J.M. Smucker Company: 10-K Risk Factor Changes

2023 vs 2022  ·  SEC EDGAR  ·  2026-05-10
Other years: 2025 vs 2024 · 2024 vs 2023
⚠ AI-Generated

The summary below was generated by an AI language model and may contain errors or omissions. All other content on this page is deterministically extracted from the original SEC EDGAR filing.

J.M. Smucker Company shifted its risk disclosure focus from pandemic-specific concerns to broader macroeconomic conditions, removing COVID-19 and broker dependency risks while adding exposure risks related to inflation, economic recession, and equity investment volatility. The company substantively modified nine risks, with notable intensification of disclosures around Russia-Ukraine conflict impacts, credit rating vulnerabilities, and competitive pressures from private label products, while simultaneously introducing operational risks tied to a new enterprise performance management system implementation.

✓ Deterministic extraction — no AI-generated data

Classification is based on semantic text similarity scoring and may include approximations. “No match” means no high-confidence textual match was found — not necessarily that a section was removed.

3
New Risks
2
Removed
9
Modified
19
Unchanged
🟢 New in Current Filing

Deterioration of national and global macroeconomic conditions, an economic recession, periods of inflation, or economic uncertainty in key markets may adversely affect consumer spending and demand for our products.

National and global macroeconomic conditions can be uncertain and volatile. We have in the past been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by changes in national and global macroeconomic conditions, such as inflation, rising interest rates, tax rates, availability of…

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National and global macroeconomic conditions can be uncertain and volatile. We have in the past been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by changes in national and global macroeconomic conditions, such as inflation, rising interest rates, tax rates, availability of capital markets, consumer spending rates, energy availability and costs, supply chain challenges, labor shortages, and growing recession risk. The macroeconomic conditions recently experienced were in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and global supply chain challenges. Volatility in financial markets and deterioration of national and global macroeconomic conditions could impact our business and results of operations in a number of ways, including, but not limited to, the following: •financial instability of our customers and suppliers could result in additional bad debts or non-performance; •value of our investments in debt and equity securities may decline, including our investment in Post common stock; •future volatility or disruption in the capital and credit markets could negatively impact our liquidity or increase costs of borrowing; •an impairment in the carrying value of goodwill, other intangible assets, or other long-lived assets, or a change in the useful life of finite-lived intangible assets could occur if there are sustained changes in consumer purchasing behaviors, government restrictions, financial results, or a deterioration of macroeconomic conditions; •volatility in commodity and other input costs could continue due to adverse macroeconomic conditions; and •consumers could choose to purchase private label or competitive products of our lower-priced products as a result of an economic downturn. These and other impacts of global and national macroeconomic conditions could also heighten many of the other risk factors discussed in this section. Our sensitivity to economic cycles and any related fluctuation in consumer demand could negatively impact our business, results of operations, financial condition, and liquidity. 10 10 10 10 10 10

🟢 New in Current Filing

The value of our investment in equity securities is subject to certain risks and uncertainties which could make it difficult to dispose of some or all of such securities at favorable market prices.

As of April 30, 2023, we beneficially owned approximately 5.4 million shares of Post common stock. Investments in equity securities of any publicly-traded company, including Post, are subject to risks and uncertainties relating to such company’s business and ownership of such…

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As of April 30, 2023, we beneficially owned approximately 5.4 million shares of Post common stock. Investments in equity securities of any publicly-traded company, including Post, are subject to risks and uncertainties relating to such company’s business and ownership of such company’s common stock, some of which are disclosed in such company’s filings with the SEC, as well as risks and uncertainties relating to fluctuations in the global economy and public equity markets generally. Any such risk or uncertainty may cause the share price of such company’s common stock, and the value of our equity in such company to decline, including our investment in Post common stock, which could hinder our ability to dispose of these equity securities at favorable market prices. We also may not be able to realize gains from these equity securities, and any gains that we do realize on the disposition of these equity securities may not be sufficient to offset any losses we may experience. Further, our ability to dispose of the Post common stock is subject to certain restrictions set forth in our agreements with Post and arising under applicable laws and regulations, which in some circumstances could adversely impact our ability to sell the Post common stock in amounts and at the times desired. 18 18 18 18 18 18

🟢 New in Current Filing

We may face complications with the design or implementation of our new enterprise performance management system, which may negatively affect our business and operations.

We rely on information technology networks and systems to manage our business and operations. We are in the process of a multi-year implementation of a new enterprise performance management (“EPM”) system, inclusive of an enterprise resource planning system (i.e., general…

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We rely on information technology networks and systems to manage our business and operations. We are in the process of a multi-year implementation of a new enterprise performance management (“EPM”) system, inclusive of an enterprise resource planning system (i.e., general ledger), through the use of Oracle Cloud Solutions. The EPM system will replace our existing financial system and is designed to accurately maintain our financial records, enhance operational functionality and efficiency, and provide timely information to our management team. The EPM system implementation process has required, and will continue to require, the investment of significant personnel and financial resources over the duration of the project. We anticipate full integration of the EPM system by the end of 2025. Further, we may not be able to successfully implement the EPM system without experiencing delays, increased costs, and other complications. If we are unable to successfully design and implement the new EPM system as planned, our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows could be negatively impacted. In addition, if the EPM system does not operate as intended, the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting could be negatively affected.

