The prices of raw materials fluctuate, which may adversely impact our profit margin.

Our restaurant business depends on reliable sources of large quantities of raw materials such as protein (including poultry, pork, beef and seafood), cheese, oil, flour and vegetables (including potatoes and lettuce). Our raw materials are subject to price volatility caused by any fluctuation in aggregate supply and demand, or other external conditions, such as climate and environmental conditions where weather conditions or natural events or disasters may affect expected harvests of such raw materials. As a result, the historical prices of raw materials consumed by us have fluctuated. We cannot assure you that we will continue to purchase raw materials at reasonable prices, or that our raw materials prices will remain stable in the future. In addition, because we and our franchisees provide competitively priced food, our ability to pass along commodity price increases to our customers is limited. If we are unable to manage the cost of our raw materials or to increase the prices of our products, it may have an adverse impact on our future profit margin.

We are subject to all of the risks associated with leasing real estate, and any adverse developments could harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.

As a significant number of our restaurants are operating on leased properties, we are exposed to the market conditions of the retail rental market.market conditions. As of year-end 2017,2023, we leased the land and/or buildingover 12,500 properties in China for approximately 6,300 restaurants in China.our Company-owned restaurants. For information regarding our leased properties, please refer to Item 2. “Properties.” Accordingly, we are subject to all of the risks generally associated with leasing real estate, including changes in the investment climate for real estate, demographic trends, trade zone shifts, central business district relocations, and supply or demand for the use of the restaurants, as well as potential liability for environmental contamination.

We generally enter into lease agreements with initial terms of 10 to 20 years. Less than 5%Approximately 6% of our existing leaseslease agreements expire before the end of 2018.2024. Most of our lease agreements contain an early termination clause that permits us to terminate the lease agreement early if the restaurant’s unit contributionrestaurant profit is negative for a specified period of time. We generally do not have renewal options for our leases and need to negotiate the terms of renewal with the lessor, who may insist on a significant modification to the terms and conditions of the lease agreement.

The rent under the majority of our current restaurant lease agreements is generally payable in one of three ways: (i) fixed rent; (ii) the higher of a fixed base rent or a percentage of the restaurant’s annual sales revenue, subject to adjustment;revenue; or (iii) a percentage of the restaurant’s annual sales revenue, subject to adjustment. Adjustments to rent calculated as a percentage of the restaurant’s annual sales revenue generally correspond to the level of annual sales revenue as specified in the agreement.revenue. In addition to increases in rent resulting from fluctuations in annual sales revenue, certain of our lease agreements include provisions specifying fixed increases in rental payments over the respective terms of the lease agreements. While these provisions have been negotiated and are specified in the lease agreement, they will increase our costs of operation and therefore may materially and adversely affect our results of operation and financial condition if we are not able to pass on the increased costs to our customers. Certain of our lease agreements also provide for the payment of a management fee at either a fixed rate or fixed amount per square meter of the relevant leased property.

Where we do not have an option to renew a lease agreement, we must negotiate the terms of renewal with the lessor, who may insist on a significant modification to the terms and conditions of the lease agreement. If a lease agreement is renewed at a rate substantially higher than the existing rate, or if any existing favorable terms granted by the lessor are not extended, we must determine whether it is desirable to renew on such modified terms. If we are unable to renew leases for our restaurant sites on acceptable terms or at all, we will have to close or relocate the relevant restaurants, which would eliminate the sales that those restaurants would have contributed to our revenues during the period of closure, and could subject us to construction, renovation and other costs and risks. In addition, the revenue and any profit generated after relocation may be less than the revenue and profit previously generated before such relocation. As a result, any inability to obtain leases for desirable restaurant locations or renew existing leases on commercially reasonable terms could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We may not be able to obtain desirable restaurant locations on commercially reasonable terms.

We compete with other retailers and restaurants for suitable locations, and the market for retail premises is very competitive in China. Our competitors may negotiate more favorable lease terms than our lease terms, and some landlords and developers may offer priority or grant exclusivity to some of our competitors for desirable locations for various reasons beyond our control. We cannot provide assurance that we will be able to enter into new lease agreements for prime locations on commercially reasonable terms, if at all. If we cannot obtain desirable restaurant locations on commercially reasonable terms, our business, results of operations and ability to implement our growth strategy may be materially and adversely affected.

Labor shortages or increases in labor costs could slow our growth and harm our business and results of operations.

Restaurant operations are highly service-oriented, and our success depends in part upon our ability to attract, retain and motivate a sufficient number of qualified employees, including restaurant managers, and other crew members. The market for qualified employees in our industry is very competitive. Any future inability to recruit and retain qualified individuals may delay the planned openings of new restaurants and could adversely impact our existing restaurants. Any such delays, material increases in employee turnover rate in existing restaurants or widespread employee dissatisfaction could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. In addition, competitionCompetition for qualified employees could also compel us to pay higher wages to attract or retain key crew members, which could result in higher labor costs.

22We may also face challenges relating to temporary shortage of staff, including as a result of events outside our control. For example, due to widespread infections following the relaxation of COVID restrictions in China, we experienced a shortage of restaurant staff in December 2022.

2017 Form 10-K

The Chinese Labor Contract Law that became effective on January 1, 2008 and amended on December 28, 2012 formalizes workers’ rights concerning overtime hours, pensions, layoffs, employment contracts and the role of trade unions, and provides for specific standards and procedures for employees’ protection. Moreover, minimum wage requirements in China have increased and could continue to increase our labor costs in the future. The salary level of employees in the restaurant industry in China has been increasing in the past several years. We may not be able to increase our product prices enough to pass these increased labor costs on to our customers, in which case our business and results of operations would be materially and adversely affected.

In addition, our delivery business requires a large number of riders, which are either contracted with us or the aggregators’ platforms to deliver orders for KFC or Pizza Hut stores. A shortage of riders could disrupt our delivery business and result in higher rider costs. Furthermore, an increase in the rates charged by the third-party rider companies could also result in higher delivery costs. Recent guidelines issued by regulatory authorities increased protection on rider safety and welfare, and the cost to comply with such requirements could be passed on to us.

Our success depends substantially on our corporate reputation and on the value and perception of our brands.

One of our primary assets is the exclusive right to use the KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell trademarks in restaurants in China. Our success depends in large part upon our ability and our franchisees’ ability to maintain and enhance the value of these brands and our customers’ loyalty to these brands in China. Brand value is based in part on consumer perceptions on a variety of subjective qualities. Business incidents, whether isolated or recurring, and whether originating from us, our franchisees, competitors, suppliers and distributors or YUM and its other licensees or franchisees, competitors, suppliers and distributors outside China can significantly reduce brand value and consumer trust, particularly if the incidents receive considerable publicity or result in litigation. For example, our brands could be damaged by claims or perceptions about the quality or safety of our products or the quality of our suppliers and distributors, regardless of whether such claims or perceptions are true. Any such incidents (even if resulting from the actions of a competitor) could cause a decline directly or indirectly in consumer confidence in, or the perception of, our brands and/or our products and reduce consumer demand for our products, which would likely result in lower revenues and profits. Additionally, our corporate reputation could suffer from a real or perceived failure of corporate governance or misconduct by a company officer, employee or representative.

The occurrence of security breaches and cyber-attacks could negatively impact our business.

We are increasingly dependent onInformation technology systems, such as the use ofincluding our mobile or online platforms, mobile payment and ordering apps, mobile payment systems, loyalty programs and various other on-lineonline processes and functions.functions, are critical to our business and operations. For example, as of year-end 2017,2023, KFC had over 440 million loyalty program members increased to over 110 million members for KFC and over 35 million for Pizza Hut. KFC member sales represented approximately 38% of KFC’s Company sales and Pizza Hut memberhad over 155 million. Members accounted for 65% of KFC and Pizza Hut's system sales represented approximately 34%in 2023. Digital ordering accounted for 89% of Pizza Hut’stotal Company sales in the fourth quarter of 2017. 2023. As we continue to expand our digital initiatives, the risks relating to security breaches and cyber-attacks against our systems, both internal and those we have outsourced, may increase.

The cybersecurity measures thatBecause of our brand recognition in China, we have deployed may not detect or prevent allare consistently subject to attempts to compromise our systems.security and information systems, including denial of service attacks, viruses, malicious software or ransomware, and exploitations of system flaws or weaknesses. Error or malfeasance or other irregularities may also result in the failure of our or our third-party service providers' cybersecurity measures and may give rise to a cybersecurity incident. The techniques used to conduct security breaches and cyber-attacks, as well as the sources and targets of these attacks, change frequently and may not be recognized until launched against us or our third-party service providers. We or our third-party service providers may not have the resources or technical sophistication to anticipate or prevent rapidly evolving types of cyber-attacks. We have in the past and are likely again in the future to be subject to these types of attacks, although to date no attack has resulted in any material damages or remediation costs. The primary risks that could directly result from the occurrence of a cyber incidentsecurity breaches and cyber-attacks include operational interruption, damage tofinancial losses, personal information leakage and non-compliance. The occurrence of such incidents could negatively impact our business operations and our relationships with customers, franchisees and employees, and damage to our reputation and private data exposure.reputation. If we or our third-party service providers are unable to avert security breaches and cyber-attacks, we could incur significantly higher costs, including remediation costs to repair damage caused by the breach (including business incentives to make amends with affected customers and franchisees), costs to deploy additional personnel and network protection technologies, train employees and engage third-party experts and consultants, as well as litigation costs resulting from the incident. These costs, which could be material, could adversely impact our results of operations in the period in which they are incurred and may not meaningfully limit the success of future attempts to breach our information technology systems.

FailureUnauthorized access to, protect the integrity and securityor improper use, disclosure, theft or destruction of, our customer or employee personal, financial or other data or our proprietary or confidential information that is stored in our information systems or by third parties on our behalf could result in substantial costs, expose us to litigation and damage our reputation.

We have been using, and plan to continue to use, digital technologies to improve the customer experience and drive sales growth. We, directly or indirectly, receive and maintain certain personal, financial and other information about our customers in various information systems that we maintain and in those maintained by third-party service providers when, for example, receiving orders through mobile or online platforms, and mobile ordering apps, accepting cashlessdigital payments, operating loyalty programs and conducting digital marketing programs. Our information technology systems, such as those we use for administrative functions, including human resources, payroll, accounting and internal and external communications, can contain personal, financial or other information of our more than 450,000over 430,000 employees. We also maintain important proprietary and other confidential information related to our operations and identifiable information about our franchisees. As a result, we face risks inherent in handling and protecting large volumes of information.

If our security and information systems or the security and information systems of third-party service providers are compromised for any reason, including as a result of data corruption or loss, security breach, cyber-attack or cyber-attack,other external or internal methods, or if our employees, franchisees or service providers fail to comply with laws, regulations and practice standards, and this information is obtained by unauthorized persons, used or useddisclosed inappropriately or destroyed, it could subject us to litigation and government enforcement actions, cause us to incur substantial costs, liabilities and penalties and/or result in a loss of customer confidence, any and all of which could adversely affect our business, reputation, ability to attract new customers, results of operations and financial condition.

In addition, the use and handling of this information is regulated by evolving and increasingly demanding laws and regulations. The Chinese government has focused increasingly on regulation in the areas of information security and protection, including by implementing a new cybersecurity lawthe PRC Cybersecurity Law effective June 1, 2017, which imposes tightened requirements on data privacy and cybersecurity practices. There are uncertainties with respect to the application of the cybersecurity law in certain circumstances. In addition, the PRC Data Security Law, which took effect on September 1, 2021, imposes data security and privacy obligations on entities and individuals carrying out data activities (including activities outside of the PRC), requires a national security review of data activities that may affect national security, and imposes restrictions on data transmissions. Furthermore, the PRC Personal Information Protection Law, which took effect on November 1, 2021, sets out the regulatory framework for handling and protection of personal information and transmission of personal information, and many specific requirements of the law remain to be clarified by the CAC and other regulatory authorities. The Revised Cybersecurity Review Measures, which took effect on February 15, 2022, require critical information infrastructure operators procuring network products and services and online platform operators carrying out data processing activities, which affect or may affect national security, to conduct a cybersecurity review pursuant to the provisions therein. The Measures for Security Assessment for Outbound Data Transfer, which took effect on September 1, 2022, mandate mandatory government security review by the CAC in advance of certain cross-border data transfer activities. We have established a professional team to formulate and implement internal data security policies to comply with the regulations and policies issued by the CAC, monitor our compliance practices and assess any non-compliance issues. We believe that we are compliant in all material respects with the applicable regulations and policies that have been issued by the CAC to date. As of the date of this Form 10-K, (i) we have not received any formal notice from any PRC cybersecurity regulator identifying us as a “critical information infrastructure operator” or requiring us to go through the cybersecurity review procedures pursuant to the Revised Cybersecurity Review Measures; and (ii) we are not aware of any investigations against us initiated by the CAC based on the Revised Cybersecurity Review Measures. The exact scope of “critical information infrastructure operators” under the current regulatory regime remains unclear, and the PRC government authorities may have wide discretion in the interpretation and enforcement of the applicable laws. Therefore, it is uncertain whether, in the future, we would be deemed to be a critical information infrastructure operator under Chinese laws. If we are deemed to be a critical information infrastructure operator under the PRC cybersecurity laws and regulations, we may be subject to obligations in addition to what we have fulfilled under the PRC cybersecurity laws and regulations.

Interpretation, application and enforcement of these laws, rules and regulations evolve from time to time and their scope may continually change, through new legislation, amendments to existing legislation or changes in enforcement. We have been taking and will continue to take reasonable measures to comply with applicable cybersecurity, data privacy and security laws. We cannot guarantee the effectiveness of the measures undertaken by us, and such measures may still be determined as insufficient, improper, or even as user-privacy invasive, by the relevant authorities, which may result in penalties against us.

Compliance with the cybersecurity law,these laws, as well as additional lawsregulations and regulationsstandards regarding data privacy, data collection and information security that PRC regulatory bodies may enact in the future, may result in additional expenses to us as we may be required to upgrade our current information technology systems. Furthermore, as a result of legislative and regulatory rules, we may be required to notify the owners of personal information of any breach, theft or loss of their personal information, which could harm our reputation, as well as subject us to litigation or actions by regulatory bodies and adversely affect our financial results.

We expect that these areascybersecurity, data privacy and security will receive greater attention andcontinue to be a focus fromof regulators, as well as attract continued or greater public scrutiny and attention going forward, which could increase our compliance costs and subject us to heightened risks and challenges associated with information security and protection. If we are unable to manage these risks, we could become subject to penalties, including fines, suspension of business, shutdown of websites and revocation of required licenses, and our reputation and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

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2017 Form 10-K

Our operations are highly dependent upon our information technology systems and any failures or interruptions of service or security breaches in our systems may interrupt our operations and harm our business.

Our operations are dependent upon the successful and uninterrupted functioning of our computer and information technology systems. We rely heavily on information technology systems across our operations, including those we use for finance and accounting functions, supply chain management, point-of-sale processing, online and mobile platforms, mobile payment processing, loyalty programs and various other processes and functions, and many of these systems are interdependent on one another for their functionality. Additionally, the success of several of our initiatives to drive growth, including our priority to expand digital engagement with our customers, is highly dependent on the reliability, availability, integrity, scalability and capacity of our information technology systems. We also rely on third- partythird-party providers and platforms for some of these information technology systems and support.

Our operational safeguards may not be effective in preventing the failure of these systems to operate effectively and be continuously available to run our business. Such failures may be caused by various factors, including fire, natural disaster, power loss, telecommunications failure, problems with transitioning to upgraded or replacement systems, physical break-ins, programming errors, flaws in third-party software or services, disruptions or service failures of technology infrastructure facilities, such as storage servers, provided by third parties, errors or malfeasance by our employees or third-party service providers or breaches in the security of these systems or platforms, including unauthorized entry and computer viruses. We cannot assure you that we will resolve these system failures and restore our systems and operations in an effective and timely manner. Such system failures and any delayed restore process could result in:

We will continue to upgrade and improve our information technology systems to support our business growth. However, we cannot assure you that we will be successful in executing these system upgrades and improvement strategies and the foregoing risks could intensify while we execute those upgrades and improvements. In particular, our systems may experience interruptions during upgrades, and the new technologies or infrastructures may not be fully integrated with the existing systems on a timely basis, or at all. If we are unsuccessful in updating, upgrading and expandingimproving our systems, our ability to increase comparable store sales, improve operations, implement cost controls and grow our business may be constrained.

