RISK FACTORS.
−Removed: Before deciding
−Removed: to purchase, hold or sell our common stock, you should carefully consider the risks described below in addition to the other information
−Removed: contained in this Report and in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including subsequent reports on Forms 10-K,
−Removed: 10-Q and 8-K.
+Added: deciding to purchase, hold or sell our common stock, you should carefully consider the risks described below in addition to the other
+Added: information contained in this Report and in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including subsequent reports
+Added: on Forms 10-Q and 8-K.
The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones we face.
−Removed: Additional risks and uncertainties not presently
−Removed: known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business.
−Removed: If any of these known or unknown risks or uncertainties
−Removed: actually occurs with material adverse effects on Alto Ingredients, our business, financial condition, results of operations and/or liquidity
−Removed: could be seriously harmed.
−Removed: In that event, the market price for our common stock will likely decline, and you may lose all or part of your
−Removed: Risks Related to our Business
−Removed: Our results of operations and our ability to operate
−Removed: at a profit are largely dependent on our ability to manage the costs of corn, natural gas and other production inputs, with the prices
−Removed: of our alcohols and essential ingredients, all of which are subject to volatility and uncertainty.
−Removed: Our results of operations are highly impacted by
−Removed: commodity prices, including the cost of corn, natural gas and other production inputs that we must purchase, and the prices of alcohols
−Removed: and essential ingredients that we sell.
−Removed: Prices and supplies are subject to and determined by numerous market and other forces over which
−Removed: we have no control, such as weather, domestic and global demand, supply shortages, export prices, inflationary conditions, global geopolitical
−Removed: tensions and various governmental policies in the United States and throughout the world.
−Removed: Price volatility of corn, natural gas and other
−Removed: production inputs, and alcohols and essential ingredients, may cause our results of operations to fluctuate substantially.
−Removed: to generate expected levels of net sales and profits even under fixed-price and other contracts for the sale of specialty alcohols used
−Removed: in consumer products.
−Removed: Our customers may not pay us timely or at all, even under longer-term, fixed-price contracts for our specialty alcohols,
−Removed: and may seek to renegotiate prices under those contracts during periods of falling prices or high price volatility.
−Removed: Over the past several years, for example, the spread
−Removed: between corn and fuel-grade ethanol prices has fluctuated significantly.
−Removed: Fluctuations are likely to continue to occur.
−Removed: A sustained negative
−Removed: or narrow spread, whether as a result of sustained high or increased corn prices or sustained low or decreased alcohol or essential ingredient
−Removed: prices, would adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
−Removed: Revenues from sales of alcohols, particularly fuel-grade
−Removed: ethanol, and essential ingredients have in the past and could in the future decline below the marginal cost of production, which may force
−Removed: us to suspend production, particularly fuel-grade ethanol production, at some or all of our facilities.
−Removed: In addition, some of our fuel-grade ethanol marketing
−Removed: and distribution activities will likely be unprofitable in a market of generally declining prices due to the nature of our business.
−Removed: example, to satisfy customer demands, we maintain certain quantities of fuel-grade ethanol inventory for subsequent resale.
−Removed: we procure much of our fuel-grade ethanol inventory outside of contracted third-party marketing and distribution arrangements and therefore
−Removed: must buy fuel-grade ethanol at a price established at the time of purchase and sell fuel-grade ethanol at an index price established later
−Removed: at the time of sale that is generally reflective of movements in the market price of fuel-grade ethanol.
−Removed: As a result, our margins for
−Removed: fuel-grade ethanol sold in these transactions generally decline and may turn negative as the market price of fuel-grade ethanol declines.
−Removed: We can provide no assurance that corn, natural
−Removed: gas or other production inputs can be purchased at or near current or any particular prices, or that our alcohols or essential ingredients
−Removed: will sell at or near current or any particular prices.
−Removed: Consequently, our results of operations and financial condition may be adversely
−Removed: affected by increases in the prices of corn, natural gas and other production inputs or decreases in the prices of our alcohols and essential
−Removed: Inflation, including as a result of commodity price
−Removed: inflation or supply chain constraints due to the war in Ukraine or other geopolitical events, and higher prices in general may adversely
−Removed: impact our results of operations.
