Yum sales soar in China in first quarter, boosted by KFC

Yum Brands Inc's China sales accelerated faster than Wall Street expected in the first quarter, driven by Chinese New Year KFC chicken bucket promotions, in a good sign for the company's planned spinoff of the China unit. The China unit is Yum's top profit-driver, and investors are focused on how Yum will separate that business and how richly it will be valued. "Yum China will get a better valuation as same-store sales accelerate," said Howard Penney, restaurant analyst at Hedgeye Risk Managemen