Item 1A. Risk Factors.

You should carefully review the risks described below as they identify important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements and historical trends.

Food safety and food-borne illness concerns may have an adverse effect on our business.

Food-borne illnesses, such as E. coli, Listeria, Salmonella and Trichinosis, occur or may occur within our system from time to time. In addition, food safety issues such as food tampering, contamination and adulteration occur or may occur within our system from time to time. Any report or publicity linking us or one of our Concepts’ restaurants, including restaurants operated by us or our Concepts’ franchisees, or linking our competitors or the retail food industry generally, to instances of food-borne illness or food safety issues could adversely affect our Concepts’ brands and reputations as well as our revenues and profits, and possibly lead to product liability claims, litigation and damages. If a customer of one of our Concepts becomes ill from food borne illnesses or as a result of food safety issues, restaurants in our system may be temporarily closed, which could disrupt our operations and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, instances or allegations of food-borne illness or food safety issues, real or perceived, involving our restaurants, restaurants of competitors, or suppliers or distributors (regardless of whether we use or have used those suppliers or distributors), or otherwise involving the types of food served at our restaurants, could result in negative publicity that could adversely affect our sales or the sales of our Concepts’ franchisees. The occurrence of food-borne illnesses or food safety issues could also adversely affect the price and availability of affected ingredients, which could result in disruptions in our supply chain and/or lower margins for us and our Concepts’ franchisees.

Health concerns arising from outbreaks of viruses or other diseases may have an adverse effect on our business.

Our business could be materially and adversely affected by the outbreak of a widespread health epidemic, including various strains of avian flu or swine flu, such as H1N1. The occurrence of such an outbreak of an epidemic, illness or other adverse public health developments could materially disrupt our business and operations. Such events could also significantly impact our industry and cause a temporary closure of restaurants, which could severely disrupt our operations and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our operations could be disrupted if any of our employees or employees of our business partners were suspected of having the avian flu or swine flu, or other illnesses such as hepatitis A or norovirus, since this could require us or our business partners to quarantine some or all of such employees or disinfect our restaurant facilities. Outbreaks of avian flu occur from time to time around the world, and such outbreaks have resulted in confirmed human cases. It is possible that outbreaks could reach pandemic levels. Public concern over avian flu generally may cause fear about the consumption of chicken, eggs and other products derived from poultry, which could cause customers to consume less poultry and related products. Because poultry is a menu offering for our Concepts, this would likely result in lower revenues and profits for us and our Concepts’ franchisees. Avian flu outbreaks could also adversely affect the price and availability of poultry, which could negatively impact profit margins and revenues for us and our Concepts' franchisees.

Furthermore, other viruses may be transmitted through human contact, and the risk of contracting viruses could cause employees or guests to avoid gathering in public places, which could adversely affect restaurant guest traffic or the ability to adequately staff restaurants. We could also be adversely affected if government authorities impose mandatory closures, seek voluntary closures, impose restrictions on operations of restaurants, or restrict the import or export of products, or if suppliers issue mass recalls of products. Even if such measures are not implemented and a virus or other disease does not spread significantly, the perceived risk of infection or health risk may affect our business.

Our operating results and growth strategies are closely and increasingly tied to the success of our Concepts’ franchisees.

A significant and growing portion of our restaurants are operated by our Concepts’ franchisees. At the end of 2018, over 98% of our stores are operated by franchisees. Our refranchising efforts have increased our dependence on the financial success and cooperation of our Concepts’ franchisees. In addition, our long-term system sales growth targets depend on an acceleration of our historical net system unit growth rate. Nearly all of this unit growth is expected to result from new unit openings by our Concepts’ franchisees. If our Concepts’ franchisees do not meet our expectations for new unit development, we may fall short of our system sales targets.

We have limited control over how our Concepts’ franchisees’ businesses are run, and their inability to operate successfully could adversely affect our operating results through decreased royalty payments. If our Concepts’ franchisees fail to adequately capitalize their businesses or incur too much debt, if their operating expenses or commodity prices increase or if economic or sales trends deteriorate such that they are unable to operate profitably or repay existing debt, it could result in their financial distress, including insolvency or bankruptcy. If a significant franchisee of one of our Concepts becomes, or a significant number of our Concepts’ franchisees in the aggregate become, financially distressed, our operating results could be impacted through reduced or delayed royalty payments and reduced new unit development. In addition, we are secondarily liable on certain of our Concepts’ franchisees’ lease agreements, including lease agreements that we have guaranteed or assigned to franchisees in connection with the refranchising of certain Company-owned restaurants. Our operating results could be impacted by any increased rent obligations for such leased properties to the extent our Concepts’ franchisees default on such lease agreements.

