Okabena Investment Services Reduces Stake in Yum China Holdings, Inc.

Okabena Investment Services Inc. has decreased its ownership in Yum China Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:YUMC) by 12.7% during the fourth quarter. This information was disclosed in the firm’s latest Form 13F submission to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Following the sale of 7,268 shares during the quarter, Okabena now holds 49,777 shares of Yum China stock, which is valued at approximately $2,398,000 as of the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also adjusted their positions in Yum China recently. For instance, Kentucky Trust Co established a new stake in Yum China valued at $29,000 in the fourth quarter. Graney & King LLC similarly acquired a new position in the company worth $39,000. Moreover, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in Yum China by 58.5%, now owning 878 shares worth $42,000 after acquiring an additional 324 shares last quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. enhanced its position by 33.5%, now holding 1,735 shares valued at $84,000 after adding 435 shares recently. Additionally, Signaturefd LLC boosted its stake by 32.7%, currently possessing 1,825 shares worth $88,000 after buying another 450 shares. Together, institutional investors and hedge funds currently own 85.58% of Yum China’s stock.

Yum China Stock Performance

Yum China shares opened at $51.89 on Friday, reflecting a market capitalization of $19.52 billion. The stock has a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.27, a PEG ratio of 1.72, and a beta of 0.35. Over the last 50 days, the average stock price has been $48.71, while the 200-day average stands at $46.55. The company’s debt-to-equity ratio is at an extremely low 0.01, with a quick ratio of 1.15 and a current ratio of 1.29. Over the past 52 weeks, Yum China has experienced a low of $28.50 and a high of $53.99.

The latest earnings results for Yum China were reported on February 6th, where the company posted an earnings per share (EPS) of $0.30, slightly below the consensus estimate of $0.31. Yum China recorded a return on equity of 13.83% and a net margin of 8.06%. Analysts predict that Yum China Holdings, Inc. will achieve an EPS of 2.54 for the current fiscal year.

Dividend Increase Announced

Furthermore, Yum China recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was distributed on March 27th. Shareholders recorded on March 6th received a dividend of $0.24. This ex-dividend date was the same, and the new dividend amounts to $0.96 annually, resulting in a dividend yield of 1.85%. This dividend has increased from the previous rate of $0.16 per quarter, with Yum China’s current payout ratio standing at 41.20%.

Recent Analyst Ratings

In related news, analysts at StockNews.com downgraded shares of Yum China from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating on February 25th.

Insider Transactions at Yum China

Recent insider transactions have also occurred at Yum China. In one instance, Chief Technology Officer Leila Zhang sold 4,000 shares on March 14th at an average price of $50.59, totaling $202,360. Following this transaction, Zhang holds 52,075 shares valued at approximately $2,634,474. The sale marked a 7.13% decline in her ownership of company stock. Additionally, insider Jeff Kuai sold 3,900 shares on February 17th for about $188,019, reducing his ownership by 6.45% to 56,602 shares valued at around $2,728,782. In total, insiders sold 45,152 shares worth $2,242,176 within the last quarter, representing 0.30% ownership by corporate insiders.

Company Overview

Yum China Holdings, Inc. is responsible for owning, operating, and franchising various restaurant chains in the People’s Republic of China. The company operates brands such as KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell, alongside other food service concepts like Lavazza and Little Sheep. Additionally, it manages V-Gold Mall, a mobile e-commerce platform, and provides online food delivery services.

Yum, Investment, Shares