🔴 No Match in Current Filing

The COVID-19 pandemic and related ongoing implications could negatively impact our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

This section from the 2022 filing does not have a high-confidence textual match in the 2023 filing. It may have been removed, merged, or substantially reworded.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had, and could continue to have, a negative impact on financial markets, economic conditions, and portions of our business and industry as a result of changes in consumer behaviors, retailer inventory levels, cost inflation, manufacturing and supply…

View 2022 text

The COVID-19 pandemic has had, and could continue to have, a negative impact on financial markets, economic conditions, and portions of our business and industry as a result of changes in consumer behaviors, retailer inventory levels, cost inflation, manufacturing and supply chain disruption, vaccination rates and effectiveness, the impact of vaccination requirements, and overall macroeconomic conditions. While our overall business has benefited from increased at-home consumption due to COVID-19, our ability to sustain heightened sales is dependent on evolving consumer mobility and purchasing behavior. Though the vaccination requirements and effectiveness may partially mitigate the risks around the continued spread of COVID-19, the related ongoing implications of the pandemic could negatively impact our business and results of operations in a number of ways, including, but not limited to, the following: •a shutdown or slowdown of one or more of our manufacturing facilities due to illness or labor shortages could significantly disrupt our production capabilities, particularly with respect to our coffee production, substantially all of which takes place in New Orleans, Louisiana; •a slowdown or stoppage in our supply chain could result from government restrictions or labor shortages due to illness or vaccination requirements, or if our suppliers, vendors, distributors, or third-party manufacturers fail to meet their obligations to us or experience disruptions in their ability to do so; •a portion of our workforce, including our management team, could become unable to work as a result of illness or government restrictions, or the attention of our management team could be diverted if any key employees become ill from COVID-19 and are unable to work; •a strain on our supply chain could result from increased consumer demand at our retail and e-commerce customers; •an increase in commodity and other input costs could result from market volatility, particularly with respect to protein meals, fats, corn products, and green coffee, the supply chain for which has been significantly disrupted by COVID-19; •an impairment in the carrying value of goodwill, other intangible assets, or other long-lived assets, or a change in the useful life of finite-lived intangible assets could occur if there are sustained changes in consumer purchasing behaviors, government restrictions, financial results, or a deterioration of macroeconomic conditions; •a decrease in demand for away from home establishments, resulting from government restrictions and social distancing measures, may adversely affect our away from home operations; •an increase in working capital needs could occur, caused by an increase in days sales outstanding or an extension of payment terms by our customers or a reduction of payment terms by our suppliers resulting from increased financial pressures; •a change in demand resulting from restrictions on social interactions could affect customers’ and consumers’ plans to purchase or methods of purchasing our products; •a change in demand for or availability of our products could result from retailers, distributors, or carriers modifying their restocking, fulfillment, or shipping practices; •a shift in consumer spending as a result of the economic downturn could result in consumers moving to private label or competitive products or our lower-priced products; •a change in trade promotions and marketing activities could occur in response to changes in consumer viewing and shopping habits resulting from the cancellation of major events, travel restrictions, and changes in in-store shopping practices; •a fluctuation in foreign currency exchange rates, interest rates, or inflation could result from market uncertainties; •an increase in the cost or the difficulty to obtain debt or equity financing, or to refinance our debt in the future, could affect our financial condition or our ability to fund operations or future investment opportunities; and •an increase in regulatory restrictions or continued market volatility could hinder our ability to implement price increases resulting from commodity or other input cost increases or to execute strategic business activities, including acquisitions and divestitures. 10 10 10 10 10 10 These and other impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic could also heighten many of the other risk factors discussed in this section. Overall, the impact of COVID-19 remains uncertain and ultimately depends on the length and severity of the pandemic, inclusive of the introduction of new strains of the virus; the federal, state, and local government actions taken in response; vaccination rates and effectiveness; the impact of vaccination requirements; and the macroeconomic environment. We will continue to evaluate the nature and extent to which COVID-19 impacts our business, supply chain, including labor availability and attrition, consolidated results of operations, financial condition, and liquidity.

🔴 No Match in Current Filing

We use a single national broker to represent a portion of our branded products to the retail grocery trade and any failure by the broker to effectively represent us could adversely affect our business.

This section from the 2022 filing does not have a high-confidence textual match in the 2023 filing. It may have been removed, merged, or substantially reworded.

We use a single national broker in the U.S. to represent a portion of our branded products to the retail grocery trade. Our business would suffer disruption if this broker were to fail to perform brokerage services or to effectively represent us to the retail grocery trade,…

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We use a single national broker in the U.S. to represent a portion of our branded products to the retail grocery trade. Our business would suffer disruption if this broker were to fail to perform brokerage services or to effectively represent us to the retail grocery trade, which could adversely affect our business.

🟡 Modified

The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the related disruptions to the global economy could adversely affect our business, financial condition, or results of operations.

high match confidence

Sentence-level differences:

  • Reworded sentence: "The global economy has been negatively impacted by the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine."
  • Reworded sentence: "If the conflict continues for an extended period of time, it could result in cyberattacks, supply chain disruptions, lower consumer demand, changes in foreign exchange rates, increased trade barriers and restrictions on global trade, and other impacts, which may adversely affect our business, financial condition, or results of operations."

Current (2023):

The global economy has been negatively impacted by the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Governments in the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union have imposed sanctions on certain products, industry sectors, and parties in Russia. Although we do not have…

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The global economy has been negatively impacted by the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Governments in the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union have imposed sanctions on certain products, industry sectors, and parties in Russia. Although we do not have any operations in Russia or Ukraine, we have experienced and may continue to experience shortages in materials and increased costs for transportation, energy, and raw materials due in part to the negative impact of the conflict on the global economy. If the conflict continues for an extended period of time, it could result in cyberattacks, supply chain disruptions, lower consumer demand, changes in foreign exchange rates, increased trade barriers and restrictions on global trade, and other impacts, which may adversely affect our business, financial condition, or results of operations. These and other impacts of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine could also heighten many of the other risk factors discussed in this section.