Our success also depends on the willingness and ability of our Concepts’ franchisees to implement major initiatives such as restaurant remodels or equipment or technology upgrades, which may require financial investment. Our Concepts may be unable to successfully implement strategies that we believe are necessary for further growth if their franchisees do not participate, which in turn may harm the growth prospects and financial condition of the Company. Additionally, the failure of our Concepts’ franchisees to focus on the fundamentals of restaurant operations, such as quality, service and cleanliness (even if such failures do not rise to the level of breaching the related franchise documents), could have a negative impact on our business.

We may not achieve our target development goals, aggressive development could cannibalize existing sales and new restaurants may not be profitable.

Our growth strategy depends on our and our Concepts’ franchisees’ ability to increase net restaurant count in markets around the world. The successful development of new units depends in large part on the ability of our Concepts’ franchisees to open new restaurants and to operate these restaurants profitably. We cannot guarantee that we, or our Concepts’ franchisees, including Yum China, will be able to achieve our expansion goals or that new restaurants will be operated profitably. Further, there is no assurance that any new restaurant will produce operating results similar to those of our existing restaurants. Other risks that could impact our ability to increase the number of our restaurants include prevailing economic conditions and trade or economic sanctions and our, or our Concepts’ franchisees’, ability to obtain suitable restaurant locations, negotiate acceptable lease or purchase terms for the locations, obtain required permits and approvals in a timely manner, hire and train qualified management teams and restaurant crews, and meet construction schedules.

Expansion into target markets could also be affected by our Concepts’ franchisees’ willingness to invest capital or ability to obtain financing to construct and open new restaurants. If it becomes more difficult or more expensive for our Concepts’ franchisees to obtain financing to develop new restaurants, or if the perceived return on invested capital is not sufficiently attractive, the expected growth of our system could slow and our future revenues and operating cash flows could be adversely impacted.

In addition, the development of new restaurants could impact the sales of our Concepts’ existing restaurants nearby. There can be no assurance that sales cannibalization will not occur or become more significant in the future as we increase our presence in existing markets.

We may not successfully implement our transformation initiatives or fully realize the anticipated benefits from the transformation.

We are in the process of implementing our previously announced strategic transformation plans to drive global expansion of our KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell brands. Following our becoming 98% franchised as of the end of 2018, the remaining components of this transformation include, among other things, a plan to significantly reduce annual capital expenditures and our general and administrative costs by the end of 2019. We cannot assure you that we will be able to successfully implement our transformation initiatives. Further, our ability to achieve the anticipated benefits of this transformation, including the anticipated levels of cost savings and efficiency, within expected timeframes is subject to many estimates and assumptions, which are, in turn, subject to significant economic, competitive and other uncertainties, some of which are beyond our control. There is no assurance that we will successfully implement, or fully realize the anticipated positive impact of, our transformation initiatives, or execute successfully on our transformation strategy, in the expected timeframes or at all. In addition, there can be no assurance that our efforts, if properly executed, will result in our desired outcome of improved financial performance.

We have significant exposure to the Chinese market through our largest franchisee, Yum China, which subjects us to risks that could negatively affect our business.

In connection with the spin-off of our China business in 2016, we entered into a Master License Agreement with Yum China pursuant to which Yum China is the exclusive licensee of the KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell Concepts and their related marks and other intellectual property rights for restaurant services in China. Following the Separation, Yum China became, and continues to be, our largest franchisee. As a result, our overall financial results are significantly affected by Yum China’s results. Yum China's business is exposed to risks in China, which include, among others, changes in economic conditions (including consumer spending, unemployment levels and wage and commodity inflation), consumer preferences, the regulatory environment, and tax laws and regulations including the tax treatment of the royalty paid to YUM, as well as increased media scrutiny of our Concepts and industry, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, increased restrictions or tariffs on imported supplies as a result of trade disputes and increased competition. Further, any significant or prolonged deterioration in U.S.-China relations could adversely affect our Concepts in China if Chinese consumers reduce the frequency of their visits to Yum China’s restaurants. Chinese law regulates Yum China's business conducted within China. Our royalty income from the Yum China business is therefore subject to numerous uncertainties based on the policies of the Chinese government, as they may change from time to time. If Yum China’s business is harmed or development of our Concepts’ restaurants is slowed in China due to any of these factors, it could negatively impact the royalty paid by Yum China to us, which would negatively impact our financial results or our growth prospects.

Our relationship with Yum China is governed primarily by a Master License Agreement, which may be terminated upon the occurrence of certain events, such as the insolvency or bankruptcy of Yum China. In addition, if we are unable to enforce our intellectual property or contract rights in China, if Yum China is unable or unwilling to satisfy its obligations under the Master License Agreement, or if the Master License Agreement is otherwise terminated, it could result in an interruption in the operation of our brands that have been exclusively licensed to Yum China for use in China. Such interruption could cause a delay in, or loss of, royalty income to us, which would negatively impact our financial results.

