Fast-food boost lifts KFC owner

Consumers seem happy to eat at Yum's restaurants

Yum Brands, the company behind fast food operator KFC and the Pizza Hut chain of restaurants, has reported a 16% jump in profits.

Kentucky-based Yum said its third quarter net profits rose to $214m (£122m), from $185m the previous year.

Yum, which also owns the Taco Bell fast-food chain, said strong sales in the US and robust growth overseas helped lift its earnings.

The firm also reported a 3% rise in revenues to $2.24bn.

However, Yum warned that earnings for the second half of the year would be hit by a tax related to the repatriation of foreign earnings.

The firm operates 34,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries.