Yum! Brands, Inc. $YUM Shares Bought by UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC

Key Points

• UBS Asset Management increased its holdings in Yum! Brands by 2.6%, bringing its total ownership to 2,098,801 shares, valued at approximately $330 million.
• Analysts have mixed views on Yum! Brands, with JPMorgan and Wells Fargo lowering their price targets, while Redburn Atlantic raised theirs, leading to a consensus "Hold" rating and an average price target of $161.23.
• Yum! Brands recently announced a quarterly dividend of $0.71 per share, resulting in an annual yield of 1.9%, with an ex-dividend date set for September 2nd.

UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC increased its position in shares of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM - Free Report) by 2.6% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,098,801 shares of the restaurant operator's stock after buying an additional 53,326 shares during the period. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC owned about 0.76% of Yum! Brands worth $330,267,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. HFM Investment Advisors LLC bought a new position in Yum! Brands during the 1st quarter worth about $25,000. Greykasell Wealth Strategies Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Yum! Brands in the 1st quarter worth approximately $25,000. Manchester Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Yum! Brands by 78.0% in the 1st quarter. Manchester Capital Management LLC now owns 162 shares of the restaurant operator's stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 71 shares during the period. Wayfinding Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of Yum! Brands during the first quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Finally, Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in Yum! Brands during the first quarter valued at approximately $38,000. 82.37% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Yum! Brands Price Performance

NYSE:YUM traded up $0.35 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $149.49. 1,809,470 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,786,964. The company's 50 day moving average price is $146.56 and its 200-day moving average price is $147.98. The stock has a market capitalization of $41.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.48, a PEG ratio of 2.33 and a beta of 0.73. Yum! Brands, Inc. has a 52-week low of $122.13 and a 52-week high of $163.30.

Yum! Brands (NYSE:YUM - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 5th. The restaurant operator reported $1.44 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.46 by ($0.02). The company had revenue of $1.93 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.94 billion. Yum! Brands had a net margin of 18.11% and a negative return on equity of 21.01%. Yum! Brands's quarterly revenue was up 9.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.35 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts predict that Yum! Brands, Inc. will post 5.94 earnings per share for the current year.

Yum! Brands Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 12th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 2nd were paid a $0.71 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, September 2nd. This represents a $2.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.9%. Yum! Brands's dividend payout ratio is presently 56.02%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

YUM has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on Yum! Brands from $153.00 to $151.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, August 6th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised Yum! Brands from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $167.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, June 4th. Barclays reiterated an "overweight" rating and issued a $164.00 target price (down previously from $167.00) on shares of Yum! Brands in a research note on Tuesday, August 5th. Evercore ISI decreased their price target on shares of Yum! Brands from $170.00 to $165.00 and set an "in-line" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, August 6th. Finally, TD Cowen lowered their price target on shares of Yum! Brands from $158.00 to $156.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, August 5th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and thirteen have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $161.23.

Insider Buying and Selling at Yum! Brands

In other news, Director Weir Mirian M. Graddick sold 2,038 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $145.30, for a total value of $296,121.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 1,233 shares of the company's stock, valued at $179,154.90. The trade was a 62.31% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Scott Mezvinsky sold 272 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $148.28, for a total value of $40,332.16. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 1,755 shares in the company, valued at $260,231.40. The trade was a 13.42% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 29,016 shares of company stock valued at $4,271,543. Company insiders own 0.33% of the company's stock.

About Yum! Brands

Yum! Brands, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, develops, operates, and franchises quick service restaurants worldwide. The company operates through the KFC Division, the Taco Bell Division, the Pizza Hut Division, and the Habit Burger Grill Division segments. It also operates restaurants under the KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and The Habit Burger Grill brands, which specialize in chicken, pizza, made-to-order chargrilled burgers, sandwiches, Mexican-style food categories, and other food products.