Home Blog Page 447

Appier Advances AI Self-Awareness to Unlock Enterprise ROI

Four research capabilities position Agentic AI as a trustworthy decision partner for enterprises

SINGAPORE, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As AI systems become more capable of answering questions and executing tasks, the central question for enterprises has shifted from whether AI can be used to whether it can be trusted. Many AI systems continue to deliver confident responses even when uncertain—an issue that, in business contexts, can escalate from a poor user experience into operational risk.

Appier, an AI-native Agentic AI as a Service (AaaS) company, today announced new research from its global AI team focused on a critical capability: AI self-awareness. The research enables AI to ask more precisely, assess risk, and recognize the limits of its own knowledge. These capabilities are embedded across its Ad Cloud, Personalization Cloud, and Data Cloud—accelerating the transition from usable AI to trustworthy AI, and positioning AI as a reliable decision partner for enterprises.

Enterprise AI risk is no longer hypothetical. From customer service errors to content hallucinations, a consistent pattern has emerged across the industry: AI frequently fails to recognize when it should not respond at all. “As AI agents increasingly connect people, tools, and software into more complex systems, the true source of enterprise advantage will be whether AI can be trusted to make decisions,” said Dr. Chih-Han Yu, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Appier. “Through our proprietary data, domain expertise, industry-specific models, and frontier research, Appier is bringing trustworthy Agentic AI into real-world business scenarios and enabling enterprises to make decisions alongside AI with confidence.”

Appier has long invested in academic–industry collaboration and frontier research, publishing over 400 papers in leading international journals and conferences. Its recent work on trustworthy Agentic AI has been recognized at top-tier venues including NeurIPS, ACL, and EMNLP.

Appier has identified four key barriers to enterprise AI adoption: Models lose previously learned capabilities after fine-tuning, AI either guesses without sufficient information, or asks too many clarifying questions when faced with ambiguity. Systems lack the risk awareness required to determine when to respond. Traditional benchmarks fail to measure whether AI can actually solve a given task.

To address these challenges, Appier has developed four corresponding capabilities that enable AI to ask precisely, evaluate risk, retain prior knowledge, and accurately assess its own limits.

For precise inquiry, Appier’s research found that internal model judgment alone is insufficient. By incorporating verifiable external feedback and cross-model validation prior to responding, AI can ask more relevant questions and improve the balance between task accuracy and user experience by over 30%.

For risk assessment, Appier applies a “skill decomposition” approach that separates problem-solving, confidence estimation, and expected-value decision-making—allowing AI to act more rationally under uncertainty and reduce high-risk expected loss by 60–70%.

For capability calibration, Appier has introduced a novel mechanism that predicts the probability of a correct answer before responding, providing clearer visibility into capability boundaries at near-zero inference cost (less than one token).

To address catastrophic forgetting, Appier developed a fine-tuning method that identifies and avoids high-perplexity tokens, preserving prior reasoning and instruction-following abilities. This approach reduces performance degradation on non-target tasks to near zero, with a preprocessing time of approximately eight minutes—enabling more stable and efficient deployment in enterprise environments.

These research advances are already integrated into Appier’s AI Agent workflows. In consumer-facing scenarios, a beauty brand’s AI agent without self-awareness might respond to a Mother’s Day restaurant inquiry with off-brand content, fabricate product details, or over-promote its offerings—damaging brand trust.

By contrast, Appier’s Sales and Service Agents understand their boundaries, decline to answer beyond their expertise, clarify ambiguous queries before responding, and recommend products only when appropriate, reducing the risk of misinformation and inappropriate interactions.

The same principle applies in enterprise operations. When a marketer requests an audience of over 100,000 users spanning five years for a Mother’s Day campaign — but the system has access to only one year of data — Appier’s Audience Agent does not fabricate a response. Instead, it flags the data limitation, clarifies the requirement, and proposes viable alternatives with a clear explanation of the trade-offs, reducing operational decision risk. In current deployments, Appier AI Agents block 80%[1] of risky responses for enterprise users, with performance continuing to improve as data evolves.

The future of enterprise AI will be defined not by capability alone, but by trust. As AI evolves from a tool into an “AI colleague,” enterprises require agents that know when to answer, when to ask, and when to decline. By integrating research, technology, and product innovation, Appier is closing this critical gap—transforming AI into a trustworthy partner that delivers measurable, sustainable business outcomes.

About Appier

Appier (TSE: 4180) is an AI-native Agentic AI as a Service (AaaS) company that empowers business decision-making with cutting-edge AdTech and MarTech solutions. Founded in 2012 with the vision of “Making AI Easy by making software intelligent,” Appier endeavors to help businesses turn AI into ROI with its Ad Cloud, Personalization Cloud, and Data Cloud solutions. Now Appier has 17 offices across APAC, the US and EMEA, and is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Visit www.appier.com for more company information, and visit ir.appier.com/en/ for more IR information.

[1] The 80% benchmark is configurable with each customer. Higher thresholds are achievable but typically require more model usage and cost, balancing risk tolerance with efficiency

CONTACT: pr@appier.com

 

Bybit Launches “Master Trader’s Showtime: TradFi vs Crypto” Tournament With 200,000 USDT Prize Pool

DUBAI, UAE, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, has announced the launch of its “Master Trader’s Showtime: TradFi vs Crypto,” a multi-round global trading competition designed to highlight performance across traditional finance and cryptocurrency strategies, with a total prize pool of 200,000 USDT.

The competition will take place over two independent rounds. Round 1 is active now and will run until May 13, 2026, at 10:00 UTC, followed by Round 2 from May 18, 2026, at 10:00 UTC to June 2, 2026, at 10:00 UTC. Each round will feature its own leaderboard and prize pool of 100,000 USDT.

Participants will compete as Master Traders on Bybit Copy Trading, selecting either a Classic or TradFi trading category at registration. Rankings will be determined by a combination of total team trading volume and profit and loss performance, factoring in both Master Traders and their Followers. Followers are automatically enrolled upon copying a registered Master Trader.

To qualify for leaderboard placement, participants must meet minimum trading volume thresholds. Classic traders are required to reach at least 75,000 USDT in total Copy Trading volume, while TradFi participants must achieve at least 1,500,000 USDx. Each Master Trader must also maintain a minimum of 20 active Followers.

The competition will reward the top 50 Master Traders in each round. The first-place team will receive 25,000 USDT, followed by 12,000 USDT for second place and 8,000 USDT for third. Additional rewards will be distributed across lower-ranked positions, with payouts shared between Master Traders and their Followers. Master Traders receive 50 percent of total rewards, while the remaining portion is distributed proportionally among Followers based on trading volume.

In addition to leaderboard rewards, the event includes engagement-based incentives. During the first week of each round, users may allocate “likes” to Master Traders. If a liked trader finishes within the top three, eligible participants may share in a 1,000 USDT reward pool. Additional boosted rewards are available for users who both like and continue copying a Master Trader throughout the round.

Leaderboard standings will be updated daily on a T+1 basis, with final rankings verified following internal compliance and data reviews. Rewards will be distributed as USDT airdrops to eligible participants within 14 working days after the conclusion of each round.