−Removed: We have experienced inflationary impacts on key
−Removed: production inputs, wages and other costs of labor, equipment, services, and other business expenses.
−Removed: Commodity prices in particular have
−Removed: risen significantly over the past two years.
+Added: Additional risks and uncertainties
+Added: not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business.
+Added: If any of these known or unknown risks or
+Added: uncertainties actually occurs with material adverse effects on Alto Ingredients, our business, financial condition, results of operations
+Added: and/or liquidity could be seriously harmed.
+Added: In that event, the market price for our common stock will likely decline, and you may lose
+Added: all or part of your investment.
+Added: Related to our Business
+Added: results of operations and our ability to operate at a profit are largely dependent on our ability to manage the costs of corn, natural
+Added: gas and other production inputs, with the prices of our alcohols and essential ingredients, all of which are subject to volatility and
+Added: results of operations are highly impacted by commodity prices, including the cost of corn, natural gas and other production inputs that
+Added: we must purchase, and the prices of alcohols and essential ingredients that we sell.
+Added: Prices and supplies are subject to and determined
+Added: by numerous market and other forces over which we have no control, such as inclement or favorable weather, domestic and global demand,
+Added: supply excesses or shortages, export conditions, inflationary conditions, global geopolitical tensions and various governmental policies
+Added: in the United States and throughout the world.
+Added: volatility of corn, natural gas and other production inputs, and alcohols and essential ingredients, may cause our results of operations
+Added: to fluctuate significantly.
+Added: We may fail to generate expected levels of net sales and profits even under fixed-price and other contracts
+Added: for the sale of specialty alcohols used in consumer products.
+Added: Our customers may not pay us timely or at all, even under longer-term,
+Added: fixed-price contracts for our specialty alcohols, and may seek to renegotiate prices under those contracts during periods of falling
+Added: prices or high price volatility.
+Added: the past several years, for example, the spread between corn and fuel-grade ethanol prices has fluctuated significantly.
+Added: are likely to continue to occur.
+Added: A sustained negative or narrow spread, whether as a result of sustained high or increased corn prices
+Added: or sustained low or decreased alcohol or essential ingredient prices, would adversely affect our results of operations and financial
+Added: Revenues from sales of alcohols, particularly fuel-grade ethanol, and essential ingredients have in the past and could in
+Added: the future decline below the marginal cost of production, which have in the past and may again in the future force us to suspend production,
+Added: particularly fuel-grade ethanol production, at some or all of our facilities.
+Added: For example, we hot-idled our Magic Valley facility in
+Added: early 2023 due to unfavorable market conditions and again hot-idled our Magic Valley facility in early 2024 in part due to unfavorable
+Added: market conditions.
+Added: addition, some of our fuel-grade ethanol marketing and distribution activities will likely be unprofitable in a market of generally declining
+Added: prices due to the nature of our business.
+Added: For example, to satisfy customer demand, we maintain certain quantities of fuel-grade ethanol
+Added: inventory for subsequent resale.
+Added: Moreover, we procure much of our fuel-grade ethanol inventory outside of contracted third-party marketing
+Added: and distribution arrangements and therefore must buy fuel-grade ethanol at a price established at the time of purchase and sell fuel-grade
+Added: ethanol at an index price established later at the time of sale that is generally reflective of movements in the market price of fuel-grade
+Added: As a result, our margins for fuel-grade ethanol sold in these transactions generally decline and may turn negative as the market
+Added: price of fuel-grade ethanol declines.
+Added: can provide no assurances that corn, natural gas or other production inputs can be purchased at or near current or any specific prices,
+Added: or that our alcohols or essential ingredients will sell at or near current or any particular prices.
+Added: Consequently, our results of operations
+Added: and financial condition may be adversely affected by increases in the prices of corn, natural gas and other production inputs or decreases
+Added: in the prices of our alcohols and essential ingredients.
+Added: prices of our products are volatile and subject to large fluctuations, which may cause our results of operations to fluctuate significantly.
+Added: prices of our products are volatile and subject to large fluctuations.
+Added: For example, the market price of fuel-grade ethanol is dependent
+Added: upon many factors, including the supply of ethanol and the price of gasoline, which is in turn dependent upon the price of petroleum
+Added: which itself is highly volatile, difficult to forecast and influenced by a wide variety of global economic and geopolitical conditions,
+Added: including decisions concerning petroleum output by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and their allies, an intergovernmental
+Added: organization that seeks to manage the price and supply of oil on the global energy market.
