Yum Brands Inc , parent of the KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell chains, backed its 2010 profit outlook and forecast earnings-per-share growth of at least 10 percent next year.

The forecasts, which came ahead of the company's annual investor meeting next week, exclude special items.

2010 has been a strong year led by our China business... We remain on track to deliver 14 percent earnings-per-share growth, Chief Executive David Novak said on Friday.

Yum shares were down .6 percent at $50.31 Friday afternoon on the New York Stock Exchange.

(Reporting by Dhanya Skariachan; editing by Gunna Dickson)

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