Participation is subject to eligibility requirements, including identity verification and geographic restrictions. The event is not available to users residing in the European Economic Area. Institutional users and market makers are also excluded.

The tournament is designed to encourage competitive trading while reinforcing transparency and fairness across its Copy Trading ecosystem.

#Bybit / #NewFinancialPlatform

Bybit Launches “Master Trader’s Showtime: TradFi vs Crypto” Tournament With 200,000 USDT Prize Pool
Bybit Launches “Master Trader’s Showtime: TradFi vs Crypto” Tournament With 200,000 USDT Prize Pool

About Bybit

Bybit is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving a global community of over 80 million users. Founded in 2018, Bybit is redefining openness in the decentralized world by creating a simpler, open and equal ecosystem for everyone. With a strong focus on Web3, Bybit partners strategically with leading blockchain protocols to provide robust infrastructure and drive on-chain innovation. Renowned for its secure custody, diverse marketplaces, intuitive user experience, and advanced blockchain tools, Bybit bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi, empowering builders, creators, and enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of Web3. Discover the future of decentralized finance at Bybit.com.

For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press
For media inquiries, please contact: media@bybit.com
For updates, please follow: Bybit’s Communities and Social Media

Discord | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Reddit | Telegram | TikTok | X | Youtube

iQIYI Launches Variety Show “Voices of Youth”, Putting China’s First Pop Performance Choral Show on a Global Stage

BEIJING, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On April 24, iQIYI, China’s leading online entertainment platform, launched “Voices of Youth”, a brand-new variety show bringing together 25 young artists spanning vocalists, idol artists, crossover actors, and emerging musicians to form China’s first pop performance choral show. Before its premiere, the show topped the Most Anticipated Variety Shows chart on Weibo, China’s leading social media platform, multiple times and debuted simultaneously on iQIYI International across markets to strong reception.

“Voices of Youth” introduces a first-of-its-kind “pop performance choral” format, moving beyond both traditional choral conventions and domestic idol competition shows. Integrating SATB (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass) four-part professional choral arrangements with dance and theatrical staging, the show uses mixed-voice ensembles to enrich the musical texture and elevate the visual impact, delivering an immersive audiovisual experience that bridges choral artistry and popular culture. Grounded in the creative energy of today’s Chinese youth, the format speaks a musical language familiar to international audiences.

The show follows 25 young artists through intensive training, competitive stage performance, and international cultural exchange, chronicling their journey from strangers into a unified ensemble and capturing the passion and camaraderie that define the experience of youth.

In its song selection and arrangements, the show is closely attuned to the aesthetic preferences of younger audiences, bringing choral music out of the concert hall and into the mainstream. The production team applies a world-class choral training framework across varieties of full-scale stage productions this season, holding every performance to rigorous artistic standards. Beyond the stage, the show serves as a platform for international cultural exchange, bringing together leading choral ensembles from China and abroad to showcase the musical talent and spirit of today’s Chinese youth, and to build genuine connections between young artists across cultures.

“Voices of Youth” is the latest example of iQIYI’s investment in original variety show, developing new formats that go beyond existing IP. By pairing a universally accessible art form, the series is part of iQIYI’s broader effort to bring Chinese creative talent to a global audience.

CONTACT: iQIYI Press
press@qiyi.com

INTCO Medical Reports 2025 Results with Resilient Growth, Revenue Reaches Four-Year High as Industry Rebalances

ZIBO, China, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — INTCO Medical (“INTCO” or “the Company”), a leading global manufacturer of disposable gloves, reported its 2025 annual results, with revenue reaching RMB 9.93 billion (approximately US$1.46 billion), up 4.23% year over year and marking a four-year high.

The company’s annualized production capacity for disposable non-latex gloves reached 103 billion pieces, including 70 billion nitrile gloves, placing INTCO among the world’s largest disposable glove manufacturers by production capacity and a top global nitrile glove manufacturer.

Intco Medical Business Segments: Medical Consumables, Rehabilitation Medical Equipment and Physical Therapy
Intco Medical Business Segments: Medical Consumables, Rehabilitation Medical Equipment and Physical Therapy

During the reporting period, INTCO maintained stable operations amid industry rebalancing. Net profit attributable to shareholders reached RMB 1.01 billion (approximately US$148.03 million), while total assets exceeded RMB 40 billion (approximately US$5.86 billion), up 15.77% year over year. Gross margin rose 0.48 percentage points to 24.12%, and net cash flow from operating activities increased 74.69% to RMB 1.89 billion (approximately US$277.00 million), supporting the company’s global expansion and long-term growth.

Scale and Manufacturing Capabilities Strengthen Core Business

Disposable gloves remained INTCO Medical’s core business. As of the end of 2025, the company operated 10 R&D and manufacturing bases worldwide, with annualized capacity for disposable non-latex gloves reaching 103 billion pieces, including 70 billion nitrile gloves and 33 billion vinyl gloves.

The company continued to enhance its automated production systems, self-developed production lines and precision DCS systems to improve production efficiency, energy utilization and product quality. Its production scale remained among the industry’s largest, with product yield continuing to stay above 99%.

With a global development strategy, INTCO Medical expanded overseas production capacity, including new facilities in Vietnam, strengthening supply chain resilience, supporting stable delivery and enhancing responsiveness to regional demand.

Beyond its core glove business, INTCO expanded its healthcare and personal protection portfolio, with rehabilitation medical equipment and physical therapy businesses growing and supporting a more balanced revenue mix.

Global Reach, Innovation and Digitalization Support Long-Term Growth

Investment in innovation remained a key strategic priority. In 2025, research and development spending reached RMB 404 million (approximately US$59.21 million), representing 4.07% of revenue and significantly above the industry average, reflecting the company’s continued commitment to innovation.

The company continued to advance new materials, automation technologies, and product development, including the launch of innovative products such as Syntex™ Synthetic Disposable Latex Gloves and Synmax Pro Exam Gloves. Total patent holdings continued to grow, strengthening long-term competitive barriers.

INTCO continued to deepen its global market network, serving more than 15,000 customers across more than 150 countries and regions. Supported by a global marketing team of nearly 500 professionals, the company has established marketing and service centers in the U.S., Canada, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong SAR, China, with plans to further expand in the Middle East, South America and Oceania to better support local customers.

INTCO is integrating digital technologies and AI across its operations, using data platforms and AI-driven tools to improve efficiency, decision-making and internal capabilities. The company continued to advance its ESG practices, including wind and solar projects that generated 12,537.23 MWh of clean energy in 2025, supporting sustainable development.

Looking ahead, INTCO will leverage its scale, technology and global network to strengthen its healthcare supply chain, improve efficiency, expand overseas capacity and accelerate product innovation.

About INTCO Medical

INTCO Medical is a leading global manufacturer of disposable gloves. As a high-tech manufacturing company, INTCO specializes in the R&D, production and marketing of medical consumables and durable medical equipment. The company’s core business segments include medical consumables, rehabilitation medical equipment and physical therapy. For more information, please visit https://www.intcomedical.com/.