Our international operations subject us to risks that could negatively affect our business.

A significant portion of our Concepts’ restaurants are operated in countries and territories outside of the U.S., including in emerging markets, and we intend to continue expansion of our international operations. As a result, our business and the businesses of our Concepts’ franchisees are increasingly exposed to risks inherent in international operations. These risks, which can vary substantially by country, include political instability, corruption, anti-American sentiment and social and ethnic unrest, as well as changes in economic conditions (including consumer spending, unemployment levels and wage and commodity inflation), the regulatory environment, income and non-income based tax rates and laws, sanctions, foreign exchange control regimes including restrictions on currency conversion, consumer preferences and the laws and policies that govern foreign investment in countries where our Concepts' restaurants are operated. In addition, we and our franchisees do business in jurisdictions that may be subject to trade or economic sanction regimes and such sanctions could be expanded. Any failure to comply with such sanction regimes or other similar laws or regulations could result in the assessment of damages, the imposition of penalties, suspension of business licenses, or a cessation of operations at our or our franchisees’ businesses, as well as damage to our and our Concepts’ brands’ images and reputations, all of which could harm our profitability.

Foreign currency risks and foreign exchange controls could adversely affect our financial results.

Our results of operations and the value of our foreign assets are affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates, which may adversely affect reported earnings. More specifically, an increase in the value of the U.S. dollar relative to other currencies, such as the Chinese Renminbi (“RMB”), Australian Dollar, the British Pound and the Euro, as well as currencies in certain other markets, such as the Malaysian Ringgit and Russian Ruble, could have an adverse effect on our reported earnings. There can be no assurance

as to the future effect of any such changes on our results of operations, financial condition or cash flows. In addition, the governments in certain countries where we operate, including China, restrict the conversion of local currency into foreign currencies and, in certain cases, the remittance of currency out of the country. Yum China’s income is almost exclusively derived from the earnings of its Chinese subsidiaries, with substantially all revenues of its Chinese subsidiaries denominated in RMB. Any significant fluctuation in the value of the RMB could materially impact the U.S. dollar value of royalty payments made to us by Yum China, which could result in lower revenues. In addition, restrictions on the conversion of RMB to U.S. dollars or further restrictions on the remittance of currency out of China could result in delays in the remittance of Yum China’s license fee, which could impact our liquidity.

Failure to protect the integrity and security of personal information of our customers and employees could result in substantial costs, expose us to litigation and damage our reputation.

We receive and maintain certain personal, financial and other information about our customers, employees and franchisees. In addition, our vendors and/or franchisees receive and maintain certain personal, financial and other information about our employees and customers. The use and handling of this information is regulated by evolving and increasingly demanding laws and regulations in various jurisdictions, as well as by certain third-party contracts. If our security and information systems are compromised as a result of data corruption or loss, cyber-attack or a network security incident or if our employees, franchisees or vendors fail to comply with these laws and regulations and this information is obtained by unauthorized persons or used inappropriately, it could result in liabilities and penalties and could damage our reputation, cause us to incur substantial costs and result in a loss of customer confidence, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. Additionally, we could be subject to litigation and government enforcement actions as a result of any such failure.

Further, data privacy is subject to frequently changing rules and regulations, which sometimes conflict among the various jurisdictions and countries where we, our Concepts and our Concepts’ franchisees do business. For example, the European Union adopted a new regulation that became effective in May 2018, The General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR"), which requires companies to meet new requirements regarding the handling of personal data. In addition, in June 2018 the State of California enacted the California Consumer Privacy Act (the “CCPA”), which will become effective in 2020, requiring companies that process information on California residents to, among other things, make new disclosures to consumers about data collection, use and sharing practices. Our failure to adhere to or successfully implement appropriate processes to adhere to the requirements of GDPR, CCPA and other evolving laws and regulations in this area could result in financial penalties, legal liability and could damage our and our Concepts’ brands’ reputations.

Unreliable or inefficient restaurant or consumer interfacing technology or the failure to successfully implement technology initiatives in the future could adversely impact operating results.