Our business depends on the performance of, and our long-term relationships with, third-party mobile payment processors, delivery aggregators, internet infrastructure operators, and internet service providers.providers, delivery aggregators and third-party e-commerce platforms.

MobileDigital payments, including mobile payments, accounted for about 53%approximately 99% of Yum China Company sales during the fourth quarter of 2017.in 2023. The ability to accept mobile payments is critical to our business. We accept payments through third-party mobile payment processors, such as WeChat Pay, Alipay and Alipay.Union Pay. We also developed and launched YUMC Pay in the first quarter of 2019, in partnership with Union Pay, which offers a convenient payment option for users within a single App. If we fail to extend or renew the agreements with these mobile payment processors on acceptable terms, or if these mobile payment processors are unwilling or unable to provide us with payment processing service or impose onerous requirements on us in order to access their services, or if they increase the fees they charge us for these services, our business and results of operations could be harmed.

Our business depends on the performance and reliability of the internet infrastructure in China. Almost all access to the internet in China is maintained through state-owned telecommunications operators under administrative control, and we obtain access to end-user networks operated by such telecommunications operators and internet service providers to give customers access to our websites. The satisfactory performance, availability and reliability of our websites, online platforms and Apps depends on telecommunications operators and other third-party providers for communications and storage capacity, including bandwidth and server storage, among other things. If we are unable to enter into and renew agreements with these providers on acceptable terms, or if any of our existing agreements with such providers are terminated as a result of our breach or otherwise, or if these providers experience problems with the functionality and effectiveness of their systems or platforms, our ability to provide our services to our customers could be adversely affected. The failure of telecommunications operators to provide us with the requisite bandwidth could also interfere with the speed and availability of our websites and mobile applications.Apps. Frequent interruptions could frustrate customers and discourage them from attempting to place orders, which could cause us to lose customers and harm our operating results.

Our delivery business depends on the performance of and our long-term relationships with third-party delivery aggregators. We allow our products to be listed on and ordered through their mobile or online platforms. If we fail to extend or renew the agreements with these aggregators on acceptable terms, or at all, our business and results of operations may be materially adversely affected.

Furthermore, to the extent we rely on the systems of third parties in areas such as mobile payment processing, online and mobile delivery ordering, telecommunications and wireless networks, any defects, failures and interruptions in their systems could result in similar adverse effects on our business. Sustained or repeated system defects, failures or interruptions could materially impact our operations and results of operations.

Additionally, we have no control over the costs of the services provided by the telecommunications operators. If the prices that we pay for telecommunications and internet services rise significantly, our profit margins could be adversely affected. In addition, if internet access fees or other charges to internet users increase, our user traffic may decrease, which in turn may significantly decrease our revenues.

Our delivery business depends on the performance of, and our long-term relationships with, third-party delivery aggregators. We allow our products to be listed on and ordered through their mobile or online platforms. In addition, we sell and promote our products on third-party e-commerce platforms. If we fail to extend or renew the agreements with these delivery aggregators or e-commerce platforms on acceptable terms, or at all, our business and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected. Any increase in the fees charged by these delivery aggregators or e-commerce platforms could negatively impact our operating results.

Our restaurants offer delivery services. Any failureMajor failures to provide timely and reliable delivery services by us may materially and adversely affect our business and reputation.

As of year-end 2017,2023, approximately 90% of KFC restaurants and over 5,300 KFC and95% of Pizza Hut restaurants offer delivery services. Delivery contributed to 14%approximately 36% of KFC and Pizza Hut Company sales for 2017.2023. Customers may order delivery service through KFC and Pizza Hut’s websites and mobile ordering apps.Apps. KFC and Pizza Hut have also partnered with third-party delivery aggregators, allowing our products to be listed on and ordered through their mobile or online platforms.

Interruptions or failures in our delivery services could prevent the timely or successful delivery of our products. These interruptions may be due to unforeseen events that are beyond our control or the control of third-party aggregators and outsourced riders, such as inclement weather, natural disasters, transportation disruptions or labor unrest. The occurrence of food safety or product quality issues may also result in interruptions or failures in our delivery service. If our products are not delivered on time and in proper condition, customers may refuse to accept our products and have less confidence in our services, in which case our business and reputation may suffer.be adversely affected.

26

We use our own staff, including outsourced riders,Our growth strategy with respect to deliver orders placed through aggregators’ platforms to customers of KFC and certain Pizza Hut stores, while we use the aggregators’ delivery services, for which we pay a commission, for majority of Pizza Hut orders. These aggregators and outsourced riders may fail to follow the quality standards they agreed upon with us, in which case our business and reputation may suffer.

WeLavazza may not be ablesuccessful.

We are committed to integrate Daojiamaking coffee a meaningful part of our business. As part of our strategy to tap into the growing China coffee market, we developed COFFii & JOY as our standalone specialty coffee concept starting in 2018. However, the Company decided to wind down the operations of COFFii & JOY and closed all stores in 2022.

In April 2020, we established a joint venture with Lavazza Group to explore and develop the Lavazza coffee concept in China. In September 2021, the Company and Lavazza Group entered into agreements to accelerate the expansion of Lavazza coffee shops to offer a premium and authentic Italian coffee experience in China. As of December 31, 2023, there were 122 Lavazza stores in China. We are targeting to open 1,000 Lavazza stores in the next few years, which may require significant capital and management attention.

The success of Lavazza depends in large part on our ability to secure optimal locations, introduce new and unique store formats, and operate these stores profitably. The effectiveness of our supply chain management to assure reliable coffee supply at competitive prices is one of the key factors to the success of Lavazza.

There is no assurance that our growth strategy with respect to Lavazza will be successful or generate expected returns in the near term or at all. If we fail to execute this growth strategy successfully, our business, results of operations and thefinancial condition may be materially and adversely affected.

The anticipated benefits of the acquisitionour acquisitions may not be realized in a timely manner or at all.

In May 2017, we acquired a controlling interest in Daojia with the expectation that the acquisition will further enhance our digital and delivery capabilities, and accelerate growth by building know-how and expertise in the expanding delivery market. In 2018 and 2019, due to declining sales as a result of intensified competition among delivery aggregators, we recorded impairment charges of $23 million and wrote down the Daojia reporting unit goodwill and intangible assets to zero. In April 2020, we completed the acquisition of a 93.3% interest in Huang Ji Huang, a leading Chinese-style casual dining franchise business, for cash consideration of $185 million. With this acquisition, we aim to gain a stronger foothold and enhanced know-how in the Chinese dining space and create synergies. Achieving those anticipated benefits is subject to a number of uncertainties, including whether we can integrateuncertainties. The operation of the business of Daojia in an efficient and timely manner. We cannot assure you that those benefits will be realized at all or as quickly as we expect, and a failure to achieve those benefitsacquired businesses could have a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, results of operations and financial condition.

The integration process couldalso involve further unanticipated costs result in the loss of key employees and divert management’s attention away from day-to-day business concerns. Furthermore, any failure to address differences in corporate cultures and management philosophies, and in harmonizing our different reservation systems and other business practices, could adversely affect our business.

In addition, with completion of the Daojia acquisition, our business has expanded. Our continued success depends, in part, upon our ability to manage this expanded business, including challenges related to the management and development of new operations and associated increased costs and complexity. We cannot assure you that we will be successfulable to achieve the anticipated benefits of any business acquisitions. Additional information about the Company’s goodwill and intangible assets acquired from our acquisitions is included in managing this expanded business, which could have a material adverse effectNote 8 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Part II, Item 8. We evaluate indefinite-lived intangible assets and goodwill for impairment on an annual basis or more often if an event occurs or circumstances change that indicates impairment might exist.

Our new retail and e-commerce businesses may expose us to new challenges and risks and may adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

The Chinese governmentAs part of our strategy to drive growth from off-premise occasions, we launched packaged foods to capture at-home consumption demand. We also operate a mobile e-commerce platform, V-Gold Mall, to sell our own products.

Our new retail and e-commerce businesses expose us to new challenges and risks associated with, for example, anticipating customer demand and preferences, managing inventory and handling more complex supply, product return and delivery service issues. We are relatively new to these businesses and our lack of experience may determine thatmake it more difficult for us to keep pace with evolving customer demands and preferences. We may misjudge customer demand, resulting in inventory buildup and possible inventory write-downs and write-offs. We may also experience higher return rates on these products, receive more customer complaints about them and face costly product liability claims as a result of selling them, which would harm our brands and reputation as well as our financial performance. In addition, we will have to invest in, maintain and upgrade the variable interest entity structure of Daojia does not comply with Chinese lawsnecessary network infrastructure, system infrastructure and security to manage and process customer orders, and failures to process orders timely and accurately may also result in complaints and expose us to liability. Furthermore, we rely on foreign investment in restricted industries.

Throughthird-party delivery companies to deliver the acquisition of Daojia, the Company also acquirede-commerce products and a variable interest entity (“VIE”) and subsidiariesportion of the VIEnew retail products. Risks related to delivery services are described in Chinafurther detail above under “—Our restaurants offer delivery services. Major failures to provide timely and reliable delivery services by us may materially and adversely affect our business and reputation.” If we do not successfully address new challenges specific to the new retail and e-commerce businesses and compete effectively, controlled by Daojia.our business, results of operations and financial condition may be materially and adversely affected.

Chinese lawsOur use of GenAI technologies presents new risks and regulations restrictchallenges to our business.

We use GenAI technologies to innovate new business scenarios and impose conditions on foreign investment in certain internet business,solutions, such as internet content services. For example, foreign investors are generally not permittedmedia creatives generation, digital avatars, customer feedback analysis and customer service. The use of GenAI may be affected by global trends and applicable laws. We may become subject to own more than 50%new or heightened legal, ethical or other challenges arising out of the equity interests in an internet content providerperceived or actual impact of AI on intellectual property, privacy, and employment, among other value-added telecommunication service provider. Accordingly, a VIE structure has been adopted by many China-based companies, including Daojia, to obtain necessary licensesissues, and permits in such industries that are currentlywe may experience brand or reputational harm, be subject to foreign investment restrictions in China. Daojia operates these businesses in China through its consolidated affiliated entities. Daojia has entered into a series of contractual arrangementslegal liabilities or increased costs associated with its consolidated affiliated entitiesthose issues. Furthermore, if we fail to leverage GenAI technologies as effectively or rapidly as our peers, our competitiveness could be materially and the nominee shareholders of its consolidated affiliated entities. These contractual arrangements allow Daojia to:adversely impacted.

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2017 Form 10-K

There are substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of current Chinese laws, rules and regulations. In addition, it is uncertain whether any new Chinese laws, rules or regulations relating to VIE structure will be adopted, or if adopted, what they would provide.

If the VIE structure is found to be in violation of any existing or future Chinese laws, rules or regulations, the relevant PRC regulatory bodies would have broad discretion to take action in dealing with these violations, including revoking the business and operating licenses of Daojia’s consolidated affiliated entities, requiring Daojia to restructure its operations or taking other regulatory or enforcement actions against Daojia. The contractual arrangements may also be found by Chinese government authorities, courts or arbitral tribunals to be unenforceable. The imposition of any of these measures could result in a material adverse effect on Daojia’s business operations and our business integration process.

Our inability or failure to recognize, respond to and effectively manage the accelerated impact of social media could materially adversely impact our business and results of operations.

As a customer-facing industry, the Company is heavily reliant on its brand, the perception of which may be significantly impacted by social media. In recent years, there has been a marked increase in the use of social media platforms, including weblogs (blogs), mini-blogs, WeChat and other chat platforms, social media websites, and other forms of internet-based communications, which allow individual access to a broad audience of consumers and other interested persons. Many social media platforms immediately publish the content their subscribers and participants’ post, often without filters or checks on accuracy of the content posted. Information posted on such platforms at any time may be adverse to our interests and/or may be inaccurate. The online dissemination of negative comments about our brands and business, including inaccurate or irresponsible information, could harm our business, reputation, prospects, results of operations and financial condition. The damage may be immediate and intense, without affording us an opportunity for redress or correction, and we may not be able to recover from any negative publicity in a timely manner or at all. If we fail to recognize, respond to and effectively manage the accelerated impact of social media, our reputation, business and results of operation could be materially and adversely affected.

Other risks associated with the use of social media include improper disclosure of proprietary information, exposure of personally identifiable information, fraud, hoaxes or malicious exposure of false information. The inappropriate use of social media by our customers or employees could increase our costs, lead to litigation or result in negative publicity that could damage our reputation and adversely affect our results of operations.

We could be party to litigation that could adversely affect us by increasing our expenses, diverting management attention or subjecting us to significant monetary damages and other remedies.

We are involved in legal proceedings from time to time. These proceedings do or could include consumer, employment, real estate-related, tort, intellectual property, breach of contract and other litigation. As a public company, we may in the future also be involved in legal proceedings alleging violation of securities laws or derivative litigation. Plaintiffs in these types of lawsuits often seek recovery of very large or indeterminate amounts, and the magnitude of the potential loss relating to such lawsuits may not be accurately estimated. Regardless of whether any claims against us are valid, or whether we are ultimately held liable, such litigation may be expensive to defend and may divert resources and management attention away from our operations and negatively impact reported earnings. With respect to insured claims, a judgment for monetary damages in excess of any insurance coverage could adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations. Any adverse publicity resulting from these allegations may also adversely affect our reputation, which in turn could adversely affect our results of operations.

In addition, the restaurant industry around the world has been subject to claims that relate to the nutritional content of food products, as well as claims that the menus and practices of restaurant chains have led to customer health issues, including weight gain and other adverse effects. We may also be subject to these types of claims in the future and, even if we are not, publicity about these matters (particularly directed at the quick-service and fast-casual segments of the retail food industry) may harm our reputation and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

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2017 Form 10-K

Failure to comply with anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws could adversely affect our business and results of operations.

The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and similar Chinese laws and other similar applicable laws prohibiting bribery of government officials and other corrupt practices are the subject of increasing emphasis and enforcement around the world. Although we continue to implement policies and procedures designed to duly comply with these laws, there can be no assurance that our employees, contractors, agents or other third parties will not take actions in violation of our policies or applicable law, particularly as we expand our operations through organic growth and acquisitions. Any such violations or suspected violations could subject us to civil or criminal penalties, including substantial fines and significant investigation costs, and could also materially damage the KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bellour brands, as well as our reputation and prospects, business and results of operations. Publicity relating to any noncompliance or alleged noncompliance could also harm our reputation and adversely affect our business and results of operations.

As a U.S. company with operations concentrated in China, we are subject to both U.S. federal income tax and Chinese enterprise income tax, which could result in relatively higher taxes compared to companies operating primarily in the U.S.

Yum China is a Delaware corporation that indirectly owns the subsidiaries that conduct our business in China and is subject to both U.S. federal income tax and Chinese enterprise income tax. While the recently enacted Tax ActU.S. tax law generally exempts all of the foreign-source dividends paid to the U.S. parent company, with operations primarily in China, we continue to be subject to the Chinese enterprise income tax at a rate of 25% generally and an additional 10% withholding tax on any earnings repatriated outside of China levied by the Chinese tax authorities.authorities, subject to any reduction or exemption set forth in relevant tax treaties or tax arrangements. This may put Yum China at a relative disadvantage compared to companies operating primarily in the U.S., which are nowcurrently subject to a U.S. corporate income tax rate of 21% under the Tax Act..

In addition, the Tax ActU.S. tax law provides anti-deferral, and anti-base erosion and other provisions that may subject the U.S. parent company to additional U.S. taxes under certain circumstances. If weWe are assessed with these taxes,tax on GILTI earned by certain foreign subsidiaries, and it could causecauses our effective tax rate to increase and affect the amount of any distributions available to our stockholders.

Tax matters, including changes in tax rates, disagreements with taxingtax authorities and imposition of new taxes could impact our results of operations and financial condition.

We are subject to income taxes as well as non-income based taxes, such as VAT, customs duty, property tax, stamp duty, environmental protection tax, withholding taxes and obligations and local surcharges, in China and income tax and other taxes in the U.S. and other jurisdictions. We are also subject to reviews, examinations and audits by Chinese tax authorities, the IRS and other taxingtax authorities with respect to income and non-income based taxes, including transfer pricing. Our operations in foreignrespective jurisdictions generally remain subject to examination for tax years as far back as 2006, some of which years are currently under audit by local tax authorities. If Chinese tax authorities, the IRS or other taxingtax authorities disagree with our tax positions, we could face additional tax liabilities, including interest and penalties. Payment of such additional amounts upon final settlement or adjudication of any disputes could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations and financial condition.