State Grid Changzhou Power Pioneers Drone-Based Ultraviolet Imaging Technology for Precision Power Line Fault Detection

CHANGZHOU, China, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — State Grid Changzhou Power Supply Company has deployed drone-based ultraviolet (UV) imaging technology for the first time to enable precision inspection of distribution lines in Liyang, Changzhou. The new technical solution supports early detection, accurate evaluation and timely disposal of hidden line defects, strengthening the reliability and operational safety of the local power grid.

Equipped with a professional UV imager, a DJI M350 drone executed automatic, high-precision scanning of key power facilities such as line insulators and wire connectors via preset flight routes. Distinct from conventional inspection approaches, UV imaging can sensitively capture ultraviolet signals triggered by electrical anomalies and identify subtle corona discharge defects invisible to the human eye. As a critical early warning sign of equipment failure, corona discharge can be detected in advance, enabling targeted troubleshooting and proactive risk prevention.

This smart inspection method allows maintenance teams to pinpoint faults remotely without pole climbing or close access to live equipment. It effectively boosts inspection efficiency and accuracy while eliminating safety hazards from high-altitude live-line operations, substantially elevating the overall safety and intelligence level of grid maintenance.

The adoption of drone UV imaging technology represents a key step in State Grid Changzhou Power’s digital and intelligent upgrade of grid operation and maintenance. Centering on technology-enabled smart grid management, the company has advanced drone inspection from manual operation to autonomous cruising and established a comprehensive air-ground-space integrated inspection system.

Furthermore, the company has launched an intelligent early warning system powered by more than 10,000 high-definition monitoring devices, realizing round-the-clock real-time monitoring of line operating status and forming a standardized closed-loop mechanism for defect identification, assessment and rectification. With continuous technological innovation and refined management, State Grid Changzhou Power delivers stable, high-quality power supply, underpinning the secure operation of the regional power grid and sustaining local high-quality economic and social development.

Hisense Partners with Phantom Blade Zero to Showcase Next-Gen RGB Gaming Experience

QINGDAO, China, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Hisense, a leading brand in global consumer electronics and home appliances, today reaffirmed its partnership with Phantom Blade Zero, serving as the Global Official Partner across both TV and monitor categories for the upcoming title developed by S-GAME.


At Gamescom LATAM 2026, Hisense brings this partnership to life—demonstrating how display technologies can elevate real gameplay scenarios and deepen player immersion, as part of its broader expansion into the gaming ecosystem.

At the core of this collaboration is Hisense’s display technology, which delivers enhanced color expression and contrast performance. For Phantom Blade Zero, this means smoother combat visuals, richer environmental detail, and atmospheric lighting, bringing its cinematic Wuxia-inspired world to life with depth and fluidity. As players step into the role of a warrior navigating fate, every movement, shadow, and strike is rendered with heightened realism.

“Great gaming experiences are built on both emotional immersion and precise responsiveness,” said Paul Zhang, General Manager of Brand and Marketing Department, Hisense Global Commercial Center. “For a title like Phantom Blade Zero, where Wuxia aesthetics meet fast-paced action, our display technology is designed to faithfully express every motion and mood—so players don’t just see the world but feel fully part of it.”

Julius Li, Marketing Director at S-GAME, added: “Together, we bring global audiences a fully immersive cinematic experience: breathless fast-paced combat, a mesmerizing, otherworldly KungfuPunk realm, and sweeping cinematic Wuxia storytelling rich with tangled fate, passion, and rivalry… making every strike, every scene, and every dramatic beat feel vividly, unforgettably real.”

Rooted in its vision to Innovate a Brighter Life, Hisense continues to advance a human-centric approach to innovation—connecting cutting-edge display technology with meaningful user experiences. Through this partnership, Hisense brings players closer to the worlds they play, delivering visuals that are not only more vivid, but intuitive and immersive.

About Hisense

Hisense, founded in 1969, is a globally recognized leader in home appliances and consumer electronics with operations in over 160 countries, specializing in delivering high-quality multimedia products, home appliances, and intelligent IT solutions. According to Omdia, Hisense ranks No. 1 globally in the 100-inch and over TV segment (2023-2025). As The Origin of RGB MiniLED, Hisense continues to lead the next-generation RGB MiniLED innovation. As the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026TM, Hisense is committed to global sports partnerships as a way to connect with audiences worldwide.

Yum China Reports First Quarter 2026 Results

Delivered 10% Revenue Growth and 12% Operating Profit Growth with Record Quarterly Net New Store Openings
OP Margin Expanded Year Over Year for the Eighth Consecutive Quarter
Diluted EPS Up 13%, or 11% Excluding Mark-to-Market and F/X Impact
On Track to Return $1.5 Billion to Shareholders in 2026, Around 9% of Current Market Capitalization

SHANGHAI, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Yum China Holdings, Inc. (the “Company” or “Yum China”) (NYSE: YUMC and HKEX: 9987) today reported unaudited results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026.

First Quarter Highlights

  • Total system sales grew 4% year over year (“YoY”), excluding foreign currency translation (“F/X”).
  • Same-store sales reached 100% of the prior year’s level. Same-store transactions grew 2% YoY, the 13th consecutive quarter of growth.
  • Total revenues increased 10% YoY to $3.3 billion, or a 4% increase excluding F/X.
  • Opened 636 net new stores, an all-time quarterly high and more than double the openings in the same quarter last year, with 39% opened by franchisees. Total store count reached 18,737 as of March 31, 2026.
  • Operating profit grew 12% YoY to $447 million, a first-quarter record high. Core operating profit grew 6% YoY.
  • OP margin was 13.7%, an increase of 30 basis points YoY, the 8th consecutive quarter of OP margin expansion.
  • Restaurant margin was 18.2%, a decrease of 40 basis points YoY, primarily due to increased rider cost from a higher delivery mix, partially offset by streamlined operations.
  • Diluted EPS increased 13% YoY to $0.87, or up 7% excluding F/X, and up 11% further excluding the impact1 of the mark-to-market equity investments.
  • Returned $316 million to shareholders through $214 million in share repurchases and $102 million in cash dividends.
  • Delivery sales grew 31% YoY. Delivery contributed approximately 54% of total Company sales, up from 42% in the same quarter last year.
  • Active Members of KFC or Pizza Hut, defined as those who transacted in the past 12 months, exceeded 270 million, representing a 9% YoY increase.

CEO Comments

Joey Wat, CEO of Yum China, commented, “We delivered solid results in a dynamic environment, and remain encouraged by early signs of improving consumer sentiment. The late timing of Chinese New Year and the extra April spring break affected gathering patterns and same-store sales growth in Q1. However, combined March and April trading has so far been in line with our expectations. In Q1, we accelerated store openings to a record level to capture significant market opportunities. At the same time, we drove system sales growth, operating profit growth and OP margin expansion for the eighth consecutive quarter, thanks to our teams’ dedication.”

