Norges Bank Makes New $280.66 Million Investment in Yum China $YUMC

Norges Bank purchased a new position in Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor purchased 5,882,425 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $280,656,000. Norges Bank owned approximately 1.63% of Yum China as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Duncker Streett & Co. Inc. purchased a new stake in Yum China in the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Elyxium Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in Yum China in the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Jackson Grant Investment Advisers Inc. increased its position in Yum China by 526.3% in the third quarter. Jackson Grant Investment Advisers Inc. now owns 595 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 500 shares in the last quarter. Cresta Advisors Ltd. purchased a new stake in Yum China in the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Finally, Stone House Investment Management LLC grew its position in shares of Yum China by 106.2% during the fourth quarter. Stone House Investment Management LLC now owns 629 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 324 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 85.58% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms recently issued reports on YUMC. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $58.50 target price on shares of Yum China in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $63.64 target price on shares of Yum China in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Yum China from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday. Finally, Weiss Ratings cut Yum China from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 26th. Three investment 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 stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $59.05.

Yum China Stock Performance

NYSE YUMC opened at $43.47 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $15.18 billion, a PE ratio of 16.65, a P/E/G ratio of 1.20 and a beta of 0.09. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $47.79 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $49.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a current ratio of 1.01 and a quick ratio of 0.83. Yum China has a 1-year low of $41.69 and a 1-year high of $58.39.

Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The company reported $0.87 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.87. The business had revenue of $3.27 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.21 billion. Yum China had a return on equity of 15.11% and a net margin of 7.83%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.77 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Yum China will post 2.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Yum China Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, June 17th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, May 27th will be issued a dividend of $0.29 per share. This represents a $1.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, May 27th. Yum China’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 44.44%.

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.