Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) Downgraded by Wall Street Zen to “Hold”

Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note issued to investors on Saturday.

Separately, Weiss Ratings downgraded Yum China from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 26th. Three equities research 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, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $59.05.

Yum China Price Performance

YUMC stock opened at $43.92 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $43.38 and a 200-day moving average of $48.17. Yum China has a 12-month low of $40.15 and a 12-month high of $58.39. The company has a current ratio of 1.01, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. The company has a market cap of $15.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.83, a PEG ratio of 1.23 and a beta of 0.10.

Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The company reported $0.87 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.87. Yum China had a return on equity of 15.11% and a net margin of 7.83%.The business had revenue of $3.27 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.21 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.77 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 9.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts expect that Yum China will post 2.94 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Yum China Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, June 17th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, May 27th were given a $0.29 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, May 27th. This represents a $1.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.6%. Yum China’s dividend payout ratio is currently 44.44%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Focus Partners Wealth increased its position in Yum China by 13.8% during the first quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 21,289 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,108,000 after buying an additional 2,582 shares in the last quarter. Strs Ohio purchased a new stake in shares of Yum China in the first quarter valued at $99,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Yum China by 60.9% in the second 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 in the last quarter. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Yum China during the second quarter valued at $14,659,000. Finally, Alliancebernstein L.P. boosted its stake in shares of Yum China by 13.1% during the second quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 5,871,382 shares of the company’s stock valued at $262,509,000 after acquiring an additional 677,928 shares during the last quarter. 85.58% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.