In addition, we are directly and indirectly affected by new tax legislation and regulation and the interpretation of tax laws and regulations worldwide. For example, in 2017, the recently enactedU.S. Tax Act implemented broad reforms to the U.S. corporate income tax system and significantly altered how U.S. multinational corporations are taxed on foreign earnings. On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “IRA”) was signed into law in the U.S. The IRA contains certain tax measures, including a corporate alternative minimum tax on certain large corporations and an excise tax on net share repurchases. In addition, the OECD's Pillar Two initiative introduces a 15% global minimum tax applied on a country-by-country basis and for which many jurisdictions (including jurisdictions in which we have operations or presence) have now committed to an effective enactment date starting January 1, 2024. The details of the computation of these taxes will be subject to regulations to be issued by the tax authorities in respective country. Any increases in tax rates or changes in tax laws or the interpretations thereof (including pending interpretations relating to the Tax Act) could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations and financial condition.

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Moreover, the tax regime in China is rapidly evolving and there can be significant uncertainty for taxpayers in China as Chinese tax laws may change significantly or be subject to uncertain interpretations. Since 2012, the Chinese government launched a VAT pilot reform to replace BT (“VAT pilot program”) to make reform to its retail tax structure by ending the co-existence of BT and VAT where BT would be gradually phased out and replaced by VAT. The retail tax structure reform is intended to be a progressive and positive shift to more closely align with a more modern service-based economy. Effective May 1, 2016, the retail tax structureVAT reform has been rolled out to cover all business sectors nationwide whereto completely replace the BT that has historically been completely replaced by VAT.applied to certain industries. The interpretation and application of the new VAT regime are not settled at some local governmental levels. In addition, China is in the timetable forprocess of enacting the prevailing VAT regulations into nationalVAT law. However, the timetable for enacting the VAT law including ultimate enacted VAT rates, is not clear. Changes in legislation, regulation or interpretation of existing laws and regulations in the U.S., China, and other jurisdictions where we are subject to taxation could increase our taxes and have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

Our results of operations may be adversely impacted by changes in consumer discretionary spending and general economic conditions.

Purchases at our restaurants are discretionary for consumers and, therefore, our results of operations are susceptible to economic slowdowns and recessions. Our results of operations are dependent upon discretionary spending by consumers, which may be affected by general economic conditions in China. Some of the factors that impact discretionary consumer spending include unemployment rates, fluctuations in the level of disposable income, the price of gasoline, stock market performance and changes in the level of consumer confidence. These and other macroeconomic factors could have an adverse effect on our sales, profitability or development plans, which could harm our results of operations and financial condition.

The retail foodrestaurant industry in which we operate is highly competitive.

The retail foodrestaurant industry in which we operate is highly competitive with respect to price and quality of food products, new product development, advertising levels and promotional initiatives, customer service, reputation, restaurant location, and attractiveness and maintenance of properties. If consumerWe cannot assure you that we will continue to develop new products and maintain an attractive menu to suit changing customer tastes, nutritional trends, dine-in or dietary preferences change, orat-home consumption patterns and general customer demands in China. Our failure to anticipate, identify, interpret and react to these changes could lead to reduced guest traffic and demand for our restaurants. Even if we do correctly anticipate, identify, interpret and react to these changes, there can be no assurance that our restaurants are unableable to compete successfully with other retail foodrestaurant outlets in new and existing markets,markets. As a result, our business could be adversely affected. We also face growing competition as a result of convergence in grocery, convenience, deli and restaurant services, including the offering by the grocery industry of convenient meals, including pizzas and entrees with side dishes. Competition from food delivery aggregators, and other food delivery services and shared kitchens in China has also increased in recent years, all of which offer a wide variety of cuisine types across different brands, particularly in urbanized areas. Increased competition could have an adverse effect on our sales, profitability or development plans, which could harm our results of operations and financial condition.

In addition, increased awareness about nutrition and healthy lifestyles may cause consumers to demand more healthy foods. If we are unable to respond to such changes in consumer taste and preferences in a timely manner or at all, or if our competitors are able to address these concerns more effectively, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

Any inability to successfully compete with the other restaurants, food delivery aggregators, other food delivery services and catering servicesshared kitchens in our markets may prevent us from increasing or sustaining our revenues and profitability and could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and/or cash flows. We may also need to modify or refine elements of our restaurant system in order to compete with popular new restaurant styles or concepts, including delivery aggregators, that develop from time to time. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in implementing any such modifications or that such modifications will not reduce our profitability.

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2017 Form 10-K

We require various approvals, licenses and permits to operate our business and the loss of or failure to obtain or renew any or all of these approvals, licenses and permits could adversely affect our business and results of operations.

In accordance with the laws and regulations of China, we are required to maintain various approvals, licenses, permits, registrations and permitsfilings in order to operate our restaurant business. Each of our restaurants in China is required to obtain (1) the relevant food hygiene license or food service license, public assembly venue hygiene license,business license; (2) the environmental protection assessment and inspection approvalregistration or approval; and (3) the fire safety designinspection acceptance approval and fire prevention inspection report, and someor other alternatives. Some of our restaurants which sell alcoholic beverages are required to make further registrations or obtain additional approvals. These licenses and registrations are achieved upon satisfactory compliance with, among other things, the applicable food safety, hygiene, environmental protection, fire safety and alcohol laws and regulations. Most of these licenses are subject to periodic examinations or verifications by relevant authorities and are valid only for a fixed period of time and subject to renewal and accreditation. There

We did not obtain these licenses or approvals for a limited number of our restaurants in a timely manner in the past and there is no assurance that we or our franchisees will be able to obtain or maintain any of these licenses.licenses in the future. Rapidly evolving laws and regulations, and inconsistent interpretations and enforcements thereof could impede our ability to obtain or maintain the required permits, licenses and certificates required to conduct our businesses in China. Difficulties or failure in obtaining the required permits, licenses and certificates could result in our inability to continue our business in China in a manner consistent with past practice. In such an event, our business and results of operations may be adversely affected. If (i) we have inadvertently concluded that such permissions, approvals, licenses or permits have been acquired or are not required, or (ii) applicable laws, regulations, or interpretations change and we are required to obtain such permissions, approvals, licenses or permits in the future, then we may have to expend time and costs to procure them. If we are unable to do so on commercially reasonable terms or in a timely manner, it could cause significant disruption to our business operations and damage our reputation, which would in turn have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We may not be able to adequately protect the intellectual property we own or have the right to use, which could harm the value of our brands and adversely affect our business and operations.

We believe that our brands are essential to our success and our competitive position. TheThe fact that our trademarks are duly registered may not be adequate to protect these intellectual property rights. In addition, third parties may infringe upon the intellectual property rights we own or have the right to use or misappropriate the proprietary knowledge we use in our business, primarily our proprietary recipes, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition. The laws of China may not offer the same protection for intellectual property rights as the U.S. and other jurisdictions with more robust intellectual property laws.

We are required under the master license agreement with YUM to police, protect and enforce the trademarks and other intellectual property rights used by us, and to protect trade secrets. Such actions to police, protect or enforce could result in substantial costs and diversion of resources, which could negatively affect our sales, profitability and prospects. Furthermore, the application of laws governing intellectual property rights in China is uncertainevolving and evolving,subject to interpretation, and could involve substantial risks to us. Even if actions to police, protect or enforce are resolved in our favor, we may not be able to successfully enforce the judgment and remedies awarded by the court and such remedies may not be adequate to compensate us for our actual or anticipated losses.

In addition, we may face claims of infringement that could interfere with the use of the proprietary know-how, concepts, recipes or trade secrets we use in our business. Defending against such claims may be costly and, if we are unsuccessful, we may be prohibited from continuing to use such proprietary information in the future or be forced to pay damages, royalties or other fees for using such proprietary information, any of which could negatively affect our sales, profitability and prospects.

Our licensor may not be able to adequately protect its intellectual property, which could harm the value of the KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell brands and branded products and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

The success of our business depends in large part on our continued ability to use the trademarks, service marks, recipes and other components of the KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell branded systems that we license from YUM pursuant to the master license agreement we entered into in connection with the separation.

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We are not aware of any assertions that the trademarks, menu offerings or other intellectual property rights we license from YUM infringe upon the proprietary rights of third parties, but third parties may claim infringement by us or YUM in the future. Any such claim, whether or not it has merit, could be time-consuming,time consuming, result in costly litigation, cause delays in introducing new menu items in the future or require us to enter into additional royalty or licensing agreements with third parties. As a result, any such claims could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Our results of operations may fluctuate due to seasonality and certain major events in China.

Our sales are subject to seasonality. For example, we typically generate higher sales during Chinese festivities, holiday seasons as well as summer months, but relatively lower sales and lower operating profit during the second and fourth quarters. As a result of these fluctuations, softer sales during a period in which we have historically experienced higher sales could(such as the disruption in operations from the COVID-19 outbreak) would have a disproportionately negative effect on our full-year results, and comparisons of sales and results of operations within a financial year may not be able to be relied on as indicators of our future performance. Any seasonal fluctuations reported in the future may differ from the expectations of our investors.

We may be unable to detect, deter and prevent all instances of fraud or other misconduct committed by our employees, customers or other third parties.

As we operate in the restaurant industry, we usually receive and handle relatively large amounts of cash in our daily operations. Instances of fraud, theft or other misconduct with respect to cash can be difficult to detect, deter and prevent, and could subject us to financial losses and harm our reputation.

We may be unable to prevent, detect or deter all such instances of misconduct. Any such misconduct committed against our interests, which may include past acts that have gone undetected or future acts, may have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

ChangesOur success depends on the continuing efforts of our key management and experienced and capable personnel as well as our ability to recruit new talent.

Our future success is significantly dependent upon the continued service of our key management as well as experienced and capable personnel generally. If we lose the services of any member of key management, we may not be able to locate suitable or qualified replacements, and may incur additional expenses to recruit and train new staff, which could severely disrupt our business and growth. If any of our key management joins a competitor or forms a competing business, we may lose customers, know-how and key professionals and staff members. Our rapid growth also requires us to hire, train, and retain a wide range of talent who can adapt to a dynamic, competitive and challenging business environment and are capable of helping us conduct effective marketing and management. We will need to continue to attract, train and retain talent at all levels as we expand our business and operations. We may need to offer attractive compensation and other benefits packages, including share-based compensation, to attract and retain them. We also need to provide our employees with sufficient training to help them to realize their career development and grow with us. Any failure to attract, train, retain or motivate key management and experienced and capable personnel could severely disrupt our business and growth.

From time to time we may evaluate and potentially consummate strategic investments or acquisitions, which may be unsuccessful and adversely affect our operation and financial results.

To complement our business and strengthen our market-leading position, we may form strategic alliances or make strategic investments and acquisitions from time to time. Some of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, the fact that the integration of the target company may require significant time, attention and resources, potentially diverting management’s attention from the conduct of our business, and the expected synergies from the acquisition may not be realized. We may experience difficulties in accounting standardsintegrating our operations with new investments or acquired businesses, implementing our strategies or achieving expected levels of net revenues, profitability, productivity or other benefits. Therefore, we cannot assure you that our investments or acquisitions will benefit our business strategy, generate sufficient net revenues to offset the associated investment or acquisition costs, or otherwise result in the intended benefits.

Our investment in technology and subjective assumptions, estimatesinnovation may not generate the expected level of returns.

We have invested and judgmentsintend to continue to invest significantly in technology systems and innovation to enhance digitalization and the guest experience and improve the efficiency of our operations. We cannot assure you that our investments in technology and innovation will generate sufficient returns or have the expected effects on our business operations, if at all. If our technology and innovation investments do not meet expectations for the above or other reasons, our prospects and share price may be materially and adversely affected.

Fair value changes for our investment in equity securities, lower yields of our short-term investments or lower returns of our future long-term bank deposits and notes may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

We may invest in equity securities from time to time. In September 2018, we invested in the equity securities of Meituan Dianping, the fair value of which is determined based on the closing market price for the shares at the end of each reporting period, with subsequent fair value changes recorded in our consolidated statements of income. We recorded a pre-tax loss $50 million, $27 million and $38 million for the year ended 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. We also invest in short-term investments, such as time deposits, and long-term bank deposits and notes. Our short-term investments and long-term bank deposits and notes as of December 31, 2023 amounted to $1,472 million and $1,265 million, respectively. We cannot guarantee that our investment in equity securities will not experience fair value losses, which may adversely affect our period-to-period earnings, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, our short-term investments may earn yields lower than anticipated, and our future long-term bank deposits and notes return may decline due to lower interest rates. Failures to realize the benefits we expected from these investments may adversely affect our financial results.

Our operating results may be adversely affected by management relatedour investment in equity method investees.

We apply the equity method to complex accounting matters could significantlyaccount for the investments in equity method investees over which we have significant influence but do not control. Our share of the earnings or losses and share of changes in other comprehensive income or losses of these equity method investees are included in net income in our consolidated statements of income and other comprehensive income or losses, respectively. Even if there is no cash flow from equity method investees until dividends are received, the performance of equity method investees may affect our results of operations and financial condition.

Generally accepted accounting principles and related accounting pronouncements, implementation guidelines and interpretations with regardthrough our equity method accounting. In addition, we evaluate our investments in equity method investees for impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate that a decrease in the fair value of an investment has occurred which is other than temporary. In addition, when we acquire additional equity interest in equity method investees to a wide range of matters that are relevant to our business, including revenue recognition, long-lived asset impairment, impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets, lease accounting and share-based compensation, are highly complex and involve many subjective assumptions, estimates and judgments. Changes in these rules or their interpretation or changes in underlying assumptions, estimates or judgments could significantly change our reported or expected financial performance or financial condition. New accounting guidance may require systems and other changes that could increase our operating costs and/or change our financial statements. For example, implementing future accounting guidance related to leases and other areas impacted by the convergence project between the Financial Accounting Standards Board and the International Accounting Standards Board could require us to make significant changes to our lease management system or other accounting systems, and will result in changes to our financial statements.

Our insurance policies may not provide adequate coverage for all claims associated with our business operations.

We have obtained insurance policies that we believe are customary and appropriate for businesses of our size and type and at least in line with the standard commercial practice in China. However, there are types of losses we may incur that cannot be insured against or that we believe are not cost effective to insure, such as loss of reputation. If we were held liable for uninsured losses or amounts or claims for insured losses exceeding the limits of our insurance coverage, our business and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

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2017 Form 10-K

Failure by us to maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internalobtain control, over financial reporting in accordance with the rules of the SEC could harm our business and results of operations and/or result in a loss of investor confidence in our financial reports, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

We are required to maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and effective internal control over financial reporting in connection with our filing of periodic reports with the SEC under the Exchange Act.

We may fail to maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting, and our management and our independent registered public accounting firm may not be able to conclude that we have effective internal control over financial reporting at a reasonable assurance level. This may in turn cause investors to lose confidence in our financial statements and negatively impact the trading price of our common stock. Furthermore, we have incurred substantial costs, and may need to incur additional costs and use additional management and other resources, to comply with these requirements going forward.

If we fail to remedy any material weakness, our financial statements may be inaccurate and we may face restricted access to the capital markets, which could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Unforeseeable business interruptions could adversely affect our business.

Our operations are vulnerable to interruption by fires, floods, earthquakes, power failures and power shortages, hardware and software failures, computer viruses and other events beyond our control. In particular, our business is dependent on prompt delivery and reliable transportation of our food products by our logistics partners. Unforeseeable events, such as adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, severe traffic accidents and delays, non-cooperation of our logistics partners, and labor strikes, could lead to delay or lost deliveries to our restaurants, whichit may result in thegain or loss from re-measurement of revenue or in customer claims. There may also be instances where the conditions of fresh, chilled or frozen food products, being perishable goods, deteriorate due to delivery delays, malfunctioning of refrigeration facilities or poor handling during transportation by our logistics partners. This may result inpreviously held equity interest and thus have a failure by us to provide quality food and services to customers, thereby affectingsignificant impact on our business and potentially damaging our reputation. Any such events experienced by us could disrupt our operations.operating results.

