Yum China Reports First Quarter 2018 Results

SHANGHAI, May 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Yum China Holdings, Inc. (the "Company" or "Yum China") (NYSE: YUMC) today reported unaudited results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2018. Reported GAAP results include Special Items, which are excluded from adjusted measures.  Special Items are not allocated to any segment and therefore only impact reported GAAP results of Yum China.  See "Reconciliation of Reported GAAP Results to Adjusted Measures" within this release.

First Quarter Highlights

• Total revenues increased 15% year over year to $2.2 billion from $1.9 billion (6% year over year increase excluding foreign currency translation ("F/X")).
• Total system sales grew 6% year over year, with 9% growth at KFC partially offset by 1% decline at Pizza Hut, excluding F/X.
• Same-store sales grew 3% year over year, with an increase of 5% at KFC partially offset by a 5% decrease at Pizza Hut, excluding F/X.
• Restaurant margin was 17.9%, as compared with 20.4% in the prior year period.
• Operating Profit increased 33% year over year to $395 million from $296 million (22% year over year increase excluding F/X). Excluding Special Items, Adjusted Operating Profit was $297 million for the first quarter of 2018, as compared with $296 million in the prior year period (8% year over year decrease excluding F/X).
• Net Income increased 41% to $288 million from $204 million in the prior year period.  
• Effective tax rate was 26.6%.
• Diluted EPS was $0.72, as compared with $0.52 in the prior year period. Excluding Special Items, Adjusted Diluted EPS was $0.53.             
• Completed the acquisition of an additional 36% equity interest in an unconsolidated affiliate that operates KFC stores in Wuxi, China ("Wuxi KFC"), for cash consideration of approximately $98 million, bringing Yum China's equity interest in Wuxi KFC to 83%. A gain of $98 million was recorded from the re-measurement of our previously held equity interest.
• Opened 203 new restaurants during the quarter, bringing total store count to 8,112 across more than 1,200 cities.
• Online delivery contributed 16% to Company sales, up from 13% in the prior year period. Delivery services now available in 970 cities, up from 700 cities in the prior year period.
• As of March 31, 2018, the KFC loyalty program had more than 120 million members and the Pizza Hut loyalty program had over 40 million members.
• Mobile payment accounted for approximately 56% of Company sales in the first quarter of 2018, as compared to 31% in the prior year period.

Key Financial Results

CEO and CFO Comments

"We are pleased to start 2018 with positive system sales and same-store sales growth for the Company. The strong operational and financial performance of KFC is particularly encouraging as it successfully lapped two strong first quarters in 2017 and 2016. During the quarter, while Pizza Hut had some challenges with same-store sales growth and restaurant margin, we remain committed to our revitalization plan and key focus areas to drive sales growth. We believe our focus on food innovation and customer experience, together with the execution of strategic priorities in digital and delivery, has enabled us, and will continue to enable us, to build a stronger Yum China," said Joey Wat, CEO of Yum China.

"As part of our capital allocation strategy to invest in and grow our core brands, we acquired an additional 36% interest in Wuxi KFC, increasing our total equity interest to 83%. In 2018, we now expect our annual new build to reach 600-650 units, increasing from the previously announced 550-600 units. We will continue to invest in digital and delivery, which we believe will drive long-term growth," remarked Jacky Lo, CFO of Yum China. 

Dividend and Share Repurchase

• The Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.10 per share on Yum China's common stock, payable as of the close of business on June 20, 2018 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on May 30, 2018.
• Yum China did not repurchase any shares during the first quarter of 2018.

New-Unit Development and Asset Upgrade

• We opened 203 new restaurants and remodeled 125 restaurants in the first quarter of 2018.

Restaurant Margin

• In the first quarter of 2018, Yum China restaurant margin was 17.9%, as compared with 20.4% in the prior year period, primarily attributable to the investment in product upgrades and promotions at Pizza Hut and its sales deleveraging.

Digital and Delivery

• Over 120 million loyalty program members for KFC and over 40 million for Pizza Hut, an increase of 50 million and 20 million year over year, respectively.
• Mobile payments accounted for approximately 56% of Company sales in the quarter, an increase of 25 percentage points year over year.
• Delivery contributed to 16% of Company sales in the first quarter of 2018, an increase of 3 percentage points year over year.

