Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) have received a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the four ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $59.2133.

A number of brokerages have weighed in on YUMC. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $59.00 price target on shares of Yum China in a research report on Thursday. Wall Street Zen upgraded Yum China from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday. Finally, Weiss Ratings lowered Yum China from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 26th.

Yum China Stock Performance

Shares of YUMC opened at $48.38 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $16.89 billion, a PE ratio of 17.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 0.09. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $43.22 and a 200-day moving average of $47.95. Yum China has a one year low of $40.15 and a one year high of $58.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a current ratio of 1.01 and a quick ratio of 0.83.

Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $0.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.67 by $0.03. Yum China had a net margin of 7.84% and a return on equity of 15.73%. The company had revenue of $3.14 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.05 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.58 EPS. Yum China’s quarterly revenue was up 12.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Yum China will post 2.95 earnings per share for the current year.

Yum China Cuts Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 17th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 27th will be given a dividend of $0.075 per share. This represents a $0.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 27th. Yum China’s payout ratio is 42.49%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Yum China

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Focus Partners Wealth grew its stake in Yum China by 13.8% in the 1st quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 21,289 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,108,000 after buying an additional 2,582 shares during the last quarter. Strs Ohio bought a new stake in shares of Yum China during the first quarter worth approximately $99,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Yum China by 60.9% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,522 shares of the company’s stock valued at $68,000 after purchasing an additional 576 shares during the last quarter. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Yum China in the second quarter valued at approximately $14,659,000. Finally, Alliancebernstein L.P. increased its stake in shares of Yum China by 13.1% during the second quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 5,871,382 shares of the company’s stock worth $262,509,000 after purchasing an additional 677,928 shares during the period. 85.58% of the stock is owned by 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.