Risks Related to Doing Business in China

Changes in Chinese political policies and economic and social policies or conditions may materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition and may result in our inability to sustain our growth and expansion strategies.

Substantially all of our long-lived assets and business operations are located in China. Accordingly, our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects may be influenced to a significant degree by political, economic and social conditions in China generally, by continued economic growth in China as a whole, and by geopolitical stability in the region. For example, our results of operations in the third quarter of 2016 were adversely impacted by an international court ruling in July 2016 regarding claims to sovereignty over the South China Sea, which triggered a series of regional protests and boycotts in China, intensified by social media, against a few international companies with well-known Westernwestern brands.

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2017 Form 10-K

The Chinese economy, markets and levels of consumer spending are influenced by many factors beyond our control, including current and future economic conditions, political uncertainty, unemployment rates, inflation, fluctuations in the level of disposable income, taxation, foreign exchange control,administration, and changes in interest and currency exchange rates. The Chinese economy differs from the economies of most developed countries in many respects, including the level of government involvement, level of development, growth rate, foreign exchange controladministration and fiscal measures and allocation of resources. Although the Chinese government has implemented measures since the late 1970s emphasizing the utilization of market forces for economic reform, the restructuring of state assets and state-owned enterprises, and the establishment of improved corporate governance in business enterprises, a significant portion of productive assets in China is still owned or controlled by the Chinese government. The Chinese government also exercises significant control or influence over Chinese economic growth through allocating resources, controllingadministrating payment of foreign currency-denominated obligations, setting monetary and fiscal policies, regulating financial services and institutions and providing preferentialdifferentiated treatment to particular industries or companies.

While the Chinese economy has experienced significant growth in recent decades, growth has been uneven, both geographically and among various sectors of the economy. The Chinese government has implemented various measures to encourage economic growth and guide the allocation of resources. Some of these measures benefit the overall Chinese economy but may also have a negative effect on us. Our results of operations and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected by government control overadministration on capital investments or changes in tax regulations that are applicable to us. In addition, the Chinese government has implemented certain measures, including interest rate increases, to control the pace of economic growth. These measures may cause decreased economic activity in China. Since 2012, Chinese economic growth has slowed and any prolonged slowdown in the Chinese economy may reduce the demand for our products and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. Restaurant dining, and specifically casual dining, is discretionary for customers and tends to be higher during periods in which favorable economic conditions prevail. Customers’ tendency to become more cost-conscious as a result of an economic slowdown or decreases in disposable income may reduce our customer traffic or average revenue per customer, which may adversely affect our revenues.

Uncertainties with respect to theThe interpretation and enforcement of Chinese laws, rules and regulations may change from time to time, which could have a material adverse effect on us.

Substantially all of our operations are conducted in China, and are governed by Chinese laws, rules and regulations. Our subsidiaries are subject to laws, rules and regulations applicable to foreign investment in China. The Chinese legal system is a civil law system based on written statutes. Unlike common law systems, it is a system in which legal cases may be cited for reference but have limited value as precedents. In the late 1970s, the Chinese government began to promulgate a comprehensive system of laws and regulations governing economic matters in general. The overall effect of legislation over the past four decades has significantly increased the protections afforded to various forms of foreign or private-sector investment in China. However, since these laws and regulations are relatively new and the Chinese legal system continues to rapidly evolve, the interpretations of many laws, regulations and rules are not always uniform and enforcement of these laws, regulations and rules involve uncertainties.subject to changes from time to time.

From time to time, we may have to resort to administrative and court proceedings to interpret and/or enforce our legal rights. However, since Chinese administrative and court authorities have significant discretion within their scope of authority in interpreting and implementing statutory and contractual terms, it may be more difficult to evaluate the outcome of administrative and court proceedings, and the level of legal protection we enjoy, than in more developed legal systems. Any administrative and court proceedings in China may be protracted, resulting in substantial costs and diversion of resources and management attention. Furthermore, the Chinese legal system is based in part on government policies and internal rules (some of which are not published in a timely manner or at all) that may have retroactive effect.

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2017 Form 10-K

As a result, we may not be aware of our violation of these policies and rules until sometime after the violation.enjoy. Such uncertainties, including uncertainty over the scope and effect of our contractual, property (including intellectual property) and procedural rights, and any failure to respond to changes in the regulatory environment in China could materially and adversely affect our business and impede our ability to continue our operations. Any administrative and court proceedings in China may be protracted, resulting in substantial costs and diversion of resources and management attention.

The audit report included in this Form 10-K is prepared by auditors who are located in China, and in the event the PCAOB is unable to inspect our auditors, our common stock will be subject to potential delisting from the New York Stock Exchange.

As an auditor of companies that are publicly traded in the United States and a firm registered with the PCAOB, our independent registered public accounting firm is required under the laws of the United States to undergo regular inspections by the PCAOB. However, because substantially all of our operations are conducted within China, our independent registered public accounting firm’s audit documentation related to their audit report included in this Form 10-K is located in China. Prior to 2022, the PCAOB was unable to conduct full inspections in China or review audit documentation located within China without the approval of Chinese authorities, which was not granted. Accordingly, prior to 2022, the PCAOB had not inspected our independent registered public accounting firm or reviewed documentation related to the audit of our financial statements.

Inspections of other auditors conducted by the PCAOB outside of China have at times identified deficiencies in those auditors’ audit procedures and quality control procedures, which may be addressed as part of the inspection process to improve future audit quality. The previous lack of PCAOB inspections of audit work undertaken in China prevented the PCAOB from evaluating our auditor’s audits and its quality control procedures. Without the benefit of PCAOB inspections, stockholders may lose confidence in our reported financial information and procedures and the quality of our financial statements. Additionally, pursuant to the HFCAA and related legislation, a company whose auditor is unable to be inspected for two consecutive years may have its securities delisted from the U.S. national securities exchanges.

In 2022, the PCAOB announced that it signed a Statement of Protocol with the CSRC and the Ministry of Finance, which it described as the first step toward opening access for the PCAOB to inspect and investigate completely registered public accounting firms in mainland China and Hong Kong and subsequently vacated its 2021 determination that the positions taken by authorities in mainland China and Hong Kong prevented it from inspecting and investigating completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in those jurisdictions.

In view of the PCAOB’s decision to vacate its 2021 determination and until such time as the PCAOB issues any new adverse determination, the SEC has stated that there are no issuers at risk of having their securities subject to a trading prohibition under the HFCAA. However, whether the PCAOB will continue to be able to satisfactorily conduct inspections of PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong is subject to uncertainty and depends on a number of factors out of our control.

If the PCAOB in the future makes another determination it is not able to inspect and investigate completely registered public accounting firms in mainland China and Hong Kong, the Company will again become a Commission-Identified Issuer and subject to potential delisting pursuant to the HFCAA. Such delisting would limit the liquidity of our common stock and our access to U.S. capital markets, and could increase the volatility of the trading price of our stock, and as a result the market price of our common stock could be materially adversely affected.

Changes in political, business, economic and trade relations between the United States and China may have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We cannot predict the possible changes in the economic, regulatory, social and political environment in the United States and China, nor can we predict their potential impact on political, economic and trade relations between the United States and China and on our business.

In 2019, the United States and China imposed new or higher tariffs on goods imported from each other. If the United States or China continues imposing such tariffs, or if additional tariffs or trade restrictions are implemented by the United States or by China, the resulting trade barriers could have a significant adverse impact on our business. The adoption and expansion of trade restrictions and tariffs, quotas and embargoes, sanctions, the occurrence of a trade war, or other governmental action related to tariffs or trade agreements or policies, has the potential to adversely impact costs, our suppliers and the world economy in general, which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

During 2020, political tensions between the United States and China escalated, with a number of actions taken by the U.S. government in response to perceived threats from Chinese-connected entities, such as the Clean Network program announced on August 5, 2020 to protect U.S. telecommunication and technology infrastructure, and the two executive orders issued by former President Trump on August 6, 2020 to ban any person or property subject to the jurisdiction of the United States from any transaction with ByteDance and from any transaction related to WeChat by any person or with respect to any property subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, to the extent that any such transaction is identified by the Secretary of Commerce as being subject to the prohibitions stated in the executive orders. In addition, on January 5, 2021, former President Trump signed an executive order banning transactions by any person, or with respect to any property, subject to the jurisdiction of the United States with persons that develop or control the following Chinese-connected software applications: Alipay, CamScanner, QQ Wallet, SHAREit, Tencent QQ, VMate, WeChat Pay, and WPS Office, some of which are critical to the operation of our business. These executive orders were revoked on June 9, 2021 by President Biden, who then signed an executive order directing the Department of Commerce to launch a national security review of apps with links to foreign adversaries (which is defined to include China) and issue recommendations for regulatory and legislative action to address the associated risks. Digital ordering, including delivery, mobile orders and kiosk orders, accounted for approximately 89% of total Company sales in 2023, and digital payments, including mobile payments, accounted for approximately 99% of Yum China Company sales in 2023. As a result, the implementation of this executive order could adversely affect our business in a material way.

We cannot foresee whether and how developments in similar policy actions or any other policy actions taken by the U.S. or Chinese government will impact our business and financial performance. In addition, changes in political, business, economic and trade relations between the United States and China may trigger negative customer sentiment towards western brands in China, potentially resulting in a negative impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Fluctuation in the value of RMB may have a material adverse effect on your investment.result in foreign currency exchange losses.

The conversion of Chinesethe Renminbi (“RMB”) into foreign currencies, including U.S. dollars, is based on rates set by the People’s Bank of China (“PBOC”). RMB appreciated by more than 20% against U.S. dollar between July 2005 and July 2008. Between July 2008 and June 2010,Historically, the exchange rate between RMB and the U.S. dollar remainedhas showed higher volatility in certain years while staying within a narrow range and after June 2010,in other years. The value of RMB appreciated slowly against U.S. dollar again. On August 11, 2015, however, RMB depreciated by approximately 2% againstthe U.S. dollar and other currencies is affected by changes in China’s political and economic conditions and by China’s foreign exchange rate change of RMB against U.S. dollar occurred relatively suddenly. In 2016, RMB further fell more than 6% against U.S. dollar, while in 2017, RMB appreciated by over 6% against U.S. dollar.policies, among other things. It is difficult to predict how market forces or Chinese or U.S. government policy may impact the exchange rate between RMB and the U.S. dollar in the future.

Substantially all of our revenues and costs are denominated in RMB. As a Delaware holding company, we may rely on dividends and other fees paid to us by our subsidiaries in China. Any significant revaluation of RMB may materially affect our cash flows, net revenues, earnings and financial position, and the value of, and any dividends payable on, our common stock in U.S. dollars. For example, an appreciation of RMB against the U.S. dollar would make any new RMB-denominated investments or expenditures more costly to us, to the extent that we need to convert U.S. dollars into RMB for such purposes. Conversely, a significant depreciation of RMB against the U.S. dollar may significantly reduce the U.S. dollar equivalent of our earnings, which in turn could adversely affect the price of our common stock. If we decide to convert RMB into U.S. dollars for the purpose of making payments for dividends on our common stock, strategic acquisitions or investments or other business purposes, the appreciation of the U.S. dollar against RMB would have a negative effect on U.S. dollar amountamounts available to us.

Few hedging options are available in China to reduce our exposure to exchange rate fluctuations. In addition, our currency exchange loss may be magnified by Chinese exchange controladministration regulations that restrict our ability to convert RMB into foreign currency. As a result, fluctuations in exchange rates and restrictionsregulations on exchange may have a material adverse effect on your investment.

35The increasing focus on environmental sustainability issues may create operational challenges for us, increase our costs and harm our reputation.

2017

There has been increasing public focus by governmental and non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders on environmental sustainability matters, including climate change and a circular economy. In 2021, we committed to a net-zero GHG reduction goal by 2050 in line with SBTi criteria to limit global temperature rise to 1.5oC above pre-industrial levels. In 2022, we set near-term science-based targets (SBTs), committing to reducing absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 63% by 2035 from a 2020 base year and to reducing Scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods 66.3% per ton of goods purchased by 2035 from a 2020 base year. We face related risks including setting appropriate targets and taking actions to meet the commitments we made, and also increased pressure to make new sustainability commitments, which could expose us to additional operational challenges, execution costs and reputational risks. In line with the national standards and local requirements to reduce plastic waste in China, we have launched a series of plastic reduction and environmentally friendly packaging initiatives across our brands. We are committed to gradually replacing existing plastic packaging with paper straws, wooden cutleries, paper bags, and biodegradable plastic bags, and working toward a 30% reduction on non-degradable plastic packaging weight by 2025. We may face operational challenges in sourcing suitable alternative packaging materials. In addition, we may incur significant costs for using alternative packaging materials, which in turn may have an adverse impact on our profit margins.

Governmental controlInterventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations by the PRC government on currency conversion and payments of foreign currency and RMB out of mainland China may limit our ability to utilize our cash balances effectively, including making funds held by our China-based subsidiaries unavailable for use outside of mainland China, which could limit or eliminate our ability to pay dividends and affect the value of your investment.

The Chinese government imposes controls on the convertibility of RMB into foreign currencies and, in certain cases, the remittance of both foreign currency and RMB out of mainland China. Under our current corporate structure as a Delaware holding company, our income is primarily derived from the earnings from our Chinese subsidiaries. Substantially all revenues of our Chinese subsidiaries are denominated in RMB. Shortages in the availability of foreign currency and controladministration on payments out of mainland China may restrict the ability of our Chinese subsidiaries to remit sufficient foreign currency and/or RMB to pay dividends or to make other payments to us, or otherwise to satisfy their obligations. Under existing Chinese foreign exchange regulations, payments of current account items, including profit distributions, license fee payments and expenditures from trade-related transactions, generally can be made in foreign currencies or RMB without prior approval from China’s State Administration of Foreign Exchange (“SAFE”)SAFE and the PBOC by complying with certain procedural requirements. However, for any Chinese company, dividends can be declared and paid only out of the retained earnings of that company under Chinese law.laws. Furthermore, approval from SAFE or its local branch may be required where RMB are to be converted into foreign currencies, and approval from SAFE and the PBOC or their branches may be required where foreign currency and/or RMB are to be remitted out of mainland China. Specifically, under the existing restrictions, without a prior approval from SAFE and the PBOC, cash generated from the operations of our subsidiaries in China may not be used to pay dividends to Yum China, pay the license fee to YUM, pay employees who are located outside mainland China, pay off debt owed by our subsidiaries to entities outside mainland China, or make capital expenditures outside mainland China.

The Chinese government may also at its discretion restrict access in the future to foreign currencies or further restrict payments of foreign currency and RMB out of mainland China. If the foreign exchange controladministration system prevents us from obtaining sufficient foreign currency to satisfy our currency demands or restricts us from paying the license fee to YUM, we may not be able to pay dividends to our stockholders, fulfill our license fee payment obligation, pay out service fees to vendors and repay our indebtedness when due.due, and, to the extent we undertake such activities, to make investments or acquisitions outside China.

Furthermore, because repatriation of funds and payment of license fees may require the prior approval of SAFE and PBOC, such repatriation and payment could be delayed, restricted or limited. There can be no assurance that the rules and regulations pursuant to which SAFE and PBOC grant or deny approvals will not change in a way that adversely affects the ability of our Chinese subsidiaries to repatriate funds out of mainland China or pay license fees. Any such limitation could materially and adversely affect our ability to pay dividends or otherwise fund and conduct our business.

Changes in the laws and regulations of China or noncompliance with applicable laws and regulations may have a significant impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition.condition, and may cause the value of our securities to decline.

Our business and operations are subject to the laws and regulations of China.China, which continue to evolve and are subject to change from time to time. The continuanceChinese government may intervene or influence our operations, which could result in a material change in our operations. Recently, the Chinese government has increased its regulatory focus on matters including anti-monopoly and unfair competition rules, cybersecurity and regulation of variable interest entities and has initiated various regulatory actions, statements and enforcement proceedings to regulate business operations in China with little advance notice.

