Morningstar Investment Management LLC Raises Stake in Yum China $YUMC

Morningstar Investment Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) by 9.9% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 150,827 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 13,637 shares during the period. Morningstar Investment Management LLC’s holdings in Yum China were worth $7,172,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Duncker Streett & Co. Inc. bought a new position in Yum China in the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Elyxium Wealth LLC bought a new position in Yum China in the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Jackson Grant Investment Advisers Inc. increased its stake in Yum China by 526.3% in the 3rd quarter. Jackson Grant Investment Advisers Inc. now owns 595 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 500 shares during the last quarter. Cresta Advisors Ltd. bought a new position in Yum China in the 4th quarter worth about $28,000. Finally, Stone House Investment Management LLC increased its stake in Yum China by 106.2% in the 4th quarter. Stone House Investment Management LLC now owns 629 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 324 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 85.58% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on YUMC shares. Weiss Ratings upgraded Yum China from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $63.64 target price on shares of Yum China in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $58.50 target price on shares of Yum China in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered Yum China from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, May 2nd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $59.05.

Insider Activity at Yum China

In other news, insider Xueling Lu sold 23,504 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.84, for a total transaction of $1,312,463.36. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 9,042 shares in the company, valued at approximately $504,905.28. This represents a 72.22% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Company insiders own 0.44% of the company’s stock.

Yum China Price Performance

Shares of Yum China stock opened at $44.51 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 1.01, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. The firm has a market capitalization of $15.54 billion, a PE ratio of 17.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.25 and a beta of 0.13. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $48.96 and its 200-day moving average price is $49.40. Yum China has a 12 month low of $41.69 and a 12 month high of $58.39.

Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 29th. The company reported $0.87 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.87. The firm had revenue of $3.27 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.21 billion. Yum China had a return on equity of 15.11% and a net margin of 7.83%.The company’s revenue was up 9.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.77 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Yum China will post 2.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Yum China Dividend Announcement

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