A great way to profit from China

Article Excerpt

In 1987, Yum! Brands became the first U.S. fast-food company to enter China. By 2015, that market was supplying half of its overall sales and a third of its earnings. In November 2016, the company spun off those Chinese operations as Yum China. Now an independent firm, that business will continue to face rising competition in China, but it should more easily respond to changing consumer tastes and other challenges to its market share. Yum China shares are up 75% since the split from Yum! Brands. Despite that strong growth, the new company is unlikely to attract a hostile takeover—a shareholder rights plan kicks in if an investor acquires more than 15% of shares. Even so, a friendly takeover remains a strong possibility. Moreover, Yum China’s plan to open new restaurants and expand home delivery should spur its long-term earnings growth. YUM CHINA HOLDINGS INC. $42 (New York symbol YUMC; Shares outstanding: 384.3 million; Market cap: $16.1 billion; Takeover Target Rating:…