Yum China $YUMC Shares Sold by Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB publ

Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB publ cut its stake in shares of Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) by 74.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 19,400 shares of the company’s stock after selling 56,785 shares during the period. Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB publ’s holdings in Yum China were worth $833,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in YUMC. JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its position in Yum China by 21.5% during the second quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 29,150,667 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,303,326,000 after acquiring an additional 5,164,701 shares during the period. Principal Financial Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Yum China by 14.8% in the 3rd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 20,169,661 shares of the company’s stock valued at $883,687,000 after purchasing an additional 2,604,480 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Yum China by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 15,545,068 shares of the company’s stock worth $680,252,000 after purchasing an additional 158,607 shares during the period. Alliancebernstein L.P. increased its position in Yum China by 13.1% during the 2nd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 5,871,382 shares of the company’s stock worth $262,509,000 after purchasing an additional 677,928 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA raised its holdings in Yum China by 14.3% in the third quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 4,734,295 shares of the company’s stock valued at $203,196,000 after buying an additional 591,251 shares during the period. 85.58% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Yum China Stock Performance

Yum China stock opened at $53.54 on Friday. Yum China has a 12-month low of $41.00 and a 12-month high of $58.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a current ratio of 1.32 and a quick ratio of 1.15. The company has a market capitalization of $19.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.14. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $50.25 and its 200 day moving average price is $46.79.

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

Yum China announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a share repurchase plan on Friday, December 12th that authorizes the company to repurchase $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the company to reacquire up to 5.8% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are generally an indication that the company’s board believes its stock is undervalued.

Yum China Increases Dividend

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

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO Joey Wat sold 104,000 shares of Yum China stock in a transaction on Friday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $55.18, for a total value of $5,738,720.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 433,306 shares in the company, valued at approximately $23,909,825.08. The trade was a 19.36% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Jerry Ding sold 3,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction 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 sale, the insider directly owned 915 shares in the company, valued at $50,453.10. This represents a 76.63% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 124,688 shares of company stock valued at $6,797,508 over the last 90 days. 0.40% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Trending Headlines about Yum China

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

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