Restaurant Brands International Inc. research snapshot

QSR AI Stock Analysis

QSR AI stock analysis currently reads Restaurant Brands International as a large, mostly franchised quick-service restaurant operator with four global brands, recurring royalty and advertising revenue, and a growth algorithm that delivered a strong start to 2026. First-quarter comparable sales rose 3.2%, led by Burger King US and International, while Popeyes comparable sales fell 6.5%. At the July 31, 2026 close of $74.02, QSR trades near 26x trailing GAAP EPS, about 18x forward adjusted EPS, and 22.7x trailing free cash flow per share, so the QSR AI stock forecast depends on franchisee economics, restaurant openings, Burger King remodel returns, Popeyes traffic, interest expense, and valuation discipline. This page is informational only and is not investment advice.

Current price

$74.02

Market cap

$33.78 billion verified market cap

AI score

72 / 100

Rating

Scaled global franchise operator with improving organic growth, strong first-quarter momentum, and elevated but improving leverage

Trend status

Neutral to constructive, trading just above the 50-day moving average and above the 200-day reference after holding the recovery range

Data cutoff (updated monthly)

August 4, 2026

Informational use only. This page is not investment advice.

Research quality check

information Richness
A-level information richness. RBI has a long public record, current SEC filings, detailed brand-level quarterly disclosures, StockAnalysis market data, and broad consumer and restaurant coverage.
bias Check
The main AI bias risk is treating a royalty-heavy franchise model as automatically defensive while under-weighting leverage, consumer value pressure, Popeyes weakness, execution risk in Burger King remodels, FX exposure, and the distinction between system sales and RBI revenue.
ai Confidence
High for reported 2025 revenue, common earnings, Q1 2026 sales, adjusted metrics, cash, debt, share count, and market-cap math. Medium for technical levels and scenario ranges because price, rates, consumer traffic, and restaurant sentiment change quickly.
investment Certainty
Medium. The brand portfolio and cash generation are established, but equity certainty is constrained by net debt, interest costs, franchisee health, brand-level dispersion, and the price paid for a stable growth profile.

Quick verdict table

DimensionConclusionConfidence
Business qualityRBI earns royalties, franchise fees, advertising revenue, supply-chain income, and selected company restaurant income from Tim Hortons, Burger King, Popeyes, and Firehouse Subs across roughly 33,000 restaurants.High
MoatGlobal brand awareness, franchise systems, restaurant density, advertising scale, digital investment, and supply-chain relationships support the moat, but consumers face low switching costs and franchisees need acceptable unit economics.Medium-high
ManagementCEO Josh Kobza is executing the 2024 to 2028 growth algorithm, including 3% or more comparable sales, 8% or more organic adjusted operating income growth, and 5% or more net restaurant growth toward the end of the period. Capital allocation balances growth spending, dividends, and resumed repurchases.Medium-high
Financial trendFY2025 revenue rose 12.2% to $9.43 billion. In Q1 2026, revenue rose to $2.26 billion, adjusted operating income rose 13.0%, adjusted diluted EPS rose 14.6% to $0.86, and free cash flow reached $169 million.High
ValuationAt $74.02, QSR screens near 26.06x trailing GAAP EPS, 22.71x trailing free cash flow per share, 6.87x book value per share, and a 3.51% dividend yield. Forward adjusted PE is about 18x on the 2026 analyst consensus.High
Technical trendThe July 31 close of $74.02 was just above the 50-day moving-average reference near $73.96 and above the 200-day reference near $72.21, leaving the chart constructive but not extended.Medium
Risk levelKey risks are high net debt, interest costs, franchisee profitability, Popeyes traffic, Burger King remodel return on investment, international FX and geopolitical exposure, commodity and labor pressure, and a lower restaurant valuation multiple.Medium-high
AI confidenceDescriptive confidence is high because RBI releases, SEC filings, and StockAnalysis agree on the main financial base. Forecast confidence is lower because brand demand, rates, and valuation multiples are variable.High data confidence
Investment certaintyQSR has a durable franchise platform and a credible growth plan, but the investment case needs sustained brand-level execution and deleveraging capacity to offset the premium paid for recurring cash flow.Medium

QSR AI stock forecast

QSR AI Stock Forecast Scenarios

The QSR AI stock forecast uses the July 31, 2026 quote reference of $74.02 and the FY2026 adjusted EPS consensus of $4.05 as a forward base, with a three-year earnings multiple framework. The audited model produced a bearish area near $62, a base area near $87, and a bullish area near $105 before dividends. These are scenario ranges, not price promises.