View prior text (2022)

The global economy has been negatively impacted by the recent conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Governments in the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union have imposed sanctions on certain products, industry sectors, and parties in Russia. Although we do not have any operations in Russia or Ukraine, we have experienced and may continue to experience shortages in materials and increased costs for transportation, energy, and raw materials due in part to the negative impact of the conflict on the global economy. If the conflict continues for an extended period of time, it could result in cyberattacks, supply chain disruptions, lower consumer demand, changes in foreign exchange rates, and other impacts, which may adversely affect our business, financial condition, or results of operations.

🟡 Modified

Weak financial performance, downgrades in our credit ratings, or disruptions in the financial markets may adversely affect our ability to access capital in the future.

high match confidence

Sentence-level differences:

  • Reworded sentence: "In addition, long-term volatility and disruptions in the capital and credit markets as a result of uncertainty, changing or increased regulation of financial institutions, reduced alternatives, or the failure of significant financial institutions could adversely affect our access to the liquidity needed for our business in the longer term."
  • Reworded sentence: "The Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom no longer requires banks to submit London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”), and as a result, the U.S."

Current (2023):

We may need new or additional financing in the future to conduct our operations, expand our business, or refinance existing indebtedness, which would be dependent upon our financial performance. Any downgrade in our credit ratings, particularly our short-term rating, would…

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We may need new or additional financing in the future to conduct our operations, expand our business, or refinance existing indebtedness, which would be dependent upon our financial performance. Any downgrade in our credit ratings, particularly our short-term rating, would likely impact the amount of commercial paper we could issue and increase our commercial paper borrowing costs. The liquidity of the overall capital markets and the state of the economy, including the food and beverage industry, may make credit and capital markets more difficult for us to access, even though we have an established revolving credit facility. From time to time, we have relied, and also may rely in the future, on access to financial markets as a source of liquidity for working capital requirements, acquisitions, and general corporate purposes. In particular, our access to funds under our revolving credit facility is dependent on the ability of the financial institutions that are parties to that facility to meet their funding commitments. The obligations of the financial institutions under our revolving credit facility are several and not joint and, as a result, a funding default by one or more institutions does not need to be made up by the others. In addition, long-term volatility and disruptions in the capital and credit markets as a result of uncertainty, changing or increased regulation of financial institutions, reduced alternatives, or the failure of significant financial institutions could adversely affect our access to the liquidity needed for our business in the longer term. Such disruptions could require us to take measures to conserve cash until the markets stabilize or until alternative credit arrangements or other funding for our business needs can be arranged. Disruptions in the capital and credit markets could also result in higher interest rates on publicly issued debt securities and increased costs under credit facilities. Continuation of these disruptions would increase our interest expense and capital costs and could adversely affect our results of operations and financial position. The Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom no longer requires banks to submit London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”), and as a result, the U.S. Federal Reserve has selected the Secured Overnight Funding Rate (“SOFR”) as the preferred alternative to LIBOR. We have transitioned and amended our contracts to accommodate the SOFR rate where required. Although we do not anticipate a significant impact to our financial position as a result of this transition given our current mix of fixed- and variable-rate debt, our interest expense could increase, and our available cash flow for general corporate requirements may be adversely affected. 17 17 17 17 17 17

View prior text (2022)

We may need new or additional financing in the future to conduct our operations, expand our business, or refinance existing indebtedness, which would be dependent upon our financial performance. Any downgrade in our credit ratings, particularly our short-term rating, would likely impact the amount of commercial paper we could issue and increase our commercial paper borrowing costs. The liquidity of the overall capital markets and the state of the economy, including the food and beverage industry, may make credit and capital markets more difficult for us to access, even though we have an established revolving credit facility. From time to time, we have relied, and also may rely in the future, on access to financial markets as a source of liquidity for working capital requirements, acquisitions, and general corporate purposes. In particular, our access to funds under our revolving credit facility is dependent on the ability of the financial institutions that are parties to that facility to meet their funding commitments. The obligations of the financial institutions under our revolving credit facility are several and not joint and, as a result, a funding default by one or more institutions does not need to be made up by the others. In addition, long-term volatility and disruptions in the capital and credit markets as a result of uncertainty, changing or increased regulation of financial institutions, reduced alternatives, or the failure of significant financial institutions could adversely affect our access to the liquidity needed for our businesses in the longer term. Such disruptions could require us to take measures to conserve cash until the markets stabilize or until alternative credit arrangements or other funding for our business needs can be arranged. Disruptions in the capital and credit markets could also result in higher interest rates on publicly issued debt securities and increased costs under credit facilities. Continuation of these disruptions would increase our interest expense and capital costs and could adversely affect our results of operations and financial position. Furthermore, as a result of COVID-19, we may experience an increase in the cost of or the difficulty to obtain debt or equity financing, or to refinance our debt in the future, which could also affect our financial condition or our ability to fund operations or future investment opportunities. Our fixed- and variable-rate debt use the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) as a benchmark for establishing interest rates, and we enter into interest rate swaps from time to time that contain a variable element based on LIBOR. The Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom no longer requires banks to submit LIBOR. Since LIBOR ceases to be available, we may need to amend affected agreements, and we cannot predict what alternative index will be negotiated with our counterparties. Although we do not anticipate a significant impact to our financial position as a result of this transition given our current mix of fixed- and variable-rate debt, our interest expense could increase, and our available cash flow for general corporate requirements may be adversely affected.

