LOUISVILLE, KY, January 28, 2005 – Yum! Brands Inc. announced today that its Board of Directors has authorized the repurchase of shares of the company’s outstanding common stock up to an additional $500 million over the next 12 months. In May 2004, the Board authorized the repurchase of shares up to $300 million, which is expected to be completed during the first half of 2005.David C. Novak, Chairman and CEO, said: “The Board’s action reflects our belief that the company’s shares represent an outstanding long-term investment opportunity given the company’s high return on invested capital, performance of our global portfolio of businesses; unique international growth prospects, including China; and multibrand innovation in the U.S.”
“The magnitude of our operating cash flow enables us to invest in our core businesses and key growth opportunities such as China and the U.K., exceed our debt repayment targets, pay a significant dividend and invest in our own stock. We continue to be focused on enhancing value for our shareholders and building a stronger balance sheet every year,” Novak added.
Repurchases of common stock may be made from time to time in open market and/or privately negotiated transactions, and will be subject to market conditions and other factors. Since Yum! Brands began its share repurchase program in 1999, the company has purchased 55.8 million shares for $1.5 billion at an average price of $27.35.
This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements include those identified by such words as may, will, expect, project, anticipate, believe, plan and other similar terminology. These “forward-looking” statements reflect management’s current expectations regarding future events and operating and financial performance and are based on currently available data. However, actual results are subject to future events and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those projected in this announcement. Factors that can cause actual results to differ materially include changes in global and local business, economic and political conditions in the countries and territories where Yum! Brands operates, including the effects of war and terrorist activities; changes in currency exchange and interest rates; changes in commodity, labor and other operating costs; changes in competition in the food industry, consumer preferences, spending patterns and demographic trends; the effectiveness of our operating initiatives and advertising and promotional efforts; new-product and concept development by Yum! Brands and other food-industry competitors; the success of our refranchising strategy; the ongoing business viability of our franchise and license operators; our ability to secure alternative distribution to our restaurants at competitive rates and to ensure adequate supplies of restaurant products and equipment in our stores; severe weather conditions; effects of legal claims; changes in effective tax rates; our actuarially determined casualty loss estimates; changes in legislation and governmental regulations; and changes in accounting policies and practices. Further information about factors that could affect Yum! Brands’ financial and other results are included in the company’s Forms 10-Q and 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Yum! Brands Inc., based in Louisville, Kentucky, is the world’s largest restaurant company in terms of system units with approximately 33,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries and territories. Four of the company’s restaurant brands — KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Long John Silver’s — are the global leaders of the chicken, pizza, Mexican-style food and quick-service seafood categories respectively. Yum! Brands is the worldwide leader in multibranding, which offers consumers more choice and convenience at one restaurant location from a combination of KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, A&W or Long John Silver’s brands. The company and its franchisees today operate over 2,800 multibrand restaurants. Outside the United States in 2004, the Yum! Brands’ system opened about three new restaurants each day of the year, making it one of the fastest growing retailers in the world. In 2003 the company was recognized in Fortune Magazine’s top 50 “Best Companies for Minorities,” claiming the number-one spot for “managerial diversity.”