We and our Concepts’ franchisees' rely heavily on information technology systems in the conduct of our business, some of which are managed, hosted, provided and/or used by third parties, including, for example, point-of-sale processing in our restaurants, management of our supply chain and various other processes and procedures. These systems are subject to damage, interruption or failure due to theft, fire, power outages, telecommunications failure, computer viruses, security breaches, malicious cyber-attacks or other catastrophic events. Certain technology systems may also be unreliable or inefficient, and technology vendors may limit or terminate product support and maintenance, which could impact the reliability of critical systems operations. If our or our Concepts' franchisees' information technology systems are damaged or fail to function properly, we may incur substantial costs to repair or replace them, and may experience loss of critical data and interruptions or delays in our ability to manage inventories or process transactions, which could result in lost sales, customer or employee dissatisfaction, or negative publicity that could negatively impact our reputation, results of operations and financial condition.

We and our Concepts’ franchisees rely on technology not only to efficiently operate our restaurants but also to drive the customer experience, sales growth and margin improvement. Execution of our growth strategy will be dependent on our initiatives to implement technology solutions and gather and leverage data to enhance restaurant operations and improve the customer experience. Our strategic technology initiatives may not be timely implemented or may not achieve the desired results. Even if we effectively implement and manage our technology initiatives, they may not result in sales growth or margin improvement. Additionally, implementing the evolving technology demands of the consumer may place a significant financial burden on us and our Concepts’ franchisees.

There are risks associated with our increasing dependence on digital commerce platforms to maintain and grow sales. Such platforms may experience disruptions, which could harm our ability to compete and conduct our business.

Customers are increasingly using e-commerce websites and apps, both domestically and internationally, like pizzahut.com, Pizza Hut, KFC and Taco Bell apps, as well as apps owned by third-party delivery aggregators such as Grubhub and third-party mobile payment processors, to order and pay for our Concepts’ products. As a result, our Concepts and our Concepts’ franchisees are increasingly reliant on digital ordering and payment as a sales channel. These digital ordering and payment platforms could be damaged or interrupted by power loss, technological failures, user errors, cyber-attacks, other forms of sabotage or acts of God. In particular, Pizza Hut relies on digital orders for a significant portion of its sales and could experience interruptions of its digital ordering platforms, which could limit or delay customers’ ability to order through such platforms. Any such limitation or delay would negatively impact Pizza Hut’s sales and customer experience and perception. In addition, if Pizza Hut’s digital ordering platforms do not meet customers’ expectations in terms of security, speed, attractiveness, or ease of use, customers may be less inclined to return to such digital ordering platforms, which could negatively impact our sales, results of operations and financial condition.

Yum China, our largest franchisee, utilizes third-party mobile payment apps such as Alipay and WeChat as a means through which to generate sales and process payments. Should customers become unable to access mobile payment apps in China, or should the relationship between Yum China and one or more third-party mobile payment processors become interrupted, our results of operations could be negatively impacted.

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

In recent years, there has been a marked increase in the use of social media platforms, including blogs, chat platforms, social media websites, and other forms of Internet-based communications which allow individuals access to a broad audience of consumers and other interested persons. The rising popularity of social media and other consumer-oriented technologies has increased the speed and accessibility of information dissemination. 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 dissemination of information online could harm our business, reputation, financial condition, and results of operations, regardless of the information’s accuracy. The damage may be immediate without affording us an opportunity for redress or correction.

In addition, social media is frequently used by our Concepts to communicate with their respective customers and the public in general. Failure by our Concepts to use social media effectively or appropriately, particularly as compared to our Concepts’ respective competitors, could lead to a decline in brand value, customer visits and revenue. Other risks associated with the use of social media include improper disclosure of proprietary information, negative comments about our Concepts’ brands, exposure of personally identifiable information, fraud, hoaxes or malicious dissemination 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.

Shortages or interruptions in the availability and delivery of food and other supplies may increase costs or reduce revenues.

The products sold by our Concepts and their franchisees are sourced from a wide variety of domestic and international suppliers. We, along with our Concepts’ franchisees, are also dependent upon third parties to make frequent deliveries of food products and supplies that meet our specifications at competitive prices. Shortages or interruptions in the supply of food items and other supplies to our Concepts’ restaurants could adversely affect the availability, quality and cost of items we use and the operations of our restaurants. In February 2018, we and our franchisees transitioned to a new distributor for the products supplied to our approximately 900 KFCs in the United Kingdom and Ireland. In connection with this transition, certain of the restaurants experienced supply availability issues which resulted in store closures or stores operating under a limited menu for a period of time. Future, similar shortages or disruptions could be caused by inclement weather, natural disasters, inaccurate forecasting of customer demand, problems in production or distribution, restrictions on imports or exports including due to trade disputes, the inability of vendors to obtain credit, political instability in the countries in which the suppliers and distributors are located, the financial instability of suppliers and distributors, suppliers’ or distributors’ failure to meet our standards or requirements, product quality issues, inflation, other factors relating to the suppliers and distributors and the countries in which they are located, food safety warnings or advisories or the prospect of such pronouncements, product recalls, the cancellation of supply or distribution agreements or an inability to renew such arrangements or to find replacements on commercially reasonable terms, or other conditions beyond our control or the control of our Concepts’ franchisees. The pending withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, particularly if such withdrawal occurs without a transition agreement in effect, may result in the reimposition of customs and border controls, which in turn may result in shortages or interruptions in supply to our Concepts in the United Kingdom with

