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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Preparation Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Preparation.  Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.  We consolidate entities in which we have a controlling financial interest, the usual condition of which is ownership of a majority voting interest.  We also consider for consolidation an entity, in which we have certain interests, where the controlling financial interest may be achieved through arrangements that do not involve voting interests.  Such an entity, known as a variable interest entity (“VIE”), is required to be consolidated by its primary beneficiary.  The primary beneficiary is the entity that possesses the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact its economic performance and has the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that are significant to it.

Our most significant variable interests are in entities that operate restaurants under our Concepts’ franchise and license arrangements.  We do not have an equity interest in any of our franchisee businesses.  Additionally, we do not typically provide significant financial support such as loans or guarantees to our franchisees.  However, we do have variable interests in certain franchisees through real estate lease arrangements to which we are a party.  At the end of 2016, YUM has future lease payments due from franchisees, on a nominal basis, of approximately $250 million, and we are contingently liable on certain other lease agreements that have been assigned to franchisees. See the Lease Guarantees and Franchise Loan Pool and Equipment Guarantees sections in Note 20. As our franchise and license arrangements provide our franchisee entities the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact their economic performance, we do not consider ourselves the primary beneficiary of any such entity that might otherwise be considered a VIE.

See Note 20 for additional information on our entity that operates a franchise lending program that is a VIE in which we have a variable interest but for which we are not the primary beneficiary and thus do not consolidate.

We participate in various advertising cooperatives with our franchisees established to collect and administer funds contributed for use in advertising and promotional programs designed to increase sales and enhance the reputation of the Company and its franchise owners. Contributions to the advertising cooperatives are required for both Company-owned and franchise restaurants and are generally based on a percentage of restaurant sales.  We maintain certain variable interests in these cooperatives. As the cooperatives are required to spend all funds collected on advertising and promotional programs, total equity at risk is not sufficient to permit the cooperatives to finance their activities without additional subordinated financial support. Therefore, these cooperatives are VIEs. As a result of our voting rights, we consolidate certain of these cooperatives for which we are the primary beneficiary.  Advertising cooperative assets, consisting primarily of cash received from the Company and franchisees and accounts receivable from franchisees, can only be used to settle obligations of the respective cooperative.  Advertising cooperative liabilities represent the corresponding obligation arising from the receipt of the contributions to purchase advertising and promotional programs for which creditors do not have recourse to the general credit of the Company as the primary beneficiary.  Therefore, we report all assets and liabilities of these advertising cooperatives that we consolidate as Advertising cooperative assets, restricted and Advertising cooperative liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheet.  As the contributions to these cooperatives are designated and segregated for advertising, we act as an agent for the franchisees with regard to these contributions.  Thus, we do not reflect franchisee contributions to these cooperatives in our Consolidated Statements of Income or Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
Fiscal Year Fiscal Year.  Our fiscal years have historically ended on the last Saturday in December and, as a result, a 53rd week was added every five or six years.  The first three quarters of each fiscal year consisted of 12 weeks and the fourth quarter consisted of 16 weeks in fiscal years with 52 weeks and 17 weeks in fiscal years with 53 weeks.  Our U.S. subsidiaries and certain international subsidiaries operated on similar fiscal calendars. Our remaining international subsidiaries operated on a monthly calendar, and thus never had a 53rd week, with two months in the first quarter, three months in the second and third quarters and four months in the fourth quarter.  Certain international subsidiaries within our KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell divisions have historically closed approximately one month or one period earlier to facilitate consolidated reporting.

Fiscal year 2016 included 53 weeks for YUM, our U.S. businesses and for our international subsidiaries that report on a period calendar. The 53rd week added $76 million to Total revenues and $27 million to Operating Profit in our 2016 Consolidated Statement of Income.
Foreign Currency Foreign Currency.  The functional currency of our foreign entities is the currency of the primary economic environment in which the entity operates. Functional currency determinations are made based upon a number of economic factors, including but not limited to cash flows and financing transactions. The operations, assets and liabilities of our entities outside the United States are initially measured using the functional currency of that entity. Income and expense accounts for our operations of these foreign entities are then translated into U.S. dollars at the average exchange rates prevailing during the period. Assets and liabilities of these foreign entities are then translated into U.S. dollars at exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date. As of December 31, 2016, net cumulative translation adjustment losses of $313 million are recorded in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in the Consolidated Balance Sheet.