Wat continued, “Importantly, same–store transactions increased for the 13th consecutive quarter for both Yum China and Pizza Hut. KFC achieved positive same–store sales growth for the fourth consecutive quarter and continued to capture new occasions through the rapid rollout of KCOFFEE cafe and KPRO side-by-side modules, and car-side pickup services. Pizza Hut delivered 18% operating profit growth on top of last year’s 27% increase and further improved its restaurant and OP margins, while entering more than 100 new cities in Q1, with WOW as the key driver.”

Wat concluded, “Looking ahead, we will fuel further growth through front-end segmentation and back-end consolidation. With our strong foundation, dual focus on innovation and operational efficiency, and a more rational delivery platform competition, we are confident in delivering our full-year targets and creating sustainable long–term value for our shareholders.”

1 Refers to a 4 cents favorable F/X impact, an unfavorable impact from a mark-to-market loss of 3 cents in the first quarter of 2026 and a mark-to-market gain of 0.4 cent in the first quarter of 2025.

Key Financial Results

First Quarter

%/ppts Change

2026

2025

Reported

Ex F/X

System Sales Growth (2) (%)

4

2

NM

NM

Same-Store Sales Growth (2) (%)

Even

Even

NM

NM

Operating Profit ($mn)

447

399

+12

+6

Adjusted Operating Profit (3) ($mn)

447

399

+12

+6

Core Operating Profit (3) (4) ($mn)

423

399

NM

+6

OP Margin (5) (%)

13.7

13.4

+0.3

+0.2

Core OP Margin (3) (6) (%)

13.6

13.4

NM

+0.2

Net Income ($mn)

309

292

+6

Even

Adjusted Net Income (3) ($mn)

309

292

+6

Even

Diluted Earnings Per Common Share ($)

0.87

0.77

+13

+7

Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Common Share (3) ($)

0.87

0.77

+13

+7

2 System sales and same-store sales percentages exclude the impact of F/X. Effective January 1, 2018, temporary store closures are normalized in the same-store sales calculation by excluding the period during which stores are temporarily closed.

3 See “Reconciliation of Reported GAAP Results to Non-GAAP Measures” included in the accompanying tables of this release for further details.

4 Core operating profit is defined as operating profit adjusted for special items, further excluding items affecting comparability and the impact of F/X. The Company uses core operating profit for the purposes of evaluating the performance of its core operations. Current period amounts are derived by translating results at average exchange rates of the prior year period.

5 OP margin refers to operating profit as a percentage of total revenues.

6 Core OP margin refers to core operating profit as a percentage of total revenues excluding F/X.

Note: All comparisons are versus the same period a year ago.

Percentages may not recompute due to rounding.

NM refers to not meaningful.

Capital Returns to Shareholders

  • The Company is on track to return $1.5 billion each year from 2024 to 2026, which is annually around 9% of our market capitalization as of April 28, 2026.
  • In the first quarter of 2026, the Company returned $316 million in capital to shareholders through $214 million in share repurchases and $102 million in cash dividends. The Company repurchased 4.1 million shares of common stock during the quarter.
  • The Board declared a cash dividend of $0.29 per share on Yum China’s common stock, payable on June 17, 2026 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on May 27, 2026.
  • Starting in 2027, the Company plans to return approximately 100% of annual free cash flow after subsidiaries’ dividend payments to non-controlling interests. This is anticipated to translate into an average annual return of approximately $900 million to over $1 billion in 2027 and 2028, and to exceed $1 billion in 2028.

KFC

First Quarter

%/ppts Change

2026

2025

Reported

Ex F/X

Restaurants

13,454

11,943

+13

NM

System Sales Growth (%)

5

3

NM

NM

Same-Store Sales Growth (%)

1

Even

NM

NM

Total Revenues ($mn)

2,453

2,246

+9

+4

Operating Profit ($mn)

417

386

+8

+3

Core Operating Profit ($mn)

396

386

NM

+3

OP Margin (%)

17.0

17.2

(0.2)

(0.2)

Restaurant Margin (%)

19.1

19.8

(0.7)

(0.7)

  • System sales for KFC grew 5% YoY. Same-store sales increased 1% YoY, the fourth consecutive quarter of growth. Same-store transactions also grew 1% YoY. Ticket average was 1% lower YoY, driven mainly by the rapid growth of smaller orders, partially offset by increased delivery mix, which carries a relatively higher ticket average.
  • Delivery sales grew 33% YoY, contributing approximately 55% of KFC’s Company sales, up from 43% in the same quarter last year.
  • KFC opened 457 net new stores during the quarter, 55% higher than the openings in the same quarter last year, with 172 net new stores opened by franchisees, accounting for 38%. Total store count reached 13,454 as of March 31, 2026.
  • Operating profit increased 8% YoY to $417 million. Core operating profit increased 3% YoY.
  • OP margin was 17.0%, a decrease of 20 basis points YoY.
  • Restaurant margin was 19.1%, a decrease of 70 basis points YoY, primarily due to the impact of increased rider cost resulting from higher delivery mix and value-for-money offerings, partially offset by streamlined operations and favorable commodity prices.

Pizza Hut

First Quarter

%/ppts Change

2026

2025

Reported

Ex F/X

Restaurants

4,375

3,769

+16

NM

System Sales Growth (%)

4

2

NM

NM

Same-Store Sales Growth (%)

(1)

Even

NM

NM

Total Revenues ($mn)

635

595

+7

+2

Operating Profit ($mn)

71

60

+18

+12

Core Operating Profit ($mn)

67

60

NM

+12

OP Margin (%)

11.2

10.1

+1.1

+1.0

Restaurant Margin (%)

15.0

14.4

+0.6

+0.6

  • System sales for Pizza Hut grew 4% YoY. Same-store sales reached 99% of the prior year’s level. Same-store transactions grew 5% YoY, the 13th consecutive quarter of growth. Ticket average was 5% lower YoY, consistent with our mass-market strategy and driven mainly by better value-for-money offerings.
  • Delivery sales grew 25% YoY, contributing approximately 51% of Pizza Hut’s Company sales, up from 42% in the same quarter last year.
  • Pizza Hut opened 207 net new stores during the quarter, close to half of its full–year 2025 openings, with 105 net new stores opened by franchisees, accounting for 51%. Total store count reached 4,375 as of March 31, 2026.
  • Operating profit grew 18% YoY to $71 million. Core operating profit increased 12% YoY.
  • OP margin was 11.2%, an increase of 110 basis points YoY, the eighth consecutive quarter of OP margin expansion.
  • Restaurant margin was 15.0%, expanding 60 basis points YoY despite a lower ticker average, primarily due to streamlined operations and automation and favorable commodity prices, partially offset by the impact of value-for-money offerings and increased cost associated with higher delivery sales mix.

2026 Outlook

The Company targets:

  • Total stores of over 20,000, or more than 1,900 net new stores.
  • 40-50% franchise mix of net new stores for both KFC and Pizza Hut.
  • Capital expenditures of approximately $600 million to $700 million.
  • $1.5 billion capital return to shareholders.

Note on Non-GAAP Measures

Reported GAAP results include items that are excluded from non-GAAP measures. See “Reconciliation of Reported GAAP Results to Non-GAAP Measures” and “Segment Results” within this release for non-GAAP reconciliation details.