🟡 Modified

We must leverage our brand value to compete against private label products.

high match confidence

Sentence-level differences:

  • Reworded sentence: "Our products must provide higher value and/or quality to our consumers than alternatives, particularly during periods of economic uncertainty, weakness, or inflation."
  • Reworded sentence: "If consumers prefer private label products, which are typically sold at lower prices, then we could lose category share or sales volumes or shift our product mix to lower margin offerings, which could have a material effect on our business, financial position, and results of operations."

Current (2023):

In nearly all of our product categories, we compete against branded products as well as private label products. Our products must provide higher value and/or quality to our consumers than alternatives, particularly during periods of economic uncertainty, weakness, or inflation.…

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In nearly all of our product categories, we compete against branded products as well as private label products. Our products must provide higher value and/or quality to our consumers than alternatives, particularly during periods of economic uncertainty, weakness, or inflation. Consumers may not buy our products if relative differences in value and/or quality between our products and private label products change in favor of competitors’ products or if consumers perceive this type of change. If consumers prefer private label products, which are typically sold at lower prices, then we could lose category share or sales volumes or shift our product mix to lower margin offerings, which could have a material effect on our business, financial position, and results of operations.

View prior text (2022)

In nearly all of our product categories, we compete against branded products as well as private label products. Our products must provide higher value and/or quality to our consumers than alternatives, particularly during periods of economic 15 15 15 15 15 15 uncertainty or inflation. Consumers may not buy our products if relative differences in value and/or quality between our products and private label products change in favor of competitors’ products or if consumers perceive this type of change. If consumers prefer private label products, which are typically sold at lower prices, then we could lose category share or sales volumes or shift our product mix to lower margin offerings, which could have a material effect on our business and consolidated financial position and on the consolidated results of our operations and profitability.

🟡 Modified

Our proprietary brands, packaging designs, and manufacturing methods are essential to the value of our business, and the inability to protect our intellectual property could harm the value of our brands and adversely affect our sales and profitability.

high match confidence

Sentence-level differences:

  • Reworded sentence: "Because many of the roasting methods we use are considered our trade secrets and not protected by patents, it may be difficult for us to prevent competitors from copying our coffee products if such coffee roasting methods are independently discovered or become generally known in the industry."
  • Reworded sentence: "In addition, we utilize a number of proprietary methods for manufacturing our Smucker’s Uncrustables frozen sandwiches, which we believe are essential to producing high-quality sandwiches that consistently meet consumer expectations."

Current (2023):

The success of our business depends significantly on our brands, know-how, and other intellectual property. We rely on a combination of trademarks, service marks, trade secrets, patents, copyrights, licensing agreements, and similar rights to protect our intellectual property.…

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The success of our business depends significantly on our brands, know-how, and other intellectual property. We rely on a combination of trademarks, service marks, trade secrets, patents, copyrights, licensing agreements, and similar rights to protect our intellectual property. The success of our growth strategy depends on our continued ability to use our existing trademarks and service marks in order to maintain and increase brand awareness and further develop our brands. If our efforts to protect our intellectual property are not adequate, if any third party misappropriates or infringes on our intellectual property, or if we are alleged to be misappropriating or infringing on the intellectual property rights of others, the value of our brands may be harmed, which could have a material adverse effect on our business. From time to time, we are engaged in litigation to protect our intellectual property, which could result in substantial costs as well as diversion of management attention. In particular, we consider our proprietary coffee roasting methods essential to the consistent flavor and richness of our coffee products and, therefore, essential to our coffee brands. Because many of the roasting methods we use are considered our trade secrets and not protected by patents, it may be difficult for us to prevent competitors from copying our coffee products if such coffee roasting methods are independently discovered or become generally known in the industry. We also believe that our packaging innovations, such as our AromaSeal™ canisters, are important to the coffee business’ marketing and operational efforts. In addition, we utilize a number of proprietary methods for manufacturing our Smucker’s Uncrustables frozen sandwiches, which we believe are essential to producing high-quality sandwiches that consistently meet consumer expectations. Since the current methods used in making our sandwiches are considered our trade secrets and not protected by patents, it may be difficult for us to prevent competitors from copying our sandwiches if such sandwich-making methods are independently discovered or become generally known in the industry. If our competitors copy or develop more advanced coffee roasting or packaging or sandwich-making methods then the value of our coffee products or Smucker’s Uncrustables brand, respectively, may be diminished, and we could lose customers to our competitors. In addition, certain of our intellectual property rights, including the Dunkin’ trademarks, are owned by third parties and licensed to us. These trademarks are renegotiated and renewed pursuant to their terms, and if in the future, we are unable to renew or fail to renegotiate the licensing arrangements, then our financial results could be materially and negatively affected.

View prior text (2022)

The success of our business depends significantly on our brands, know-how, and other intellectual property. We rely on a combination of trademarks, service marks, trade secrets, patents, copyrights, licensing agreements, and similar rights to protect our intellectual property. The success of our growth strategy depends on our continued ability to use our existing trademarks and service marks in order to maintain and increase brand awareness and further develop our brands. If our efforts to protect our intellectual property are not adequate, if any third party misappropriates or infringes on our intellectual property, or if we are alleged to be misappropriating or infringing on the intellectual property rights of others, the value of our brands may be harmed, which could have a material adverse effect on our business. From time to time, we are engaged in litigation to protect our intellectual property, which could result in substantial costs as well as diversion of management attention. In particular, we consider our proprietary coffee roasting methods essential to the consistent flavor and richness of our coffee products and, therefore, essential to our coffee brands. Because many of the roasting methods we use are not protected by patents, it may be difficult for us to prevent competitors from copying our roasting methods if such methods become known. We also believe that our packaging innovations, such as our AromaSeal™ canisters, are important to the coffee business’ marketing and operational efforts. If our competitors copy our roasting or packaging methods or develop more advanced roasting or packaging methods, the value of our coffee brands may be diminished, and we could lose customers to our competitors.

