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PURE FOODS SINCE 1869 - Heinz

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The need for and effect of product recalls could have an adverse impact on the<br />

Company’s business.<br />

If any of the Company’s products become misbranded or adulterated, the Company may need to<br />

conduct a product recall. The scope of such a recall could result in significant costs incurred as a result<br />

of the recall, potential destruction of inventory, and lost sales. Should consumption of any product<br />

cause injury, the Company may be liable for monetary damages as a result of a judgment against it. A<br />

significant product recall or product liability case could cause a loss of consumer confidence in the<br />

Company’s food products and could have a material adverse effect on the value of its brands and<br />

results of operations.<br />

The failure of new product or packaging introductions to gain trade and consumer<br />

acceptance and changes in consumer preferences could adversely affect our sales.<br />

The success of the Company is dependent upon anticipating and reacting to changes in consumer<br />

preferences, including health and wellness. There are inherent marketplace risks associated with<br />

new product or packaging introductions, including uncertainties about trade and consumer acceptance.<br />

Moreover, success is dependent upon the Company’s ability to identify and respond to<br />

consumer trends through innovation. The Company may be required to increase expenditures for<br />

new product development. The Company may not be successful in developing new products or<br />

improving existing products, or its new products may not achieve consumer acceptance, each of<br />

which could negatively impact sales.<br />

The failure to successfully integrate acquisitions and joint ventures into our existing<br />

operations or the failure to gain applicable regulatory approval for such transactions<br />

could adversely affect our financial results.<br />

The Company’s ability to efficiently integrate acquisitions and joint ventures into its existing<br />

operations also affects the financial success of such transactions. The Company may seek to expand<br />

its business through acquisitions and joint ventures, and may divest underperforming or non-core<br />

businesses. The Company’s success depends, in part, upon its ability to identify such acquisition and<br />

divestiture opportunities and to negotiate favorable contractual terms. Activities in such areas are<br />

regulated by numerous antitrust and competition laws in the U. S., the European Union, and other<br />

jurisdictions, and the Company may be required to obtain the approval of such transactions by<br />

competition authorities, as well as satisfy other legal requirements. The failure to obtain such<br />

approvals could adversely affect our results.<br />

The Company’s operations face significant foreign currency exchange rate exposure,<br />

which could negatively impact its operating results.<br />

The Company holds assets and incurs liabilities, earns revenue, and pays expenses in a variety of<br />

currencies other than the U.S. dollar, primarily the British Pound, Euro, Australian dollar, Canadian<br />

dollar, and New Zealand dollar. The Company’s consolidated financial statements are presented in<br />

U.S. dollars, and therefore the Company must translate its assets, liabilities, revenue, and expenses<br />

into U.S. dollars. Increases or decreases in the value of the U.S. dollar may negatively affect the value<br />

of these items in the Company’s consolidated financial statements, even if their value has not<br />

changed in their original currency.<br />

The failure to complete the strategic transformation through further simplification<br />

and cost savings could adversely affect the Company’s ability to increase net income.<br />

As publicly announced, the Company has been implementing a strategic transformation initiative<br />

to simplify its business, further prune and realign its portfolio, sell underutilized assets,<br />

reduce cost and increase efficiency, and sharpen its focus on three core categories of Ketchup &<br />

Sauces, Meals & Snacks, and Infant Food. The success of the Company could be impacted by its<br />

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