consequences similar to those described above. In the U.S., the Company, along with representatives of the Company’s KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell franchisee groups, are members of Restaurant Supply Chain Solutions, LLC (“RSCS"), which is responsible for purchasing certain restaurant products and equipment. Any failure or inability of RSCS to perform its purchasing obligations could result in shortages or interruptions in the availability of food and other supplies.

A shortage or interruption in the availability of certain food products or supplies could increase costs and limit the availability of products critical to restaurant operations, which in turn could lead to restaurant closures and/or a decrease in sales. In addition, failure by a key supplier or distributor for our Concepts and/or our Concepts’ franchisees to meet its service requirements could lead to a disruption of service or supply until a new supplier or distributor is engaged, and any disruption could have an adverse effect on our business.

Labor shortages or difficulty finding qualified employees could slow our growth, harm our business and reduce our profitability.

Restaurant operations are highly service-oriented and our success depends in part upon our and our Concepts’ franchisees’ ability to attract, retain and motivate a sufficient number of qualified employees, including franchisee management, restaurant managers and other crew members. The market for qualified employees in the retail food industry is very competitive. Any future inability to recruit and retain qualified individuals may delay the planned openings of new restaurants by us and our Concepts’ franchisees and could adversely impact operation of our Concepts’ existing restaurants. Any such delays, material increases in employee turnover rate in franchisee management or existing restaurants or widespread employee dissatisfaction could have a material adverse effect on our and our Concepts’ franchisees’ business and results of operations.

In addition, strikes, work slowdowns or other job actions may become more common. In the event of a strike, work slowdown or other labor unrest, the ability to adequately staff our Concepts’ restaurants could be impaired, which could result in reduced revenue and customer claims, and may distract our management from focusing on our business and strategic priorities.

Changes in labor and other operating costs could adversely affect our results of operations.

An increase in the costs of employee wages, benefits and insurance (including workers’ compensation, general liability, property and health) as well as other operating costs such as rent and energy costs could adversely affect our operating results. Such increases could result from government imposition of higher minimum wages or from general economic or competitive conditions. Any increase in such operating expenses could adversely affect our and our Concepts’ franchisees’ profit margins. In addition, competition for qualified employees could also compel us or our Concepts’ franchisees to pay higher wages to attract or retain key crew members, which could result in higher labor costs and decreased profitability.

A broader standard for determining joint employer status may adversely affect our business operations and increase our liabilities.

The National Labor Relations Board (the “NLRB”) in 2014 adopted a new and broader standard for determining when two or more otherwise unrelated employers may be found to be a joint employer of the same employees under the National Labor Relations Act. If this joint employer liability standard is upheld or adopted by other government agencies and/or applied generally to franchise relationships under other laws like the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act, it could cause us or our Concepts to be liable or held responsible for unfair labor practices and other violations and could subject our Concepts to other liabilities, and/or require our Concepts to conduct collective bargaining negotiations, regarding employees of totally separate, independent employers, most notably our Concepts’ franchisees. In such event, our operating expenses may increase as a result of required modifications to our business practices, increased litigation, governmental investigations or proceedings, administrative enforcement actions, fines and civil liability.

An increase in food prices may have an adverse impact on our and our Concepts’ franchisees’ profit margins.

Our and our Concepts’ franchisees’ businesses depend on reliable sources of large quantities of raw materials such as proteins (including poultry, pork, beef and seafood), cheese, oil, flour and vegetables (including potatoes and lettuce). Raw materials purchased for use in our Concepts’ restaurants are subject to price volatility caused by any fluctuation in aggregate supply and demand, or other external conditions, such as weather conditions or natural events or disasters that affect expected harvests of such raw materials, or taxes and tariffs including as a result of trade disputes. As a result, the historical prices of raw materials used in the operation of our Concepts’ restaurants have fluctuated. We cannot assure you that we or our Concepts’ franchisees will continue to be able to purchase raw materials at reasonable prices, or that the cost of raw materials will remain stable in the future. In addition, a significant increase in gasoline prices could result in the imposition of fuel surcharges by our distributors.

Because we and our Concepts’ franchisees provide competitively priced food, we may not have the ability to pass through to our customers the full amount of any commodity price increases. If we and our Concepts’ franchisees are unable to manage the cost

of raw materials or to increase the prices of products proportionately, our and our franchisees’ profit margins may be adversely impacted.

