Yum China Holdings, Inc. 10-Q

Item 1. Legal Proceedings Information regarding legal proceedings is incorporated by reference from Note 15 to the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements set forth in Part I of this report. Item 1A. Ri sk Factors We face a variety of risks that are inherent in our business and our industry, including operational, legal and regulatory risks. Such risks could cause our actual results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements, expectations and historical trends. Except as set forth below, there have been no material changes from the risk factors disclosed in “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 a nd Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 . Health concerns arising from outbreaks of viruses or other illnesses may have a material adverse effect on our business. The COVID-19 pandemic has had, and may continue to have, adverse effects on our results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. Our business could be materially and adversely affected by the outbreak of a widespread health epidemic, such as COVID-19, avian flu or African swine flu. Outbreaks of contagious illness occur from time to time around the world, including in China where virtually all of our restaurants are located. The occurrence of such an outbreak or other adverse public health developments in China could materially disrupt our business and operations, including if government authorities impose mandatory closures, seek voluntary closures or impose restrictions on operations of restaurants. Furthermore, the risk of contracting viruses or other illnesses that may be transmitted through human contact could cause employees or guests to avoid gathering in public places or interacting with other people, which could materially and adversely affect restaurant guest traffic or the ability to adequately staff restaurants. An outbreak could also cause disruption in our supply chain, increase our raw-material costs, increase operational complexity and adversely impact our ability to provide safety measures to protect our employees and customers, which could materially and adversely affect our continuous operations. Our operating costs may also increase as a result of taking precautionary measures to protect the health and wellbeing of our customers and employees during an outbreak. If an outbreak reaches pandemic levels, there may also be long-term effects on the economies of affected countries. Any of the foregoing within China would severely disrupt our operations and could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. For example, starting in the first quarter of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the Company’s operations, resulting in a significant decline in Operating profit mainly driven by same-store sales declines and temporary store closures. At the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in China in 2020, approximately 35% of our restaurants were closed. Our operations and financial results for the second half of 2021 were also significantly affected by multiple waves of Delta variant outbreaks, spreading to nearly all provinces in China. In the first half of 2022, the most severe COVID-19 outbreaks to date in China significantly affected our business operations. During April and May 2022, over 2,500 of our stores in China, on average, were either temporarily closed or offered only takeaway and delivery services. Of these stores, approximately 45% were temporarily closed. We expect that our operations will continue to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including outbreaks caused by existing or new COVID-19 variants and the actions taken by governmental authorities, such as regional lockdowns, measures restricting travel and large gatherings, and recommendations against dining out. It remains difficult to predict the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the broader economy and how consumer behavior may change, and whether such change is temporary or permanent. Social distancing, telecommunicating and reductions in travel may become the new normal. These conditions could fundamentally impact the way we work and the services we provide, and could have continuing adverse effects on our results of operations, cash flows and financial condition after the pandemic subsides. The extent to which our operations continue to be impacted by the pandemic will depend largely on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be accurately predicted, including resurgences and further spread of existing or new COVID-19 variants, the actions by the government authorities to contain the pandemic or treat its impact, the availability and effectiveness of vaccines, the economic recovery within China and globally, the impact on consumer behavior and other related factors. Our insurance policy does not cover any losses we incur as a result of the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic also may have the effect of heightening other risks disclosed in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, such as, but not limited to, those related to supply chain management, labor shortage and cost, cybersecurity threats, as well as consumer perceptions of our brands. 