A big announcement from Yum Brands, Pizza Hut's Owner, on 16th June 2026 was that they sold the pizza chain to private equity firms Yum China and LongRange Capital in two deals at a $2.7 billion valuation. Pizza Hut's mainland China business won't be a part of this deal. LongRange Capital acquired Pizza Hut for $1.5 billion. Already, Yum China operates the Pizza Hut brand in the country under a franchise model and will acquire the remaining franchise for $1.2 billion. CEO Chris Turner said that it enables Yum to be a more focused company that would leverage talent, scalability, and technology and cater sustained value for our stakeholders.
Pizza Hut would be in a good position in the future under Yum China and LongRange ownership, which brings valuable expertise in the restaurant industry. Pizza Hut was built with dedication and passion, and we are excited for the new chapter. Currently, Yum Brands handles Pizza Hut international and will soon be handed over to LongRange Capital in India; the franchise is run by Devyani International. Yum Brands board decided to sell Pizza Hut to maximize shareholder value, which would give the pizza chain an ownership structure, the company said.
The company also said that transferring ownership of Pizza Hut to buyers would align with Pizza Hut's market-specific needs that would support long-term brand growth. Yum Brands estimates that this deal would generate $2.3 billion in net proceeds after taxes and excluding any potential earn-out payments. Yum Brands expects one-time separation costs of $85 million too.