+Added: Other important factors that impact the price
+Added: of petroleum include war and threats of war, attacks on or threats to shipping vessels as has recently occurred in the Red Sea, the consequent
+Added: rerouting of supply lines to less direct or more expensive paths, and other supply chain disruptions.
+Added: fuel-grade ethanol sales are tied to prevailing spot market prices rather than long-term, fixed-price contracts.
+Added: Fuel-grade ethanol prices,
+Added: as reported by the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, ranged from $1.58 to $2.67 per gallon in 2023, from $2.00 to $2.88 per gallon in 2022
+Added: and from $1.48 to $3.75 per gallon in 2021.
+Added: In addition, even under longer-term, fixed-price contracts for our specialty alcohols, our
+Added: customers may seek to renegotiate prices under those contracts during periods of falling prices or high price volatility.
+Added: in the prices of our products may cause our results of operations to fluctuate significantly.
+Added: may engage in hedging transactions and other risk mitigation strategies that could harm our results of operations and financial condition.
+Added: partially offset the effects of production input and product price volatility, in particular, corn and natural gas costs and fuel-grade
+Added: ethanol prices, we may enter into contracts to purchase a portion of our corn or natural gas requirements on a forward basis or fix the
+Added: sale price of portions of our alcohol production.
+Added: In addition, we may engage in other hedging transactions involving exchange-traded
+Added: futures contracts for corn, natural gas and unleaded gasoline from time to time.
+Added: The financial statement impact of these activities is
+Added: dependent upon, among other things, the prices involved and our ability to sell sufficient products to use all of the corn and natural
+Added: gas for which forward commitments have been made.
+Added: We have recognized losses in the past, and may suffer losses in the future, from our
+Added: hedging arrangements.
+Added: For example, for the year ended December 31, 2023, we recognized net losses of $8.0 million related to the change
+Added: in the fair values of hedging contracts.
+Added: arrangements also expose us to the risk of financial loss in situations where our counterparty to the hedging contract defaults on its
+Added: contract or, in the case of exchange-traded contracts, where there is a change in the expected differential between the underlying price
+Added: in the hedging agreement and the actual prices paid or received by us.
+Added: In addition, our open contract positions may require cash deposits
+Added: to cover margin calls, negatively impacting our liquidity.
+Added: As a result, our hedging activities and fluctuations in the price of corn,
+Added: natural gas, fuel-grade ethanol and unleaded gasoline may adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition and liquidity.
+Added: in our production or distribution, including from climate change and other weather effects, may adversely affect our business, results
+Added: of operations and financial condition.
+Added: business depends on the continuing availability of rail, road, port, storage and distribution infrastructure.
+Added: In particular, due to limited
+Added: storage capacity at some of our production facilities and other considerations related to production efficiencies, certain facilities
+Added: depend on timely delivery of corn.
+Added: Alcohol production also requires a significant and uninterrupted supply of other raw materials and
+Added: energy, primarily water, electricity and natural gas.
+Added: Local water, electricity and gas utilities may fail to reliably supply the water,
+Added: electricity and natural gas that our production facilities need or may fail to supply those resources on acceptable terms.
+Added: poor weather has caused disruptions in rail transportation, which slowed the delivery of fuel-grade ethanol by rail, a key method by
+Added: which fuel-grade ethanol from our Pekin Campus is transported to market.
+Added: For example, in the first quarter of 2024, extreme cold weather conditions
+Added: in January at our Pekin Campus restricted barge deliveries and increased standby fees.
+Added: To manage inventory levels, we transported more
+Added: product by rail, a higher cost mode of transportation.
+Added: Cold weather conditions also required us to shift to lower margin feed products
+Added: and reduced our production rates across our Pekin Campus, hindering our ability to produce specialty alcohol at full capacity.
+Added: third quarter of 2023 we experienced unusually high unscheduled production downtime for repairs and maintenance which reduced sales volumes
+Added: In 2022, a lightning strike at the utility servicing our Pekin Campus disrupted our operations, cutting power to our facilities
+Added: and materially affecting our production, resulting in unexpected repair and maintenance costs, lost production and degradation in the
+Added: quality of work-in-progress inventories.