Conference Call

Yum China’s management will hold an earnings conference call at 7:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 (7:00 p.m. Beijing/Hong Kong Time on Wednesday, April 29, 2026).

A live webcast of the call may be accessed at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/hkitwxns.

To join by phone, please register in advance through the link provided below. Upon registering, you will be provided with participant dial-in numbers and a unique access PIN.

Pre-registration Link: https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BI1a0396f7d4794eedbe6ef6771b06b43a

A replay of the webcast will be available two hours after the event and will remain accessible until April 28, 2027. Earnings release accompanying slides will be available at the Company’s Investor Relations website http://ir.yumchina.com

For important news and information regarding Yum China, including our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, visit Yum China’s Investor Relations website at http://ir.yumchina.com. Yum China uses this website as a primary channel for disclosing key information to its investors, some of which may contain material and previously non-public information.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including statements under the section titled “2026 Outlook.” We intend all forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and by the use of forward-looking words such as “expect,” “expectation,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “may,” “could,” “intend,” “belief,” “plan,” “estimate,” “target,” “predict,” “project,” “likely,” “will,” “continue,” “should,” “forecast,” “outlook,” “commit” or similar terminology. These statements are based on current estimates and assumptions made by us in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that we believe are appropriate and reasonable under the circumstances, but there can be no assurance that such estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the future strategies, growth, business plans, investments, store openings, net new stores, franchise mix of net new stores, capital expenditures, capital returns, dividend and share repurchase plans, CAGR for system sales, operating profit and EPS, earnings, performance and returns, anticipated effects of population and macroeconomic trends, execution of the Company’s RGM 3.0 strategy, the anticipated effects of our innovation, digital and delivery capabilities and investments on growth and beliefs regarding the long-term drivers of Yum China’s business. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance and are inherently subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and could cause our actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by those statements. We cannot assure you that any of our expectations, estimates or assumptions will be achieved. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are only made as of the date of this press release, and we disclaim any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law. Numerous factors could cause our actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: whether we are able to achieve development goals at the times and in the amounts currently anticipated, if at all, the success of our marketing campaigns and product innovation, our ability to maintain food safety and quality control systems, changes in public health conditions, our ability to control costs and expenses, including tax costs, as well as changes in political, economic and regulatory conditions in China and the U.S., and those set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Our plan of capital returns to shareholders is based on current expectations, which may change based on market conditions, capital needs or otherwise. In addition, other risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial could affect the accuracy of any such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements should be evaluated with the understanding of their inherent uncertainty. You should consult our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the information set forth under the caption “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q) for additional detail about factors that could affect our financial and other results.

About Yum China Holdings, Inc.

Yum China is the largest restaurant company in China with a mission to make every life taste beautiful. The Company operates over 18,000 restaurants under six brands across over 2,600 cities in China. KFC and Pizza Hut are the leading brands in the quick-service and casual dining restaurant spaces in China, respectively. In addition, Yum China has partnered with Lavazza to develop the Lavazza coffee concept in China. Little Sheep and Huang Ji Huang specialize in Chinese cuisine. Taco Bell offers innovative Mexican-inspired food. Yum China has a world-class, digitalized supply chain, which includes an extensive network of logistics centers nationwide and an in-house supply chain management system. Its strong digital capabilities and loyalty program enable the Company to reach customers faster and serve them better. Yum China is a Fortune 500 company with the vision to be the world’s most innovative pioneer in the restaurant industry. For more information, please visit http://ir.yumchina.com.

Contacts

Investor Relations Contact:

Tel: +86 21 2407 7556

IR@YumChina.com  

 

Media Contact:

Tel: +86 21 2407 3824

Media@YumChina.com 

 

 

Yum China Holdings, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income

(in US$ million, except per share data)

(unaudited)

Quarter Ended

% Change

3/31/2026

3/31/2025

B/(W)

Revenues

Company sales

$      3,047

$      2,801

9

Franchise fees and income

30

27

12

Revenues from transactions with franchisees

156

121

28

Other revenues

38

32

18

Total revenues

3,271

2,981

10

Costs and Expenses, Net

Company restaurants

Food and paper

963

874

(10)

Payroll and employee benefits

813

719

(13)

Occupancy and other operating expenses

718

688

(4)

Company restaurant expenses

2,494

2,281

(9)

General and administrative expenses

137

138

Franchise expenses

12

11

(13)

Expenses for transactions with franchisees

150

117

(28)

Other operating costs and expenses

31

29

(10)

Closures and impairment expenses, net

6

 NM 

Total costs and expenses, net

2,824

2,582

(9)

Operating Profit

447

399

12

Interest income, net

16

26

(44)

Investment (loss) gain

(11)

3

 NM 

Income Before Income Taxes and
  Equity in Net Earnings (Losses) from
  Equity Method Investments

452

428

5

Income tax provision

(123)

(119)

(3)

Equity in net earnings (losses) from
   equity method investments

2

4

(34)

Net income – including noncontrolling interests

331

313

6

Net income – noncontrolling interests

22

21

(4)

Net Income – Yum China Holdings, Inc.

$         309

$         292

6

Effective tax rate

27.2 %

27.8 %

0.6

 ppts. 

Basic Earnings Per Common Share

$        0.88

$        0.78

Weighted-average shares outstanding
    (in millions)

353

376

Diluted Earnings Per Common Share

$        0.87

$        0.77

Weighted-average shares outstanding
    (in millions)

354

378

OP margin

13.7 %

13.4 %

0.3

ppts.

Company sales

100.0 %

100.0 %

Food and paper

31.6

31.2

(0.4)

 ppts. 

Payroll and employee benefits

26.7

25.7

(1.0)

 ppts. 

Occupancy and other operating expenses

23.5

24.5

1.0

 ppts. 

Restaurant margin

18.2 %

18.6 %

(0.4)

 ppts. 

Percentages may not recompute due to rounding. NM refers to not meaningful.

 

 

Yum China Holdings, Inc.

KFC Operating Results

(in US$ million)

(unaudited)

Quarter Ended

% Change

3/31/2026

3/31/2025

B/(W)

Revenues

Company sales

$      2,410

$      2,208

9

Franchise fees and income

23

21

17

Revenues from transactions with franchisees

19

16

15

Other revenues

1

1

(2)

Total revenues

2,453

2,246

9

Costs and Expenses, Net

Company restaurants

Food and paper

746

685

(9)

Payroll and employee benefits

643

554

(16)

Occupancy and other operating expenses

560

532

(5)

Company restaurant expenses

1,949

1,771

(10)

General and administrative expenses

61

59

(4)

Franchise expenses

11

10

(14)

Expenses for transactions with franchisees

15

14

(5)

Other operating costs and expenses

1

61

Closures and impairment expenses, net

5

 NM 

Total costs and expenses, net

2,036

1,860

(9)

Operating Profit

$         417

$         386

8

OP margin

17.0 %

17.2 %

(0.2)

ppts.

Company sales

100.0 %

100.0 %

Food and paper

31.0

31.1

0.1

ppts.

Payroll and employee benefits

26.7

25.1

(1.6)

ppts.