For example, Chinese regulators, including the CAC, have been increasingly focused on regulation in the areas of data security and data protection, and are enhancing the protection of privacy and data security by rulemaking and enforcement actions at central and local levels. We expect that these areas will receive greater and continued attention from regulators and the public going forward, which could increase our compliance costs and subject us to heightened risks and challenges associated with data security and protection. For more information regarding risks relating to cybersecurity and related regulation, see “—The PRC government has significant oversight and discretion to exert supervision over offerings of our securities conducted outside of China and foreign investment in China-based issuers, and may limit or completely hinder our ability to offer securities to investors, which may cause the value of such securities to significantly decline” and “—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—Unauthorized access to, or improper use, disclosure, theft or destruction of, our customer or employee personal, financial or other data or our proprietary or confidential information that is stored in our information systems or by third parties on our behalf could result in substantial costs, expose us to litigation and damage our reputation.”

Chinese regulators have also focused recently on enforcement of anti-monopoly and unfair competition rules, which may affect our ability to carry out our investment and acquisition strategy, and on regulation of variable interest entities. For more information, see “—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Regulations regarding acquisitions may impose significant regulatory approval and review requirements, which could make it more difficult for us to pursue growth through acquisitions” and “—The Chinese government may determine that the variable interest entity structure of Daojia does not comply with Chinese laws on foreign investment in restricted industries.”

Additionally, on January 9, 2021, MOFCOM issued the Rules on Blocking Improper Extraterritorial Application of Foreign Legislation and Other Measures (the “Blocking Rules”), which established a blocking regime in China to counter the impact of foreign sanctions on Chinese persons. The Blocking Rules have become effective upon issuance, but have only established a framework of implementation, and the rules’ effects will remain unclear until the Chinese government provides clarity on the specific types of extraterritorial measures to which the rules will apply. At this time, we do not know the extent to which the Blocking Rules will impact our operations.

The continuation of our operations also depends upon compliance with, inter alia,among other things, applicable Chinese environmental, health, safety, labor, social security, pension and other laws and regulations. FailureThere is no assurance that we will be able to comply fully with existing or future applicable laws and regulations. In addition, the interpretations of many laws and regulations and enforcement of these laws and regulations may change from time to time. Changing legal and regulatory requirements could force us to make material changes to our operations. Additionally, failure to comply with such laws and regulations could result in fines, penalties or lawsuits. In addition, there is no assurance that we will be able to comply fully with applicable laws and regulations should there be any amendment to the existing regulatory regime or implementation of any new laws and regulations.

Furthermore, our business and operations in China entail the procurement of licenses and permits from the relevant authorities. Difficulties or failure in obtaining the required permits, licenses and certificates could result in our inability to continue our business in China in a manner consistent with past practice. In such an event, our business, results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected.affected, which could cause the value of our securities to decline.

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2017 Form 10-K

We rely to a significant extent on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our principal operating subsidiaries in China to fund offshore cash requirements.

We are a holding company and conduct all of our business through our operating subsidiaries. We rely to a significant extent on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our principal operating subsidiaries for our cash requirements. As noted above, distributions to us from our subsidiaries may result in incremental tax costs.

The laws, rules and regulations applicable to our Chinese subsidiaries permit payments of dividends only out of their accumulated profits, if any, determined in accordance with applicable Chinese accounting standards and regulations. In addition, under Chinese law,laws, an enterprise incorporated in China is required to set aside at least 10% of its after-tax profits each year, after making up previous years’ accumulated losses, if any, to fund certain statutory reserve funds, until the aggregate amount of such a fund reaches 50% of its registered capital. As a result, our Chinese subsidiaries are restricted in their ability to transfer a portion of their net assets to us in the form of dividends. At the discretion of the board of directors, as an enterprise incorporated in China, each of our Chinese subsidiaries may allocate a portion of its after-tax profits based on Chinese accounting standards to staff welfare and bonus funds. These reserve funds and staff welfare and bonus funds are not distributable as cash dividends. Any limitation on the ability of our Chinese subsidiaries to pay dividends or make other distributions to us could limit our ability to make investments or acquisitions outside of China that could be beneficial to our business, pay dividends, or otherwise fund and conduct our business.

In addition, the EIT Law and its implementation rules provide that a withholding tax at a rate of 10% will be applicable to dividends payable by Chinese companies to companies that are not China resident enterprises unless otherwise reduced according to treaties or arrangements between the Chinese central government and the governments of other countries or regions where the non-China resident enterprises are incorporated. Hong Kong has a tax arrangement with mainland China that provides for a 5% withholding tax on dividends distributed to a Hong Kong resident enterprise, upon meeting certain conditions and requirements, including, among others, that the Hong Kong resident enterprise directly owns at least 25% equity interests of the Chinese enterprise and is a “beneficial owner” of the dividends. We believe that our principal Hong Kong subsidiary, which is the equity holder of our Chinese subsidiaries operating substantially all of our KFC and Pizza Hut restaurants, met the relevant requirements pursuant to the tax arrangement between the mainland China and Hong Kong in 2018 and is expected to meet the requirements in subsequent years, thus, it is more likely than not that our dividends or earnings expected to be repatriated to our principal Hong Kong subsidiary since 2018 are subject to the reduced withholding tax of 5%. However, if the Hong Kong subsidiary is not considered to be the “beneficial owner” of the dividends by the Chinese local tax authority, any dividend paid to it by our Chinese subsidiaries would be subject to a withholding tax rate of 10% with retrospective effect, which would increase our tax liability and reduce the amount of cash available to our company.

Restrictive covenants in bank credit facilities, joint venture agreements or other arrangements that we or our subsidiaries may enter into in the future may also restrict the ability of our subsidiaries to pay dividends or make distributions or remittances to us. These restrictions could reduce the amount of dividends or other distributions we receive from our subsidiaries, which in turn could restrict our ability to return capital to our stockholders in the future.

Under the EIT Law, if we are classified as a China resident enterprise for Chinese enterprise income tax purposes, such classification would likely result in unfavorable tax consequences to us and our non-Chinese stockholders.

Under the EIT Law and its implementation rules, an enterprise established outside China with a “de facto management body” within China is considered a China resident enterprise for Chinese enterprise income tax purposes. A China resident enterprise is generally subject to certain Chinese tax reporting obligations and a uniform 25% enterprise income tax rate on its worldwide income. Furthermore, under the EIT Law, if we are a China resident enterprise (i) dividends paid by us to our non-Chinese stockholders would be subject to a 10% dividend withholding tax or a 20% individual income tax if the stockholder is an individual and (ii) such non-Chinese stockholders may become subject to Chinese tax and filing obligations as well as withholding with respect to any disposition of our stock, subject to certain treaty or other exemptions or reductions.

37

2017 Form 10-K

WeYum China and each subsidiary of our subsidiariesYum China that is organized outside of China intendintends to conduct our and theirits management functions in a manner that does not cause us or themit to be a China resident enterprises,enterprise, including by carrying on its day-to-day management activities and maintaining its key records, such as resolutions of theits board of directors and resolutions of stockholders, outside of China. As such, we do not believe that weYum China or any of ourits non-Chinese subsidiaries should be considered a China resident enterprise for purposes of the EIT Law. However, given the uncertainty regarding the application of the EIT Law to us and our future operations, there can be no assurance that we or any of our non-Chinese subsidiaries will not be treated as a China resident enterprise now or in the future for Chinese tax law purposes.

We and our stockholders face uncertainty with respect to indirect transfers of equity interests in China resident enterprises through transfer of non-Chinese-holding companies. Enhanced scrutiny by the Chinese tax authorities may have a negative impact on potential acquisitions and dispositions we may pursue in the future.

In February 2015, the SATSTA issued Bulletin 7, pursuant to which an “indirect transfer” of Chinese taxable assets, including equity interests in a Chinese resident enterprise, by a non-resident enterprise may be recharacterizedre-characterized and treated as a direct transfer of Chinese taxable assets, if such arrangement does not have reasonable commercial purpose and the transferor avoids payment of Chinese enterprise income tax. Where a non-resident enterprise conducts an “indirect transfer” of Chinese interests by disposing of equity interests in an offshore holding company that directly or indirectly owns Chinese interests, the transferor, transferee and/or the China resident enterprise may report such indirect transfer to the relevant Chinese tax authority, which may in turn report upward to the SAT.STA. Using general anti-tax avoidance provisions, the SATSTA may treat such indirect transfer as a direct transfer of Chinese interests if the transfer avoids Chinese tax by way of an arrangement without reasonable commercial purpose. As a result, gains derived from such indirect transfer may be subject to Chinese enterprise income tax, and the transferee or other person who is obligated to pay for the transfer would be obligated to withhold the applicable taxes, currently at a rate of up to 10% of the capital gain in the case of an indirect transfer of equity interests in a China resident enterprise. Both the transferor and the party obligated to withhold the applicable taxes may be subject to penalties under Chinese tax laws if the transferor fails to pay the taxes and the party obligated to withhold the applicable taxes fails to withhold the taxes. However, the above regulations do not apply if either (i) the selling non-resident enterprise recognizes the relevant gain by purchasing and selling equity of the same listed enterprise in the open market (the “listed enterprise exception”); or (ii) the selling non-resident enterprise would have been exempted from enterprise income tax in China pursuant to applicable tax treaties or tax arrangements, if it had directly held and transferred such Chinese interests that were indirectly transferred. Under current law, theThe China indirect transfer rules do not apply to gains recognized by individual stockholders, regardless of whether or not they acquire or transfer our stock in open market transactions.stockholders. However, in practice, there have been a few reported cases of individuals being taxed on the indirect transfer of Chinese interests and the law could be changed so as to apply to individual stockholders, possibly with retroactive effect. In addition, the PRC Individual Income Tax Law and relevant regulations (“IITL”), revised effective January 1, 2019, impose general anti-avoidance tax rules (“GAAR”) on transactions conducted by individuals. As a result, if the China tax authority invokes the GAAR and deems that indirect transfers made by individual stockholders lack reasonable commercial purposes, any gains recognized on such transfers might be subject to individual income tax in China at the standard rate of 20%.

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2017 Form 10-K

It is unclear whether stockholders that acquired our stock through the distribution or the Global Offering will be treated as acquiring such stock in an open market purchase. If such stock is not treated as acquired in an open market purchase, the listed transaction exception will not be available for transfers of such stock. We expect that transfers in open market transactions of our stock by corporate or other non-individual stockholders that have purchased our stock in open market transactions will not be taxable under the China indirect transfer rules due to the listed enterprise exception. Transfers, whether in the open market or otherwise, of our stock by corporate and other non-individual stockholders that acquired our stock in the distribution or the Global Offering or in non-open market transactions may be taxable under the China indirect transfer rules and our China subsidiaries may have filing obligations in respect of such transfers, upon the request of relevant Chinese tax authorities. Transfers of our stock in non-open market transactions by corporate and other non-individual stockholders may be taxable under the China indirect transfer rules, whether or not such stock was acquired in open market transactions, and our China subsidiaries may have filing obligations in respect of such transfers upon the request of relevant Chinese tax authorities. Corporate and other non-individual stockholders may be exempt from taxation under the China indirect transfer rules with respect to transfers of our stock if they are tax resident in a country or region that has a tax treaty or arrangement with China that provides for a capital gains tax exemption and they qualify for that exemption.

In addition, we may be subject to these indirect transfer rules in the event of any future sale of a China resident enterprise through the sale of a non-Chinese holding company, or the purchase of a China resident enterprise through the purchase of a non-Chinese holding company. Our company and other non-resident enterprises in our group may be subject to filing obligations or taxation if our company and other non-resident enterprises in our group are transferors in such transactions, and may be subject to withholding obligations if our company and other non-resident enterprises in our group are transferees in such transactions.

There may experiencebe difficulties in effecting service of legal process, conducting investigations, collecting evidence, enforcing foreign judgments or bringing original actions in China based on United States or other foreign laws against us and our management.

We conduct substantially all of our operations in China and substantially all of our long-lived assets are located in China. In addition, someOur executive officers, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, and a majority of our directors and executive officers reside within China.mainland China and/or Hong Kong or spend significant amounts of time in mainland China and/or Hong Kong. As a result, it may not be possible to effect service of process within the United States or elsewhere outside of China upon these persons, including with respect to matters arising under applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws. In addition, there are significant legal and other obstacles in China to providing information needed for regulatory investigations or litigation initiated by regulators outside China. Overseas regulators may have difficulties in conducting investigations or collecting evidence within China. It may also be difficult for investors to bring an original lawsuit against us or our directors or executive officers based on U.S. federal securities laws in a Chinese court. Moreover, China does not have treaties with the United States providing for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments of courts. Therefore, even if a judgment were obtained against us or our management for matters arising under U.S. federal or state securities laws or other applicable U.S. federal or state law, it may be difficult to enforce such a judgment.

The Chinese government may determine that the variable interest entity structure of Daojia does not comply with Chinese laws on foreign investment in restricted industries.

Through the acquisition of Daojia, we also acquired a variable interest entity (“VIE”) and subsidiaries of the VIE in China effectively controlled by Daojia.

Chinese laws and regulations restrict and impose conditions on foreign investment in certain internet business, such as internet content services. For example, foreign investors are generally not permitted to own more than 50% of the equity interests in an internet content provider or other value-added telecommunication service provider. Accordingly, a VIE structure has been adopted by many China-based companies, including Daojia, to obtain necessary licenses and permits in such industries that are currently subject to foreign investment restrictions in China. Daojia operates these businesses in China through its consolidated affiliated entities. Daojia has entered into a series of contractual arrangements with its consolidated affiliated entities and the nominee shareholders of its consolidated affiliated entities. These contractual arrangements allow Daojia to:

However, the VIE structure and contractual arrangements described above may not be as effective in providing control over Daojia’s consolidated affiliated entities as direct ownership. The VIE structure may result in unauthorized use of indicia of corporate power or authority, such as chops and seals. Control over Daojia’s consolidated affiliated entities may also be jeopardized if the shareholders holding equity interest in the consolidated affiliated entities breach the terms of the contractual agreements.

In addition, the interpretation and application of current Chinese laws, rules and regulations related to VIE structure may change from time to time. It is also uncertain whether any new Chinese laws, rules or regulations relating to VIE structure will be adopted, or if adopted, what their implications would be on Daojia. If the VIE structure is found to be in violation of any existing or future Chinese laws, rules or regulations, the relevant PRC regulatory bodies would have discretion within their scope of authority to take action in dealing with these violations, including revoking the business and operating licenses of Daojia’s consolidated affiliated entities, requiring Daojia to restructure its operations or taking other regulatory or enforcement actions against Daojia. The contractual arrangements may also be (i) disregarded by the PRC tax authorities and result in increased tax liabilities; or (ii) found by Chinese government authorities, courts or arbitral tribunals to be unenforceable. Any of the foregoing could result in a material adverse effect on Daojia’s business operations.

Certain defects caused by non-registration of our lease agreements related to certain properties occupied by us in China may materially and adversely affect our ability to use such properties.

As of December 31, 2017,2023, we leased approximately 6,300over 12,500 properties in China, and to our knowledge, the lessors of most properties leased by us, most of which are used as premises for our restaurants, had not registered the lease agreements with government authorities in China.

According to Chinese laws, a lease agreement is generally required to be registered with the relevant land and real estate administration bureau. However, the enforcement of this legal requirement varies depending on the local regulations and practices and, in cities where we operate a significant number of restaurants, the local land and real estate administration bureaus no longer require registration or no longer impose fines for failure to register the lease agreements. In addition, our standard lease agreements require the lessors to make such registration and, although we have proactively requested that the applicable lessors complete or cooperate with us to complete the registration in a timely manner, we are unable to control whether and when such lessors will do so.

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2017 Form 10-K

A failure to register a lease agreement will not invalidate the lease agreement but may subject the parties to a fine. Depending on the local regulations, the lessor alone or both the lessor and lessee are under the obligation to register a lease agreement with the relevant land and real estate administration bureau. In the event that a fine is imposed on both the lessor and lessee, and if we are unable to recover from the lessor any fine paid by us based on the terms of the lease agreement, such fine will be borne by us.

To date, the operation of our restaurants has not been materially disrupted due to the non-registration of our lease agreements. No fines, actions or claims have been instituted against us or, to our knowledge, the lessors with respect to the non-registration of our lease agreements. However, we cannot assure you that our lease agreements relating to, and our right to use and occupy, our premises will not be challenged in the future.

Our restaurants are susceptible to risks in relation to unexpected land acquisitions, building closures or demolitions.