Our Concepts’ brands may be harmed or diluted through franchisee and third-party activity.

Although we monitor and regulate franchisee activities through our Concepts’ franchise agreements, franchisees or other third parties may refer to or make statements about our Concepts’ brands that do not make proper use of our trademarks or required designations, that improperly alter trademarks or branding, or that are critical of our Concepts’ brands or place our Concepts’ brands in a context that may tarnish their reputation. This may result in dilution of, or harm to, our intellectual property or the value of our Concepts’ brands.

Franchisee noncompliance with the terms and conditions of our franchise agreements may reduce the overall goodwill of our Concepts’ brands, whether through the failure to meet health and safety standards, engage in quality control or maintain product consistency, or through the participation in improper or objectionable business practices. Moreover, unauthorized third parties, including our Concepts’ current and former franchisees, may use our intellectual property to trade on the goodwill of our Concepts’ brands, resulting in consumer confusion or brand dilution. Any reduction of our Concepts’ brands’ goodwill, consumer confusion, or brand dilution is likely to impact sales, and could materially and adversely impact our business and results of operations.

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

Our success depends in large part upon our ability and our Concepts’ franchisees’ ability to maintain and enhance the value of our brands and our customers’ loyalty to our brands. 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, franchisees, competitors, governments, suppliers or distributors, can significantly reduce brand value and consumer trust, particularly if the incidents receive considerable publicity or result in litigation. For example, our Concepts’ brands could be damaged by claims or perceptions about the quality or safety of our products or the quality or reputation of our suppliers, distributors or franchisees, regardless of whether such claims or perceptions are true. Similarly, entities in our supply chain may engage in conduct, including alleged human rights abuses or environmental wrongdoing, and any such conduct could damage our or our Concepts’ brands’ reputations. Any such incidents (even if resulting from actions of a competitor or franchisee) could cause a decline directly or indirectly in consumer confidence in, or the perception of, our Concepts’ 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, or an employee or representative of us or a franchisee.

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 regularly involved in legal proceedings, which include consumer, employment, real estate related, tort, intellectual property, breach of contract, securities, derivative and other litigation. See the discussion of legal proceedings in Note 19 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Form 10-K. 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 such claims have merit, or whether we are ultimately held liable or settle, 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 Concepts’ reputations, 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. These concerns could lead to an increase in the regulation of the content or marketing of our products. We may also be subject to such 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 Concepts’ reputations and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Changes in, or noncompliance with, governmental regulations may adversely affect our business operations, growth prospects or financial condition.

Our Concepts and their franchisees are subject to numerous laws and regulations around the world. These laws change regularly and are increasingly complex. For example, we are subject to:

•	The Americans with Disabilities Act in the U.S. and similar state laws that give civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities in the context of employment, public accommodations and other areas.

•	The U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act, which governs matters such as minimum wages, overtime and other working conditions, as well as family leave mandates and a variety of similar state laws that govern these and other employment law matters.

•	Laws and regulations in government-mandated health care benefits such as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in the U.S.

•	Laws and regulations relating to nutritional content, nutritional labeling, product safety, product marketing and menu labeling.

•	Laws relating to state and local licensing.

•	Laws relating to the relationship between franchisors and franchisees.

•	Laws and regulations relating to health, sanitation, food, workplace safety, child labor, including laws regulating the use of certain “hazardous equipment”, and fire safety and prevention.

•	Laws and regulations relating to union organizing rights and activities.

•	Laws relating to information security, privacy (including the European Union's GDPR), cashless payments, and consumer protection.

•	Laws relating to currency conversion or exchange.

•	Laws relating to international trade and sanctions.

•	Tax laws and regulations.

•	Anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws.

•	Environmental laws and regulations.

•	Federal and state immigration laws and regulations in the U.S.

Compliance with new or existing laws and regulations could impact our or our Concepts’ franchisees’ operations. The compliance costs associated with these laws and regulations could be substantial. Any failure or alleged failure to comply with these laws or regulations could adversely affect our reputation, international expansion efforts, growth prospects and financial results or result in, among other things, litigation, revocation of required licenses, internal investigations, governmental investigations or proceedings, administrative enforcement actions, fines and civil and criminal liability. Publicity relating to any such noncompliance could also harm our Concepts’ reputations and adversely affect our revenues.

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

The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the UK Bribery Act 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. 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 in emerging markets and elsewhere. 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 our reputation, brands, international expansion efforts and growth prospects, business and operating results. Publicity relating to any noncompliance or alleged noncompliance could also harm our Concepts’ reputations and adversely affect our revenues and results of operations.

