Yum Brands China Shares To Start Trading Today

Yum Brands Inc. said Tuesday that it has completed the separation of Yum China Holdings Inc. and the new Yum China will begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the "YUMC" ticker. Yum and Yum China executives will ring the opening bell. Yum China has exclusive rights in mainland China to KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, which will open in China in 2016. Yum China has more than 7,300 restaurants and 400,000 employees in more than 1,100 cities. It generated more than $8 billion in sales in 2015. Each Yum Brands stockholder has received a share of Yum China common stock for each share held as of the close of business Oct. 19. About 364 million shares were distributed. Yum Brands shares are up 0.2% in premarket trading and up 18.1% for the year so far. The S&P 500 Index is up 4% for 2016 to date.