The Chinese government has the statutory power to acquire any land use rights of land plots and the buildings thereon in China in the public interest subject to certain legal procedures. Under the Regulations for the Expropriation of and Compensation for Housing on State-owned Land, issued by the State Council, which became effective as of January 21, 2011, there is no legal provision that the tenant of an expropriated property is entitled to compensation. Generally speaking, only the owner of such property is entitled to compensation from the government. The claims of the tenant against the landlord will be subject to the terms of the lease agreement. In the event of any compulsory acquisition, closure or demolition of any of the properties at which our restaurants or facilities are situated, we may not receive any compensation from the government or the landlord. In such event, we may be forced to close the affected restaurant(s) or relocate to other locations, which may have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

Any failure to comply with Chinese regulations regarding our employee equity incentive plans may subject Chinese plan participants or us to fines and other legal or administrative sanctions.

Pursuant to SAFE Circular 37, China residents who participate in share incentive plans in overseas non-publicly listed companies may submit applications to SAFE or its local branches for foreign exchange registration with respect to offshore special purpose companies. We and our directors, executive officers and other employees who are Chinese citizens or who have resided in China for a continuous period of not less than one year and who have been granted restricted shares, restricted stock units (“RSUs”), PSUs, stock appreciation rights (“SARs”), or stock options (collectively, the “share-based awards”) are subject to the Notice on Issues Concerning the Foreign Exchange Administration for Domestic Individuals Participating in Stock Incentive Plan of Overseas Publicly Listed Company, issued by SAFE in February 2012, according to which, employees, directors, supervisors and other management members participating in any stock incentive plan of an overseas publicly-listed company who are Chinese citizens or who are non-Chinese citizens residing in China for a continuous period of not less than one year, subject to limited exceptions, are required to register with SAFE through a domestic qualified agent, which could be a Chinese subsidiary of such overseas listed company, and complete certain other procedures. Failure to complete SAFE registrations may result in fines and legal sanctions and may also limit our ability to make payments under our equity incentive plans or receive dividends or sales proceeds related thereto, or our ability to contribute additional capital into our wholly-foreign owned enterprises in China and limit our wholly-foreign owned enterprises’ ability to distribute dividends to us. We also face regulatory uncertainties that could restrict our ability to adopt additional equity incentive plans for our directors and employees under Chinese law.laws.

In addition, the SATSTA has issued circulars concerning employee SARs, share options and restricted shares.employees’ share-based awards. Under these circulars, employees working in China who exercise share options and SARs, or whose restricted shares, RSUs or RSUsPSUs vest, will be subject to Chinese individual income tax. The Chinese subsidiaries of an overseas listed company have obligations to file documents related to employee share options or restricted sharesemployees’ share-based awards with relevant tax authorities and to withhold individual income taxes of those employees related to their share options, restricted shares, SARs or RSUs.share-based awards. Although we currently intend to withhold income tax from our Chinese employees in connection with their exercise of options and SARs and the vesting of their restricted shares, RSUs and RSUs,PSUs, if the employees fail to pay, or our Chinese subsidiaries fail to withhold, their income taxes according to relevant laws, rules and regulations, our Chinese subsidiaries may face sanctions imposed by the tax authorities or other Chinese government authorities.

Failure to make adequate contributions to various employee benefit plans as required by Chinese regulations may subject us to penalties.

Companies operating in China are required to participate in various government-sponsored employee benefit plans, including certain social insurance, housing funds and other welfare-oriented payment obligations, and contribute to the plans in amounts equal to certain percentages of salaries, including bonuses and allowances, of their employees up to a maximum amount specified by the local government from time to time at locations where they operate their businesses. While we believe we comply with all material aspects of relevant regulations, the requirements governing employee benefit plans have not been implemented consistently by the local governments in China given the different levels of economic development in different locations. If we are subject to late fees or fines in relation to the underpaid employee benefits, our results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected.

The audit report included in this annual report on Form 10-K is prepared by auditors who are not currently inspected by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and, as such, our stockholders are deprived of the benefits of such inspection.

As an auditor of companies that are publicly traded in the United States and a firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”), our independent registered public accounting firm is required under the laws of the United States to undergo regular inspections by the PCAOB. However, because we have substantial operations within China, our independent registered public accounting firm’s audit documentation related to their audit report included in this annual report on Form 10-K is located in China. The PCAOB is currently unable to conduct full inspections in China or review audit documentation located within China without the approval of Chinese authorities.

Inspections of other auditors conducted by the PCAOB outside of China have at times identified deficiencies in those auditors’ audit procedures and quality control procedures, which may be addressed as part of the inspection process to improve future audit quality. The lack of PCAOB inspections of audit work undertaken in China prevents the PCAOB from regularly evaluating our auditor’s audits and its quality control procedures. As a result, stockholders may be deprived of the benefits of PCAOB inspections, and may lose confidence in our reported financial information and procedures and the quality of our financial statements.

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2017 Form 10-K

Proceedings instituted by the SEC against certain China-based accounting firms, including our independent registered public accounting firm, could result in our financial statements being determined to not be in compliance with the requirements of the Exchange Act.

In late 2012, the SEC commenced administrative proceedings under Rule 102(e) of its Rules of Practice and also under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 against the Chinese member firms of the “big four” accounting firms, including our independent registered public accounting firm. The Rule 102(e) proceedings initiated by the SEC relate to the failure of these firms to produce certain documents, including audit work papers, in response to a request from the SEC pursuant to Section 106 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The auditors located in China claim they are not in a position lawfully to produce such documents directly to the SEC because of restrictions under Chinese lawlaws and specific directives issued by the China Securities Regulatory Commission (“CSRC”).CSRC. The issues raised by the proceedings are not specific to our auditor or to us, but potentially affect equally all PCAOB-registered audit firms based in China and all businesses based in China (or with substantial operations in China) with securities listed in the United States. In addition, auditors based outside of China are subject to similar restrictions under Chinese lawlaws and CSRC directives in respect of audit work that is carried out in China which supports the audit opinions issued on financial statements of entities with substantial China operations.

In January 2014, the administrative judge reached an initial decision that the Chinese member firms of the “big four” accounting firms should be barred from practicing before the SEC for a period of six months. In February 2014, the accounting firms filed a petition for review of the initial decision. In February 2015, the Chinese member firms of the “big four” accounting firms reached a settlement with the SEC. As part of the settlement, each of the “big four” accounting firms agreed to a censure and to pay a fine to the SEC to settle the dispute with the SEC. The settlement staysSEC and stay the current proceedingproceedings for four years, during which timeyears; under the firms are required to follow detailed procedures to seek to provideterms of the settlement, the proceedings were deemed dismissed with prejudice in February 2019. It remains unclear whether the SEC with access to Chinese firms’ audit documents via the CSRC. If a firm does not follow the procedures, the SEC may impose penalties such as suspensions, orwill commence a new expedited administrative proceeding against any non-compliant firm. The SEC could also restart administrative proceedings against all four firms.

If our independent registered public accounting firm were denied, even temporarily, the ability to practice before the SEC, and we are unable to timely find another independent registered public accounting firm to audit and issue an opinion on our financial statements, our financial statements could be determined not to be in compliance with the requirements of the Exchange Act. Such a determination could ultimately lead to delisting of our common stock from the New York Stock Exchange. Moreover, any negative news about the proceedings against these audit firms may adversely affect investor confidence in companies with substantial China-based operations listed on securities exchanges in the United States. All of these factors could materially and adversely affect the market price of our common stock and our ability to access the capital markets.

Chinese regulation of loans to, and direct investment in, Chinese entities by offshore holding companies and governmental controladministration of currency conversion may restrict or prevent us from making loans or additional capital contributions to our Chinese subsidiaries, which may materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.

We are a Delaware holding company conducting our operations in China through our Chinese subsidiaries. We may make loans to our Chinese subsidiaries, or we may make additional capital contributions to our Chinese subsidiaries, or we may establish new Chinese subsidiaries and make capital contributions to these new Chinese subsidiaries, or we may acquire offshore entities with business operations in China in an offshore transaction.

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Most of these uses are subject to Chinese regulations and approvals. For example, loans by us to our wholly-owned Chinese subsidiaries to finance their activities cannot exceed statutory limits and must be registered with the local counterpartcounterparts of SAFE. If we decide to finance our wholly-owned Chinese subsidiaries by means of capital contributions, in practice, we might be still required to obtain approval from the China Ministry of Commerce (“MOFCOM”) or its local counterpart.

On August 29, 2008, SAFE promulgated the Circular on the Relevant Operating Issues Concerning the Improvement of the Administration of the Payment and Settlement of Foreign Currency Capital of Foreign-Invested Enterprises, or SAFE Circular 142, regulating the conversion by a foreign-invested enterprise of foreign currency registered capital into RMB by restricting how the converted RMB may be used. SAFE Circular 142 provides that RMB capital converted from foreign currency registered capital of a foreign-invested enterprise may only be used for purposes within the business scope approved by the applicable governmental authority and may not be used for equity investments within China with limited exceptions (e.g., by holding companies, venture capital or private equity firms). In addition, SAFE strengthened its oversight of the flow and use of the RMB capital converted from the foreign currency registered capital of a foreign-invested company. The use of such RMB capital may not be altered without SAFE approval, and such RMB capital may not in any case be used to repay RMB loans if the proceeds of such loans have not been used. Such requirements are also known as the “payment-based foreign currency settlement system” established under SAFE Circular 142. Violations of SAFE Circular 142 could result in monetaryMOFCOM or other penalties. Furthermore, SAFE promulgated a circular on November 9, 2010, known as Circular 59, and another supplemental circular on July 18, 2011, known as Circular 88, which both tightened the examination of the authenticity of settlement of foreign currency capital or net proceeds from overseas listings. SAFE further promulgated the Circular on Further Clarification and Regulation of the Issues Concerning the Administration of Certain Capital Account Foreign Exchange Businesses, or Circular 45, on November 9, 2011, which expressly prohibited foreign-invested enterprises from using registered capital settled in RMB converted from foreign currencies to grant loans through entrustment arrangements with a bank, repay intercompany loans or repay bank loans that have been transferred to a third party. Circular 142, Circular 59, Circular 88 and Circular 45 may significantly limit our ability to make loans or capital contributions to our Chinese subsidiaries and to convert such proceeds into RMB, which may adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business in China.regulatory authorities.

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Furthermore, onOn April 8, 2015, SAFE promulgated the Circular on the Reform of the Administrative Method of the Settlement of Foreign Currency Capital of Foreign-Invested Enterprises, or Circular 19, which became effective as of June 1, 2015. This Circular 19 is to implement the so-called “conversion-at-will” of foreign currency in capital account, which was established under a circular issued by SAFE on August 4, 2014, or Circular 36, and was implemented in 16 designated industrial parks as a reform pilot. The Circular 19 now implements the conversion-at-will of foreign currency settlement system nationally, and it abolishes the application of Circular 59 and Circular 45 on March 19, 2015 as well as Circular 142, Circular 88 and Circular 36 starting from June 1, 2015. Among other things, under Circular 19, foreign-invested enterprises may either continue to follow the payment-based foreign currency settlement system or elect to follow the conversion-at-will of foreign currency settlement system. Where a foreign-invested enterprise follows the conversion-at-will of foreign currency settlement system, it may convert any or 100% of the amount of the foreign currency in its capital account into RMB at any time. The converted RMB will be kept in a designated account known as “Settled but Pending Payment Account,” and if the foreign-invested enterprise needs to make further payment from such designated account, it still needs to provide supporting documents and go through the review process with its bank. If under special circumstances the foreign-invested enterprise cannot provide supporting documents in time, Circular 19 grants the banks the power to provide a grace period to the enterprise and make the payment before receiving the supporting documents. The foreign-invested enterprise will then need to submit the supporting documents within 20 working days after payment. In addition, foreign-invested enterprises are now allowed to use their converted RMB to make equity investments in China under Circular 19. However, foreign-invested enterprises are still required to use the converted RMB in the designated account within their approved business scope under the principle of authenticity and self-use. It remains unclear whether a common foreign-invested enterprise, other than such special types of enterprises as holding companies, venture capital or private equity firms, can use the converted RMB in the designated account to make equity investments if equity investment or similar activities are not within their approved business scope.

In light of the various requirements imposed by Chinese regulations on loans to and direct investment in Chinese entities by offshore holding companies as discussed above, we cannot assure you that we will be able to complete the necessary government registrations or obtain the necessary government approvals on a timely basis, or at all, with respect to future loans by us to our Chinese subsidiaries or with respect to future capital contributions by us to our Chinese subsidiaries. If we fail to complete such registrations or obtain such approvals, our ability to capitalize or otherwise fund our Chinese operations may be negatively affected, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.

Regulations regarding acquisitions may impose significant regulatory approval and review requirements, which could make it more difficult for us to pursue growth through acquisitions.

Under the PRC Anti-monopoly Law, companies undertaking certain investments and acquisitions relating to businesses in China must notify the anti-monopoly enforcement agency in advance of any transactions which are deemed a concentration and where the parties’ revenues in the China market exceed certain thresholds as stipulated in the Provisions of the State Council on the Thresholds for Declaring Concentration of Business Operators. Furthermore, where, although a concentration of undertakings does not reach the threshold of notification prescribed by the State Council, the anti-monopoly agency may still require the undertakings to notify the concentration if there is evidence proving that the concentration of undertakings has or may have the effect of eliminating or restricting competition. In addition, on August 8, 2006, six PRC regulatory agencies, including the MOFCOM, the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, the STA, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce of the People's Republic of China, the CSRC and the SAFE, jointly adopted the Provisions of the Ministry of Commerce on M&A of a Domestic Enterprise by Foreign Investors (“M&A Rules”), which came into effect on September 8, 2006 and was amended on June 22, 2009. Under the M&A Rules, the approval of MOFCOM must be obtained in circumstances where overseas companies established or controlled by PRC enterprises or residents acquire domestic companies affiliated with PRC enterprises or residents. Applicable Chinese laws, rules and regulations also require certain merger and acquisition transactions to be subject to security review.

Due to the level of our revenues, our proposed acquisition of control of, or decisive influence over, any company with revenues within China of more than RMB800 million in the year prior to any proposed acquisition would be subject to the State Administration for Market Regulation (“SAMR”) merger control review. As a result of our size, many of the transactions we may undertake could be subject to SAMR merger review. Complying with the requirements of the relevant regulations to complete these transactions could be time consuming, and any required approval processes, including approval from SAMR, may be uncertain and could delay or inhibit our ability to complete these transactions, which could affect our ability to expand our business maintain our market share or otherwise achieve the goals of our acquisition strategy.

Our ability to carry out our investment and acquisition strategy may be materially and adversely affected by the regulatory authorities’ current practice, which creates significant uncertainty as to the timing of receipt of relevant approvals and whether transactions that we may undertake would subject us to fines or other administrative penalties and negative publicity and whether we will be able to complete investments and acquisitions in the future in a timely manner or at all.

The PRC government has significant oversight and discretion to exert supervision over offerings of our securities conducted outside of China and foreign investment in China-based issuers, and may limit or completely hinder our ability to offer securities to investors, which may cause the value of such securities to significantly decline.

The PRC government has recently sought to exert more oversight and supervision over securities offerings and other capital markets activities that are conducted outside of China and over foreign investment in China-based companies. For example, on July 6, 2021, the relevant PRC government authorities made public the Opinions on Intensifying Crack Down on Illegal Securities Activities. These opinions called for enhanced oversight of overseas listed companies as well as overseas equity fundraising and listing by Chinese companies, and proposed measures such as the construction of regulatory systems to deal with the risks and incidents faced by China-based overseas-listed companies. On February 17, 2023 the CSRC issued the Trial Administrative Measures of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies (the “Trial Administrative Measures”) and five supporting guidelines which became effective on March 31, 2023. Pursuant to the Trial Administrative Measures, we are required to file with the CSRC within three business days upon completion of any subsequent securities offering in the overseas markets where our securities are currently listed on. Failure to perform our filing obligations may result in penalties imposed on the Company and responsible officers. In addition, we shall report to the CSRC upon occurrence of certain material events, including change of control, investigations or sanctions imposed by overseas securities regulatory authorities, change of listing status or transfer of listing segment, and voluntary or mandatory delisting.