Tax matters, including changes in tax rates or laws, disagreements with taxing 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 payroll, sales, use, value-added, net worth, property, withholding and franchise taxes in both the U.S. and various foreign jurisdictions. We are also subject to ongoing and/or regular reviews, examinations and audits by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and other taxing authorities with respect to such income and non-income based taxes inside and outside of the U.S. Our accruals for tax liabilities are based on past experience, interpretations of applicable law, and judgments about potential actions by tax authorities, but such accruals require significant judgment which may be incorrect and may result in payments greater than the amounts accrued. If the IRS or another taxing authority disagrees with our tax positions, we could face additional tax liabilities, including interest and penalties. Payment of additional amounts upon final settlement or adjudication of any disputes could have a material impact on our results of operations and financial position.

In addition, we are directly and indirectly affected by new tax laws and regulation and the interpretation of tax laws and regulations worldwide. Changes in laws, regulation or interpretation of existing laws and regulations in the U.S. 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. Changes in tax laws may arise as a result of guidance issued by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (“OECD”), a coalition of member nations including the United States. The OECD guidance, referred to as the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (“BEPS”) Action Plan, does not have the force of law, but certain countries may enact tax legislation, modify tax treaties, and/or increase audit scrutiny based on the BEPS guidance. To the extent BEPS principles are adopted by major jurisdictions in which we operate, it could increase our taxes and have a material adverse impact on our results of operations and financial position. In addition, public perception that we are not paying a sufficient amount of taxes could damage our Concepts’ reputations, which could harm our profitability.

The Yum China spin-off and certain related transactions could result in substantial U.S. tax liability.

We received opinions of outside counsel substantially to the effect that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Yum China spin-off and certain related transactions qualified as generally tax-free under Sections 355 and 361 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. The opinions relied on various facts and assumptions, as well as certain representations as to factual matters and undertakings (including with respect to future conduct) made by Yum China and us. If any of these facts, assumptions, representations or undertakings are incorrect or not satisfied, we may not be able to rely on these opinions of outside counsel. Accordingly, notwithstanding receipt of the opinions of outside counsel, the conclusions reached in the tax opinions may be challenged by the IRS. Because the opinions are not binding on the IRS or the courts, there can be no assurance that the IRS or the courts will not prevail in any such challenge.

If, notwithstanding receipt of any opinion, the IRS were to conclude that the Yum China spin-off was taxable, in general, we would recognize taxable gain as if we had sold the Yum China common stock in a taxable sale for its fair market value. In addition, each U.S. holder of our Common Stock who received shares of Yum China common stock in connection with the spin-off transaction would generally be treated as having received a taxable distribution of property in an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares of Yum China common stock received. That distribution would be taxable to each such U.S. stockholder as a dividend to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits. For each such U.S. stockholder, any amount that exceeded our earnings and profits would be treated first as a non-taxable return of capital to the extent of such stockholder’s tax basis in our shares of Common Stock with any remaining amount being taxed as a capital gain.

The Yum China spin-off may be subject to China indirect transfer tax.

In February 2015, the Chinese State Administration of Taxation (“SAT”) issued the Bulletin on Several Issues of Enterprise Income Tax on Income Arising from Indirect Transfers of Property by Non-resident Enterprises (“Bulletin 7”). Pursuant to Bulletin 7, an “indirect transfer” of Chinese taxable assets, including equity interests in a China resident enterprise (“Chinese interests”), by a non-resident enterprise, may be recharacterized and treated as a direct transfer of Chinese taxable assets, if such arrangement does not have reasonable commercial purpose and the transferor has avoided payment of Chinese enterprise income tax. Using general anti-tax avoidance provisions, the SAT may treat an indirect transfer as a direct transfer of Chinese interests if the transfer has avoided 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.

We evaluated the potential applicability of Bulletin 7 in connection with the Separation in the form of a tax free restructuring and believe it is more likely than not that Bulletin 7 does not apply. We believe that the restructuring has reasonable commercial purpose.

However, there are significant uncertainties regarding what constitutes a reasonable commercial purpose, how the safe harbor provisions for group restructurings are to be interpreted and how the Chinese tax authorities will ultimately view the spin-off. As a result, our position could be challenged by the Chinese tax authorities resulting in a tax at a rate of 10% assessed on the difference between the fair market value and the tax basis of Yum China. As our tax basis in Yum China was minimal, the amount of such a tax could be significant and have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and our financial condition.

Failure to protect our service marks or other intellectual property could harm our business.