+Added: In addition, in 2020, we experienced closure of the Illinois River for lock repairs which required
+Added: greater use of less cost-effective modes of product transport such as via rail and truck, which resulted in higher costs and negatively
+Added: affected our results of operations.
+Added: in production or distribution, whether caused by labor difficulties, unscheduled downtimes and other operational hazards inherent in
+Added: the alcohol production industry, including equipment failures, fires, explosions, abnormal pressures, blowouts, pipeline ruptures, transportation
+Added: accidents, climate change and natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and storms, or other weather effects, or human error or malfeasance
+Added: or other reasons, could prevent timely deliveries of corn or other raw materials and energy, and could delay transport of our products
+Added: to market, and may require us to halt production at one or more production facilities, any of which could have a material adverse effect
+Added: on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
+Added: of these operational hazards may also cause personal injury or loss of life, severe damage to or destruction of property and equipment
+Added: or environmental damage, and may result in suspension of operations and the imposition of civil or criminal penalties.
+Added: Our insurance
+Added: may not fully cover the potential hazards described above or we may be unable to renew our insurance on commercially reasonable terms
+Added: alcohol or essential ingredient production or higher inventory levels may cause a decline in prices for those products, and may have
+Added: other negative effects, materially and adversely impacting our results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.
+Added: prices of our alcohols and essential ingredients are highly impacted by competing third-party supplies of those products.
+Added: if fuel-grade ethanol production margins improve, we anticipate that owners of production facilities operating at below capacity, or
+Added: owners of idled production facilities, will increase production levels, thereby resulting in more abundant fuel-grade ethanol supplies
+Added: and inventories.
+Added: Increases in the supply of alcohols and essential ingredients may not be commensurate with increases in demand for alcohols
+Added: and essential ingredients, thus leading to lower prices.
+Added: Any of these outcomes could have a material adverse effect on our results of
+Added: operations, cash flows and financial condition.
+Added: may suffer impairments in the value of our long-lived assets which may materially and adversely affect our results of operations.
+Added: evaluate our long-lived assets annually for impairment or when circumstances indicate that the full carrying value of an asset may be
+Added: unrecoverable.
+Added: These evaluations rely on financial and other assumptions concerning the assets, any of which may not materialize in the
+Added: For example, we recognized asset impairments of $6.5 million and $3.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2021,
+Added: respectively.
+Added: We may recognize additional impairments of the values of our long-lived assets in the future based on then-prevailing financial
+Added: and other circumstances.
+Added: Impairments of our long-lived assets may materially and adversely affect our results of operations.
+Added: alcohol production relies on traditional corn-based feedstock and process technologies.
+Added: New technologies could make corn-based alcohol
+Added: production and traditional process technologies less competitive or even obsolete, materially and adversely harming our business.
+Added: produce our alcohols from corn.
+Added: Moreover, our plants are constructed and operate exclusively as corn-based alcohol production facilities.
+Added: Competitors and other third parties have undertaken research to develop competing products to corn-based alcohols, and ethanol in particular,
+Added: as well as new process technologies.
+Added: These research efforts seek alternatives to corn-based ethanol and traditional process technologies
+Added: aimed at improving real or perceived problems with the fuel, such as the carbon and energy intensity of its production, its lower energy
+Added: content compared to gasoline and its hydrophobic nature resulting in water separation in transit or at other times.
+Added: Competitors and other
+Added: third parties may develop new alcohols and processes that improve on any of these or other real or perceived problems with corn-based
+Added: alcohols, including ethanol.
+Added: If viable competing products or new process technologies are developed and attract widespread or even modest
+Added: adoption, we may be forced to modify our production facilities, including our process technologies, if possible, to transition in full
+Added: or in part to these other products or process technologies to remain competitive.
+Added: Modifying our production facilities may require expertise
+Added: that our personnel may not possess and would likely require significant capital expenditures the funding for which we may not have.
+Added: inability to remain competitive due to the introduction and adoption of competing products or new process technologies, or significant
+Added: costs associated with the adoption of new products and process technologies, would materially and adversely affect our business, financial
+Added: condition and results of operations.
+Added: and sustained higher prices may adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition.
