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Yum China (YUMC) Stock Forecast & Price Target

Yum China logo
$40.40 -0.59 (-1.45%)
Closing price 09/25/2026 03:59 PM Eastern
Extended Trading
$40.35 -0.04 (-0.10%)
As of 09/25/2026 07:56 PM Eastern
Extended trading is trading that happens on electronic markets outside of regular trading hours. This is a fair market value extended hours price provided by Massive. Learn more.

Yum China - Analysts' Recommendations and Stock Price Forecast (2026)

Consensus Rating

Sell
0
Hold
1
Buy
3

Based on 4 Wall Street analysts who have issued ratings for Yum China in the last 12 months, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy." Out of the 4 analysts, 1 has given a hold rating, and 3 have given a buy rating for YUMC.

Consensus Price Target

$59.21
46.58% Upside
According to the 4 analysts' twelve-month price targets for Yum China, the average price target is $59.21. The highest price target for YUMC is $63.64, while the lowest price target for YUMC is $55.00. The average price target represents a forecasted upside of 46.58% from the current price of $40.40.
MarketBeat calculates consensus analyst ratings for stocks using the most recent rating from each Wall Street analyst that has rated a stock within the last twelve months. Each analyst's rating is normalized to a standardized rating score of 1 (sell), 2 (hold), 3 (buy) or 4 (strong buy). Analyst consensus ratings scores are calculated using the mean average of the number of normalized sell, hold, buy and strong buy ratings from Wall Street analysts. Each stock's consensus analyst rating is derived from its calculated consensus ratings score (0 to .5 = Strong Sell, .5 to 1 = Sell, 1 to 1.5 = Reduce, 1.5 to 2.5 = Hold, 2.5 to 3.0 = Moderate Buy, 3.0 to 3.5 = Buy, >3.5 = Strong Buy). MarketBeat's consensus price targets are a mean average of the most recent available price targets set by each analyst that has set a price target for the stock in the last twelve months. MarketBeat's consensus ratings and consensus price targets may differ from those calculated by other firms due to differences in methodology and available data.
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YUMC Analyst Ratings Over Time

TypeCurrent Forecast
9/26/25 to 9/26/26
1 Month Ago
8/27/25 to 8/27/26
3 Months Ago
6/28/25 to 6/28/26
1 Year Ago
9/26/24 to 9/26/25
Strong Buy
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
1 Strong Buy rating(s)
Buy
3 Buy rating(s)
3 Buy rating(s)
3 Buy rating(s)
1 Buy rating(s)
Hold
1 Hold rating(s)
1 Hold rating(s)
1 Hold rating(s)
0 Hold rating(s)
Sell
0 Sell rating(s)
0 Sell rating(s)
0 Sell rating(s)
0 Sell rating(s)
Consensus Price Target$59.21$59.21$59.05$60.00
Forecasted Upside46.58% Upside32.01% Upside44.20% Upside38.65% Upside
Consensus RatingModerate BuyModerate BuyModerate BuyStrong Buy

YUMC Analyst Recommendations By Month

The chart below shows how a company's ratings by analysts have changed over time. Each bar represents the previous year of ratings for that month. Within each bar, the sell ratings are shown in red, the hold ratings are shown in yellow, the buy ratings are shown in green, and the strong buy ratings are shown in dark green.
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YUMC Price Targets by Month

The chart below shows how a company's share price and consensus price target have changed over time. The dark blue line represents the company's actual price. The lighter blue line represents the stock's consensus price target. The even lighter blue range in the background of the two lines represents the low price target and the high price target for each stock.
Skip Chart and View Analyst Price Target HistorySkip Chart & View Price History Table

Yum China Stock vs. The Competition

TypeYum ChinaConsumer Discretionary CompaniesBroader Market
Consensus Rating Score
2.75
2.19
2.53
Consensus RatingModerate BuyHoldModerate Buy
Predicted Upside46.58% Upside199.08% Upside19.21% Upside
News Sentiment Rating
Neutral News

See Recent YUMC News
Positive News
Positive News
DateBrokerageAnalystActionRatingPrice TargetReport Date
Upside/Downside
Details
8/21/2026
Weiss Ratings logo
Weiss Ratings
5 of 5 stars
 Reiterated RatingHold (C)
7/30/2026 Reiterated RatingBuy$59.00+27.00%
2/5/2026
Anne Ling
Anne Ling
Not Rated
Reiterated RatingBuy$63.64+19.69%
11/25/2025Reiterated RatingOutperform$55.00+15.59%
11/5/2024 UpgradeNeutral ➝ Overweight$35.50 ➝ $60.00+24.07%
9/30/2024UpgradeStrong-Buy

Analyst ratings data on MarketBeat is provided by Benzinga and other data providers. This page was last refreshed on Saturday at 06:37 PM ET.


Should I Buy Yum China Stock? YUMC Pros and Cons Explained

These pros and cons were generated based on recent news and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate insights. They were last updated on Friday, September 25, 2026. Please send any questions or comments about these Yum China pros and cons to contact@marketbeat.com.

Yum China
Bull Case

green Wall Street bull icon

Here are some ways that investors could benefit from investing in Yum China Holdings, Inc.:

  • Yum China Holdings, Inc. recently reported strong financial performance for the quarter ended July 30, 2026, beating consensus estimates with earnings per share of $0.70 compared to the expected $0.67 and revenue of $3.14 billion, which exceeded the consensus estimate of $3.05 billion. This demonstrates the company's ability to drive top-line growth, with revenue increasing 12.6% year-over-year, indicating robust demand for its restaurant brands in the Chinese market.
  • The stock currently trades at $40.40, which is near its 52-week low of $40.15, presenting a potential value opportunity for investors. With a P/E ratio of 14.80 and a dividend yield of 2.83%, the valuation appears attractive relative to the company's recent earnings growth and consistent dividend payments, which include a recent quarterly dividend of $0.29 per share paid in September 2026.
  • Analysts maintain a "Moderate Buy" consensus rating for Yum China Holdings, Inc., with an average price target of $59.21, suggesting significant upside potential from the current price. Recent upgrades, such as Wall Street Zen moving the stock from "hold" to "buy" in August 2026 and Goldman Sachs reissuing a "buy" rating with a $59.00 target in July 2026, reflect growing confidence in the company's long-term prospects.
  • Institutional investors have shown renewed interest in the company, with several large funds adding new positions or increasing stakes in the second quarter of 2026. For example, Nykredit A S purchased a new position worth approximately $6.31 million, while W1M Asset Management Ltd and Bank of New York Mellon Corp also established new stakes, indicating that professional investors are recognizing the company's value at current price levels.
  • Yum China Holdings, Inc. operates a diversified portfolio of well-known brands, including KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell, which provides a strong competitive advantage in the Chinese quick-service and casual dining sectors. The company's focus on digital ordering channels and delivery services, along with its exclusive operating rights for major brands in mainland China, supports its market leadership and ability to capture consumer spending trends.

Yum China
Bear Case

red Wall Street bear icon

Investors should be bearish about investing in Yum China Holdings, Inc. for these reasons:

  • Insider selling activity has been notable in recent months, with executives and insiders reducing their positions. For instance, Duoduo (Howard) Huang sold 24,096 shares in August 2026, reducing their stake by 76.05%, and Jeff Kuai sold 14,586 shares in the same month, decreasing their position by 18.67%. This trend of insider selling may signal a lack of confidence in the stock's near-term upside or a desire to lock in gains.
  • The stock has experienced significant volatility and a decline from its 52-week high of $58.39 to its current price of $40.40, representing a drop of over 30%. This downward trend, coupled with the stock trading below its 50-day and 200-day simple moving averages of $45.17 and $46.12 respectively, suggests that the stock is in a bearish technical phase, which could deter momentum-focused investors.
  • Short interest in Yum China Holdings, Inc. has increased in recent months, with shares shorted rising to 6,019,261 as of September 15, 2026, up from 5,146,684 in August 2026. This increase in short interest, along with a days-to-cover ratio of 4.85, indicates that some market participants are betting against the stock, which could create additional downward pressure on the share price.
  • Some institutional investors have reduced their positions in the company, reflecting a cautious stance on its future performance. For example, Squarepoint Ops LLC sold 184,229 shares in the second quarter of 2026, reducing its stake by 72.1%, and Engineers Gate Manager LP sold 41,851 shares, decreasing its position by 32.6%. These moves suggest that some large investors are taking profits or re-evaluating their exposure to the stock.
  • The company faces challenges in the competitive Chinese restaurant market, where consumer preferences and economic conditions can shift rapidly. While Yum China Holdings, Inc. has strong brands, the need for continuous innovation and adaptation to local tastes, along with potential regulatory and geopolitical risks, could impact its ability to maintain growth and profitability in the long term.

YUMC Forecast - Frequently Asked Questions

According to the research reports of 4 Wall Street equities research analysts, the average twelve-month stock price forecast for Yum China is $59.21, with a high forecast of $63.64 and a low forecast of $55.00.

4 Wall Street equities research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Yum China in the last twelve months. There is currently 1 hold rating and 3 buy ratings for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street equities research analysts is that investors should "moderate buy" YUMC shares.

According to analysts, Yum China's stock has a predicted upside of 46.58% based on their 12-month stock forecasts.

Yum China has been rated by research analysts at The Goldman Sachs Group, and Weiss Ratings in the past 90 days.

Analysts like Yum China more than other "consumer discretionary" companies. The consensus rating for Yum China is Moderate Buy while the average consensus rating for "consumer discretionary" companies is Hold. Learn more on how YUMC compares to other companies.


MarketBeat monitors more than a dozen sources for Yum China analyst ratings, with the most recent rating issued on 8/21/2026.
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