🟡 Modified

Certain of our products are produced at single manufacturing sites.

high match confidence

Sentence-level differences:

Current (2023):

We have consolidated our production capacity for certain products into single manufacturing sites, including substantially all of our coffee, Milk-Bone dog snacks, and fruit spreads. We could experience a production disruption at these or any of our manufacturing sites resulting…

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We have consolidated our production capacity for certain products into single manufacturing sites, including substantially all of our coffee, Milk-Bone dog snacks, and fruit spreads. We could experience a production disruption at these or any of our manufacturing sites resulting in a reduction or elimination of the availability of some of our products. If we are not able to obtain alternate production capability in a timely manner, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be adversely affected. 11 11 11 11 11 11

View prior text (2022)

We have consolidated our production capacity for certain products into single manufacturing sites, including substantially all of our coffee, Milk-Bone dog snacks, and fruit spreads. We could experience a production disruption at these or any of our manufacturing sites resulting in a reduction or elimination of the availability of some of our products. If we are not able to obtain alternate production capability in a timely manner, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be adversely affected.

🟡 Modified

We may not realize the benefits we expect from our cost reduction and other cash management initiatives.

high match confidence

Sentence-level differences:

  • Reworded sentence: "Finally, the complexity of the implementation may require a substantial amount of management and operational resources."
  • Added sentence: "During 2023, we created a Transformation Office to support our multi-year commitment to ongoing margin enhancement efforts, inclusive of the removal of stranded overhead costs associated with the recent sale of certain pet food brands."
  • Added sentence: "The Transformation Office is focused on enterprise-wide continuous improvement strategies to ensure a pipeline of productivity 13 13 13 13 13 13 initiatives and profit growth opportunities."
  • Added sentence: "It is compiled of cross-functional leaders at every level of our organization who help to establish new ways of working, along with sustainable efficiencies and cost reduction efforts throughout our Company."
  • Added sentence: "If we are unable to successfully implement our transformation initiatives, our business and results of operations could be adversely affected."

Current (2023):

We continuously pursue initiatives to reduce costs, increase effectiveness, and optimize cash flow. We may not realize all of the anticipated cost savings or other benefits from such initiatives. Other events and circumstances, such as financial or strategic difficulties,…

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We continuously pursue initiatives to reduce costs, increase effectiveness, and optimize cash flow. We may not realize all of the anticipated cost savings or other benefits from such initiatives. Other events and circumstances, such as financial or strategic difficulties, delays, or unexpected costs, may also adversely impact our ability to realize all of the anticipated cost savings or other benefits, or cause us not to realize such cost savings or other benefits on the expected timetable. If we are unable to realize the anticipated benefits, our ability to fund other initiatives may be adversely affected. Finally, the complexity of the implementation may require a substantial amount of management and operational resources. Our management team must successfully execute the administrative and operational changes necessary to achieve the anticipated benefits of the initiatives. These and related demands on our resources may divert the organization’s attention from other business issues, have adverse effects on existing business relationships with suppliers and customers, and impact employee morale. Any failure to implement these initiatives in accordance with our plans could adversely affect our business and financial results. During 2023, we created a Transformation Office to support our multi-year commitment to ongoing margin enhancement efforts, inclusive of the removal of stranded overhead costs associated with the recent sale of certain pet food brands. The Transformation Office is focused on enterprise-wide continuous improvement strategies to ensure a pipeline of productivity 13 13 13 13 13 13 initiatives and profit growth opportunities. It is compiled of cross-functional leaders at every level of our organization who help to establish new ways of working, along with sustainable efficiencies and cost reduction efforts throughout our Company. If we are unable to successfully implement our transformation initiatives, our business and results of operations could be adversely affected.

View prior text (2022)

We continuously pursue initiatives to reduce costs, increase effectiveness, and optimize cash flow. We may not realize all of the anticipated cost savings or other benefits from such initiatives. Other events and circumstances, such as financial or strategic difficulties, delays, or unexpected costs, may also adversely impact our ability to realize all of the anticipated cost savings or other benefits, or cause us not to realize such cost savings or other benefits on the expected timetable. If we are unable to realize the anticipated benefits, our ability to fund other initiatives may be adversely affected. Finally, the complexity of the implementation will require a substantial amount of management and operational resources. Our management team must successfully execute the administrative and operational changes necessary to achieve the anticipated benefits of the initiatives. These and related demands on our resources may divert the organization’s attention from other business issues, have adverse effects on existing business relationships with suppliers and customers, and impact employee morale. Any failure to implement these initiatives in accordance with our plans could adversely affect our business and financial results. 13 13 13 13 13 13

🟡 Modified

Changes in tax, environmental, or other regulations and laws, or their application, or failure to comply with existing licensing, trade, and other regulations and laws could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition.

high match confidence

Sentence-level differences:

  • Reworded sentence: "In particular, proposals brought forth by the U.S."
  • Reworded sentence: "We are also subject to regular reviews, examinations, and audits by the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) and other taxing authorities with respect to taxes within and outside of the U.S."
  • Reworded sentence: "Further, we continue to monitor The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, H.R."
  • Reworded sentence: "Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, and Labor, state regulatory agencies, and other agencies, as well as to regulations and laws administered by government agencies in Canada and other countries in which we have operations and our products are sold."
  • Reworded sentence: "20 20 20 20 20 20 We are also subject to various laws and regulations that are continuously evolving in the U.S."