The majority of our foreign currency net asset exposure is in countries where we have company-owned restaurants. As we manage and share resources at the individual brand level within a country, cumulative translation adjustments are recorded and tracked at the foreign-entity level that represents the operations of our individual brands within that country. Translation adjustments recorded in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) are subsequently recognized as income or expense generally only upon sale of the related investment in a foreign entity, or upon a sale of assets and liabilities within a foreign entity that represents a complete or substantially complete liquidation of that foreign entity. For purposes of determining whether a sale or complete or substantially complete liquidation of an investment in a foreign entity has occurred, we consider those same foreign entities for which we record and track cumulative translation adjustments. See Note 5 for information on the liquidation of our Mexico and Pizza Hut Australia foreign entities and related Income Statement recognition of translation adjustments.

Gains and losses arising from the impact of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations on transactions in foreign currency are included in Other (income) expense in our Consolidated Statements of Income.
Reclassifications Reclassifications. We have reclassified certain items in the Consolidated Financial Statements for prior periods to be comparable with the classification for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016. These reclassifications had no effect on previously reported Net Income.
Franchise and License Operations Franchise Operations.  We execute store-level franchise agreements for units operated by third parties which set out the terms of our arrangement with the franchisee. Additionally, we execute master franchise agreements in certain regions that transfer administrative and development obligations and sub-franchising rights to a franchisee in exchange for a reduced continuing fee.  Our franchise agreements typically require the franchisee to pay an initial, non-refundable fee upon an individual store opening and continuing fees based upon a percentage of sales.  Subject to our approval and their payment of a renewal fee, a franchisee may generally renew the franchise agreement upon its expiration.

The internal costs we incur to provide support services to our franchisees are charged to General and Administrative (“G&A”) expenses as incurred.  Certain direct costs of our franchise operations are charged to Franchise and license expenses.  These costs include provisions for estimated uncollectible fees, rent or depreciation expense associated with restaurants we lease or sublease to franchisees, franchise marketing funding, amortization expense for franchise-related intangible assets, value added taxes on royalties and certain other direct incremental franchise support costs.
Revenue Recognition Revenue Recognition.  Revenues from Company-owned restaurants are recognized when payment is tendered at the time of sale.  The Company presents sales net of sales-related taxes.  Income from our franchisees includes initial fees, continuing fees, renewal fees and rental income from restaurants we lease or sublease to them.  We recognize initial fees received from a franchisee as revenue when we have performed substantially all initial services required by the franchise agreement, which is generally upon the opening of a store.  We recognize continuing fees, which are based upon a percentage of franchisee sales as those sales occur and rental income is recognized as it is earned.  We recognize renewal fees when a renewal agreement with a franchisee becomes effective.  We present initial fees collected upon the sale of a Company-owned restaurant to a franchisee in Refranchising (gain) loss.