+Added: have experienced adverse inflationary impacts on key production inputs, wages and other costs of labor, equipment, services, and other
+Added: business expenses.
+Added: In addition, we have experienced adverse inflationary impacts on our budgets and expenses for many of our in-process
+Added: and planned capital projects.
Inflation and its negative impacts could escalate in future periods.
−Removed: Ukraine, prior to its war with Russia, was one
−Removed: of the largest exporters of grain in the world.
−Removed: Russia is one of the largest producers of grain, natural gas and oil, and is the largest
−Removed: exporter of fertilizers.
−Removed: The commodity price impact of the war in Ukraine has been a sharp and sustained rise in grain prices, including
−Removed: for corn, our most important production input commodity.
−Removed: In addition, the war in Ukraine has adversely affected and may continue to adversely
−Removed: affect global supply chains resulting in further commodity price inflation for our production inputs.
−Removed: Lower fertilizer supplies and higher
−Removed: prices may also impact yields in future growing seasons, further impacting grain supplies and prices.
−Removed: India also recently banned certain
−Removed: rice exports to ensure adequate domestic availability at reasonable prices.
−Removed: Wheat, corn, rice and other grains are considered economic
−Removed: substitutes and their relative prices affect one another to varying degrees.
−Removed: Higher global grain prices may induce U.S.
−Removed: farmers to lock
−Removed: in prices and export additional volumes, reducing domestic grain supplies and resulting in further inflationary pressures on key production
−Removed: Even if inflation stabilizes or abates, the prices
−Removed: of key production inputs, wages and other costs of labor, equipment, services, and other business expenses may remain at elevated levels.
+Added: Even if inflation stabilizes or abates,
+Added: the prices of key production inputs, wages and other costs of labor, equipment, services, and other business expenses, and for our capital
+Added: projects, may remain at elevated levels.
We may not be able to include these additional costs in the prices of the products we sell.
−Removed: As a result, inflation and higher prices in
−Removed: general may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
−Removed: Increased alcohol or essential ingredient production
−Removed: or higher inventory levels may cause a decline in prices for those products, and may have other negative effects, adversely impacting
−Removed: our results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.
−Removed: The prices of our alcohols and essential ingredients
−Removed: are impacted by competing third-party supplies of those products.
−Removed: For example, we believe that the most significant factor influencing
−Removed: the price of fuel-grade ethanol has been the substantial increase in production.
−Removed: According to the Renewable Fuels Association, domestic
−Removed: fuel-grade ethanol production capacity increased from an annualized rate of 1.5 billion gallons per year in January 1999 to a record 16.1
−Removed: billion gallons in 2018.
−Removed: In addition, if fuel-grade ethanol production margins improve, we anticipate that owners of production facilities
−Removed: operating at below capacity, or owners of idled production facilities, will increase production levels, thereby resulting in more abundant
−Removed: fuel-grade ethanol supplies and inventories.
−Removed: Increases in the supply of alcohols and essential ingredients may not be commensurate with
−Removed: increases in demand for alcohols and essential ingredients, thus leading to lower prices.
−Removed: Any of these outcomes could have a material
−Removed: adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.
−Removed: The prices of our products are volatile and subject
−Removed: to large fluctuations, which may cause our results of operations to fluctuate significantly.
−Removed: The prices of our products are volatile and subject
−Removed: to large fluctuations.
−Removed: For example, the market price of fuel-grade ethanol is dependent upon many factors, including the supply of ethanol
−Removed: and the price of gasoline, which is in turn dependent upon the price of petroleum which itself is highly volatile, difficult to forecast
−Removed: and influenced by a wide variety of geopolitical and global economic conditions, including decisions concerning petroleum output by the
−Removed: Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and their allies, an intergovernmental organization that seeks to manage the price
−Removed: and supply of oil on the global energy market.
−Removed: Our fuel-grade ethanol sales are tied to prevailing spot market prices rather than long-term,
−Removed: fixed-price contracts.
−Removed: Fuel-grade ethanol prices, as reported by the CBOT, ranged from $2.00 to $2.88 per gallon in 2022, from $1.48 to
−Removed: $3.75 per gallon in 2021 and from $0.81 to $1.62 per gallon in 2020.
