Jupiter Asset Management Ltd. Buys Shares of 13,650 Yum China $YUMC

Jupiter Asset Management Ltd. bought a new stake in Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm bought 13,650 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $598,000.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Wealth Alliance LLC purchased a new position in Yum China in the 3rd quarter valued at $265,000. Comgest Global Investors S.A.S. raised its position in shares of Yum China by 5.5% in the third quarter. Comgest Global Investors S.A.S. now owns 214,614 shares of the company’s stock valued at $9,211,000 after buying an additional 11,158 shares during the last quarter. Maridea Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Yum China by 21.1% in the third quarter. Maridea Wealth Management LLC now owns 13,023 shares of the company’s stock worth $584,000 after buying an additional 2,267 shares in the last quarter. Mondrian Investment Partners LTD acquired a new position in Yum China during the third quarter worth about $159,431,000. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in Yum China by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 15,545,068 shares of the company’s stock valued at $680,252,000 after acquiring an additional 158,607 shares in the last quarter. 85.58% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Transactions at Yum China

In other news, insider Jerry Ding sold 3,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $55.14, for a total value of $165,420.00. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 915 shares in the company, valued at approximately $50,453.10. This represents a 76.63% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Joey Wat sold 104,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.18, for a total transaction of $5,738,720.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 433,306 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $23,909,825.08. The trade was a 19.36% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 111,613 shares of company stock worth $6,167,127 in the last ninety days. 0.40% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Yum China Trading Down 2.0%

YUMC opened at $53.54 on Monday. Yum China has a one year low of $41.00 and a one year high of $58.39. The stock has a market capitalization of $19.35 billion, a PE ratio of 21.33, a P/E/G ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.13. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $50.25 and its 200 day moving average price is $46.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a quick ratio of 1.15 and a current ratio of 1.32.

Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $0.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.35 by $0.05. Yum China had a return on equity of 14.46% and a net margin of 7.87%.The company had revenue of $2.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.72 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.30 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 8.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Yum China will post 2.54 EPS for the current year.

Yum China declared that its board has approved a stock repurchase program on Friday, December 12th that permits the company to buyback $1.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization permits the company to purchase up to 5.8% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are typically an indication that the company’s leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Yum China Increases Dividend

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

More Yum China News

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

YUMC has been the topic of a number of research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $58.50 target price on shares of Yum China in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. CLSA reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $55.00 price target on shares of Yum China in a report on Tuesday, November 25th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Yum China in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Wall Street Zen upgraded Yum China from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, February 7th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $63.64 price target on shares of Yum China in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Yum China has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $59.05.

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.