Pizza Hut wants to sell itself? Reports suggest that American conglomerate Yum Brands (YUM.US) is considering divesting its "underperforming" business, with private equity newcomer LongRange gaining exclusive negotiation rights.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Yum! Brands (YUM.US) is in exclusive negotiations to sell its Pizza Hut chain business to LongRange Capital. One source stated that LongRange recently obtained exclusive negotiation rights with Yum! Brands, beating out other bidders including Saicam Partners. The sources mentioned that both parties are in discussions regarding a potential transaction, which could be completed in the next few weeks. However, it is not certain at this point whether a deal will be reached. Pizza Hut's performance struggles Yum! Brands had previously indicated that after years of trying to revive the stagnant sales of this chain restaurant, the company was conducting a strategic assessment of Pizza Hut. Data shows that since 2019, Pizza Hut's share of Yum! Brands' total revenue has been declining year after year, dropping from over 18% six years ago to around 12% in 2025. Meanwhile, Pizza Hut's sales have been hovering around just over $1 billion during this period, while Yum! Brands' revenue grew by about 47% last year, reaching $8.2 billion. Yum! Brands' stock price has dropped 2.2% this year. The Kentucky-based company also owns other chain restaurants such as KFC and Taco Bell, with a market value of around $41 billion. LongRange is a private equity investment firm established in 2019. Its founder, Bob Berlin, has extensive experience in the food service industry and previously led investments in Arby's while working for BoB Partners. The company currently owns 24 Hour Fitness and a ski resort company called Alpin Unlimited, which is an investor in the KitzSki ski area in Kitzbuhel, Austria. Pizza Hut has attracted interest from potential buyers including Saicam, Apollo Global Management Inc, and LongRange.