Yum China $YUMC is GUARDCAP ASSET MANAGEMENT Ltd’s 4th Largest Position

GUARDCAP ASSET MANAGEMENT Ltd trimmed its position in Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) by 6.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 8,796,889 shares of the company’s stock after selling 599,850 shares during the quarter. Yum China makes up approximately 8.8% of GUARDCAP ASSET MANAGEMENT Ltd’s portfolio, making the stock its 4th largest position. GUARDCAP ASSET MANAGEMENT Ltd’s holdings in Yum China were worth $377,562,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its position in shares of Yum China by 21.5% in the 2nd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 29,150,667 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,303,326,000 after acquiring an additional 5,164,701 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Yum China in the second quarter valued at $201,814,000. Principal Financial Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Yum China by 14.8% in the third quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 20,169,661 shares of the company’s stock valued at $883,687,000 after purchasing an additional 2,604,480 shares in the last quarter. Carrhae Capital LLP acquired a new stake in shares of Yum China in the second quarter worth $48,868,000. Finally, Temasek Holdings Private Ltd grew its holdings in shares of Yum China by 30.4% during the second quarter. Temasek Holdings Private Ltd now owns 3,721,858 shares of the company’s stock valued at $166,404,000 after buying an additional 868,188 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.58% of the company’s stock.

Yum China Stock Performance

Shares of YUMC stock opened at $57.70 on Tuesday. Yum China has a fifty-two week low of $41.00 and a fifty-two week high of $58.39. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $48.80 and its two-hundred day moving average is $46.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a current ratio of 1.32 and a quick ratio of 1.15. The firm has a market cap of $20.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.99, a PEG ratio of 1.65 and a beta of 0.13.

Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $0.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.35 by $0.05. Yum China had a return on equity of 14.46% and a net margin of 7.87%.The business had revenue of $2.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.72 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.30 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 8.8% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts predict that Yum China will post 2.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Yum China Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 25th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 4th will be given a $0.29 dividend. This is a positive change from Yum China’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.24. This represents a $1.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 4th. Yum China’s payout ratio is presently 38.25%.

Yum China announced that its board has initiated a stock repurchase program on Friday, December 12th that authorizes the company to buyback $1.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the company to buy up to 5.8% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are generally an indication that the company’s board believes its stock is undervalued.

Analyst Ratings Changes

YUMC has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Wall Street Zen raised Yum China from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $58.50 target price on shares of Yum China in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Yum China in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. CLSA restated an “outperform” rating and set a $55.00 price target on shares of Yum China in a report on Tuesday, November 25th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $63.64 price objective on shares of Yum China in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $59.05.

Insider Buying and Selling at Yum China

In other news, insider Duoduo (Howard) Huang sold 4,888 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, November 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $48.10, for a total transaction of $235,112.80. Following the transaction, the insider owned 22,510 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,082,731. This trade represents a 17.84% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Jerry Ding sold 3,000 shares of Yum China stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $55.14, for a total transaction of $165,420.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 915 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $50,453.10. The trade was a 76.63% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 21,242 shares of company stock worth $1,043,817. Company insiders own 0.40% of the company’s stock.

Yum China Profile

Yum China Holdings, Inc operates as the largest quick-service restaurant company in China, through its ownership and franchising of brands such as KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. The company’s core business encompasses full-service and fast‐casual dining, takeout and delivery channels, as well as ancillary services including loyalty programs and digital ordering platforms. Yum China’s restaurants offer a diverse menu that adapts global brand concepts to local consumer preferences, featuring items such as soy‐marinated chicken, customized pizzas and region‐inspired side dishes.

In addition to its signature brands, Yum China has expanded its portfolio to include innovative concepts tailored to evolving market trends, such as plant‐based offerings, self‐service kiosks and mobile app integrations.