Bullish case

$100 to $110

More likely if comparable sales remain above the long-term algorithm, net restaurant growth accelerates, Burger King Royal Reset investments improve franchisee economics, Popeyes recovers, adjusted EPS compounds near 11%, and investors pay about 19x earnings.

Base case

$82 to $92

More likely if RBI delivers low-single-digit comparable sales growth, International stays healthy, net leverage remains near the reported 4.2x adjusted EBITDA level, adjusted EPS compounds near 8%, and the market values QSR around 17x forward earnings.

Bearish case

$58 to $66

More likely if franchisee economics weaken, Popeyes traffic stays negative, Burger King investment returns disappoint, rates or FX pressure cash flow, adjusted EPS compounds near 3%, or the multiple contracts toward 14x earnings.

QSR AI technical analysis

QSR AI Technical Analysis

QSR AI technical analysis is neutral to constructive at the August 2, 2026 cutoff. The July 31 close of $74.02 was just above StockAnalysis's 50-day moving-average reference of $73.96 and above the 200-day reference near $72.21, with an RSI near 49. These levels are time-sensitive and should be refreshed before trading decisions.

LevelValueWhy it matters
Current price$74.02July 31, 2026 closing quote from StockAnalysis, used as the research price reference.
Immediate support$72.21 to $73Area around the 200-day moving-average reference. Holding it would preserve the short-term recovery structure.
Major support$71 to $72Trading area below the 200-day reference. A sustained break would weaken the constructive trend view.
Near resistance$75 to $76Round-number area above the 50-day reference. Reclaiming it on stronger volume would improve momentum.
Higher resistance$81.96The reported 52-week high. It marks a larger upside confirmation zone.
Moving averages50-day about $73.96, 200-day about $72.21StockAnalysis references updated August 2, 2026. The stock closed just above both references.
MomentumNeutralRSI near 49 and price sitting at the 50-day reference. A breakout needs confirmation rather than anticipation.
VolumeAbout 2.39 million shares average over 20 daysStockAnalysis reported the 20-day average volume. Watch for expanding volume if price clears the $75 to $76 zone.
VolatilityBeta about 0.53The reported beta is below market sensitivity, but earnings, rates, FX, and restaurant data can create stock-specific moves.
InvalidationSustained close below $71A durable loss of the 200-day support area would weaken the recovery framework and require a fresh fundamental review.

QSR AI trading strategy

QSR AI Trading Strategy Framework

The QSR AI trading strategy below is a rules-based research framework, not personalized advice. It combines comparable sales, restaurant openings, franchisee health, net leverage, free cash flow, interest expense, and the stated technical invalidation level.

Trend-following setup

Look for QSR to hold the $72.21 to $73 area and reclaim $75 to $76 with improving volume. Pair that chart signal with positive comparable sales, International growth, and evidence that Burger King investment is improving franchisee economics.

A failed reclaim of the $75 to $76 zone or a sustained close below $71 should reduce setup confidence, especially if it follows weak brand-level demand or higher leverage commentary.

Mean-reversion setup

If QSR revisits the $71 to $72 support area, compare the lower price with updated EPS, free cash flow yield, debt, interest expense, system-wide sales, and peer restaurant multiples before assuming value.

Do not treat a lower price as automatically attractive if franchisee economics deteriorate, Popeyes traffic stays weak, or the company reduces its long-term growth or capital-return expectations.

