Quantbot Technologies LP Purchases 140,234 Shares of Yum China $YUMC

Quantbot Technologies LP lifted its position in shares of Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) by 14,023,400.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 140,235 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 140,234 shares during the period. Quantbot Technologies LP’s holdings in Yum China were worth $6,019,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Jackson Grant Investment Advisers Inc. grew its holdings in Yum China by 526.3% during the third quarter. Jackson Grant Investment Advisers Inc. now owns 595 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 500 shares during the period. Quent Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Yum China in the third quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Bell Investment Advisors Inc boosted its stake in shares of Yum China by 95.6% during the 2nd quarter. Bell Investment Advisors Inc now owns 665 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 325 shares during the period. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp acquired a new position in shares of Yum China during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $45,000. Finally, Hantz Financial Services Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Yum China by 76.3% during the 2nd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,070 shares of the company’s stock worth $48,000 after acquiring an additional 463 shares during the last quarter. 85.58% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Yum China Stock Down 1.1%

Shares of NYSE YUMC opened at $54.89 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $19.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.87, a PEG ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 0.14. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $51.02 and its 200 day moving average is $47.17. Yum China has a 52 week low of $41.00 and a 52 week high of $58.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a quick ratio of 1.15 and a current ratio of 1.32.

Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $0.40 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.35 by $0.05. Yum China had a net margin of 7.87% and a return on equity of 14.46%. The business had revenue of $2.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.72 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.30 earnings per share. Yum China’s revenue was up 8.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts forecast that Yum China will post 2.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Yum China Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 25th. Investors of record on Wednesday, March 4th will be given a dividend of $0.29 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 4th. This represents a $1.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. This is a positive change from Yum China’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.24. Yum China’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 38.25%.

Yum China declared that its board has initiated a share buyback plan on Friday, December 12th that allows the company to repurchase $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the company to reacquire up to 5.8% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are usually an indication that the company’s leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have commented on YUMC shares. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $58.50 price objective on shares of Yum China in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. CLSA restated an “outperform” rating and set a $55.00 target price on shares of Yum China in a research note on Tuesday, November 25th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Yum China from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, February 7th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $63.64 price target on shares of Yum China in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Yum China in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $59.05.

Insider Activity at Yum China

In other news, insider Xueling Lu sold 23,504 shares of Yum China stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.84, for a total value of $1,312,463.36. Following the transaction, the insider owned 9,042 shares in the company, valued at approximately $504,905.28. This trade represents a 72.22% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Jerry Ding sold 3,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.14, for a total value of $165,420.00. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 915 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $50,453.10. This trade represents a 76.63% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 135,117 shares of company stock valued at $7,479,590 over the last three months. 0.40% of the stock is owned by insiders.

About Yum China

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.