Principal Financial Group Inc. Raises Stake in Yum China $YUMC

Principal Financial Group Inc. grew its stake in Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) by 3.0% in the first quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 22,606,740 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 649,629 shares during the period. Principal Financial Group Inc. owned 0.06% of Yum China worth $1,111,135,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of YUMC. Matthews International Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Yum China by 77.8% in the first quarter. Matthews International Capital Management LLC now owns 554,911 shares of the company’s stock valued at $27,069,000 after purchasing an additional 242,785 shares during the period. AMF Tjanstepension AB boosted its holdings in Yum China by 16.8% in the 1st quarter. AMF Tjanstepension AB now owns 44,506 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,171,000 after purchasing an additional 6,406 shares during the last quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky boosted its holdings in Yum China by 42.4% in the 1st quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky now owns 752,360 shares of the company’s stock valued at $36,701,000 after purchasing an additional 224,060 shares during the last quarter. LGT Fund Management Co Ltd. acquired a new stake in shares of Yum China during the 1st quarter worth approximately $1,112,000. Finally, Global Assets Advisory LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Yum China during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $59,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 85.58% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

YUMC has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Wall Street Zen upgraded Yum China from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, June 27th. Weiss Ratings cut Yum China from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note 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.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $59.05.

Yum China Trading Up 2.2%

NYSE YUMC opened at $43.95 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a current ratio of 1.01. The firm has a market cap of $15.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.84, a PEG ratio of 1.20 and a beta of 0.10. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $43.73 and a 200-day simple moving average of $48.30. Yum China has a one year low of $40.15 and a one year high of $58.39.

Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The company reported $0.87 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.87. The firm had revenue of $3.27 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.21 billion. Yum China had a net margin of 7.83% and a return on equity of 15.11%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.77 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Yum China will post 2.94 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Yum China Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, June 17th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, May 27th were given a dividend of $0.29 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, May 27th. This represents a $1.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.6%. Yum China’s dividend payout ratio is currently 44.44%.

Yum China Company 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.