Conference Call

Yum China Holdings, Inc. will host a conference call to review the Company's financial performance and strategies at 8:00 p.m. US Eastern Time on Tuesday, May 1, 2018 (8:00 a.m.Beijing/HK time on Wednesday, May 2, 2018).  A copy of the presentation will be available on the Yum China Holdings, Inc. website, http://ir.yumchina.com

A replay of the conference call may be accessed by phone at the following numbers until May 9, 2018:

The webcast and the playback can be accessed via the internet by visiting the Yum China Holdings, Inc. website, http://ir.yumchina.com 

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. We intend all forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and by the use of forward-looking words such as "expect," "expectation," "believe," "anticipate," "may," "could," "intend," "belief," "plan," "estimate," "target," "predict," "project," "likely," "will," "continue," "should," "forecast," "outlook" or similar terminology. These statements are based on current estimates and assumptions made by us in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that we believe are appropriate and reasonable under the circumstances, but there can be no assurance that such estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the future business plans, earnings and performance of Yum China, anticipated effects of population and macroeconomic trends, statements regarding the capital structure of Yum China, and beliefs regarding the long-term drivers of Yum China's business. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance and are inherently subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and could cause our actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by those statements. We cannot assure you that any of our expectations, estimates or assumptions will be achieved. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are only made as of the date of this press release, and we disclaim any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law. Numerous factors could cause our actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: whether we are able to achieve development goals at the times and in the amounts currently anticipated, if at all, the success of our marketing campaigns and product innovation, our ability to maintain food safety and quality control systems, our ability to control costs and expenses, including tax costs, as well as changes in political, economic and regulatory conditions in China. In addition, other risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial could affect the accuracy of any such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements should be evaluated with the understanding of their inherent uncertainty. You should consult our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the information set forth under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Forward-Looking Statements" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K) for additional detail about factors that could affect our financial and other results.

About Yum China Holdings, Inc.

Yum China Holdings, Inc. is a licensee of Yum! Brands in mainland China. It has exclusive rights in mainland China to KFC, China's leading quick-service restaurant brand, Pizza Hut, the leading casual dining restaurant brand in China, and Taco Bell, a Mexican-inspired quick-service restaurant brand. Yum China also owns the Little Sheep and East Dawning concepts outright. The Company had more than 8,100 restaurants and more than 450,000 employees in over 1,200 cities at the end of March 2018. For more information, please visit http://ir.yumchina.com  

Reconciliation of Reported GAAP Results to Adjusted Measures
(amounts in US$ million, except for per share amounts)
(unaudited)

In this press release:

• The Company provides certain percentage changes excluding the impact of foreign currency translation ("F/X"). These amounts are derived by translating current year results at prior year average exchange rates. We believe the elimination of the F/X impact provides better year-to-year comparability without the distortion of foreign currency fluctuations.
• System sales growth reflects the results of all restaurants regardless of ownership, including Company-owned, franchise and unconsolidated affiliate restaurants that operate our Concepts, except for non-Company-owned restaurants for which we do not receive a sales-based royalty. Sales of franchise and unconsolidated affiliate restaurants typically generate ongoing franchise fees for the Company at a rate of approximately 6% of system sales. Franchise and unconsolidated affiliate restaurant sales are not included in Company sales on the Consolidated Statements of Income; however, the franchise fees are included in the Company's revenues. We believe system sales growth is useful to investors as a significant indicator of the overall strength of our business as it incorporates all of our revenue drivers, Company and franchise same-store sales as well as net unit growth.
• Effective January 1, 2018, the Company revised its definition of same-store sales growth to represent the estimated percentage change in sales of food of all restaurants in the Company system that have been open prior to the first day of our prior fiscal year. We refer to these as our "base" stores. Previously, same-store sales growth represented the estimated percentage change in sales of all restaurants in the Company system that have been open for one year or more, and the base stores changed on a rolling basis from month to month. This revision was made to align with how management measures performance internally and focuses on trends of a more stable base of stores. Prior period results have been recast accordingly.
• Company Restaurant profit ("Restaurant profit") is defined as Company sales less expenses incurred directly by our Company-owned restaurants in generating Company sales. Company restaurant margin percentage is defined as Restaurant profit divided by Company sales.

In addition to the results provided in accordance with US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP") in this press release, the Company provides measures adjusted for Special Items, which include Adjusted Operating Profit, Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Common Share, Adjusted Effective Tax Rate and Adjusted EBITDA, which we define as net income including noncontrolling interests adjusted for income tax, interest income, depreciation, amortization and other items, including store impairment charges. The Special Item for the quarter ended March 31, 2018 represents a gain recognized from the re-measurement of our previously held equity interest at fair value upon acquisition, as described in the accompanying notes. The Company excludes impact from Special Items for the purpose of evaluating performance internally. Special Items are not included in any of our segment results. These adjusted measures are not intended to replace the presentation of our financial results in accordance with GAAP.  Rather, the Company believes that the presentation of these adjusted measures provide additional information to investors to facilitate the comparison of past and present results, excluding those items that the Company does not believe are indicative of our ongoing operations due to its nature.  These adjusted measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for GAAP financial results, but should be read in conjunction with the unaudited Consolidated Statements of Income and other information presented herein. A reconciliation of the most directly comparable GAAP measures to adjusted measures follows.