While the majority of our franchise agreements are entered into with terms and conditions consistent with those at a prevailing market rate, there are instances when we enter into franchise agreements with terms that are not at market rates (for example, below-market continuing fees) for a specified period of time. We recognize the estimated value of terms in franchise agreements entered into concurrently with a refranchising transaction that are not consistent with market terms as part of the upfront
refranchising gain (loss) and amortize that amount into Franchise and license fees and income over the period such terms are in effect. The value of terms that are not considered to be at market within franchise agreements is estimated based upon the difference between the present value of the cash expected to be received under the franchise agreement and the present value of the cash that would have been expected to be received under a franchise agreement with terms substantially consistent with market.
Direct Marketing Costs Direct Marketing Costs.  To the extent we participate in advertising cooperatives, we expense our contributions as incurred which are based on a percentage of sales.  We charge direct marketing costs incurred outside of a cooperative to expense ratably in relation to revenues over the year in which incurred and, in the case of advertising production costs, in the year the advertisement is first shown.  Deferred direct marketing costs, which are classified as prepaid expenses, consist of media and related advertising production costs which will generally be used for the first time in the next fiscal year and have historically not been significant.  Our advertising expenses were $260 million, $255 million and $261 million in 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.  We report the vast majority of our direct marketing costs in Occupancy and other operating expenses as they are incurred as a percentage of sales by Company-owned restaurants. Advertising incurred on behalf of franchised restaurants is recorded within Franchise and license expenses.
Research and Development Expenses Research and Development Expenses.  Research and development expenses, which we expense as incurred, are reported in G&A expenses.  Research and development expenses were $24 million, $24 million and $25 million in 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
Share-Based Employee Compensation Share-Based Employee Compensation.  We recognize ongoing share-based payments to employees, including grants of employee stock options and stock appreciation rights (“SARs”), in the Consolidated Financial Statements as compensation cost over the service period based on their fair value on the date of grant.  This compensation cost is recognized over the service period on a straight-line basis for awards that actually vest.  We present this compensation cost consistent with the other compensation costs for the employee recipient in either Payroll and employee benefits or G&A expenses. See Note 16 for further discussion of our share-based compensation plans.
Legal Costs Legal Costs. Settlement costs are accrued when they are deemed probable and reasonably estimable. Anticipated legal fees related to self-insured workers' compensation, employment practices liability, general liability, automobile liability, product liability and property losses (collectively, "property and casualty losses") are accrued when deemed probable and reasonably estimable. Legal fees not related to self-insured property and casualty losses are recognized as incurred. See Note 20 for further discussion of our legal proceedings.
Impairment or Disposal of Property, Plant and Equipment Impairment or Disposal of Property, Plant and Equipment.  Property, plant and equipment (“PP&E”) is tested for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the assets may not be recoverable.  The assets are not recoverable if their carrying value is less than the undiscounted cash flows we expect to generate from such assets.  If the assets are not deemed to be recoverable, impairment is measured based on the excess of their carrying value over their fair value.

For purposes of impairment testing for our restaurants, we have concluded that an individual restaurant is the lowest level of independent cash flows unless it is more likely than not that we will refranchise restaurants as a group.  We review our long-lived assets of such individual restaurants (primarily PP&E and allocated intangible assets subject to amortization) semi-annually for impairment, or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of a restaurant may not be recoverable.  We use two consecutive years of operating losses as our primary indicator of potential impairment for our semi-annual impairment testing of these restaurant assets.  We evaluate the recoverability of these restaurant assets by comparing the estimated undiscounted future cash flows, which are based on our entity-specific assumptions, to the carrying value of such assets.  For restaurant assets that are not deemed to be recoverable, we write-down an impaired restaurant to its estimated fair value, which becomes its new cost basis.  Fair value is an estimate of the price a franchisee would pay for the restaurant and its related assets and is determined by discounting the estimated future after-tax cash flows of the restaurant, which include a deduction for royalties we would receive under a franchise agreement with terms substantially at market.  The after-tax cash flows incorporate reasonable assumptions we believe a franchisee would make such as sales growth and margin improvement.  The discount rate used in the fair value calculation is our estimate of the required rate of return that a franchisee would expect to receive when purchasing a similar restaurant and the related long-lived assets.  The discount rate incorporates rates of returns for historical refranchising market transactions and is commensurate with the risks and uncertainty inherent in the forecasted cash flows.

In executing our refranchising initiatives, we most often offer groups of restaurants for sale.  When we believe it is more likely than not a restaurant or groups of restaurants will be refranchised for a price less than their carrying value, but do not believe the restaurant(s) have met the criteria to be classified as held for sale, we review the restaurants for impairment.  We evaluate the recoverability of these restaurant assets by comparing estimated sales proceeds plus holding period cash flows, if any, to the carrying value of the restaurant or group of restaurants.  For restaurant assets that are not deemed to be recoverable, we recognize impairment for any excess of carrying value over the fair value of the restaurants, which is based on the expected net sales
proceeds.  To the extent ongoing agreements to be entered into with the franchisee simultaneous with the refranchising are expected to contain terms, such as royalty rates, not at prevailing market rates, we consider the off-market terms in our impairment evaluation.  We recognize any such impairment charges in Refranchising (gain) loss.  Refranchising (gain) loss includes the gains or losses from the sales of our restaurants to new and existing franchisees, including any impairment charges discussed above, and the related initial franchise fees. We recognize gains on restaurant refranchisings when the sale transaction closes and control of the restaurant operations have transferred to the franchisee.

When we decide to close a restaurant, it is reviewed for impairment and depreciable lives are adjusted based on the expected disposal date.  Other costs incurred when closing a restaurant such as costs of disposing of the assets as well as other facility-related expenses from previously closed stores are generally expensed as incurred.  Additionally, at the date we cease using a property under an operating lease, we record a liability for the net present value of any remaining lease obligations, net of estimated sublease income, if any.  Any costs recorded upon store closure as well as any subsequent adjustments to liabilities for remaining lease obligations as a result of lease termination or changes in estimates of sublease income are recorded in Closures and impairment (income) expenses.   To the extent we sell assets, primarily land, associated with a closed store, any gain or loss upon that sale is also recorded in Closures and impairment (income) expenses.

Considerable management judgment is necessary to estimate future cash flows, including cash flows from continuing use, terminal value, sublease income and refranchising proceeds.  Accordingly, actual results could vary significantly from our estimates.
Guarantees Guarantees.  We recognize, at inception of a guarantee, a liability for the fair value of certain obligations undertaken.  The majority of our guarantees are issued as a result of assigning our interest in obligations under operating leases as a condition to the refranchising of certain Company restaurants.  We recognize a liability for the fair value of such lease guarantees upon refranchising and upon subsequent renewals of such leases when we remain contingently liable.  The related expense and any subsequent changes are included in Refranchising (gain) loss.  Any expense and subsequent changes in the guarantees for other franchise support guarantees not associated with a refranchising transaction are included in Franchise and license expense.
Income Taxes Income Taxes.  We record deferred tax assets and liabilities for the future tax consequences attributable to temporary differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases as well as operating loss, capital loss and tax credit carryforwards.  Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those differences or carryforwards are expected to be recovered or settled.  The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in our Income tax provision in the period that includes the enactment date.  Additionally, in determining the need for recording a valuation allowance against the carrying amount of deferred tax assets, we consider the amount of taxable income and periods over which it must be earned, actual levels of past taxable income and known trends and events or transactions that are expected to affect future levels of taxable income.  Where we determine that it is more likely than not that all or a portion of an asset will not be realized, we record a valuation allowance.

We recognize the benefit of positions taken or expected to be taken in our tax returns in our income tax provision when it is more likely than not (i.e. a likelihood of more than fifty percent) that the position would be sustained upon examination by tax authorities.  A recognized tax position is then measured at the largest amount of benefit that is greater than fifty percent likely of being realized upon settlement.  We evaluate these amounts on a quarterly basis to ensure that they have been appropriately adjusted for audit settlements and other events we believe may impact the outcome. Changes in judgment that result in subsequent recognition, derecognition or a change in measurement of a tax position taken in a prior annual period (including any related interest and penalties) are recognized as a discrete item in the interim period in which the change occurs. We recognize accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as components of our income tax provision.

We do not record a U.S. deferred tax liability for the excess of the book basis over the tax basis of our investments in foreign subsidiaries to the extent that the basis difference results from earnings that meet the indefinite reversal criteria. This criteria is met if the foreign subsidiary has invested, or will invest, the undistributed earnings indefinitely. The decision as to the amount of undistributed earnings that we intend to maintain in non-U.S. subsidiaries considers items including, but not limited to, forecasts and budgets of financial needs of cash for working capital, liquidity plans and expected cash requirements in the United States.

See Note 18 for a further discussion of our income taxes.
Fair Value Measurements Fair Value Measurements.  Fair value is the price we would receive to sell an asset or pay to transfer a liability (exit price) in an orderly transaction between market participants.  For those assets and liabilities we record or disclose at fair value, we determine fair value based upon the quoted market price, if available.  If a quoted market price is not available for identical assets, we determine fair value based upon the quoted market price of similar assets or the present value of expected future cash flows considering the risks involved, including counterparty performance risk if appropriate, and using discount rates appropriate for
the duration.  The fair values are assigned a level within the fair value hierarchy, depending on the source of the inputs into the calculation.