−Removed: In addition, even under longer-term, fixed-price contracts for our
−Removed: specialty alcohols, our customers may seek to renegotiate prices under those contracts during periods of falling prices or high price
−Removed: Fluctuations in the prices of our products may cause our results of operations to fluctuate significantly.
−Removed: Disruptions in our production or distribution, including
−Removed: from climate change and other weather effects, may adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
−Removed: Our business depends on the continuing availability
−Removed: of rail, road, port, storage and distribution infrastructure.
−Removed: In particular, due to limited storage capacity at some of our production
−Removed: facilities and other considerations related to production efficiencies, certain facilities depend on just-in-time delivery of corn.
−Removed: production of alcohols also requires a significant and uninterrupted supply of other raw materials and energy, primarily water, electricity
−Removed: and natural gas.
−Removed: Local water, electricity and gas utilities may fail to reliably supply the water, electricity and natural gas that our
−Removed: production facilities need or may fail to supply those resources on acceptable terms.
−Removed: In the past, poor weather has caused disruptions
−Removed: in rail transportation, which slowed the delivery of fuel-grade ethanol by rail, a key method by which fuel-grade ethanol from our Pekin
−Removed: Campus is transported to market.
−Removed: For example, in 2022, a lightning strike at the
−Removed: utility servicing our Pekin Campus disrupted our operations, cutting power to our facilities and materially affecting our production,
−Removed: resulting in unexpected repair and maintenance costs, lost production and degradation in the quality of work-in-progress inventories.
−Removed: In addition, in 2020, we experienced closure of the Illinois River for lock repairs which required greater use of less cost-effective
−Removed: modes of product transport such as via rail and truck, which resulted in higher costs and negatively affected our results of operations.
−Removed: Disruptions in production or distribution, whether
−Removed: caused by labor difficulties, unscheduled downtimes and other operational hazards inherent in the alcohol production industry, including
−Removed: equipment failures, fires, explosions, abnormal pressures, blowouts, pipeline ruptures, transportation accidents, climate change and natural
−Removed: disasters such as earthquakes, floods and storms, or other weather effects, or human error or malfeasance or other reasons, could prevent
−Removed: timely deliveries of corn or other raw materials and energy, and could delay transport of our products to market, and may require us to
−Removed: halt production at one or more production facilities, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations
−Removed: and financial condition.
−Removed: Some of these operational hazards may also cause
−Removed: personal injury or loss of life, severe damage to or destruction of property and equipment or environmental damage, and may result in
−Removed: suspension of operations and the imposition of civil or criminal penalties.
−Removed: Our insurance may not fully cover the potential hazards described
−Removed: above or we may be unable to renew our insurance on commercially reasonable terms or at all.
−Removed: Climate change, and governmental regulations aimed
−Removed: at addressing climate-related issues, may affect conditions to which our business is highly sensitive, many of which could materially
−Removed: and adversely harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.
−Removed: Our business is highly sensitive to commodity prices,
−Removed: in particular the prices of corn and grain substitutes, and natural gas.
−Removed: Inclement weather from climate change, including extreme temperatures
−Removed: or drought, may adversely affect growing conditions, which may reduce available corn supplies, our primary production input, and other
−Removed: grain substitutes, driving up prices and thereby increasing our production input costs.
−Removed: In addition, governmental regulators may disfavor
−Removed: carbon-based energy sources, such as natural gas, leading to regulations that disincentivize their use or otherwise make their production
−Removed: more difficult and costly, driving up their prices.
−Removed: Higher natural gas prices would likewise increase our production input costs.
−Removed: Other factors that may result from climate change,
−Removed: or that may result from governmental regulations aimed at addressing climate-related issues, may also adversely affect our business, including
−Removed: the following:
+Added: As a result, inflation and sustained higher prices may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
+Added: change, and governmental regulations aimed at addressing climate-related issues, may affect conditions to which our business is highly
+Added: sensitive, many of which could materially and adversely harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.
+Added: business is highly sensitive to commodity prices, in particular, the prices of corn and natural gas.
+Added: Inclement weather from climate change,
+Added: including extreme temperatures or drought, may adversely affect growing conditions, which may reduce available corn supplies, our primary
+Added: production input, and other grain substitutes, driving up prices and thereby increasing our production input costs.
