Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. Increases Stock Position in Yum China $YUMC

Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its stake in shares of Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) by 162.9% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 32,885 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 20,376 shares during the quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co.’s holdings in Yum China were worth $1,570,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Duncker Streett & Co. Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Yum China during the fourth quarter worth approximately $26,000. Jackson Grant Investment Advisers Inc. raised its stake in shares of Yum China by 526.3% during the third quarter. Jackson Grant Investment Advisers Inc. now owns 595 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 500 shares during the last quarter. Cresta Advisors Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of Yum China during the fourth quarter worth approximately $28,000. Stone House Investment Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Yum China by 106.2% during the fourth quarter. Stone House Investment Management LLC now owns 629 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 324 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Miller Global Investments LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Yum China during the fourth quarter worth approximately $41,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 85.58% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the company. Weiss Ratings cut Yum China from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Tuesday. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $58.50 price target on shares of Yum China in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $63.64 price target on shares of Yum China in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut Yum China from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, May 2nd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $59.05.

Yum China Trading Down 0.4%

Shares of YUMC stock opened at $44.04 on Thursday. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $48.44 and its 200 day moving average price is $49.41. Yum China has a 1-year low of $41.69 and a 1-year high of $58.39. The firm has a market capitalization of $15.38 billion, a PE ratio of 16.87, a P/E/G ratio of 1.24 and a beta of 0.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a current ratio of 1.01 and a quick ratio of 0.83.

Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 29th. The company reported $0.87 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.87. Yum China had a return on equity of 15.11% and a net margin of 7.83%.The firm had revenue of $3.27 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.21 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.77 earnings per share. Yum China’s quarterly revenue was up 9.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Yum China will post 2.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Yum China Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, June 17th. Investors of record on Wednesday, May 27th will be issued a dividend of $0.29 per share. This represents a $1.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, May 27th. Yum China’s dividend payout ratio is currently 44.44%.

Yum China 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.