44 Even if a virus or other illness does not spread significantly, the perceived risk of infection or health risk may affect our business. Our operations could also be disrupted if any of our employees or employees of our business partners were suspected of having a contagious illness or susceptible to becoming infected with a contagious illness, since this could require us or our business partners to screen and/or quarantine some or all of such employees or disinfect our restaurant facilities. With respect to the avian flu, public concern over an outbreak may cause fear about the consumption of chicken, eggs and other products derived from poultry, which could cause customers to consume less poultry and related products. This would likely result in lower revenues and profits. Avian flu outbreaks could also adversely affect the price and availability of poultry, which could negatively impact our profit margins and revenues. The operation of our restaurants is subject to the terms of the master license agreement which, if terminated or limited, would materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. Under the master license agreement with YUM, we are required to meet a Sales Growth Metric, which requires the average annual Gross Revenue (as defined in the master license agreement) for each of the KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell brands for each rolling five (5) calendar year period throughout the term of the master license agreement (“Measurement Period”), beginning January 1, 2017, to exceed the annual Gross Revenue of the calendar year immediately preceding the corresponding Measurement Period (“Benchmark Year”), unless otherwise agreed by the parties. To illustrate, the first Measurement Period was January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2021 (corresponding to the first Benchmark Year of January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016) and the second Measurement Period is January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2022 (corresponding to the second Benchmark Year of January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017). The requirement regarding the Sales Growth Metric began at the end of the first Measurement Period on December 31, 2021. Within an agreed period after the beginning of each calendar year following December 31, 2021, and during the term of the master license agreement, we are required to provide to YUM a written statement with the calculations of the Sales Growth Metric. If our calculations indicate that any of these restaurant brands failed to meet the Sales Growth Metric (an “SGM Breach”), there is a mechanism under the master license agreement for us to explain and remediate such breach in good faith. YUM has the right to terminate the master license agreement in the event of an SGM Breach. In the event of two consecutive SGM Breaches for KFC, Pizza Hut or Taco Bell, YUM shall be entitled to exercise its right to eliminate or modify the exclusivity of the license granted to us and conduct and further develop the relevant restaurant brand in our licensed territory or license one or more third parties to do so. The master license agreement may also be terminated upon the occurrence of certain events. We do not believe there has been any material breach of the master license agreement, and we actively monitor our compliance with the terms of the master license agreement on an on-going basis. Under the master license agreement, we have the right to cure any breach of the agreement, except for the dissolution, liquidation, insolvency or bankruptcy of the Company or upon the occurrence of an unauthorized transfer or change of control or other breach that YUM determines will not or cannot be cured. Upon the occurrence of a non-curable breach, YUM will have the right to terminate the master license agreement (or our rights to a particular brand) on delivery of written notice. Upon the occurrence of a curable breach, YUM will provide a notice of breach that sets forth a cure period that is reasonably tailored to the applicable breach. If we do not cure the breach, YUM will have the right to terminate the master license agreement (or our rights to a particular brand). The master license agreement also contemplates remedies other than termination that YUM may use as appropriate. These remedies include: actions for injunctive and/or declaratory relief (including specific performance) and/or damages; limitations on our future development rights or suspension of restaurant operations pending a cure; modification or elimination of our territorial exclusivity; and YUM’s right to repurchase from us the business operated under an affected brand at fair market value, less YUM’s damages. In the second quarter of 2022, we invoked the dispute resolution process pursuant to the master license agreement to resolve a disagreement with YUM over royalties charged on delivery and aggregator platform fees. We believe, pursuant to the master license agreement, that delivery fees paid by customers for delivery services and commissions paid to third-party aggregator platforms should not be subject to royalties, and we notified YUM in April 2022 that we would stop paying royalties on such fees beginning in January 2022. In June 2022, YUM delivered to the Company a notice of material breach of the master license agreement, demanding among other things payment of the disputed royalty amounts. Following receipt of the notice, we paid the disputed royalty amounts under a reservation of rights, after which YUM suspended its declaration of material breaches related to payment of the disputed royalty amounts. YUM’s notice in June 2022 also alleged, for the first time, that the Company has engaged in unauthorized use of YUM’s intellectual 45 property under the master license agreement. The Company believes the notice is contrary to the terms of the master license agreement and that these allegations are without merit. The parties are progressing through the dispute resolution process. If the parties are unable to resolve the dispute pursuant to the master license agreement, either party may submit the dispute to arbitration, while retaining all other rights and remedies, which may include the initiation of proceedings for injunctive or other equitable relief, or the exercise of contractual rights up to and including termination of the master license agreement. If the master license agreement were terminated, or any of our license rights were limited, our business, results of operations and financial condition would be materially adversely affected.