XY Capital Ltd Acquires 11,500 Shares of Yum China $YUMC

XY Capital Ltd boosted its holdings in Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) by 8.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 152,598 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 11,500 shares during the quarter. Yum China accounts for approximately 3.4% of XY Capital Ltd’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 3rd biggest holding. XY Capital Ltd’s holdings in Yum China were worth $6,550,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Jackson Grant Investment Advisers Inc. raised its stake in shares of 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 purchasing an additional 500 shares during the last quarter. Quent Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Yum China during the third quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Bell Investment Advisors Inc grew its holdings in Yum China by 95.6% during the second quarter. Bell Investment Advisors Inc now owns 665 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 325 shares in the last quarter. Caldwell Trust Co bought a new stake in Yum China during the second quarter worth $56,000. Finally, Parallel Advisors LLC raised its position in Yum China by 33.1% in the 3rd quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 1,386 shares of the company’s stock valued at $59,000 after buying an additional 345 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.58% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

YUMC has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Yum China in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. CLSA reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $55.00 target price on shares of Yum China in a report on Tuesday, November 25th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $58.50 price target on shares of Yum China in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Yum China from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, February 7th. 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 investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Yum China currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $59.05.

Yum China Stock Up 0.3%

Yum China stock opened at $52.66 on Friday. Yum China has a twelve month low of $41.00 and a twelve month high of $58.39. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $51.90 and a 200-day moving average price of $47.68. The company has a market capitalization of $18.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.98, a P/E/G ratio of 1.48 and a beta of 0.11. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01.

Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $0.40 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.35 by $0.05. Yum China had a net margin of 7.87% and a return on equity of 14.65%. The company had revenue of $2.82 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.72 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.30 EPS. Yum China’s revenue was up 8.8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts predict that Yum China will post 2.54 EPS for the current year.

Yum China Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 25th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 4th will be paid a $0.29 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 4th. This is a boost from Yum China’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.24. This represents a $1.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.2%. Yum China’s dividend payout ratio is presently 46.22%.

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

Insider Activity

In related news, insider Xueling Lu sold 23,504 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated 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 sale, the insider directly owned 9,042 shares in the company, valued at approximately $504,905.28. The trade was a 72.22% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Joey Wat sold 104,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $55.18, for a total transaction of $5,738,720.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 433,306 shares in the company, valued at approximately $23,909,825.08. This trade represents a 19.36% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 135,117 shares of company stock valued at $7,479,590 in the last 90 days. 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.