚洲市场行情不佳。
但是，也并非所有的快餐厅在中国都越赚越少。星巴克（Starbucks）公布连续七个季度的在华销售情况，结果显示，同店销售增长达到20%以上，这极大程度为公司不断扩大市场奠定了坚实的基础。
去年第四季度，塔可钟推出的多力多滋玉米脆片（Doritos Loco tacos）在美国堪称轰动一时，一时间，各家塔可钟连锁餐厅趁胜追击，大力推广促销活动，并不断的推出新品，完善菜单，绞尽脑汁吸引更多的顾客光临。
6月，餐厅继续推陈出新，推出新的Cantina Bell，并在菜单上加入4款新的高端产品，比如腊烧玉米沙拉、香菜米饭等，用于同墨西哥烧烤餐厅Chipotle Mexican Grill竞争。
的确，不断改善并更新菜单在美国餐饮界一直是一项行业惯例，因为美国人越来越注重健康饮食。比如汉堡王（Burger King）就在夏季特供菜单里加入了冰镇柠檬水和健康的烘焙薯条。
但是，由于来自《彭博社》发布的纽约市长呼吁，软饮料和其他甜味饮料单包装不得大于16盎司的通知以后，快餐店多少都会受到一些冲击。而且，该禁令的推广力度还在继续强化。
对此禁令，餐厅方面是奋力反击。因为早餐配餐里，软饮料比咖啡和果汁的利润都高得多。于是，南加州的塔可钟餐厅便推出了新品Mountain Dew A.M，这是一种混合橙汁和激浪威士忌的新型饮料。对此，麦当劳的应对策略是推出特别包装的软饮料，分量稍小，售价仅为1美元。
上周，高盛对百胜集团进行了重新的市场评级。戏剧性的是，就在6月，分析师雷蒙德•詹姆斯（Raymond James）才刚刚为百胜的市场表现降了级。
Yum Brands was widely reported to announce second-quarter earnings today, but its results will not be released until after the market close on July 18. The fast food giant will hold its post-earnings conference call the following morning.
Analysts are expecting the owner of Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC restaurants to report a 16.7% rise in earnings to 70 cents per share. Sales are seen rising 10.7% to $3.12 billion.
Growth in China will be a concern for investors in Q2 as first-quarter sales in the world's most populous country were slower than expected. Same-restaurant sales grew 14%, missing analysts lofty expectations. Yum's restaurant margin in China fell to 25.1% to 23.6% due to an increase in labor and commodity costs. Yum's sales in China are largely from KFC and Pizza Hut. An even bigger slowdown in China could have a huge impact on the company.
In May McDonald's reported weak Asian sales.
But not every fast-food restaurant in doing poorly in China. Starbucks has reported seven straight quarters of 20%-plus same-store sales growth in China, an expanding market for the company.
Last quarter Taco Bell's Doritos Loco tacos were a hit in the U.S., boosting sales, and the fast food chain is continuing to improve its menu offerings to entice a broader range of customers.
In June the fast-food joint announced a new "Cantina Bell" menu with four new items featuring more high-end ingredients like fire-roasted corn salsa and cilantro rice, in an effort to compete with Chipotle Mexican Grill.
Improving menus has been a trend as Americans are becoming more health and taste conscious. Burger King added frozen lemonade and sweet potato fries to its summer offerings.
But fast food restaurants could take a hit from NYC's Mayor Bloomberg's proposed ban on soft drinks and other sugary beverages larger than 16 ounces. The idea is gaining traction: Mayor Henrietta Davis of Cambridge, Mass. is mulling a similar ban.
Restaurants are fighting the ban by promoting soft drinks, which have a higher margin than coffee or juice, with their breakfast options. Taco Bells in Southern California are trying out the new Mountain Dew A.M., an orange juice and Mountain Dew beverage. McDonald's ran a special, offering any size soft drink for only a dollar.
Last week Goldman Sachs reaffirmed its neutral rating on Yum. But in June analysts at Raymond James downgraded Yum to a market perform from outperform.