Level 1
Inputs based upon quoted prices in active markets for identical assets.
 
 
Level 2
Inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset, either directly or indirectly.
 
 
Level 3
Inputs that are unobservable for the asset.
Cash and Cash Equivalents Cash and Cash Equivalents.  Cash equivalents represent funds we have temporarily invested (with original maturities not exceeding three months), including short-term, highly liquid debt securities. Cash and overdraft balances that meet the criteria for right of setoff are presented net on our Consolidated Balance Sheet.
Receivables Receivables.  The Company’s receivables are primarily generated from ongoing business relationships with our franchisees as a result of franchise and lease agreements.  Trade receivables consisting of royalties from franchisees, including Yum China, are generally due within 30 days of the period in which the corresponding sales occur and are classified as Accounts and notes receivable on our Consolidated Balance Sheet.  Yum China is our largest franchisee and we recorded franchise fee revenues of approximately $240 million from Yum China in 2016. Our provision for uncollectible franchisee receivable balances is based upon pre-defined aging criteria or upon the occurrence of other events that indicate that we may not collect the balance due.  Additionally, we monitor the financial condition of our franchisees and record provisions for estimated losses on receivables when we believe it probable that our franchisees will be unable to make their required payments.  While we use the best information available in making our determination, the ultimate recovery of recorded receivables is also dependent upon future economic events and other conditions that may be beyond our control.  We recorded $5 million and $3 million in net provisions within Franchise and license expenses in 2015 and 2014, respectively, related to uncollectible franchise and license trade receivables. Net provisions in 2016 related to uncollectible franchise and license trade receivables were less than $1 million. Trade receivables that are ultimately deemed to be uncollectible, and for which collection efforts have been exhausted, are written off against the allowance for doubtful accounts.
 
 
 
2016
 
2015
Accounts and notes receivable
 
$
383

 
$
338

Allowance for doubtful accounts
 
(13
)
 
(14
)
Accounts and notes receivable, net
 
$
370

 
$
324


 
Our financing receivables primarily consist of notes receivables and direct financing leases with franchisees which we enter into from time-to-time.  As these receivables primarily relate to our ongoing business agreements with franchisees, we consider such receivables to have similar risk characteristics and evaluate them as one collective portfolio segment and class for determining the allowance for doubtful accounts.  We monitor the financial condition of our franchisees and record provisions for estimated losses on receivables when we believe it is probable that our franchisees will be unable to make their required payments.  Balances of notes receivable and direct financing leases due within one year are included in Accounts and notes receivable while amounts due beyond one year are included in Other assets.  Amounts included in Other assets totaled $21 million (net of an allowance of $2 million) and $16 million (net of an allowance of $4 million) at December 31, 2016 and December 26, 2015, respectively.  Financing receivables that are ultimately deemed to be uncollectible, and for which collection efforts have been exhausted, are written off against the allowance for doubtful accounts.  Interest income recorded on financing receivables has historically been insignificant.
Inventories Inventories.  We value our inventories at the lower of cost (computed on the first-in, first-out method) or market.
Property, Plant and Equipment Property, Plant and Equipment.  We state PP&E at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization.  We calculate depreciation and amortization on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets as follows:  5 to 25 years for buildings and leasehold improvements, 3 to 20 years for machinery and equipment and 3 to 7 years for capitalized software costs.  We suspend depreciation and amortization on assets that are held for sale.
Leases and Leasehold Improvements Leases and Leasehold Improvements.  The Company leases land, buildings or both for certain of its restaurants and restaurant support centers worldwide.  The length of our lease terms, which vary by country and often include renewal options, are an important factor in determining the appropriate accounting for leases including the initial classification of the lease as capital or operating and the timing of recognition of rent expense over the duration of the lease.  We include renewal option periods in
determining the term of our leases when failure to renew the lease would impose a penalty on the Company in such an amount that a renewal appears to be reasonably assured at the inception of the lease.  The primary penalty to which we are subject is the economic detriment associated with the existence of leasehold improvements which might be impaired if we choose not to continue the use of the leased property.  Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of their estimated useful lives or the lease term.  We generally do not receive leasehold improvement incentives upon opening a store that is subject to a lease.