Occupancy and other operating expenses

23.2

24.0

0.8

ppts.

Restaurant margin

19.1 %

19.8 %

(0.7)

ppts.

Percentages may not recompute due to rounding. NM refers to not meaningful.

 

 

Yum China Holdings, Inc.

Pizza Hut Operating Results

(in US$ million)

(unaudited)

Quarter Ended

% Change

3/31/2026

3/31/2025

B/(W)

Revenues

Company sales

$         627

$         584

7

Franchise fees and income

3

2

36

Revenues from transactions with franchisees

2

2

36

Other revenues

3

7

(62)

Total revenues

635

595

7

Costs and Expenses, Net

Company restaurants

Food and paper

213

186

(15)

Payroll and employee benefits

168

163

(3)

Occupancy and other operating expenses

152

151

(1)

Company restaurant expenses

533

500

(7)

General and administrative expenses

26

26

Franchise expenses

1

1

(31)

Expenses for transactions with franchisees

2

2

(15)

Other operating costs and expenses

2

6

64

Total costs and expenses, net

564

535

(5)

Operating Profit

$           71

$           60

18

OP margin

11.2 %

10.1 %

1.1

ppts.

Company sales

100.0 %

100.0 %

Food and paper

33.9

31.8

(2.1)

ppts.

Payroll and employee benefits

26.7

27.9

1.2

ppts.

Occupancy and other operating expenses

24.4

25.9

1.5

ppts.

Restaurant margin

15.0 %

14.4 %

0.6

ppts.

Percentages may not recompute due to rounding. 

 

 

Yum China Holdings, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(in US$ million)

3/31/2026

12/31/2025

(Unaudited)

ASSETS

Current Assets

Cash and cash equivalents

$           473

$            506

Short-term investments

956

878

Accounts receivable, net

103

95

Inventories, net

414

438

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

373

440

Total Current Assets

2,319

2,357

Property, plant and equipment, net

2,570

2,543

Operating lease right-of-use assets

2,175

2,189

Goodwill

1,990

1,963

Intangible assets, net

149

148

Long-term bank deposits and notes

707

678

Equity investments

398

387

Deferred income tax assets

160

156

Other assets

369

362

Total Assets

10,837

10,783

LIABILITIES, REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTEREST AND EQUITY

Current Liabilities

Accounts payable and other current liabilities

2,126

2,127

Short-term borrowings

20

30

Income taxes payable

158

89

Total Current Liabilities

2,304

2,246

Non-current operating lease liabilities

1,802

1,823

Non-current finance lease liabilities

50

51

Deferred income tax liabilities

412

406

Other liabilities

162

158

Total Liabilities

4,730

4,684

Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest

Equity

Common stock, $0.01 par value; 1,000 million shares authorized; 351 million shares
      and 355 million shares issued at March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, respectively;
      351 million shares and 354 million shares outstanding at March 31, 2026 and December 31,
      2025, respectively.

4

4

Treasury stock

(13)

(28)

Additional paid-in capital

3,752

3,796

Retained earnings

1,788

1,764

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(98)

(157)

Total Yum China Holdings, Inc. Stockholders’ Equity

5,433

5,379

Noncontrolling interests

674

720

Total Equity

6,107

6,099

Total Liabilities, Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest and Equity

$      10,837

$       10,783

 

 

Yum China Holdings, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(in US$ million)

(unaudited)

Quarter Ended

3/31/2026

3/31/2025

Cash Flows – Operating Activities

Net income – including noncontrolling interests

$                   331

$                   313

Depreciation and amortization

117

109

Non-cash operating lease cost

106

99

Closures and impairment expenses

6

Investment loss (gain)

11

(3)

Equity in net (earnings) losses from equity method investments

(2)

(4)

Distributions of income received from equity method investments

3

4

Deferred income taxes

(3)

2

Share-based compensation expense

10

9

Changes in accounts receivable

(7)

(2)

Changes in inventories

30

78

Changes in prepaid expenses, other current assets and value-added tax assets

68

25

Changes in accounts payable and other current liabilities

(68)

(179)

Changes in income taxes payable

68

61

Changes in non-current operating lease liabilities

(102)

(101)

Other, net

(12)

35

Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities

550

452

Cash Flows – Investing Activities

Capital spending

(144)

(137)

Purchases of short-term investments, long-term bank deposits and notes

(1,867)

(1,838)

Maturities of short-term investments, long-term bank deposits and notes

1,777

1,916

Acquisition of equity investment

(14)

Other, net

1

1

Net Cash Used in Investing Activities

(233)

(72)

Cash Flows – Financing Activities

Proceeds from short-term borrowings

20

Repayment of short-term borrowings

(30)

Repurchase of shares of common stock

(218)

(173)

Cash dividends paid on common stock

(102)

(90)

Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests

(15)

(13)

Other, net

(8)

(4)

Net Cash Used in Financing Activities

(353)

(280)

Effect of Exchange Rates on Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

3

2

Net (Decrease) Increase in Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

(33)

102

Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash – Beginning of Period

506

723

Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash – End of Period

$                   473

$                   825

 

 

In this press release:

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

 

Unit Count by Brand

KFC

12/31/2025

New Builds

Closures

3/31/2026

Company-owned

11,032

355

(70)

11,317

Franchisees

1,965

182

(10)

2,137

Total

12,997

537

(80)

13,454

Pizza Hut

12/31/2025

New Builds

Closures

3/31/2026

Company-owned

3,830

154

(52)

3,932

Franchisees

338

107

(2)

443

Total

4,168

261

(54)

4,375

Others

12/31/2025

New Builds

Closures

3/31/2026

Company-owned

198

12

(11)

199

Franchisees

738

33

(62)

709

Total

936

45

(73)

908

 

 

Reconciliation of Reported GAAP Results to Non-GAAP Measures
(in millions, except per share data)
(unaudited)

In addition to the results provided in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) in this press release, the Company provides the following non-GAAP measures:

  • Measures adjusted for Special Items, which include Adjusted Operating Profit, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Earnings Per Common Share (“EPS”), Adjusted Effective Tax Rate and Adjusted EBITDA;
  • Company Restaurant Profit (“Restaurant profit”) and Restaurant margin;
  • Core Operating Profit and Core OP margin, which exclude Special Items, and further adjusted for Items Affecting Comparability and the impact of F/X;

These non-GAAP measures are not intended to replace the presentation of our financial results in accordance with GAAP. Rather, the Company believes that the presentation of these non-GAAP measures provides additional information to investors to facilitate the comparison of past and present results, excluding those items that the Company does not believe are indicative of our core operations.

With respect to non-GAAP measures adjusted for Special Items, the Company excludes impact from Special Items for the purpose of evaluating performance internally and uses them as factors in determining compensation for certain employees. Special Items are not included in any of our segment results.

Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income including noncontrolling interests adjusted for equity in net earnings (losses) from equity method investments, income tax, interest income, net, investment gain or loss, depreciation and amortization, store impairment charges, and Special Items. Store impairment charges included as an adjustment item in Adjusted EBITDA primarily resulted from our semi-annual impairment evaluation of long-lived assets of individual restaurants, and additional impairment evaluation whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the assets may not be recoverable. If these restaurant-level assets were not impaired, depreciation of the assets would have been recorded and included in EBITDA. Therefore, store impairment charges were a non-cash item similar to depreciation and amortization of our long-lived assets of restaurants. The Company believes that investors and analysts may find it useful in measuring operating performance without regard to such non-cash items.

Restaurant Profit is defined as Company sales less expenses incurred directly by our Company-owned restaurants in generating Company sales, including cost of food and paper, restaurant-level payroll and employee benefits, rent, depreciation and amortization of restaurant-level assets, advertising expenses, and other operating expenses. Company restaurant margin percentage is defined as Restaurant profit divided by Company sales. We also use Restaurant profit and Restaurant margin for the purposes of internally evaluating the performance of our Company-owned restaurants and we believe they provide useful information to investors as to the profitability of our Company-owned restaurants.

Core Operating Profit is defined as Operating Profit adjusted for Special Items, and further excluding Items Affecting Comparability and the impact of F/X. We consider quantitative and qualitative factors in assessing whether to adjust for the impact of items that may be significant or that could affect an understanding of our ongoing financial and business performance or trends. Items such as charges, gains and accounting changes which are viewed by management as significantly impacting the current period or the comparable period, due to changes in policy or other external factors, or non-cash items pertaining to underlying activities that are different from or unrelated to our core operations, are generally considered “Items Affecting Comparability.” Examples of Items Affecting Comparability include, but are not limited to: temporary relief from landlords and government agencies; VAT deductions due to tax policy changes; and amortization of reacquired franchise rights recognized upon acquisitions. We believe presenting Core Operating Profit provides additional information to further enhance comparability of our operating results and we use this measure for purposes of evaluating the performance of our core operations. Core OP margin is defined as Core Operating Profit divided by Total revenues, excluding the impact of F/X.

The following tables set forth the reconciliation of the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures to the non-GAAP financial measures. The reconciliation of GAAP Operating Profit to Restaurant Profit and Core Operating Profit by segment is presented in Segment Results within this release.

Quarter Ended

3/31/2026

3/31/2025

Reconciliation of Operating Profit to Adjusted Operating Profit

Operating Profit

$              447

$            399

Special Items, Operating Profit 

Adjusted Operating Profit

$              447

$            399

Reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted Net Income

Net Income – Yum China Holdings, Inc.

$              309

$            292

Special Items, Net Income –Yum China Holdings, Inc.

Adjusted Net Income – Yum China Holdings, Inc.

$              309

$            292

Reconciliation of EPS to Adjusted EPS

Basic Earnings Per Common Share

$             0.88

$           0.78

Special Items, Basic Earnings Per Common Share

Adjusted Basic Earnings Per Common Share

$             0.88

$           0.78

Diluted Earnings Per Common Share

$             0.87

$           0.77

Special Items, Diluted Earnings Per Common Share

Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Common Share

$             0.87

$           0.77

Reconciliation of Effective Tax Rate to Adjusted Effective Tax Rate

Effective tax rate

27.2 %

27.8 %

Impact on effective tax rate as a result of Special Items

Adjusted effective tax rate

27.2 %

27.8 %

 

Net income, along with the reconciliation to Adjusted EBITDA, is presented below:

Quarter Ended

3/31/2026

3/31/2025

Net Income – Yum China Holdings, Inc.

$         309

$         292

Net income – noncontrolling interests

22

21

Equity in net (earnings) losses from equity method investments

(2)

(4)

Income tax provision

123

119

Interest income, net

(16)

(26)

Investment loss (gain)

11

(3)

Operating Profit

447

399

Special Items, Operating Profit

Adjusted Operating Profit

447

399

Depreciation and amortization

117

109

Store impairment charges

4

6

Adjusted EBITDA

$         568

$         514

 

Operating Profit, along with the reconciliation to Core Operating Profit, is presented below:

Quarter ended

% Change

3/31/2026

3/31/2025

B/(W)

Operating Profit

$         447

$         399

12

Special Items, Operating Profit 

Adjusted Operating Profit

$         447

$         399

12

Items Affecting Comparability

F/X impact

(24)

Core Operating Profit

$         423

$         399

6

Total revenues

3,271

2,981

10

F/X impact

(159)

Total revenues, excluding the impact of F/X

$      3,112

$      2,981

4

Core OP margin

13.6 %

13.4 %

0.2

ppts.

 

 

Yum China Holdings, Inc.

Segment Results

(in US$ million)

(unaudited)

Quarter Ended 3/31/2026

KFC

Pizza Hut

All Other Segments

Corporate
and
Unallocated(1)

Elimination

Total

Company sales

$      2,410

$         627

$                 10

$                 —

$              —

$      3,047

Franchise fees and income

23

3

4

30

Revenues from transactions with franchisees(2)

19

2

26

109

156

Other revenues

1

3

248

22

(236)

38

Total revenues

$      2,453

$         635

$               288

$               131

$          (236)

$      3,271

Company restaurant expenses

1,949

533

13

(1)

2,494

General and administrative expenses

61

26

6

44

137

Franchise expenses

11

1

12

Expenses for transactions with franchisees(2)

15

2

25

108

150

Other operating costs and expenses

2

243

21

(235)

31

Total costs and expenses, net

2,036

564

287

173

(236)

2,824

Operating Profit (Loss)

$         417

$           71

$                   1

$                (42)

$              —

$         447

Reconciliation of GAAP Operating Profit to Restaurant Profit is as follows:

Quarter Ended 3/31/2026

KFC

Pizza Hut

All Other Segments

Corporate
and
Unallocated(1)

Elimination

Total

GAAP Operating Profit (Loss)

$         417

$           71

$                   1

$                (42)

$              —

$         447

Less:

Franchise fees and income

23

3

4

30

Revenues from transactions with franchisees(2)

19

2

26

109

156

Other revenues

1

3

248

22

(236)

38

Add:

General and administrative expenses

61

26

6

44

137

Franchise expenses

11

1

12

Expenses for transactions with franchisees(2)

15

2

25

108

150

Other operating costs and expenses

2

243

21

(235)

31

Restaurant profit (loss)

$         461

$           94

$                  (3)

$                 —

$                1

$         553

Company sales

2,410

627

10

3,047

Restaurant margin

19.1 %

15.0 %

(14.9) %

N/A

N/A

18.2 %

Reconciliation of GAAP Operating Profit to Core Operating Profit is as follows:

Quarter Ended 3/31/2026

KFC

Pizza Hut

All Other Segments

Corporate
and
Unallocated(1)

Elimination

Total

GAAP Operating Profit (Loss)

$         417

$           71

$                   1

$                (42)

$              —

$         447

Special Items, Operating Profit 

Adjusted Operating Profit (Loss)

$         417

$           71

$                   1

$                (42)

$              —

$         447

Items Affecting Comparability

F/X impact

(21)

(4)

1

(24)

Core Operating Profit (Loss)

$         396

$           67

$                   1

$                (41)