+Added: In addition, governmental
+Added: regulators may disfavor carbon-based energy sources, such as natural gas, leading to regulations that disincentivize their use or otherwise
+Added: make their production more difficult and costly, driving up their prices.
+Added: Higher natural gas prices would likewise increase our production
+Added: factors that may result from climate change, or that may result from governmental regulations aimed at addressing climate-related issues,
+Added: may also adversely affect our business, including the following:
is one of our key production inputs;
8 unchanged sentences
logistics and costs, and storage requirements;
−Removed: overall increase in energy costs will negatively impact our production costs generally and
−Removed: may critically impact certain high energy-intensive production technologies, such as our
−Removed: wet milling and multiple distillation processes for high-quality alcohol;
+Added: ● an overall increase in energy costs will negatively impact our production
+Added: costs generally and may critically impact certain high energy-intensive production technologies, such as our wet milling and multiple
+Added: distillation processes for the highest quality specialty alcohols;
and market transition away from combustion fuels and fuel-grade ethanol blending may threaten
1 unchanged sentence
and regulatory burdens associated with governmental regulations that limit or tax greenhouse
−Removed: gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide, from alcohol production and distribution, or from
−Removed: truck transport and packaging as sociated with Eagle Alcohol’s business and use
−Removed: of drums and totes, will negatively impact us.
−Removed: New legislation in the United States to address
−Removed: climate change issues, including at the federal, state and local levels, likely will continue.
−Removed: This includes new or expanded cap-and-trade
−Removed: programs that may layer additional costs on any business that emits greenhouse gases.
−Removed: New legislation, including new or expanded cap-and-trade
−Removed: programs, could materially and adversely impact our production cost structure and the market viability of our products.
−Removed: Any of these factors could materially and adversely
−Removed: harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.
−Removed: We may engage in hedging transactions and other risk
−Removed: mitigation strategies that could harm our results of operations and financial condition.
−Removed: In an attempt to partially offset the effects of
−Removed: production input and product price volatility, in particular, corn and natural gas costs and fuel-grade ethanol prices, we may enter into
−Removed: contracts to purchase a portion of our corn or natural gas requirements on a forward basis or fix the sale price of portions of our alcohol
−Removed: In addition, we may engage in other hedging transactions involving exchange-traded futures contracts for corn, natural gas
−Removed: and unleaded gasoline from time to time.
−Removed: The financial statement impact of these activities is dependent upon, among other things, the
−Removed: prices involved and our ability to sell sufficient products to use all of the corn and natural gas for which forward commitments have
−Removed: Hedging arrangements also expose us to the risk of financial loss in situations where our counterparty to the hedging contract
−Removed: defaults on its contract or, in the case of exchange-traded contracts, where there is a change in the expected differential between the
−Removed: underlying price in the hedging agreement and the actual prices paid or received by us.
−Removed: In addition, our open contract positions may require
−Removed: cash deposits to cover margin calls, negatively impacting our liquidity.
−Removed: As a result, our hedging activities and fluctuations in the price
−Removed: of corn, natural gas, fuel-grade ethanol and unleaded gasoline may adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition and
−Removed: Risks Related to our Finances
−Removed: We have incurred significant losses and negative operating
−Removed: cash flow in the past and we may incur losses and negative operating cash flow in the future, which may hamper our operations and impede
−Removed: us from expanding our business.
−Removed: We have incurred significant losses and negative
−Removed: operating cash flow in the past.
−Removed: For example, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and the years ended December 31,
−Removed: 2022 and 2020, we incurred consolidated net losses of approximately $3.5 million, $9.1 million, $41.6 million and $17.3 million, respectively.
−Removed: For the three months ended March 31, 2023, we experienced negative operating cash flow of approximately $23.3 million.
−Removed: We may incur losses
−Removed: and negative operating cash flow in the future.
−Removed: We expect to rely on cash on hand, cash, if any, generated from our operations, borrowing
−Removed: availability under our lines of credit and proceeds from our future financing activities, if any, to fund all of the cash requirements
−Removed: of our business.
−Removed: Additional losses and negative operating cash flow may hamper our operations and impede us from expanding our business.
−Removed: We incur significant expenses to maintain and upgrade
−Removed: our production facilities and operating equipment, and any interruption in our operations would harm our operating performance.
−Removed: We regularly incur significant expenses to maintain
−Removed: and upgrade our production facilities and operating equipment.