We expense rent associated with leased land or buildings while a restaurant is being constructed whether rent is paid or we are subject to a rent holiday.  Additionally, certain of the Company's operating leases contain predetermined fixed escalations of the minimum rent during the lease term.  For leases with fixed escalating payments and/or rent holidays, we record rent expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term, including any option periods considered in the determination of that lease term.  Contingent rentals are based on sales levels in excess of stipulated amounts, and thus are not considered minimum lease payments and are included in rent expense when attainment of the contingency is considered probable (e.g. when Company sales occur).
Internal Development Costs and Abandoned Site Costs Internal Development Costs and Abandoned Site Costs.  We capitalize direct costs associated with the site acquisition and construction of a Company unit on that site, including direct internal payroll and payroll-related costs.  Only those site-specific costs incurred subsequent to the time that the site acquisition is considered probable are capitalized.  If we subsequently make a determination that it is probable a site for which internal development costs have been capitalized will not be acquired or developed, any previously capitalized internal development costs are expensed and included in G&A expenses.
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Goodwill and Intangible Assets.  From time-to-time, the Company acquires restaurants from one of our Concept’s franchisees or acquires another business.  Goodwill from these acquisitions represents the excess of the cost of a business acquired over the net of the amounts assigned to assets acquired, including identifiable intangible assets and liabilities assumed.  Goodwill is not amortized and has been assigned to reporting units for purposes of impairment testing.  Our reporting units are our business units (which are aligned based on geography) in our KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell Divisions.

We evaluate goodwill for impairment on an annual basis or more often if an event occurs or circumstances change that indicate impairment might exist.  We have selected the beginning of our fourth quarter as the date on which to perform our ongoing annual impairment test for goodwill. We may elect to perform a qualitative assessment for our reporting units to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is greater than its carrying value. If a qualitative assessment is not performed, or if as a result of a qualitative assessment it is not more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying value, then the reporting unit’s fair value is compared to its carrying value. Fair value is the price a willing buyer would pay for a reporting unit, and is generally estimated using discounted expected future after-tax cash flows from Company-owned restaurant operations and franchise royalties.  The discount rate is our estimate of the required rate of return that a third-party buyer would expect to receive when purchasing a business from us that constitutes a reporting unit.  We believe the discount rate is commensurate with the risks and uncertainty inherent in the forecasted cash flows.  If the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, goodwill is written down to its implied fair value.  

If we record goodwill upon acquisition of a restaurant(s) from a franchisee and such restaurant(s) is then sold within two years of acquisition, the goodwill associated with the acquired restaurant(s) is written off in its entirety.  If the restaurant is refranchised two years or more subsequent to its acquisition, we include goodwill in the carrying amount of the restaurants disposed of based on the relative fair values of the portion of the reporting unit disposed of in the refranchising and the portion of the reporting unit that will be retained.  The fair value of the portion of the reporting unit disposed of in a refranchising is determined by reference to the discounted value of the future cash flows expected to be generated by the restaurant and retained by the franchisee, which includes a deduction for the anticipated, future royalties the franchisee will pay us associated with the franchise agreement entered into simultaneously with the refranchising transition.  The fair value of the reporting unit retained is based on the price a willing buyer would pay for the reporting unit and includes the value of franchise agreements.  Appropriate adjustments are made if a franchise agreement includes terms that are determined to not be at prevailing market rates.  As such, the fair value of the reporting unit retained can include expected cash flows from future royalties from those restaurants currently being refranchised, future royalties from existing franchise businesses and company restaurant operations.  As a result, the percentage of a reporting unit’s goodwill that will be written off in a refranchising transaction will be less than the percentage of the reporting unit’s Company-owned restaurants that are refranchised in that transaction and goodwill can be allocated to a reporting unit with only franchise restaurants.