On February 24, 2023, the CSRC and other PRC governmental authorities jointly issued the Provisions on Strengthening Confidentiality and Archives Administration of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies (the “Confidentiality Provisions”), which came into effect on March 31, 2023. The Confidentiality Provisions outline obligations of issuers listed in overseas markets with operations in China when they provide information involving state secrets or sensitive information to their securities service providers (e.g., auditors) and overseas regulators. In addition, under the Confidentiality Provisions, such issuers are also required to obtain approval from the CSRC and other PRC authorities before accepting any investigation or inspection by overseas regulators. As the Confidentiality Provisions were recently promulgated, there are uncertainties with respect to their interpretation and implementation.

On November 14, 2021, the CAC released the draft Regulations on Network Data Security Management (the “Draft Cyber Data Security Regulations”), which requires, among other things, that a prior cybersecurity review be conducted by the Cybersecurity Review Office before listing overseas for data processors which process over one million users’ personal information, and for the listing in Hong Kong of data processors which affect or may affect national security. Furthermore, on December 28, 2021, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the PRC, and several other administrations jointly published the Revised Cybersecurity Review Measures, which became effective on February 15, 2022 and require, among other things, that a network platform operator holding over one million users’ personal information must apply with the Cybersecurity Review Office for a cybersecurity review before any public offering or listing outside of mainland PRC and Hong Kong.

Since the Draft Cyber Data Security Regulations are in the process of being formulated, it remains unclear whether and how these draft rules will ultimately be adopted, interpreted and implemented. Also, it remains unclear how the Revised Cybersecurity Review Measures will be interpreted and implemented. Therefore, it remains uncertain whether we will be required to obtain regulatory approvals from the CAC or any other PRC governmental authorities for offerings outside of mainland China.

If the CSRC, CAC or other PRC governmental authorities later promulgate new rules or interpretations requiring that we obtain their approvals for future offerings or listings outside of mainland China or for foreign investments in our securities, we may be unable to obtain such approvals in a timely manner, or at all. Any such circumstance could significantly or completely limit our ability to raise capital through securities offerings, hinder our ability to execute strategic plans in a timely manner or at all, and could cause the value of our securities to significantly decline.

Risks Related to the Separation and Related Transactions

The separation may not achieve some or all of the anticipated benefits.

We may not realize some or all of the anticipated strategic, financial, operational or other benefits from the separation. The separation and distribution is expected to provide the following benefits, among others:

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We may not achieve these and other anticipated benefits for a variety of reasons, including, among others:

If the distribution does not qualify as a transaction that is generally tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Company could be subject to significant tax liabilities, and, in certain circumstances, the Company could be required to indemnify YUM for material taxes and other related amounts pursuant to indemnification obligations under the tax matters agreement.

The distribution was conditioned on YUM’s receipt of opinions of outside advisors regarding the tax-free treatment of the distribution for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The opinions relied on various assumptions and representations as to factual matters made by YUM and us which, if inaccurate or incomplete in any material respect, would jeopardize the conclusions reached by such advisors in their opinions. The opinions are not binding on the IRS or the courts, and there can be no assurance that the IRS or the courts will not challenge the conclusions stated in the opinions or that any such challenge would not prevail.

If, notwithstanding receipt of the opinions, the distribution were determined to be a taxable transaction, YUM would be treated as having sold shares of the Company in a taxable transaction, likely resulting in a significant taxable gain. Pursuant to the tax matters agreement, the Company and YCCL agreed to indemnify YUM for any taxes and related losses resulting from any breach of covenants regarding the preservation of the tax-free status of the distribution, certain acquisitions of our equity securities or assets, or those of certain of our affiliates or subsidiaries, and any breach by us or any member of our group of certain representations in the documents delivered by us in connection with the distribution. Therefore, if the distribution fails to qualify as a transaction that is generally tax-free as a result of one of these actions or events, we may be required to make material payments to YUM under this indemnity.

YUM may be subject to Chinese indirect transfer tax with respect to the distribution, in which event we could be required to indemnify YUM for material taxes and related amounts pursuant to indemnification obligations under the tax matters agreement.

As noted above, Bulletin 7 provides that in certain circumstances a non-resident enterprise may be subject to Chinese enterprise income tax on an “indirect transfer” of Chinese interests. YUM concluded, and we concurred, that it believes that the distribution had a reasonable commercial purpose and that it is more likely than not that YUM will not be subject to this tax with respect to the distribution. However, there are uncertainties regarding the circumstances in which the tax will apply, and there can be no assurances that the Chinese tax authorities will not seek to impose this tax on YUM.

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2017 Form 10-K

Pursuant to the tax matters agreement, the Company and YCCL have agreed to indemnify YUM for a portion (tied to the relative market capitalization of YUM and the Company during the 30 trading days after the distribution) of any taxes and related losses resulting from the application of Bulletin 7 to the distribution. Alternatively, if Bulletin 7 applies to the distribution as a result of a breach by the Company or Company group members of certain representations or covenants, or due to certain actions of the Company or Company group members following the distribution, the Company and YCCL generally will indemnify YUM for all such taxes and related losses. Therefore, if YUM is subject to such Chinese tax with respect to the distribution, we may be required to make material payments to YUM under this indemnity. Such payments could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition.

For purposes of determining whether the distribution of Company common stock to YUM shareholders in connection with the distribution is disqualified as tax-free to YUM under the rules described in the preceding paragraph, any acquisitions of the stock of YUM or the Company within two years before or after the distribution may be presumed to be part of such a “plan,” although the parties may be able to rebut that presumption. For purposes of this test, acquisitions of Company common stock by Pollos Investment L.P., an affiliate of Primavera Capital Group (“Primavera”), and API (Hong Kong) Investment Limited, an affiliate of Zhejiang Ant Small and Micro Financial Services Group Co., Ltd. (“Ant Financial” and together with Primavera, the “Investors”), within two years after the distribution will likely be treated as part of such a “plan.” In particular, under the terms of the investment agreements among the Company, YUM and the Investors, the Investors acquired in the aggregate 4.8% of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock, which acquisition will be taken into account for purposes of this test. Also, under the terms of the shareholders agreement entered into with the Investors, the Investors are permitted to acquire more Company common stock in the two years following the distribution (including pursuant to the warrants held by the Investors), provided that the Investors’ shares of Company common stock (in the aggregate) do not exceed 19.9% of the total shares of the Company’s outstanding common stock (subject to certain conditions in the shareholders agreement). Any such additional acquisitions of Company common stock by the Investors in the two years following the distribution will similarly be taken into account for purposes of this test. If one or more other persons acquire, directly or indirectly, shares of the Company that, together with such acquisitions by the Investors in the two years after the distribution, represent a 50% or greater interest (by vote or value) in the Company, such acquisitions may be deemed part of a “plan” that includes the distribution.

The rules for determining whether shares representing a 50% or greater interest (by vote or value) in YUM or the Company have been acquired as part of a “plan” that includes the distribution are complex, inherently factual and subject to interpretation of the facts and circumstances of a particular case. If the Company does not carefully monitor its compliance with these rules, it might inadvertently cause or permit such a prohibited change in the ownership of its stock to occur, resulting in significant federal income tax liabilities to YUM under the Internal Revenue Code. Under the terms of the tax matters agreement among YUM, YCCL and the Company entered into in connection with the distribution, YCCL and the Company are generally required to indemnify YUM against any such tax liabilities, which may have a material adverse effect on the Company. These indemnity obligations could also discourage or prevent a third party from making a proposal to acquire the Company during the relevant period.

We have limited history operating as an independent publicly traded company and our accounting and other management systems and resources may not be adequately prepared to meet the financial reporting and other requirements to which we are subject.

Prior to the separation and distribution, our financial results were included within the consolidated results of YUM, and our reporting and control systems were appropriate for those of a subsidiary of a public company. We have only recently been directly subject to reporting and other requirements of the Exchange Act, and Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. As an independent company, we are subject to additional reporting and other requirements, which require, among other things, annual management assessments of the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting and a report by our independent registered public accounting firm addressing these assessments. Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires that we include a report from management on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting in our annual report beginning with this Form 10-K. In addition, also beginning with this Form 10-K, our independent registered public accounting firm must report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. These and other obligations have placed, and will continue to place, significant demands on our management, administrative and operational resources, including accounting and IT resources.

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2017 Form 10-K

To comply with these requirements, we have implemented additional financial and management controls, reporting systems and procedures and hired additional staff. However, implementing any further necessary changes to our internal controls as a result of new business initiatives or otherwise may entail substantial costs and take significant time to complete. If we are unable to upgrade our financial and management controls, reporting systems and procedures in a timely and effective fashion, our ability to comply with our financial reporting requirements and other rules that apply to reporting companies could be impaired. Any failure to achieve and maintain effective internal controls could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Being a public company subject to additional laws, rules and regulations requires the investment of additional resources to comply with these laws, rules and regulations. In this regard, we have incurred and will continue to incur expenses related to, among other things, director and officer liability insurance, director fees, expenses associated with our SEC reporting obligations, transfer agent fees, increased auditing and legal fees and similar expenses, which expenses may be significant.

Our management has limited experience managing a public company, and regulatory compliance may divert management’s attention from the day-to-day management of our business.

Our management team has limited experience managing a publicly traded company, interacting with public company investors or complying with the increasingly complex laws and requirements pertaining to public companies. These requirements include record-keeping, financial reporting and corporate governance rules and regulations and involve significant regulatory oversight and reporting obligations under U.S. federal securities laws and the scrutiny of securities analysts and investors. These obligations require substantial attention from our management team and could divert its attention away from the day-to-day management of our business, which could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

There can be no assurance that we will have access to the capital markets on terms acceptable to us.

From time to time, we may need to access the long-term and short-term capital markets to obtain financing. Although we believe that our existing sources of capital will permit us to finance our operations for the foreseeable future on acceptable terms and conditions, our access to, and the availability of, financing on acceptable terms and conditions in the future or at all will be impacted by many factors, including, but not limited to:

There can be no assurance, particularly as a relatively new company that currently has no credit rating, that we will have access to the capital markets on terms acceptable to us or at all.

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We have incurred and will continue to incur increased administrative and other costs by virtue of our status as an independent public company. Our historical financial information for periods prior to the distribution is not necessarily representative of the results that we would have achieved as a separate, publicly traded company and may not be a reliable indicator of our future results.

Our historical information for periods prior to the distribution refers to our business as operated by and integrated with YUM. Such information is derived from or based on the consolidated financial statements and accounting records of YUM. Accordingly, our historical financial information for periods prior to the distribution does not necessarily reflect the financial condition, results of operations or cash flows that we would have achieved as a separate, publicly traded company during the periods presented or those that we will achieve in the future primarily as a result of the following factors, among others:

Other significant changes may occur in our cost structure, management, financing and business operations as a result of operating as a company separate from YUM.

The master license agreement that we entered into with YUM limits our ability to compete with YUM and contains other restrictions on our operations.

The master license agreement includes non-compete provisions pursuant to which we generally agree to not compete with YUM. The master license agreement also contains other restrictions on our operations, including restrictions on us or our affiliates from engaging in a “competing business” in China and other countries in which YUM operates its brands during the term of the agreement and for 12 months following the expiration, termination or transfer of the agreement or an interest in the agreement.

These restrictions could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

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2017 Form 10-K

YUM may fail to perform under certain transaction agreements that we entered into with it as part of the separation, and we may not have necessary systems and services in place when these transaction agreements expire.

In connection with the separation, the Company and YUM entered into several agreements, including among others a master license agreement, a separation and distribution agreement, a tax matters agreement, an employee matters agreement, a transition services agreement and a name license agreement. The master license agreement establishes a bilateral relationship between YUM and us for an initial term of 50 years subject to renewal as described in Item 1. “Business – Trademarks and Patents.” The separation and distribution agreement, tax matters agreement, employee matters agreement, transition services agreement and name license agreement determine, among other things, the allocation of assets and liabilities between the companies and include any necessary indemnifications related to liabilities and obligations. If YUM is unable to satisfy its obligations under these agreements, we could incur operational difficulties or losses that could have a material and adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Potential indemnification liabilities owing to YUM pursuant to the separation and distribution agreement could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

TheWe separated from YUM on October 31, 2016, becoming an independent, publicly traded company under the ticker symbol “YUMC” on the New York Stock Exchange on November 1, 2016. As part of the separation and distribution agreement, provideswe agreed to indemnify YUM for claims against YUM relating to Yum China’s business prior to the spin-off in 2016 as well as other liabilities. These liabilities include, among other things, indemnification obligations generally designed to make us financially responsible forothers, (i) certain liabilities associated with our business; (ii) our failure to pay, perform or otherwise promptly discharge any liabilities or contracts relating to the Company business, in accordance with their respective terms, whether prior to, at or after the distribution; (iii)(ii) any guarantee, indemnification obligation, surety bond or other credit support agreement, arrangement, commitment or understanding by YUM for our benefit, unless related to liabilities primarily associated with the YUM business; (iv)(iii) certain tax liabilities; (v)liabilities related to Bulletin 7 under PRC tax laws, which provides that in certain circumstances a non-resident enterprise may be subject to Chinese enterprise income tax on an “indirect transfer” of Chinese interests; (iv) any breach by us of the separation and distribution agreement or any of the ancillary agreements or any action by us in contravention of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or amended and restated bylaws; and (vi)(v) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, with respect to all information contained in the information statement relating to the distribution or any other disclosure document that describes the separation or the distribution or the Company and its subsidiaries or primarily relates to the transactions contemplated by the separation and distribution agreement, subject to certain exceptions. If we are required to indemnify YUM under the circumstances set forth in the separation and distribution agreement, we may be subject to substantial liabilities.

In connection with the separation, YUM has agreed to indemnify us for certain liabilities. However, there can be no assurance that the indemnity will be sufficient to insure us against the full amount of such liabilities, or that YUM’s ability to satisfy its indemnification obligation will not be impaired in the future.

Pursuant to the separation and distribution agreement and certain other agreements we entered into with YUM, YUM has agreed to indemnify us for certain liabilities set forth in the separation and distribution agreement. However, third parties could also seek to hold us responsible for any of the liabilities that YUM has agreed to retain, and there can be no assurance that the indemnity from YUM will be sufficient to protect us against the full amount of such liabilities, or that YUM will be able to fully satisfy its indemnification obligations. In addition, YUM’s insurers may attempt to deny us coverage for liabilities associated with certain occurrences of indemnified liabilities prior to the separation. Moreover, even if we ultimately succeed in recovering from YUM or such insurance providers any amounts for which we are held liable, we may be temporarily required to bear these losses. Each of these risks could negatively affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

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2017 Form 10-K

A court could require that we assume responsibility for obligations allocated to YUM under the separation and distribution agreement.

Under the separation and distribution agreement and related ancillary agreements, from and after the separation, each of YUM and the Company will be generally responsible for the debts, liabilities and other obligations related to the business or businesses which they own and operate following the consummation of the separation. Although we do not expect to be liable for any obligations that are not allocated to us under the separation and distribution agreement, a court could disregard the allocation agreed to between the parties, and require that we assume responsibility for obligations allocated to YUM (for example, tax and/or environmental liabilities), particularly if YUM were to refuse or were unable to pay or perform the allocated obligations.

Potential liabilities may arise due to fraudulent transfer considerations, which would adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

In connection with the separation and distribution, YUM completed several corporate reorganization transactions involving its subsidiaries which, along with the separation and distribution, may be subject to federal and state fraudulent conveyance and transfer laws. If, under these laws, a court were to determine that, at the time of the separation and distribution, any entity involved in these reorganization transactions or the separation and distribution:

then the court could void the separation and distribution, in whole or in part, as a fraudulent conveyance or transfer. The court could then require our stockholders to return to YUM some or all of the shares of Company common stock issued in the distribution, or require YUM or the Company, as the case may be, to fund liabilities of the other company for the benefit of creditors. The measure of insolvency will vary depending upon the jurisdiction whose law is being applied. Generally, however, an entity would be considered insolvent if the fair value of its assets was less than the amount of its liabilities, or if it was unable to pay its liabilities as they mature.

Certain of our executive officers and directors may have actual or potential conflicts of interest because of their previous positions at YUM.

Even though our board of directors consists of a majority of directors who are independent, and our executive officers who were employees of YUM ceased to be employees of YUM, some of our executive officers and directors continue to have a financial interest in YUM common stock and equity awards as a result of their former positions with YUM. Such ownership of YUM common stock or holding of YUM equity awards could create, or appear to create, potential conflicts of interest if the Company and YUM pursue the same corporate opportunities, have disagreements about the contracts between them or face decisions that could have different implications for the Company and YUM.

