J. Safra Sarasin Holding AG Sells 22,450 Shares of Yum China $YUMC

J. Safra Sarasin Holding AG cut its position in shares of Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) by 82.4% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 4,781 shares of the company’s stock after selling 22,450 shares during the quarter. J. Safra Sarasin Holding AG’s holdings in Yum China were worth $205,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in YUMC. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Yum China by 4.7% during the 2nd quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,106 shares of the company’s stock valued at $228,000 after purchasing an additional 230 shares in the last quarter. BNP Paribas lifted its holdings in Yum China by 1.6% in the second quarter. BNP Paribas now owns 15,500 shares of the company’s stock valued at $694,000 after buying an additional 250 shares during the period. Everstar Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Yum China by 5.3% in the 2nd quarter. Everstar Asset Management LLC now owns 5,388 shares of the company’s stock valued at $241,000 after purchasing an additional 272 shares during the period. Capital Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Yum China by 4.5% during the second quarter. Capital Investment Advisors LLC now owns 6,528 shares of the company’s stock worth $292,000 after buying an additional 281 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Coldstream Capital Management Inc. grew its holdings in Yum China by 5.4% during the second quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. now owns 5,518 shares of the company’s stock valued at $247,000 after purchasing an additional 283 shares during the period. 85.58% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

YUMC has been the topic of a number of research reports. CLSA restated 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 report on Wednesday, January 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $55.00.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Duoduo (Howard) Huang sold 4,888 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $48.10, for a total transaction of $235,112.80. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 22,510 shares in the company, valued at $1,082,731. This trade represents a 17.84% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, insider Jeff Kuai sold 5,167 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $48.00, for a total transaction of $248,016.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 56,602 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,716,896. This trade represents a 8.37% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 18,242 shares of company stock worth $878,397 over the last quarter. Insiders own 0.40% of the company’s stock.

Yum China Stock Performance

Yum China stock opened at $49.43 on Friday. The business has a 50 day moving average of $48.06 and a 200-day moving average of $46.00. The company has a market capitalization of $17.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.51, a P/E/G ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 0.14. Yum China has a 1 year low of $41.00 and a 1 year high of $53.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a current ratio of 1.32 and a quick ratio of 1.15.

Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, November 4th. The company reported $0.76 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.76. Yum China had a net margin of 7.81% and a return on equity of 14.08%. The firm had revenue of $3.21 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.20 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.77 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts predict that Yum China will post 2.54 earnings per share for the current year.

Yum China Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 23rd. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 2nd were issued a dividend of $0.24 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, December 2nd. This represents a $0.96 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.9%. Yum China’s dividend payout ratio is 39.83%.

Yum China announced that its board has authorized a share 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 reacquire up to 5.8% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are typically a sign that the company’s leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

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.