Our definite-lived intangible assets that are not allocated to an individual restaurant are evaluated for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the intangible asset may not be recoverable.  An intangible asset that is deemed not recoverable on an undiscounted basis is written down to its estimated fair value, which is our estimate of the price a willing buyer would pay for the intangible asset based on discounted expected future after-tax cash flows.  For purposes of our impairment analysis, we update the cash flows that were initially used to value the definite-lived intangible asset to reflect our current estimates and assumptions over the asset’s future remaining life.
Derivative Financial Instruments Derivative Financial Instruments. We use derivative instruments primarily to hedge interest rate and foreign currency risks. These derivative contracts are entered into with financial institutions. We do not use derivative instruments for trading purposes and we have procedures in place to monitor and control their use.

We record all derivative instruments on our Consolidated Balance Sheet at fair value. For derivative instruments that are designated and qualify as a cash flow hedge, the effective portion of the gain or loss on the derivative instrument is reported as a component of other comprehensive income (loss) and reclassified into earnings in the same period or periods during which the hedged transaction affects earnings. Any ineffective portion of the gain or loss on the derivative instrument for a cash flow hedge is recorded in the results of operations immediately. For derivative instruments not designated as hedging instruments, the gain or loss is recognized in the results of operations immediately.

As a result of the use of derivative instruments, the Company is exposed to risk that the counterparties will fail to meet their contractual obligations. To mitigate the counterparty credit risk, we only enter into contracts with carefully selected major financial institutions based upon their credit ratings and other factors, and continually assess the creditworthiness of counterparties. At December 31, 2016 and December 26, 2015, all of the counterparties to our interest rate swaps, foreign currency swaps and foreign currency forwards had investment grade ratings according to the three major ratings agencies. To date, all counterparties have performed in accordance with their contractual obligations.
Common Stock Share Repurchases Common Stock Share Repurchases.  From time-to-time, we repurchase shares of our Common Stock under share repurchase programs authorized by our Board of Directors.  Shares repurchased constitute authorized, but unissued shares under the North Carolina laws under which we are incorporated.  Additionally, our Common Stock has no par or stated value.  Accordingly, we record the full value of share repurchases, upon the trade date, against Common Stock on our Consolidated Balance Sheet except when to do so would result in a negative balance in such Common Stock account.  In such instances, on a period basis, we record the cost of any further share repurchases as a reduction in Retained earnings (Accumulated Deficit).  Due to the large number of share repurchases of our stock over the past several years, our Common Stock balance is frequently zero at the end of any period.  Accordingly, $5,399 million, $1,124 million and $725 million in share repurchases were recorded as a reduction in Retained earnings (Accumulated Deficit) in 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. See Note 17 for additional information on our share repurchases.
Pension and Post-retirement Medical Benefits Pension and Post-retirement Medical Benefits. We measure and recognize the overfunded or underfunded status of our pension and post-retirement plans as an asset or liability in our Consolidated Balance Sheet as of our fiscal year end. The funded status represents the difference between the projected benefit obligations and the fair value of plan assets, which is calculated on a plan-by-plan basis. The projected benefit obligation and related funded status are determined using assumptions as of the end of each year. The projected benefit obligation is the present value of benefits earned to date by plan participants, including the effect of future salary increases, as applicable. The difference between the projected benefit obligations and the fair value of plan assets that has not previously been recognized in our Consolidated Statement of Income is recorded as a component of Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss).

The net periodic benefit costs associated with the Company's defined benefit pension and post-retirement medical plans are determined using assumptions regarding the projected benefit obligation and, for funded plans, the market-related value of plan assets as of the beginning of each year. We have elected to use a market-related value of plan assets to calculate the expected return on assets in net periodic benefit costs. We recognize differences in the fair value versus the market-related value of plan assets evenly over five years. For each individual plan we amortize into pension expense the net amounts in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), as adjusted for the difference between the fair value and market-related value of plan assets, to the extent that such amounts exceed 10% of the greater of a plan’s projected benefit obligation or market-related value of assets, over the remaining service period of active participants in the plan or, for plans with no active participants, over the expected average life expectancy of the inactive participants in the plan. We record a curtailment when an event occurs that significantly reduces the expected years of future service or eliminates the accrual of defined benefits for the future services of a significant number of employees. We record a curtailment gain when the employees who are entitled to the benefits terminate their employment; we record a curtailment loss when it becomes probable a loss will occur.

We recognize settlement gains or losses only when we have determined that the cost of all settlements in a year will exceed the sum of the service and interest costs within an individual plan.