Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Acquires 14,883 Shares of Yum China $YUMC

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans boosted its holdings in Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) by 15.0% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 113,883 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 14,883 shares during the period. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans’ holdings in Yum China were worth $5,436,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in YUMC. Focus Partners Wealth raised 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 acquiring an additional 2,582 shares during the period. Strs Ohio bought a new stake in Yum China in the 1st quarter valued at $99,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in Yum China by 60.9% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,522 shares of the company’s stock valued at $68,000 after acquiring an additional 576 shares during the period. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd acquired a new position in Yum China in the 2nd quarter valued at $14,659,000. Finally, Alliancebernstein L.P. grew its holdings in Yum China by 13.1% in the 2nd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 5,871,382 shares of the company’s stock valued at $262,509,000 after buying an additional 677,928 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 85.58% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

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

Yum China Stock Down 1.3%

Shares of NYSE YUMC opened at $44.97 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a current ratio of 1.01. Yum China has a 52 week low of $41.69 and a 52 week high of $58.39. The stock has a market capitalization of $15.70 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.23, a PEG ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 0.13. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $49.13 and its 200 day moving average is $49.40.

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

Yum China Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, June 17th. Investors of record on Wednesday, May 27th will be given a $0.29 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, May 27th. This represents a $1.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.6%. Yum China’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 44.44%.

Insider Activity at Yum China

In related news, insider Xueling Lu sold 23,504 shares of the firm’s 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 ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 0.44% 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.