Current (2023):

We are subject to income and other taxes, primarily in the U.S. and Canada, based upon the jurisdictions in which our sales and profits are determined to be earned and taxed. Federal, state, and foreign statutory income tax rates and taxing regimes have been subject to…

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We are subject to income and other taxes, primarily in the U.S. and Canada, based upon the jurisdictions in which our sales and profits are determined to be earned and taxed. Federal, state, and foreign statutory income tax rates and taxing regimes have been subject to significant change and continue to evolve. Our interpretation of current tax laws and their applicability to our business, as well as any changes to existing laws, can significantly impact our effective income tax rate and deferred tax balances. In particular, proposals brought forth by the U.S. presidential administration include increases to federal income tax rates that, if enacted, could have a material impact to our financial results. We are also subject to regular reviews, examinations, and audits by the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) and other taxing authorities with respect to taxes within and outside of the U.S. Although we believe our tax estimates are reasonable, the final outcome of tax controversies could result in material incremental tax liabilities, including interest and penalties. Our effective income tax rate is also influenced by the geography, timing, nature, and magnitude of transactions, such as acquisitions and divestitures, restructuring activities, and impairment charges. Further, we continue to monitor The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, H.R. 5376 (the “Inflation Reduction Act”) and related regulatory developments to evaluate their potential impact on our business, tax rate, and financial results. Our operations are subject to various regulations and laws, in addition to tax laws, administered by federal, state, and local government agencies in the U.S., including the FDA, U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, and Labor, state regulatory agencies, and other agencies, as well as to regulations and laws administered by government agencies in Canada and other countries in which we have operations and our products are sold. In particular, the manufacturing, marketing, transportation, storage, distribution, and sale of food products are each subject to governmental regulation that is increasingly extensive. Governmental regulation encompasses such matters as ingredients (including whether a product contains bioengineered ingredients), packaging, labeling, pricing, advertising, relations with distributors and retailers, health, safety, data privacy and security, and anti-corruption, as well as an increased focus regarding environmental policies relating to climate change, regulating greenhouse gas emissions, energy policies, and sustainability, including single-use plastics. Additionally, we are routinely subject to new or modified securities regulations, other laws and regulations, and accounting and reporting standards. In the U.S., we are required to comply with federal laws, such as the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, the Food Safety Modernization Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Tariff Act, laws governing equal employment opportunity, and various other federal statutes and regulations. 20 20 20 20 20 20 We are also subject to various laws and regulations that are continuously evolving in the U.S. and other jurisdictions regarding privacy, data protection, and data security, including those related to the collection, storage, handling, use, disclosure, transfer, and security of personal data. For example, in the U.S., the California Consumer Privacy Act (the “CCPA”) imposes requirements on companies that do business in California and collect personal information from certain individuals, providing civil penalties for companies that fail to comply with these requirements as well as a private right of action for data breaches. Further, the California Privacy Rights Act, which took effect January 1, 2023, builds on the CCPA requiring the establishment of a dedicated agency to regulate privacy issues. Similarly, Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, and Utah have all adopted laws that take effect in calendar year 2023, introducing new privacy obligations that will require developing additional compliance mechanisms and processes. There also is a wide range of enforcement agencies at both state and federal levels that can review companies for privacy and data security concerns based on general consumer protection laws. Accordingly, failure to comply with federal and state laws regarding privacy and security of personal information could expose us to fines and penalties under such laws. Complying with new regulations and laws, or changes to existing regulations and laws, or their application could increase our costs or adversely affect our sales of certain products. In addition, our failure or inability to comply with applicable regulations and laws could subject us to civil remedies, including fines, injunctions, recalls or seizures, and potential criminal sanctions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition.

View prior text (2022)

We are subject to income and other taxes, primarily in the U.S. and Canada, based upon the jurisdictions in which our sales and profits are determined to be earned and taxed. Federal, state, and foreign statutory income tax rates and taxing regimes have been subject to significant change and continue to evolve. Our interpretation of current tax laws and their applicability to our business, as well as any changes to existing laws, can significantly impact our effective income tax rate and deferred tax balances. In particular, recent proposals brought forth by the U.S. presidential administration include increases to federal income tax rates that, if enacted, could have a material impact to our financial results. We are also subject to regular reviews, examinations, and audits by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and other taxing authorities with respect to taxes within and outside of the U.S. Although we believe our tax estimates are reasonable, the final outcome of tax controversies could result in material incremental tax liabilities, including interest and penalties. Our effective income tax rate is also influenced by the geography, timing, nature, and magnitude of transactions, such as acquisitions and divestitures, restructuring activities, and impairment charges. Further, in November 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act reinstated and expanded the 19 19 19 19 19 19 federal Superfund chemical excises tax, which will be in place July 1, 2022, through December 31, 2031, and could materially increase our costs and impact margins. Our operations are subject to various regulations and laws, in addition to tax laws, administered by federal, state, and local government agencies in the U.S., including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Commerce, and Labor, state regulatory agencies, and other agencies, as well as to regulations and laws administered by government agencies in Canada and other countries in which we have operations and our products are sold. In particular, the manufacturing, marketing, packaging, labeling, distribution, and sale of food products are each subject to governmental regulation that is increasingly extensive, encompassing such matters as ingredients (including whether a product contains bioengineered ingredients), packaging, pricing, advertising, relations with distributors and retailers, health, safety, data privacy, and the environment. Additionally, we are routinely subject to new or modified securities regulations, other laws and regulations, and accounting and reporting standards. In the U.S., we are required to comply with federal laws, such as the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, the Food Safety Modernization Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Tariff Act, laws governing equal employment opportunity, and various other federal statutes and regulations. We are also subject to various state and local statutes and regulations, including the California Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (better known as “Proposition 65”), which requires that a specific warning appear on any product sold in the State of California that contains a substance listed by that state as having been found to cause cancer or birth defects. Proposition 65 exposes all food and beverage producers to the possibility of having to provide warnings on their products, as well as civil penalties. We regularly move data across national and state borders to conduct our operations and, consequently, are subject to a variety of laws and regulations in the U.S. and other jurisdictions regarding privacy, data protection, and data security, including those related to the collection, storage, handling, use, disclosure, transfer, and security of personal data. There is significant uncertainty with respect to compliance with such privacy and data protection laws and regulations because they are continuously evolving and developing and may be interpreted and applied differently from country to country and state to state and may create inconsistent or conflicting requirements. Complying with new regulations and laws, or changes to existing regulations and laws, or their application could increase our costs or adversely affect our sales of certain products. In addition, our failure or inability to comply with applicable regulations and laws could subject us to civil remedies, including fines, injunctions, recalls or seizures, and potential criminal sanctions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition.