We regard our Yum®, KFC®, Pizza Hut® and Taco Bell® service marks, and other service marks and trademarks related to our restaurant businesses, as having significant value and being important to our marketing efforts. We rely on a combination of

protections provided by contracts, copyrights, patents, trademarks, service marks and other common law rights, such as trade secret and unfair competition laws, to protect our restaurants and services from infringement. We have registered certain trademarks and service marks in the U.S. and foreign jurisdictions. However, from time to time we become aware of names and marks identical or confusingly similar to our service marks being used by other persons. Although our policy is to oppose any such infringement, further or unknown unauthorized uses or other misappropriation of our trademarks or service marks could diminish the value of our brands and adversely affect our business. In addition, effective intellectual property protection may not be available in every country in which our Concepts have, or may in the future open or franchise, a restaurant. There can be no assurance that these protections will be adequate, and defending or enforcing our service marks and other intellectual property could result in the expenditure of significant resources. We may also face claims of infringement that could interfere with the use of the proprietary know-how, concepts, recipes, or trade secrets used in our business. Defending against such claims may be costly, and we may be prohibited from using such proprietary information in the future or forced to pay damages, royalties, or other fees for using such proprietary information, any of which could negatively affect our business, reputation, financial condition, and results of operations.

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

Purchases at our Concepts’ restaurants are discretionary for consumers and, therefore, our results of operations are susceptible to economic slowdowns and recessions. Our and our franchisees' results of operations are dependent upon discretionary spending by consumers, which may be affected by general economic conditions globally or in one or more of the markets we serve. 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 financial condition and operating results.

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

The retail food industry in which our Concepts operate is highly competitive with respect to price and quality of food products, new product development, digital engagement, advertising levels and promotional initiatives, customer service, reputation, restaurant location, and attractiveness and maintenance of properties. If consumer or dietary preferences change, if our marketing efforts are unsuccessful, or if our Concepts’ restaurants are unable to compete successfully with other retail food outlets in new and existing markets, our and our franchisees' businesses 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 delivery aggregators and other food delivery services has also increased in recent years, particularly in urbanized areas, and is expected to continue to increase. Increased competition could have an adverse effect on sales, profitability or development plans, which could harm our or our franchisees’ financial condition and operating results.

Our substantial indebtedness makes us more sensitive to adverse economic conditions, may limit our ability to plan for or respond to significant changes in our business, and requires a significant amount of cash to service our debt payment obligations that we may be unable to generate or obtain.

As of December 31, 2018, our total outstanding short-term borrowings and long-term debt was approximately $10 billion. Subject to the limits contained in the agreements governing our outstanding indebtedness, we may incur additional debt from time to time, which would increase the risks related to our high level of indebtedness.

Specifically, our high level of indebtedness could have important potential consequences, including, but not limited to:

•	increasing our vulnerability to, and reducing our flexibility to plan for and respond to, adverse economic and industry conditions and changes in our business and the competitive environment;

•	requiring the dedication of a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to the payment of principal of, and interest on, indebtedness, thereby reducing the availability of such cash flow to fund working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, dividends, share repurchases or other corporate purposes;

•	increasing our vulnerability to a downgrade of our credit rating, which could adversely affect our cost of funds, liquidity and access to capital markets;

•	restricting us from making strategic acquisitions or causing us to make non-strategic divestitures;

•	placing us at a disadvantage compared to other less leveraged competitors or competitors with comparable debt at more favorable interest rates;

•	increasing our exposure to the risk of increased interest rates insofar as current and future borrowings are subject to variable rates of interest;

•	increasing our exposure to the risk of discontinuance or modification of certain reference rates including LIBOR, which are used to calculate applicable interest rates of our indebtedness and certain derivative instruments that hedge interest rate risk;

•	making it more difficult for us to repay, refinance or satisfy our obligations with respect to our debt;

•	limiting our ability to borrow additional funds in the future and increasing the cost of any such borrowing;

•	imposing restrictive covenants on our operations, which, if not complied with, could result in an event of default, which in turn, if not cured or waived, could result in the acceleration of the applicable debt, and may result in the acceleration of any other debt to which a cross-acceleration or cross-default provision applies; and

•	increasing our exposure to risks related to fluctuations in foreign currency as we earn profits in a variety of currencies around the world and our debt is primarily denominated in U.S. dollars.

There is no assurance that we will generate cash flow from operations or that future debt or equity financings will be available to us to enable us to pay our indebtedness or to fund other liquidity needs. If our business does not generate sufficient cash flow from operations in the amounts projected or at all, or if future borrowings are not available to us in amounts sufficient to pay our indebtedness or to fund other liquidity needs, our financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected. As a result, we may need to refinance all or a portion of our indebtedness on or before maturity. There is no assurance that we will be able to refinance any of our indebtedness on favorable terms, or at all. Any inability to generate sufficient cash flow or refinance our indebtedness on favorable terms could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition.