Empowered Funds LLC Grows Stock Holdings in Yum China $YUMC

Empowered Funds LLC lifted its stake in shares of Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) by 13,253.7% during the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 229,016 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 227,301 shares during the quarter. Empowered Funds LLC’s holdings in Yum China were worth $11,171,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in YUMC. Principal Financial Group Inc. lifted its position in Yum China by 3.0% during the first quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 22,606,740 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,111,135,000 after buying an additional 649,629 shares in the last quarter. Royal Bank of Canada boosted its stake in Yum China by 1.5% during the fourth quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 11,135,203 shares of the company’s stock worth $531,593,000 after buying an additional 167,868 shares during the last quarter. Dodge & Cox grew its holdings in Yum China by 0.4% in the 4th quarter. Dodge & Cox now owns 8,553,962 shares of the company’s stock valued at $408,366,000 after buying an additional 33,100 shares in the last quarter. Mondrian Investment Partners LTD increased its stake in shares of Yum China by 112.0% in the 4th quarter. Mondrian Investment Partners LTD now owns 7,854,198 shares of the company’s stock worth $374,959,000 after acquiring an additional 4,148,966 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Yum China in the 4th quarter worth $280,656,000. 85.58% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Yum China Trading Up 1.3%

Shares of Yum China stock opened at $46.45 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $43.07 and a 200 day moving average of $47.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a current ratio of 1.01. The firm has a market capitalization of $16.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.80, a PEG ratio of 1.28 and a beta of 0.10. Yum China has a fifty-two week low of $40.15 and a fifty-two week high of $58.39.

Yum China (NYSE:YUMC) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $0.70 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.67 by $0.03. Yum China had a return on equity of 15.11% and a net margin of 7.83%.The company had revenue of $3.14 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.05 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.58 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 12.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts predict that Yum China will post 2.94 earnings per share for the current year.

Yum China Cuts Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 17th. Investors of record on Thursday, August 27th will be issued a $0.075 dividend. This represents a $0.30 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 27th. Yum China’s payout ratio is 44.44%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

YUMC has been the topic of several recent research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $59.00 price target on shares of Yum China in a research report on Thursday. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Yum China from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 26th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Yum China from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, July 18th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $59.21.

Key Headlines Impacting Yum China

Here are the key news stories impacting Yum China this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 results exceeded expectations. Yum China reported adjusted earnings of $0.70 per share versus the $0.67 consensus estimate, while revenue rose 13% year over year to $3.14 billion, above the $3.05 billion forecast. Diluted EPS increased 21% from the prior-year quarter. Yum China Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Profitability continued to improve. Operating profit grew 14%, and the operating margin expanded year over year for the ninth consecutive quarter. Total system sales increased 6% excluding foreign-currency effects, while same-store sales growth improved sequentially to 1%. Yum China Delivers Record Q2 Results and Moves to Own Pizza Hut Brand in China
• Positive Sentiment: Pizza Hut ownership could support future growth. Yum China expects its acquisition of the Pizza Hut brand in mainland China to close in August. Management said the transaction could unlock faster growth and larger margins, while strong delivery sales supported the current quarter’s performance. Yum China Says Pizza Hut Acquisition Unlocks Faster Growth, Bigger Margins
• Positive Sentiment: Shareholder returns remain substantial. Yum China declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.29 per share and remains on track to return $1.5 billion to shareholders in 2026, equivalent to approximately 10% of its current market capitalization. Yum China Declares Q2 2026 Cash Dividend
• Neutral Sentiment: Value-focused investors are comparing YUMC with Chipotle Mexican Grill, making relative valuation an additional factor in the stock’s near-term performance. YUMC vs. CMG Value Comparison

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.