Danske Bank A S Sells 26,300 Shares of Yum China $YUMC

Key Points

• Danske Bank A/S trimmed its stake in Yum China by 32.8%, selling 26,300 shares and leaving it with 53,977 shares valued at about $2.58 million at quarter-end.
• Insider selling was significant: CEO Joey Wat sold 104,000 shares (a 19.36% reduction) and insiders have sold 135,117 shares worth $7.48 million in the past 90 days, leaving insiders with just 0.40% ownership.
• Recent results and payout: Yum China reported $0.87 EPS (in line with estimates) and $3.27 billion revenue (up 9.7% YoY), and declared a $0.29 quarterly dividend (annualized yield ~2.4%); market cap ≈ $17 billion, PE ≈ 18.5.

Danske Bank A S trimmed its holdings in shares of Yum China (NYSE:YUMC - Free Report) by 32.8% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 53,977 shares of the company's stock after selling 26,300 shares during the quarter. Danske Bank A S's holdings in Yum China were worth $2,577,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the business. Turning Point Benefit Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Yum China by 13.9% during the 4th quarter. Turning Point Benefit Group Inc. now owns 1,824 shares of the company's stock valued at $87,000 after purchasing an additional 222 shares during the last quarter. Comerica Bank boosted its holdings in shares of Yum China by 2.1% in the 4th quarter. Comerica Bank now owns 17,728 shares of the company's stock worth $846,000 after buying an additional 362 shares during the last quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA grew its position in Yum China by 8.5% during the fourth quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA now owns 477,838 shares of the company's stock valued at $22,635,000 after buying an additional 37,250 shares during the period. Sanctuary Advisors LLC grew its position in Yum China by 2.6% during the fourth quarter. Sanctuary Advisors LLC now owns 24,641 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,176,000 after buying an additional 627 shares during the period. Finally, Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Yum China by 33.0% during the fourth quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC now owns 6,612 shares of the company's stock worth $316,000 after buying an additional 1,641 shares during the last quarter. 85.58% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Yum China Price Performance

NYSE YUMC opened at $48.40 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $17.00 billion, a PE ratio of 18.54, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 0.13. Yum China has a 52 week low of $41.69 and a 52 week high of $58.39. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $50.90 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $49.20.

Yum China (NYSE:YUMC - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The company reported $0.87 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.87. Yum China had a net margin of 7.83% and a return on equity of 14.98%. The firm had revenue of $3.27 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.21 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.77 earnings per share. The company's revenue was up 9.7% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts predict that Yum China will post 2.92 earnings per share for the current year.

Yum China Dividend Announcement

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 paid a $0.29 dividend. This represents a $1.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, May 27th. Yum China's payout ratio is currently 44.44%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have weighed in on YUMC shares. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Yum China from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday. 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. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $58.50 price target on shares of Yum China in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised Yum China from a "hold (c)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a report on Friday. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $59.05.

Insider Buying and Selling at Yum China

In other news, CEO Joey Wat sold 104,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Friday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.18, for a total value of $5,738,720.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 433,306 shares of the company's stock, valued at $23,909,825.08. This trade represents a 19.36% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Jerry Ding sold 3,000 shares of Yum China stock in a transaction 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 completion of the transaction, the insider owned 915 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $50,453.10. This trade represents a 76.63% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 135,117 shares of company stock valued at $7,479,590 in the last 90 days. 0.40% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.