🟡 Modified

Our operations are subject to the general risks associated with acquisitions, divestitures, and restructurings.

high match confidence

Sentence-level differences:

  • Reworded sentence: "Our stated strategic vision is to engage, delight, and inspire consumers by building brands they love and leading in growing categories."
  • Reworded sentence: "If we are unable to complete acquisitions or to successfully integrate and develop acquired businesses, including the effective management of integration and related restructuring costs, we could fail to achieve the anticipated synergies and cost savings, or the expected increases in revenues and operating results."
  • Added sentence: "For more information, see Note 2: Special Project Costs and Note 3: Divestitures."

Current (2023):

Our stated strategic vision is to engage, delight, and inspire consumers by building brands they love and leading in growing categories. We have historically made strategic acquisitions of brands and businesses, and intend to do so in the future in support of this strategy. If…

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Our stated strategic vision is to engage, delight, and inspire consumers by building brands they love and leading in growing categories. We have historically made strategic acquisitions of brands and businesses, and intend to do so in the future in support of this strategy. If we are unable to complete acquisitions or to successfully integrate and develop acquired businesses, including the effective management of integration and related restructuring costs, we could fail to achieve the anticipated synergies and cost savings, or the expected increases in revenues and operating results. Additional acquisition risks include the diversion of management attention from our existing business, potential loss of key employees, suppliers, or consumers from the acquired business, assumption of unknown risks and liabilities, and greater than anticipated operating costs of the acquired business. Any of these factors could have a material adverse effect on our financial results. In addition, we have made strategic divestitures of brands and businesses, including the recent sale of certain pet food brands, as well as the natural beverage and grains, private label dry pet food, Crisco, and Natural Balance businesses, and we may do so in the future. If we are unable to complete divestitures or successfully transition divested businesses, including the effective management of the related separation and stranded overhead costs, transition services, and the maintenance of relationships with customers, suppliers, and other business partners, our business and financial results could be negatively impacted. Further, we may incur asset impairment charges related to divestitures that reduce our profitability. Divestitures and related restructuring costs, such as the restructuring plan entered into in 2021, and concluded in 2023, require a significant amount of management and operational resources. These additional demands could divert management’s attention from core business operations, potentially adversely impacting existing business relationships and employee morale, resulting in negative impacts on our financial performance. For more information, see Note 2: Special Project Costs and Note 3: Divestitures.

View prior text (2022)

Our stated strategic vision is to own and market a portfolio of food and beverage brands that combines number one and leading brands with emerging, on-trend brands to drive balanced, long-term growth, primarily in North America. We have historically made strategic acquisitions of brands and businesses, and intend to do so in the future in support of this strategy. If we are unable to complete acquisitions or to successfully integrate and develop acquired businesses, including the effective management of integration and related restructuring costs, we could fail to achieve the anticipated synergies and cost savings, or the expected increases in revenues and operating results, either of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial results. In addition, we have made strategic divestitures of brands and businesses, including the sale of the natural beverage and grains, private label dry pet food, Crisco, and Natural Balance businesses, and we may do so in the future. If we are unable to complete divestitures or successfully transition divested businesses, including the effective management of the related separation and stranded overhead costs and transition services, our business and financial results could be negatively impacted. Divestitures and related restructuring costs, such as the restructuring plan entered into in 2021 and expanded in 2022, require a significant amount of management and operational resources. These additional demands could divert management’s attention from core business operations, potentially adversely impacting existing business relationships and employee morale, resulting in negative impacts on our financial performance.

🟡 Modified

Our operations are subject to the general risks of the food industry.

medium match confidence

Sentence-level differences:

  • Reworded sentence: "The food industry is subject to risks posed by food spoilage and contamination, product tampering, mislabeling, food allergens, adulteration of food products resulting in product recall, consumer product liability claims, or regulatory investigations or actions."
  • Reworded sentence: "We could also suffer losses from a significant judgment or settlement of a claim or litigation or a regulatory action taken against us."
  • Reworded sentence: "We expect costs associated with the recall to be minimal in 2024."

