Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) Given Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts

Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) has been given an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the four research firms that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation and three have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month target price among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $59.2133.

YUMC has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Wall Street Zen lowered Yum China from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Sunday. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $59.00 target price on shares of Yum China in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, Weiss Ratings cut shares of Yum China from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 26th.

Institutional Trading of Yum China

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Duncker Streett & Co. Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Yum China during the 4th quarter worth $26,000. Main Street Group LTD acquired a new stake in shares of Yum China during the first quarter worth $26,000. Elyxium Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Yum China in the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. Ascentis Independent Advisors purchased a new stake in shares of Yum China in the first quarter valued at $27,000. Finally, Cresta Advisors Ltd. acquired a new position in Yum China in the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. 85.58% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Yum China Price Performance

YUMC stock opened at $47.69 on Tuesday. Yum China has a 1 year low of $40.15 and a 1 year high of $58.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a current ratio of 1.01. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $43.57 and its 200 day moving average price is $47.96. The firm has a market cap of $16.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.47, a PEG ratio of 1.26 and a beta of 0.09.

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

Yum China Cuts Dividend

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

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.