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2017 Form 10-K

Risks Related to Our Common Stock

Our common stock has had relatively limited trading history, and the Company’s stock price may fluctuate significantly.

The market price of Company common stock may decline or fluctuate significantly due to a number of factors, some of which may be beyond our control, including:

The Company cannot guarantee the timing or amount of dividends on, or repurchases of, its common stock.

We intend to retain a significant portion of our earnings to finance the operation, development and growth of our business. Our boardBoard of directors declaredDirectors commenced a quarterly cash dividend in October 2017, which was temporarily suspended during part of $0.10 per share2020 due to the impacts of common stock of Yum China on October 4, 2017 and February 6, 2018, respectively. However, anythe COVID-19 pandemic. Any future determination to declare and pay cash dividends will be at the discretion of our boardBoard of directorsDirectors and will depend on, among other things, our financial condition, results of operations, actual or anticipated cash requirements, tax considerations, contractual or regulatory restrictions and such other factors as our boardBoard of directorsDirectors deems relevant. Our boardBoard of directorsDirectors has also authorized a $550 million$3.4 billion share repurchase program. However, repurchasesprogram (including its most recent increase in authorization on November 2, 2023), which was temporarily suspended during part of 2020 and 2021 due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Repurchases under the program will be at the discretion of management and we cannot guarantee the timing or amount of any share repurchases. For more information, see Item 5. “Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.”

The different characteristics of the capital markets in Hong Kong and the U.S. may negatively affect the trading prices of our shares.

We are subject to both New York Stock Exchange and Hong Kong Stock Exchange listing and regulatory requirements concurrently. The Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange have different trading hours, trading characteristics (including trading volume and liquidity), trading and listing rules, and investor bases (including different levels of retail and institutional participation). As a result of these differences, the trading prices of shares of our common stock may not be the same on the two exchanges, even allowing for currency differences. Certain events having significant negative impact specifically on the U.S. capital markets may result in a decline in the trading price of our shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange notwithstanding that such event may not impact the trading prices of securities listed in Hong Kong generally or to the same extent, or vice versa. Because of the different characteristics of the U.S. and Hong Kong capital markets, the historical market prices of our shares may not be indicative of the trading performance of the shares in the future.

The interests of Primavera may differ from the interests of other holders of Company common stock.

In connection with the separation and distribution, Pollos Investment L.P., an affiliate of Primavera Capital Group (“Primavera”) acquired approximately 16 million shares of Yum China common stock. The interests of Primavera may differ from those of other holders of Company common stock in material respects. For example, Primavera may have an interest in pursuing acquisitions, divestitures, financings or other transactions that could enhance their respective equity portfolios, even though such transactions might involve risks to holders of Company common stock. Primavera may, from time to time in the future, acquire interests in businesses that directly or indirectly compete with certain portions of the Company’s business or are suppliers or customers of the Company. Additionally, Primavera may determine that the disposition of some or all of their interests in the Company would be beneficial to Primavera at a time when such disposition could be detrimental to the other holders of Company common stock.

Anti-takeover provisions in our organizational documents and Delaware law might discourage or delay acquisition attempts for us that you might consider favorable.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws contain provisions, summarized below, that could make it more difficult to acquire control of the Company by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or otherwise, or to remove incumbent officers and directors. Further, as a Delaware corporation, we are subject to provisions of Delaware law, which may impair a takeover attempt that our stockholders may find beneficial. These provisions might discourage certain types of coercive takeover practices and takeover bids that our Board of Directors may consider inadequate or delay acquisition attempts for us that holders of Company common stock might consider favorable.

General Risk Factors

We could be party to litigation that could adversely affect us by increasing our expenses, diverting management attention or subjecting us to significant monetary damages and other remedies.

We are involved in legal proceedings from time to time. These proceedings do or could include consumer, employment, real estate-related, tort, intellectual property, breach of contract and other litigation. As a public company, we may in the future also be involved in legal proceedings alleging violation of securities laws or derivative litigation. Plaintiffs in these types of lawsuits often seek recovery of very large or indeterminate amounts, and the magnitude of the potential loss relating to such lawsuits may not be accurately estimated. Regardless of whether any claims against us are valid, or whether we are ultimately held liable, such litigation may be expensive to defend and may divert resources and management attention away from our operations and negatively impact reported earnings. With respect to insured claims, a judgment for monetary damages in excess of any insurance coverage could adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations. Any adverse publicity resulting from these allegations may also adversely affect our reputation, which in turn could adversely affect our results of operations.

In addition, the restaurant industry around the world has been subject to claims that relate to the nutritional content of food products, as well as claims that the menus and practices of restaurant chains have led to customer health issues, including weight gain and other adverse effects. We may also be subject to these types of claims in the future and, even if we are not, publicity about these matters (particularly directed at the quick-service and fast-casual segments of the restaurant industry) may harm our reputation and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Changes in accounting standards and subjective assumptions, estimates and judgments by management related to complex accounting matters could significantly affect our results of operations and financial condition.

Generally accepted accounting principles and related accounting pronouncements, implementation guidelines and interpretations with regard to a wide range of matters that are relevant to our business, including revenue recognition, long-lived asset impairment, impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets, lease accounting, share-based compensation and recoverability of deferred tax assets are highly complex and involve many subjective assumptions, estimates and judgments. Changes in these rules or their interpretation or changes in underlying assumptions, estimates or judgments could significantly change our reported or expected financial performance or financial condition. New accounting guidance may require systems and other changes that could increase our operating costs and/or change our financial statements. For example, implementing the new lease standard issued by Financial Accounting Standards Board requires us to make significant changes to our lease management system and other accounting systems, and results in changes to our financial statements.

Our insurance policies may not provide adequate coverage for all claims associated with our business operations.

We have obtained insurance policies that we believe are customary and appropriate for businesses of our size and type and at least in line with the standard commercial practice in China. However, there are types of losses we may incur that cannot be insured against or that we believe are not cost effective to insure, such as loss of reputation. If we were held liable for uninsured losses or amounts or claims for insured losses exceeding the limits of our insurance coverage, our business and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

Unforeseeable business interruptions could adversely affect our business.

Our operations are vulnerable to interruption by natural disasters, such as fires, floods and earthquakes, war, terrorism, power failures and power shortages, hardware and software failures, computer viruses and other events beyond our control. In particular, our business is dependent on prompt delivery and reliable transportation of our food products by our logistics partners. Unforeseeable events, such as adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, severe traffic accidents and delays, non-cooperation of our logistics partners, and labor strikes, could lead to delay or lost deliveries to our restaurants, which may result in the loss of revenue or in customer claims. There may also be instances where the conditions of fresh, chilled or frozen food products, being perishable goods, deteriorate due to delivery delays, malfunctioning of refrigeration facilities or poor handling during transportation by our logistics partners. This may result in a failure by us to provide quality food and services to customers, thereby affecting our business and potentially damaging our reputation. Any such events experienced by us could disrupt our operations. In addition, insurance may not be available to cover losses due to business interruptions resulting from public health issues.

Failure by us to maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting in accordance with the rules of the SEC could harm our business and results of operations and/or result in a loss of investor confidence in our financial reports, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

We are required to maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and effective internal control over financial reporting in connection with our filing of periodic reports with the SEC under the Exchange Act.

We may fail to maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting, and our management and our independent registered public accounting firm may not be able to conclude that we have effective internal control over financial reporting at a reasonable assurance level. This may in turn cause investors to lose confidence in our financial statements and negatively impact the trading price of our common stock. Furthermore, we have incurred substantial costs, and may need to incur additional costs and use additional management and other resources, to comply with these requirements going forward.

If we fail to remedy any material weakness, our financial statements may be inaccurate and we may face restricted access to the capital markets, which could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

The Company’s stock price may fluctuate significantly.

The trading price of shares of our common stock can be volatile and could fluctuate widely in response to a variety of factors, many of which are beyond our control. In addition, the performance and fluctuation of the market prices of other companies with business operations located mainly in China that have listed their securities in Hong Kong and/or the United States may affect the volatility in the prices of and trading volumes for our shares. Some of these companies have experienced significant volatility. The trading performances of these companies’ securities at the time of or after their offerings may affect the overall investor sentiment towards other companies with business operations located mainly in China and listed in Hong Kong and/or the United States and consequently may impact the trading performance of our shares. In addition to market and industry factors, the prices and trading volumes for our shares may be highly volatile for specific business reasons, including:

Any of these factors may result in large and sudden changes in the volume and trading price of our shares.

Substantial future sales or perceived potential sales of our shares in the public market could cause the price of our shares to decline significantly.

Sales of shares of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that these sales could occur, could cause the market price of our shares to decline significantly. Divesture in the future of our shares by stockholders, the announcement of any plan to divest our shares, or hedging activity by third-party financial institutions in connection with similar derivative or other financing arrangements entered into by stockholders, could cause the price of our shares to decline.

Your percentage of ownership in the Company may be diluted in the future.

In the future, your percentage ownership in the Company may be diluted because of equity awards that we intend to grant to our directors, officers and employees or otherwise as a result of equity issuances for acquisitions or capital market transactions. The Company’s and certain of YUM’s employees have equity awards with respect to Company common stock as a result of conversion of their YUM equity awards (in whole or in part) to Company equity awards in connection with the distribution. From time to time, the Company will issue additional stock-based awards to its employees under the Company’s employee benefit plans. Such awards will have a dilutive effect on the Company’s earnings per share, which could adversely affect the market price of Company common stock. From time

In addition, subject to time, the Company will issue additional stock-based awards to its employees under the Company’s employee benefit plans.

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2017 Form 10-K

In addition,applicable regulatory requirements, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes us to issue without the approval of the Company’s stockholders, one or more classes or series of preferred stock that have such designation, powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, including preferences over Company common stock respecting dividends and distributions, as our boardBoard of directorsDirectors generally may determine. The terms of one or more classes or series of preferred stock could dilute the voting power or reduce the value of Company common stock. Similarly, the repurchase or redemption rights or liquidation preferences we could assign to holders of preferred stock could affect the residual value of the common stock.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.

Not applicable.

Item 1C. Cybersecurity.

Information technology systems, including our mobile or online platforms, mobile payment and ordering systems, loyalty programs and various other online processes and functions, are critical to our business and operations. The Company faces risks associated with cybersecurity, including operational interruptions, financial losses, personal information leakage and non-compliance risks. For additional details on risks from cybersecurity threats, please refer to “Item 1A. Risk Factors — The occurrence of security breaches and cyber-attacks could negatively impact our business.” and “—Unauthorized access to, or improper use, disclosure, theft or destruction of, our customer or employee personal, financial or other data or our proprietary or confidential information that is stored in our information technology systems or by third parties on our behalf could result in substantial costs, expose us to litigation and damage our reputation.”

Our information technology systems are protected through technological safeguards and management measures. We detect, identify, assess and mitigate cybersecurity risks by adopting standard risk management methodologies, which are developed based on the international cybersecurity management system standard ISO 27001 as well as the asset-oriented risk assessment framework. To minimize potential impact on business operations in the event of a cybersecurity incident, we have formulated, and regularly tested, our incident response plan. We also established a framework for data security and personal information protection, including measures to prevent data loss and detect and block abnormal accounts and activities, as well as systems and processes to prevent, detect and mitigate vulnerabilities. Our employees participate in regular cybersecurity training to enhance their awareness of cybersecurity risks. We engage in the periodic assessment of these processes and practices that are designed to address cybersecurity threats and incidents.

We regularly engage external consultants to assess and independently verify our cybersecurity risk management, striving for continuous optimization of our cybersecurity policies, cybersecurity risk management processes, and technical measures. These engagements assist us in ensuring our cybersecurity management practices and technical measures comply with applicable laws, regulations, industry standards and the Company’s policies. The Company has maintained ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification since 2018 for certain online business.

We have established processes designed to manage cybersecurity threats associated with the use of third-party service providers. These processes include security evaluations before third-parties' admission, ongoing oversight and assessment of their security status, and adopting necessary security measures at termination of services.

Our Board of Directors maintains overall responsibility for overseeing the Company’s risk management framework, and cybersecurity represents an important component of the Company’s overall risk management framework. The Board regularly reviews risks that may be material to the Company. The Audit Committee assists the Board in the oversight of cybersecurity and other technology risks. Through receiving regular reports from the Chief Technology Officer ("CTO") and the Chief Legal Officer, the Audit Committee discusses with management cybersecurity risk mitigation and incident management, and reviews management reports regarding the Company’s cybersecurity governance processes, incident response system and applicable cybersecurity laws, regulations and standards, status of projects to strengthen internal cybersecurity management, the evolving threat environment, vulnerability assessments, specific cybersecurity incidents and management’s efforts to monitor, detect and prevent cybersecurity threats. On top of that, significant cybersecurity incidents will be immediately reported to the Board in accordance with the Company’s incident response plan.

Yum China Compliance Oversight Committee (the "Compliance Committee"), primarily comprised of leaders and representatives from our information technology, supply chain, legal, finance, HR and public affairs functions, as well as internal audit group, is responsible for assisting the Board and Audit Committee in overseeing the Company’s cybersecurity risks. The Compliance Committee meets regularly to discuss legal and regulatory developments on cybersecurity, assess the Company's emerging cybersecurity risks and mitigation plans, and determine strategy to promote cybersecurity compliance. Through ongoing communications, the Compliance Committee is informed about and monitors the prevention, detection, mitigation and remediation of cybersecurity threats and incidents. Our CTO, as a member of the Compliance Committee, served various positions in the Company’s information technology department for more than 20 years and began leading the department in 2017.

To its knowledge, the Company has not experienced a material cybersecurity breach within the last three years, nor identified any risks from cybersecurity threats that have materially affected us, including our business strategy, results of operations or financial condition. The Company maintains cybersecurity insurance as part of its overall insurance programs.

Item 2. Properties.

As of year-end 2017,2023, the Company leased land, building or both for approximately 6,300had 12,648 Company-owned units in China, which unit count includes land use rights for approximately 44China. Of these Company-owned units, 12,589 units were leased properties and 59 units were owned properties. The leased Company-owned units are further detailed as follows:

Company-owned restaurants in China are generally leased for initial terms of 10 to 20 years and generally do not have renewal options. The Company

We also leases itslease our corporate headquarters in Shanghai and Dallas, Texas in the U.S., and regional offices and test kitchen facilitiesan innovation center in China, and ownsown building, land use rights, or both for six14 non-store properties, ofwhich primarily include logistics centers, seasoning facilities and office buildings for Little Sheep. The Company subleasesSheep and Huang Ji Huang. We sublease over 170150 properties to franchisees.franchisees and other third parties. Additional information about the Company’s leased properties is included in Note 1211 to the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements in Part II, Item 8.

The Company believes We believe that itsour properties are generally in good operating condition and are suitable for the purposes for which they are being used.

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The Company isItem 3. Legal Proceedings.

We are subject to various lawsuits covering a variety of allegations from time to time. The Company believesWe believe that the ultimate liability, if any, in excess of amounts already provided for these matters in the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements, is not likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s annual results of operations, financial condition or cash flows. Matters faced by the Company from time to time include, but are not limited to, claims from landlords, employees, customersguests and others related to operational, contractual or employment issues. There were noWe are not involved in any material legal proceedings as of December 31, 2017.2023.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.

Not applicable.

PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.

Market for Yum China Common Stock

Yum China common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol YUMC. YUMC and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (“HKEX”) under the stock code 9987. Yum China common stock commenced trading on the NYSE on a “when-issued” basis on October 17, 2016 and began “regular way” trading on November 1, 2016. Prior2016. On September 10, 2020, the Company completed a secondary listing of its common stock on the Main Board of the HKEX. On October 24, 2022, the Company’s voluntary conversion of its secondary listing status to October 17, 2016, there was no public market for Yum Chinaa primary listing status on the HKEX became effective and the Company became a dual primary listed company on the NYSE and HKEX. On the same day, the Company’s shares of common stock.stock traded on the HKEX were included in the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect. The Company’s common stock listed on the NYSE and HKEX continue to be fully fungible.

The following sets forth, for the period indicated, the high and low NYSE composite closing sale prices for Yum China common stock.