NewEdge Wealth LLC cut its holdings in shares of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM – Free Report) by 47.3% during the first quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 3,778 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock after selling 3,386 shares during the period. NewEdge Wealth LLC’s holdings in Yum! Brands were worth $587,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of YUM. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. boosted its holdings in shares of Yum! Brands by 8.7% during the 1st quarter. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. now owns 21,749 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $3,382,000 after purchasing an additional 1,744 shares during the last quarter. CI Investments Inc. grew its position in shares of Yum! Brands by 12.8% in the first quarter. CI Investments Inc. now owns 2,927 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $455,000 after purchasing an additional 332 shares in the last quarter. Danica Pension Livsforsikringsaktieselskab acquired a new stake in shares of Yum! Brands in the first quarter valued at approximately $5,335,000. ABN Amro Investment Solutions lifted its position in Yum! Brands by 3.4% during the first quarter. ABN Amro Investment Solutions now owns 13,522 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $2,102,000 after buying an additional 440 shares in the last quarter. Finally, DJE Kapital AG boosted its stake in Yum! Brands by 15.2% during the first quarter. DJE Kapital AG now owns 34,200 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $5,290,000 after buying an additional 4,500 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.37% of the company’s stock.
Yum! Brands Stock Performance
Shares of YUM stock opened at $150.34 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $41.44 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.25, a P/E/G ratio of 1.86 and a beta of 0.56. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $153.94 and its 200-day moving average price is $156.73. Yum! Brands, Inc. has a one year low of $137.33 and a one year high of $170.14.
Yum! Brands declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a share repurchase program on Tuesday, June 16th that permits the company to repurchase $4.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization permits the restaurant operator to reacquire up to 9.4% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are usually a sign that the company’s leadership believes its shares are undervalued.
Yum! Brands Dividend Announcement
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 12th. Investors of record on Wednesday, May 27th were issued a $0.75 dividend. This represents a $3.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.0%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, May 27th. Yum! Brands’s payout ratio is currently 48.39%.
Insider Activity
In related news, COO Tracy L. Skeans sold 1,837 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $152.00, for a total transaction of $279,224.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer directly owned 3,497 shares in the company, valued at $531,544. This trade represents a 34.44% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Aaron Powell sold 6,001 shares of Yum! Brands stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $160.42, for a total value of $962,680.42. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 12,003 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,925,521.26. This represents a 33.33% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 12,423 shares of company stock worth $1,953,721 in the last quarter. Insiders own 0.14% of the company’s stock.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
YUM has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $180.00 target price on shares of Yum! Brands in a research note on Tuesday, June 16th. BMO Capital Markets reissued a “market perform” rating and set a $168.00 price target on shares of Yum! Brands in a research report on Monday, May 4th. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued a “sector perform” rating and issued a $165.00 price objective on shares of Yum! Brands in a report on Monday, April 20th. UBS Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of Yum! Brands in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of Yum! Brands from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and boosted their target price for the company from $180.00 to $185.00 in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Yum! Brands currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $174.81.
Check Out Our Latest Analysis on YUM
Key Stories Impacting Yum! Brands
Here are the key news stories impacting Yum! Brands this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Taco Bell and KFC momentum supports expectations: UBS expects Yum! Brands to deliver solid second-quarter results, citing continued strength at Taco Bell, expansion at KFC and growth in digital sales. These trends could support revenue and same-store sales. Yum! Brands Set for Solid Q2 Results With Continued Taco Bell, KFC Momentum, UBS Says
- Positive Sentiment: Analysts remain constructive: Yum! Brands has received an average “Moderate Buy” rating from analysts, suggesting expectations for additional upside despite the stock trading below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages. Yum! Brands, Inc. Receives Average Rating of Moderate Buy from Analysts
- Neutral Sentiment: Investors are awaiting the Q2 numbers: Earnings previews highlight Wall Street forecasts for revenue, earnings and key operating metrics for the quarter ended June 2026. The report will determine whether Taco Bell’s momentum, KFC expansion and digital growth translated into results that exceed expectations. Countdown to Yum Q2 Earnings: Wall Street Forecasts for Key Metrics
- Negative Sentiment: Higher investments may pressure margins: Yum! Brands is increasing investments to support growth, which could weigh on second-quarter profitability even if sales remain solid. This creates a risk of a muted market reaction if earnings or guidance fall short of elevated expectations. Yum! Brands Gears Up to Report Q2 Earnings: Key Factors to Watch
Yum! Brands Company Profile
Yum! Brands, Inc (NYSE: YUM) is a global quick-service restaurant company that develops, operates and franchises a portfolio of well-known restaurant brands. The company’s principal brands are KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, each focused on distinct product categories—KFC on fried chicken and related menu items, Pizza Hut on pizza and complementary offerings, and Taco Bell on Mexican-inspired quick-service food. Yum! is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky and was formed as Tricon Global Restaurants in 1997 when PepsiCo spun off its restaurant businesses, later adopting the Yum! Brands name.
The company’s operating model centers on brand development, system growth and franchising; a large portion of its restaurants are operated by independent franchisees, and Yum! generates revenue through franchise royalties and fees in addition to sales from company-operated locations.
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