Van ECK Associates Corp Increases Holdings in Yum China $YUMC

Van ECK Associates Corp boosted its stake in shares of Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) by 9.0% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 251,527 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 20,791 shares during the quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp’s holdings in Yum China were worth $10,280,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Principal Financial Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Yum China by 3.0% during the 1st quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 22,606,740 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,111,135,000 after purchasing an additional 649,629 shares during the last quarter. Royal Bank of Canada grew its holdings in Yum China by 1.5% during the fourth quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 11,135,203 shares of the company’s stock valued at $531,593,000 after purchasing an additional 167,868 shares during the period. Dodge & Cox increased its position in Yum China by 0.4% in the fourth quarter. Dodge & Cox now owns 8,553,962 shares of the company’s stock worth $408,366,000 after buying an additional 33,100 shares during the last quarter. Mondrian Investment Partners LTD increased its holdings in Yum China by 112.0% in the 4th quarter. Mondrian Investment Partners LTD now owns 7,854,198 shares of the company’s stock worth $374,959,000 after acquiring an additional 4,148,966 shares during the last quarter. Finally, W1M Asset Management Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Yum China during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $320,227,000. Institutional investors own 85.58% of the company’s stock.

Yum China Trading Up 0.6%

NYSE YUMC opened at $44.88 on Wednesday. Yum China has a 12 month low of $40.15 and a 12 month high of $58.39. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $44.99 and its 200-day moving average price is $47.39. The stock has a market cap of $15.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.44, a P/E/G ratio of 1.17 and a beta of 0.09. The company has a current ratio of 0.96, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01.

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, topping the consensus estimate of $0.67 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $3.14 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.05 billion. Yum China had a net margin of 7.84% and a return on equity of 15.82%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 12.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.58 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Yum China will post 2.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Yum China Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 17th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 27th will be paid a dividend of $0.29 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 27th. This represents a $1.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.6%. Yum China’s dividend payout ratio is currently 42.49%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on YUMC shares. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Yum China in a research report on Friday, August 21st. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $59.00 target price on shares of Yum China in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised Yum China from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, August 17th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $59.21.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Duoduo (Howard) Huang sold 24,096 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $47.08, for a total value of $1,134,439.68. Following the sale, the insider owned 7,589 shares in the company, valued at approximately $357,290.12. This trade represents a 76.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Jeff Kuai sold 14,586 shares of Yum China stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $47.72, for a total value of $696,043.92. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 63,541 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,032,176.52. The trade was a 18.67% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 0.44% of the stock is owned by corporate 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.