McCormick & Company Inc.: 10-K Risk Factor Changes

We hold investments in equity and debt securities in our qualified defined benefit pension plans and in a rabbi trust for our U.S. non-qualified pension plan. Deterioration in the value of plan assets resulting from a general financial downturn or otherwise, or an increase in the actuarial valuation of the plans' liability due to a low interest rate environment, could cause (or increase) an underfunded status of our defined benefit pension plans, thereby increasing our obligation to make contributions to the plans. An obligation to make contributions to pension plans could reduce the cash available for working capital and other corporate uses, and may have an adverse impact on our operations, financial condition and liquidity.

We hold investments in equity and debt securities in our qualified defined benefit pension plans and in a rabbi trust for our U.S. non-qualified pension plan. Deterioration in the value of plan assets resulting from a general financial downturn or otherwise, or an increase in the actuarial valuation of the plans' liability due to a low interest rate environment, could cause (or increase) an underfunded status of our defined benefit pension plans, thereby 11 11 11 11 11 11 increasing our obligation to make contributions to the plans. An obligation to make contributions to pension plans could reduce the cash available for working capital and other corporate uses, and may have an adverse impact on our operations, financial condition and liquidity.

Consolidations in some of the industries in which our customers operate have created larger customers, some of which are highly leveraged. In addition, competition has increased with the growth in alternative channels through our customer base. These factors have caused some customers to be less profitable and increased our exposure to credit risk. Current credit markets are volatile, and some of our customers and counterparties are highly leveraged. A significant adverse change in the financial and/or credit position of a customer or counterparty could require us to assume greater credit risk relating to that customer or counterparty and could limit our ability to collect receivables. This could have an adverse impact on our financial condition and liquidity.

Consolidations in some of the industries in which our customers operate have created larger customers, some of which are highly leveraged. In addition, competition has increased with the growth in alternative channels through our customer base. These factors have caused some customers to be less profitable and increased our exposure to credit risk. Current credit markets are volatile, and some of our customers and counterparties are highly leveraged. A significant adverse change in the financial and/or credit position of a customer or counterparty could require us to 14 14 14 14 14 14 assume greater credit risk relating to that customer or counterparty and could limit our ability to collect receivables. This could have an adverse impact on our financial condition and liquidity.

The global economy has been negatively impacted by ongoing geopolitical conflicts, including the military conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, the war in the Middle East, as well as rising tensions between China and Taiwan. Our business, financial condition and results of operations have been impacted in the past and may be impacted in the future by disruptions in the global economy associated with these geopolitical conflicts. Geopolitical instability has, and could result in, a negative impact on our ability to sell to, ship products to, collect payments from, and support customers in certain regions based on trade restrictions, embargoes and export control law restrictions, and logistics restrictions, and could increase the costs, risks and adverse impacts from supply chain and logistical challenges. The scope and duration of such conflicts are uncertain, rapidly changing, and hard to predict. While we expect the impacts of these conflicts to continue to have an effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations, we are unable to predict the extent or nature of these impacts at this time. Further escalation of these geopolitical conflicts, including increased trade barriers or restrictions on global trade, could result in, among other things, cyberattacks, supply disruptions, lower consumer demand, and changes to foreign exchange rates and financial markets, any of which may adversely affect our business and supply chain operations. In addition, the effects of the ongoing conflicts could also heighten many of the other risk factors described herein.

In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. As a result, the U.S. and certain other countries have imposed sanctions on Russia and could impose further sanctions that could damage or disrupt international commerce and the global economy. It is not possible to predict the broader or longer-term consequences of this conflict or the sanctions imposed to date, which could include further sanctions, embargoes, regional instability, geopolitical shifts and adverse effects on macroeconomic conditions, security conditions, energy and fuel prices, currency exchange rates and financial markets. Such geopolitical instability and uncertainty could have a negative impact on our ability to sell to, ship products to, collect payments from, and support customers in certain regions based on trade restrictions, embargoes and export control law restrictions, and logistics restrictions including closures of air space, and could increase the costs, risks and adverse impacts from supply chain and logistics challenges. The potential effects of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, as well as other conflicts, including between Israel and Hamas and in the Red Sea, could also impact many of the other risk factors described herein. These potential effects could include, but are not limited to, variations in the level of our profitability, changes in laws and regulations affecting our business, fluctuations in foreign currency markets, the availability of future borrowings, the cost of borrowings, credit risks of our customers and counterparties, and potential impairment of the carrying value of goodwill or other indefinite-lived intangible assets. Given the evolving nature of these conflicts, the related sanctions, potential governmental actions and economic impact, such potential impacts remain uncertain. While we expect the impacts of these conflicts to continue to have an effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations, we are unable to predict the extent or nature of these impacts at this time.