$              —

$         423

Quarter Ended 3/31/2025

KFC

Pizza Hut

All Other Segments

Corporate
and
Unallocated(1)

Elimination

Total

Company sales

$      2,208

$         584

$                   9

$                 —

$              —

$      2,801

Franchise fees and income

21

2

4

27

Revenues from transactions with franchisees(2)

16

2

19

84

121

Other revenues

1

7

170

17

(163)

32

Total revenues

$      2,246

$         595

$               202

$               101

$          (163)

$      2,981

Company restaurant expenses

1,771

500

11

(1)

2,281

General and administrative expenses

59

26

8

45

138

Franchise expenses

10

1

11

Expenses for transactions with franchisees(2)

14

2

17

84

117

Other operating costs and expenses

1

6

167

17

(162)

29

Closures and impairment expenses, net

5

1

6

Total costs and expenses, net

1,860

535

204

146

(163)

2,582

Operating Profit (Loss)

$         386

$           60

$                  (2)

$                (45)

$              —

$         399

Reconciliation of GAAP Operating Profit to Restaurant Profit is as follows:

Quarter Ended 3/31/2025

KFC

Pizza Hut

All Other Segments

Corporate
and
Unallocated(1)

Elimination

Total

GAAP Operating Profit (Loss)

$         386

$           60

$                  (2)

$                (45)

$              —

$         399

Less:

Franchise fees and income

21

2

4

27

Revenues from transactions with franchisees(2)

16

2

19

84

121

Other revenues

1

7

170

17

(163)

32

Add:

General and administrative expenses

59

26

8

45

138

Franchise expenses

10

1

11

Expenses for transactions with franchisees(2)

14

2

17

84

117

Other operating costs and expenses

1

6

167

17

(162)

29

Closures and impairment expenses, net

5

1

6

Restaurant profit (loss)

$         437

$           84

$                  (2)

$                 —

$                1

$         520

Company sales

2,208

584

9

2,801

Restaurant margin

19.8 %

14.4 %

(20.9) %

N/A

N/A

18.6 %

Reconciliation of GAAP Operating Profit to Core Operating Profit is as follows:

Quarter Ended 3/31/2025

KFC

Pizza Hut

All Other Segments

Corporate
and
Unallocated(1)

Elimination

Total

GAAP Operating Profit (Loss)

$         386

$           60

$                  (2)

$                (45)

$              —

$         399

Special Items, Operating Profit 

Adjusted Operating Profit (Loss)

$         386

$           60

$                  (2)

$                (45)

$              —

$         399

Items Affecting Comparability

F/X impact

Core Operating Profit (Loss)

$         386

$           60

$                  (2)

$                (45)

$              —

$         399

The above tables reconcile segment information, which is based on management responsibility, with our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.  

(1) Amounts have not been allocated to any segment for purpose of making operating decision or assessing financial performance as the transactions are deemed corporate revenues and
expenses in nature.

(2) Primarily includes revenues and associated expenses of transactions with franchisees derived from the Company’s central procurement model whereby the Company centrally
purchases substantially all food and paper products from suppliers and then sells and delivers to KFC and Pizza Hut restaurants, including franchisees.

 

Illuminate Financial Closes $135m Early Growth Fund to Back the Next Generation of AI & Fintech for Financial Services

LONDON, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Illuminate Financial has closed its fourth fund at $135 million, bringing together eight of the world’s leading financial institutions to back Enterprise AI and Fintech companies building the infrastructure of tomorrow’s financial services industry.

Illuminate Financial, the specialist venture capital firm focused on technology for financial services, today announced it has raised $135 million for its Early Growth Fund from investors including BNP Paribas, Citi, Deutsche Börse, HSBC, Jefferies, RBC, S&P Global, and TD Securities. The fund targets Series B+ Enterprise AI and Fintech companies at the critical inflection point between proven technology and institutional scale.

Few venture funds can offer portfolio companies direct relationships with the institutions that will ultimately buy, partner with, or scale their technology. Illuminate’s strategic investor base provides an unparalleled network of go-to-market relationships, industry expertise, and operational insight. Their involvement is a meaningful differentiator for Series B companies seeking to accelerate enterprise adoption.

This is Illuminate’s fourth fund and first to target the Series B+ stage, a deliberate expansion built on over a decade of early-stage fintech investing. Founded by Mark Beeston in 2014, the firm operates across London, New York, and Singapore, led alongside Partners Alexander Ross, Rezso Szabo, Rachel Townend, and Luca Zorzino. Illuminate has raised $500 million across four funds, invested in 55 companies, and completed 14 successful exits. Its 2015 vintage fund is ranked the top European venture fund for distributions by Cambridge Associates.

Mark Beeston, Founder and Managing Partner at Illuminate Financial, said: “Financial services technology continues to evolve at pace, and the conviction shown by our strategic investors reflects a shared belief that the most durable infrastructure of the next decade will be built by the companies we are investing in today. Our competitive advantage in this strategy is the reach and relationships we have built over a decade of early-stage investing and the deep familiarity with founders and their journeys that comes from being there from the start. We are grateful for our investors’ partnership and look forward to backing the next generation of visionary founders.”

Junaid Baig, Head of Strategic Investments at BNP Paribas, said: “We are pleased to join Illuminate Financial’s Early Growth Fund as a strategic investor. Illuminate has built a distinctive platform and their deep understanding of how financial institutions adopt and deploy new technology aligns closely with our own priorities. We look forward to working with Illuminate to help shape the next generation of financial services infrastructure.”

Barrie Laver, Managing Director, Head of Venture Capital & Private Equity at RBC, said: “RBC has long been committed to investing in the technologies that will define the future of financial services, and our participation in Illuminate’s Early Growth Fund reflects that conviction. We value Illuminate’s understanding of enterprise adoption and the excellent access they provide to their portfolio companies.”

Andrew Murray, Managing Director at Citi Ventures, said: “Illuminate has an exceptional track record of identifying and backing the companies building critical infrastructure for financial services. Their deep relationships across the industry, combined with a rigorous focus on enterprise-grade technology make them a natural partner as we continue to engage with founders building at this level.” 

Four investments have already been made: Pliant, a Berlin-based corporate card and spend management platform; TransFICC, the specialist provider of low-latency connectivity for fixed income and derivatives markets; Zocks, a privacy-first AI platform for financial advisors; and Endowus, Asia’s leading independent wealth advisory platform with client assets exceeding $10 billion.

Disclosure

Nothing in this press release should be viewed as a statement of the named institutions’ experience with, or endorsement of, Illuminate Financial and it is not known whether the listed institutions approve of Illuminate Financial or the advisory services provided. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The contents of this press release should not be construed as legal, tax, investment or other advice, or a recommendation to purchase or sell any particular security.

About Illuminate Financial

Illuminate Financial is a specialist venture capital firm investing in early-stage Enterprise AI & Fintech companies. With teams across London, New York, and Singapore, we combine capital with unmatched connectivity to global financial institutions, helping visionary founders build and scale. www.illuminatefinancial.com

Media Enquiries
Rosie Zehtab
Head of Community
+44 (0)203 198 1600 
rz@illuminatefinancial.com