Fundamental monitor

Track comparable sales and net restaurant growth by brand, Burger King Royal Reset spending and returns, Popeyes traffic, Tim Hortons and International momentum, adjusted operating income, free cash flow, net leverage, interest expense, dividends, and repurchases.

Position sizing should reflect QSR's high debt load. Net debt was $12.63 billion at March 31, 2026, so a consumer slowdown or a sustained rate shock can have an outsized equity impact.

Investment research summary

Four-master Research Compression

Business essence

Customers pay the four restaurant brands for familiar, convenient quick-service food. Franchisees fund most restaurant operations, while RBI collects royalties, fees, advertising contributions, supply-chain income, and selected company-store income.

Moat

The moat comes from global brand recognition, restaurant density, franchising know-how, advertising scale, digital platforms, supply-chain relationships, and local franchisee networks. It must be renewed through value, service, and attractive unit economics because customers can switch easily.

Munger risk inversion

The thesis fails if remodel spending does not lift Burger King unit economics, Popeyes demand stays weak, franchisees defer investment, commodity or labor costs rise, interest expense absorbs cash flow, international growth reverses, or the market stops paying a premium for leveraged franchise cash flow.

Management

Josh Kobza and the management team are measured against brand-level execution, capital discipline, the 2024 to 2028 growth algorithm, franchisee returns, and whether shareholder distributions leave enough capacity to support the balance sheet and growth investment.

Industry trend

Quick-service restaurants benefit from convenience, drive-thru, digital ordering, delivery, and global development. The industry remains competitive and value-sensitive, so the long-term opportunity depends on franchisee economics and local relevance rather than a guaranteed category tailwind.

Valuation and margin of safety

The current price reflects confidence in recurring franchise cash flow and improved growth. The three-scenario model shows meaningful upside if adjusted earnings compound near a double-digit rate, but downside if growth slows or the market applies a lower multiple to a leveraged consumer franchise platform.

Source-backed data

QSR Data Table

Every metric below includes a source and last verification date.

MetricValueSourceLast verified
QSR quote reference$74.02 at the July 31, 2026 closeStockAnalysis market dataAugust 2, 2026
Market capitalization verification$33.78 billion calculated from $74.02 x 456.34 million shares, compared with $33.78 billion reported by StockAnalysis, 0.01% varianceStockAnalysis statistics and Pineify financial_rigor.pyAugust 2, 2026
FY2025 revenue and common earningsRevenue $9.434 billion and net income attributable to common shareholders $776 million, both cross-validated with StockAnalysisRBI full-year 2025 results releaseAugust 2, 2026
FY2025 free cash flow$1.449 billion for the twelve months ended December 31, 2025, per the RBI reconciliationRBI Q1 2026 results release, non-GAAP reconciliationAugust 2, 2026
Q1 2026 operating resultsRevenue $2.264 billion, comparable sales 3.2%, adjusted operating income $610 million, adjusted EBITDA $706 million, and adjusted diluted EPS $0.86RBI Q1 2026 results releaseAugust 2, 2026
Q1 2026 brand demandBurger King US comparable sales 5.8%, International comparable sales 5.7%, Popeyes comparable sales negative 6.5%, Tim Hortons comparable sales 1.6%, and 32,985 system restaurantsRBI Q1 2026 results releaseAugust 2, 2026
Cash, debt, and net leverageCash $1.012 billion, total debt $13.640 billion excluding certain lease presentation, net debt $12.628 billion, and net leverage 4.2x adjusted EBITDA at March 31, 2026RBI Q1 2026 results releaseAugust 2, 2026
Valuation and technical referencesTTM EPS $2.84, TTM free cash flow per share $3.26, beta 0.53, 52-week range $61.33 to $81.96, 50-day moving average $73.96, 200-day moving average $72.21, and RSI near 49StockAnalysis market data and statisticsAugust 2, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

This QSR research page is an informational tool, not investment advice, a recommendation, or a solicitation. Forecast ranges are scenario estimates based on available data and can be wrong. Review current filings, quotes, and your own objectives, risk tolerance, and professional advice before making an investment decision.