Aberdeen Group plc Sells 83,590 Shares of Yum China $YUMC

Aberdeen Group plc lowered its stake in Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) by 71.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 33,238 shares of the company’s stock after selling 83,590 shares during the quarter. Aberdeen Group plc’s holdings in Yum China were worth $1,422,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in YUMC. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its stake in shares of Yum China by 21.5% in the second quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 29,150,667 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,303,326,000 after buying an additional 5,164,701 shares during the period. Norges Bank bought a new stake in Yum China in the 2nd quarter worth $201,814,000. Principal Financial Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Yum China by 14.8% in the third quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 20,169,661 shares of the company’s stock valued at $883,687,000 after acquiring an additional 2,604,480 shares during the period. Carrhae Capital LLP bought a new position in shares of Yum China during the second quarter valued at about $48,868,000. Finally, Temasek Holdings Private Ltd raised its stake in shares of Yum China by 30.4% during the second quarter. Temasek Holdings Private Ltd now owns 3,721,858 shares of the company’s stock valued at $166,404,000 after acquiring an additional 868,188 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 85.58% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have commented on YUMC shares. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Yum China in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $63.64 target price on shares of Yum China in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $58.50 price target on shares of Yum China in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. CLSA reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $55.00 price target on shares of Yum China in a report on Tuesday, November 25th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised shares of Yum China from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, February 7th. 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 MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $59.05.

Yum China Price Performance

Shares of YUMC stock opened at $53.54 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $19.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.33, a PEG ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.14. The business’s fifty day moving average is $50.25 and its 200 day moving average is $46.79. Yum China has a twelve month low of $41.00 and a twelve month high of $58.39. The company has a quick ratio of 1.15, a current ratio of 1.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01.

Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $0.40 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.35 by $0.05. The business had revenue of $2.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.72 billion. Yum China had a return on equity of 14.46% and a net margin of 7.87%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.30 earnings per share. Research analysts expect that Yum China will post 2.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Yum China Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 25th. Investors of record on Wednesday, March 4th will be paid a dividend of $0.29 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 4th. This is an increase from Yum China’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.24. This represents a $1.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. Yum China’s payout ratio is presently 38.25%.

Yum China announced that its Board of Directors has approved a stock buyback plan on Friday, December 12th that permits the company to buyback $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization permits the company to purchase up to 5.8% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are generally a sign that the company’s board believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling at Yum China

In other news, insider Jerry Ding sold 3,000 shares of Yum China stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $55.14, for a total transaction of $165,420.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 915 shares in the company, valued at approximately $50,453.10. This trade represents a 76.63% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Duoduo (Howard) Huang sold 4,888 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $48.10, for a total value of $235,112.80. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 22,510 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,082,731. This represents a 17.84% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 124,688 shares of company stock worth $6,797,508 in the last ninety days. 0.40% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Yum China News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Yum China this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised several near‑ and medium‑term EPS forecasts (including FY2026, FY2027 and FY2028 and multiple quarterly tweaks), lifting FY2027/28 outlook and signaling stronger earnings power ahead; that supports a longer‑term growth thesis. Zacks/MarketBeat research roundup
• Positive Sentiment: Recent reported quarter beat consensus on both EPS and revenue (reported in early Feb), showing revenue growth and margin resilience despite competitive pressure — a fundamental positive for earnings momentum. Y! Finance: Beats Estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: Yahoo Finance ran a restaurant‑stock roundup (“1 Restaurant Stock to Own for Decades and 2 We Turn Down”) that revisits sector positioning — coverage can influence sentiment/flows but didn’t introduce company‑specific catalyst beyond reiterating industry risks and long‑term winners. Y! Finance: Restaurant roundup
• Negative Sentiment: Insider sale: CEO Joey Wat sold 104,000 shares, a transaction that often spooks short‑term holders even if the sale is routine for diversification/tax reasons — contributed to intraday selling pressure. American Banking News: Insider sale

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.