Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for Yum China (9987.HK) [1] Core Insights - In Q1 2025, the company achieved revenue of $2.981 billion, a year-on-year increase of 1% (or 2% excluding foreign currency translation effects) [6] - Adjusted net profit reached $292 million, up 2% year-on-year (or 3% excluding foreign currency translation effects) [6] - Core operating profit margin improved to 13.4%, an increase of 0.8 percentage points year-on-year [6] - Same-store sales remained flat year-on-year, with a continued increase in transaction volume but a decrease in average ticket price [6] - The company opened a net of 247 new stores in Q1 2025, with a total of 16,642 restaurants at the end of the quarter [7] - The restaurant profit margin improved to 18.6%, up 1.0 percentage points year-on-year, benefiting from lower food and packaging costs [8] Revenue Performance - Revenue for 2025 is projected to grow at a rate of 4.6% to $11.821 billion, with net profit expected to reach $957 million [12] - The company plans to add 1,600 to 1,800 new stores in 2025, with a target of over 20,000 stores by 2026 [7] Financial Forecasts - The report forecasts EPS of $2.56, $2.77, and $2.96 for 2025, 2026, and 2027 respectively [10] - The current stock price corresponds to a PE ratio of 17x, 16x, and 15x for 2025, 2026, and 2027 respectively [10]

Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for the company, expecting a price increase of over 15% in the next 6-12 months [5][13]. Core Insights - The company's Q1 performance met expectations with revenue of $2.981 billion, a slight increase of 0.8% year-on-year, and a core operating profit of $405 million, which adjusted for currency effects, rose by 8% [2][5]. - Profitability continues to improve, with the overall restaurant profit margin at 18.6%, up by 1.0 percentage points, driven by higher gross margins and a decrease in the proportion of rental and operational costs [3]. - The company is expanding its new store formats, with KFC's same-store sales decline narrowing and a significant increase in order volume, while Pizza Hut is seeing a notable rise in single-store sales [4]. Financial Performance Summary - Q1 system sales for KFC increased by 3%, with same-store sales growth stabilizing and a 4% increase in order volume. The restaurant profit margin for KFC was 19.8%, benefiting from lower raw material costs and operational efficiencies [3]. - Pizza Hut's system sales also rose by 3%, with a 17% increase in order volume, although average transaction value decreased. The restaurant profit margin improved to 14.4% [4]. - The company forecasts a steady improvement in same-store sales growth driven by new product marketing and operational efficiency, with projected net profits of $940 million, $1.001 billion, and $1.051 billion for 2025E, 2026E, and 2027E respectively [5][10]. Valuation Metrics - The report projects a PE ratio of 17.2, 16.2, and 15.4 for 2025E, 2026E, and 2027E respectively, indicating a strong valuation outlook [5][10]. - The company is expected to return a total of $3 billion to shareholders over 2025E and 2026E, highlighting its strong dividend attributes [5].