Current (2023):

The food industry is subject to risks posed by food spoilage and contamination, product tampering, mislabeling, food allergens, adulteration of food products resulting in product recall, consumer product liability claims, or regulatory investigations or actions. Our operations…

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The food industry is subject to risks posed by food spoilage and contamination, product tampering, mislabeling, food allergens, adulteration of food products resulting in product recall, consumer product liability claims, or regulatory investigations or actions. Our operations could be impacted by both genuine and fictitious claims regarding our products as well as our competitors’ products. In the event of product contamination, tampering, or mislabeling, we may need to recall some of our products. A widespread product recall could result in significant loss due to the cost of conducting a product recall, including destruction of inventory and the loss of sales resulting from the unavailability of product for a period of time. We could also suffer losses from a significant judgment or settlement of a claim or litigation or a regulatory action taken against us. In addition, we could be the target of claims of false or deceptive advertising under U.S. federal and state laws as well as foreign laws, including consumer protection statutes of some states. A significant product recall, a product liability judgment or settlement, a regulatory action, or false advertising claim, involving either us or our competitors, could also result in a loss of consumer confidence in our food products or the food category, and an actual or perceived loss of value of our brands, materially impacting consumer demand. In May 2022, we initiated a voluntary recall of select Jif peanut butter products produced at our Lexington, Kentucky facility and sold primarily in the U.S., due to potential salmonella contamination. At that time, we also suspended the manufacturing of Jif peanut butter products at the Lexington facility and temporarily paused shipments from our Memphis, Tennessee facility to eliminate confusion while customers cleared their shelves of potentially impacted products manufactured at the Lexington facility. No other products produced at our other facilities were affected by the recall. In June 2022, we resumed manufacturing Jif peanut butter products at our Lexington facility, as well as shipping from our Memphis facility. We partnered with retailers to restock Jif peanut butter products during the first quarter of 2023, and as of April 30, 2023, we have returned to normal levels. To date, we have recognized total direct costs associated with the recall of approximately $120.0, net of insurance recoveries, related to customer returns, fees, unsaleable inventory, and other product recall-related costs, primarily within our U.S. Retail Consumer Foods segment. We expect costs associated with the recall to be minimal in 2024. Further, the FDA issued a Warning Letter on January 24, 2023, following an inspection of our Lexington facility completed in June 2022 in connection with the Jif voluntary recall, identifying concerns regarding certain practices and controls at the facility. We have responded to the Warning Letter with a detailed explanation of our food safety plan and extensive verification activities to prevent contamination in Jif peanut butter products. In addition, we have worked diligently to further strengthen our already stringent quality processes, including doubling our finished product testing and tripling our environmental testing to verify the efficacy of our actions. The FDA or other agencies may nonetheless conclude that certain practices or controls were not in compliance with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act or other laws. Any potential regulatory action based on such an agency conclusion could result in the imposition of injunctive terms and monetary payments that could have a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, brand, results of operations, and financial performance, as well as affect ongoing consumer litigation associated with the voluntary recall of Jif peanut butter products. The outcome and financial impact of the ongoing consumer litigation or any potential regulatory action associated with the Jif voluntary recall cannot be predicted at this time. Accordingly, no loss contingency has been recorded for these matters as of April 30, 2023, and the likelihood of loss is not considered probable or estimable.

View prior text (2022)

The food industry is subject to risks posed by food spoilage and contamination, product tampering, mislabeling, food allergens, adulteration of food products resulting in product recall, and consumer product liability claims. Our operations could be impacted by both genuine and fictitious claims regarding our products as well as our competitors’ products. In the event of product contamination, tampering, or mislabeling, we may need to recall some of our products. A widespread product recall could result in significant loss due to the cost of conducting a product recall, including destruction of inventory and the loss of sales resulting from the unavailability of product for a period of time. We could also suffer losses from a significant product liability judgment against us. A significant product recall or a product liability judgment, involving either us or our competitors, could also result in a loss of consumer confidence in our food products or the food category, and an actual or perceived loss of value of our brands, materially impacting consumer demand. Subsequent to April 30, 2022, we initiated a voluntary recall of select Jif peanut butter products produced at our Lexington, Kentucky, facility and sold primarily in the U.S., due to potential salmonella contamination. At that time, we also suspended the manufacturing of Jif peanut butter products at the Lexington facility. No other products produced at our other facilities were affected by this recall. As a result, and in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we recorded reserves of $52.3 in our consolidated financial statements as of April 30, 2022, within our U.S. Retail Consumer Foods segment, which was inclusive of unsaleable inventory as of April 30, 2022, as well as estimated customer returns and consumer refunds related to net sales in 2022. We anticipate these costs will be recovered by insurance, and as a result, an insurance receivable of $49.8, net of the deductible, was also recorded as of April 30, 2022. On June 10, 2022, we announced our plans to resume manufacturing Jif peanut butter products at our Lexington facility. Further, our Memphis, Tennessee, facility was not affected by the recall and has continued to manufacture Jif peanut butter products. However, we temporarily paused shipments from the Memphis facility to eliminate confusion while customers cleared their shelves of potentially impacted products manufactured at the Lexington facility. We will resume shipping from both the Lexington and Memphis facilities and are partnering with retailers to restock Jif peanut butter products as soon as possible. Based on progress to date, we believe this matter will be substantially resolved during the first quarter of 2023. Based on our best estimates, we anticipate an unfavorable pre-tax impact of approximately $125.0 in 2023, net of the remaining anticipated insurance recoveries, primarily related to the estimated impact of manufacturing downtime, customer returns and penalties, and unsaleable inventory, as well as other recall related costs. The recall will primarily impact our U.S. Retail Consumer Foods segment. Our ultimate loss from the Jif peanut butter recall could differ materially from these estimates, primarily dependent upon the magnitude of lost sales resulting from the unavailability of products for a longer period of time than anticipated, as well as any resulting adverse consumer reaction, including the loss of perceived value and any shift in consumer preferences.