Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) Receives $59.21 Average Price Target from Brokerages

Shares of Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) have been assigned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the four research firms that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation and three have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 1-year price objective among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $59.2133.

Several research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Yum China in a report on Friday, August 21st. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $59.00 price objective on shares of Yum China in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised Yum China from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, August 17th.

Yum China Price Performance

Shares of YUMC opened at $43.59 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $14.93 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.97, a P/E/G ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 0.08. The business’s fifty day moving average is $45.18 and its 200 day moving average is $47.22. Yum China has a 12-month low of $40.15 and a 12-month high of $58.39. The company has a quick ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01.

Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $0.70 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.67 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $3.14 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.05 billion. Yum China had a net margin of 7.84% and a return on equity of 15.82%. The firm’s revenue was up 12.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.58 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Yum China will post 2.95 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Yum China Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 17th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 27th will be given a dividend of $0.29 per share. This represents a $1.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 27th. Yum China’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 42.49%.

Insider Activity at Yum China

In related news, insider Duoduo (Howard) Huang sold 24,096 shares of Yum China stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $47.08, for a total value of $1,134,439.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 7,589 shares in the company, valued at approximately $357,290.12. The trade was a 76.05% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Jeff Kuai sold 14,586 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $47.72, for a total transaction of $696,043.92. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 63,541 shares in the company, valued at $3,032,176.52. The trade was a 18.67% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.44% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Yum China

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Principal Financial Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Yum China by 8.9% in the 4th quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 21,957,111 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,039,945,000 after purchasing an additional 1,787,450 shares during the period. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky increased its holdings in shares of Yum China by 42.4% in the first quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky now owns 752,360 shares of the company’s stock worth $36,701,000 after purchasing an additional 224,060 shares during the period. Mondrian Investment Partners LTD raised its position in shares of Yum China by 112.0% in the fourth quarter. Mondrian Investment Partners LTD now owns 7,854,198 shares of the company’s stock worth $374,959,000 after buying an additional 4,148,966 shares in the last quarter. Assetmark Inc. raised its position in shares of Yum China by 16.0% in the first quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 627,455 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,607,000 after buying an additional 86,550 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sapient Capital LLC bought a new stake in Yum China during the first quarter valued at $8,453,000. 85.58% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.