Yum China Stock Price, News & Analysis

Yum China (NYSE: YUMC) has achieved its seventh consecutive recognition as a '2025 China Top Employer,' ranking second overall among 156 companies and first in the restaurant industry. This recognition highlights the company's commitment to its 'People First' philosophy.

The company has implemented several innovative initiatives, including AI-powered solutions for operations management and the launch of its 'Comprehensive Talent Development' program in 2024. Notable developments include an AIGC-enabled 'MyService' for HR support and a metaverse space for management trainee recruitment, particularly appealing to Gen Z candidates.

Yum China plans to enhance its 'YUMC Care' benefits program in 2025, expanding medical coverage for over 10,000 frontline restaurant managers and broadening its mutual aid fund. The company recently hosted its annual RGM Convention in Hong Kong, attended by more than 11,000 Restaurant General Managers, demonstrating its commitment to the 'RGM No.1' principle.

Yum China Holdings (NYSE: YUMC, HKEX: 9987) has announced it will release its unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2024 on Thursday, February 6, 2025. The results will be published before the U.S. market opens and after Hong Kong Stock Exchange trading hours.

The company will host an earnings conference call at 7:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time (8:00 p.m. Beijing/Hong Kong Time) on the same day. Interested parties can access the call through a live webcast or join by phone after pre-registration. The webcast replay will be available for one year until February 5, 2026, and presentation slides will be accessible on the company's Investor Relations website.

Yum China (NYSE: YUMC; HKEX: 9987) has maintained its leadership position in the Restaurant & Leisure Facilities Industry on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the fifth consecutive year. The company achieved the top global ranking in the S&P Global 2024 Corporate Sustainability Assessment, marking significant improvements with a 5-point increase in its overall score compared to the previous year.

Notable achievements include ranking in the top 1% in 15 out of 24 CSA evaluation criteria, with exceptional performance in Supply Chain Management, Human Capital Management, and Customer Relations. Yum China remains the only mainland Chinese company in the consumer services industry included in the DJSI World Index.

The company maintained its AA rating in MSCI ESG ratings for the third consecutive year, being the only restaurant company worldwide with this distinction. In 2024, Yum China implemented key sustainability initiatives, including increased renewable energy usage, supplier engagement, packaging improvements, and establishing a nationwide coffee ground recycling network. These efforts were recognized with a Gold Award at the 2024 International Packaging Innovation Forum.

Yum China (NYSE: YUMC) has announced share repurchase agreements totaling US$360 million for the first half of 2025, starting January 6, 2025. This includes US$290 million in the U.S. and approximately HK$550 million in Hong Kong.

The agreements are part of a broader capital allocation plan to return US$4.5 billion to shareholders through 2024-2026. In the first 11 months of 2024, the company has already returned a record US$1.37 billion to shareholders, including US$1.18 billion in share repurchases and US$187 million in cash dividends. The company has repurchased 30 million shares, representing approximately 7% of outstanding shares as of December 31, 2023.

Yum China (NYSE: YUMC) has launched its digital supplier recruitment platform at the 2nd China International Supply Chain Expo, transforming traditional supplier selection into a data-driven process. The platform, which began pilot testing in April 2024, allows potential suppliers to submit credentials online, enhancing efficiency and transparency in the selection process. It has already attracted applications across over 30 categories, representing more than a third of the Company's total categories.

The initiative is part of Yum China's 'Spend Better, Buy Better' strategy, aimed at connecting with high-quality global suppliers. The company currently manages a supply chain network of over 800 core suppliers across various categories including food ingredients, packaging, construction, and logistics.

KFC China has reached a significant milestone with the opening of its 1,000th store in the Guangzhou market area, alongside its 100th KCOFFEE cafe in Guangdong province. The company has successfully expanded the side-by-side KCOFFEE model to over 500 locations nationwide, with plans to reach 600 by year-end.

Since entering China in 1987 with its first store in Beijing, KFC has grown to over 11,000 stores nationwide. The Guangdong region has been important for testing innovative concepts, including automated food trucks, breakfast kiosks, and the recent launch of KPRO, a healthy-focused concept store, in Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

Yum China (YUMC) reported strong Q3 2024 results with total revenues increasing 5% YoY to $3.07 billion. Operating profit grew 15% to $371 million, while diluted EPS rose 33% to $0.77. The company expanded its store network to 15,861 locations, including 11,283 KFC and 3,606 Pizza Hut stores, adding 438 net new stores in Q3. Digital sales reached $2.61 billion, accounting for 90% of total Company sales. The company plans to increase capital returns to shareholders from $3 billion to $4.5 billion between 2024-2026. Same-store sales reached 97% of prior year's level, with same-store transactions growing 1% YoY for the seventh consecutive quarter.

Yum China Holdings (NYSE: YUMC, HKEX: 9987) announced that its Board of Directors will consider declaring and paying a quarterly dividend. The Board's decision is expected to be made on or around November 4, 2024 (Beijing/Hong Kong Time). This announcement complies with Hong Kong Stock Exchange rules requiring advance notice of board meetings where dividend declarations are expected. The company emphasized that no Board resolution regarding the dividend has been adopted yet, and there is no guarantee that it will be declared.

Yum China Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: YUMC and HKEX: 9987) has announced that it will release its unaudited financial results for the third quarter ending September 30, 2024, on Monday, November 4, 2024. The results will be reported before the U.S. market opens and after the Hong Kong Stock Exchange trading hours. This change in timing is aimed at better serving their global investor base.

An earnings conference call will be held at 7:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time (8:00 p.m. Beijing/Hong Kong Time) on the same day. Investors can access the live webcast or join by phone after pre-registering. A replay of the conference call will be available until November 11, 2024. The earnings release, accompanying slides, and an archived webcast will be accessible on the company's Investor Relations website.