−Removed: The machines and equipment we use to produce our alcohols and essential
−Removed: ingredients are complex, have many parts, and some operate on a continuous basis.
−Removed: We must perform routine equipment maintenance and must
−Removed: periodically replace a variety of parts such as motors, pumps, pipes and electrical parts.
−Removed: In addition, our production facilities require
−Removed: periodic shutdowns to perform major maintenance and upgrades.
−Removed: These scheduled shutdowns result in lower sales and increased costs in the
−Removed: periods during which a shutdown occurs and could result in unexpected operational issues in future periods as a result of changes to equipment
−Removed: and operational and mechanical processes made during shutdown.
−Removed: Our indebtedness may expose us to risks that could
−Removed: negatively impact our business, prospects, liquidity, cash flows and results of operations.
−Removed: We have incurred, and anticipate incurring additional,
−Removed: substantial indebtedness to engage in capital improvement projects.
−Removed: We expect that these projects, when completed, will generate financial
−Removed: returns sufficient to service and ultimately repay or refinance our indebtedness.
−Removed: However, the timing, cost and results of our capital
−Removed: improvement projects may not meet our projections.
+Added: gas emissions, such as CO 2 , from alcohol production and distribution, or from
+Added: truck transport and packaging associated with Eagle Alcohol’s business and use of drums
+Added: and totes, will negatively impact us.
+Added: legislation in the United States to address climate change issues, including at the federal, state and local levels, likely will continue.
+Added: This includes new or expanded cap-and-trade programs that may layer additional costs on any business that emits greenhouse gases.
+Added: legislation, including new or expanded cap-and-trade programs, could materially and adversely impact our production cost structure and
+Added: the market viability of our products.
+Added: of these factors could materially and adversely harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.
+Added: Related to our Finances
+Added: have incurred significant losses and negative operating cash flow in the past and we may incur losses and negative operating cash flow
+Added: in the future, which may hamper our operations and impede us from expanding our business.
+Added: have incurred significant losses and negative operating cash flow in the past.
+Added: For example, for the three months ended March 31, 2024
+Added: and December 31, 2023, and the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, we incurred consolidated net losses of approximately $11.7 million,
+Added: $19.0 million, $28.0 million and $41.6 million, respectively.
+Added: We may incur losses and negative operating cash flow in the future.
+Added: expect to rely on cash on hand, cash, if any, generated from our operations, borrowing availability under our lines of credit and proceeds
+Added: from our future financing activities, if any, to fund all of the cash requirements of our business.
+Added: Additional losses and negative operating
+Added: cash flow may hamper our operations and impede us from expanding our business.
+Added: are engaged in multiple capital improvement projects.
+Added: These projects, and their financing, costs, timing and effects, are based on our
+Added: plans, expectations and various assumptions that may not eventuate.
+Added: We may therefore be unable to timely achieve, or achieve at all,
+Added: the results we expect, including as to projected additional EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA.
+Added: We are engaged in multiple capital
+Added: improvement projects to diversify and enhance our revenue streams and to expand margins and profitability by reducing costs.
+Added: These projects
+Added: have different timelines, returns on investment and risk profiles.
+Added: In addition, we must raise significant additional capital to complete
+Added: some of our projects, including our CCS project.
+Added: Our expected financial and other results from these projects are based on assumptions
+Added: around many factors, including their costs, timing, operation and market prices prevailing at project completion and thereafter, as well
+Added: as tax and other favorable environmental attributes associated with low carbon alcohol that may accrue to our benefit.
+Added: For example, our
+Added: assumptions around the anticipated results of our CCS project rely heavily on the tax benefits that may accrue to us under the Inflation
+Added: Reduction Act of 2022 as well as other favorable environmental attributes associated with carbon capture and storage and low carbon alcohol
+Added: These tax and other benefits may change, including as a result of new or repealed laws, new administrations and the implementation
+Added: or interpretation of existing laws, or the exhaustion of funds or benefits available under a particular program.
+Added: We can provide no assurances
+Added: that any particular benefit will be available to us upon completion of our CCS project, or thereafter, or any other capital improvement
+Added: Capital improvement projects
+Added: require significant outlays of capital and are often subject to material execution risks and delays.
+Added: Our CCS project in particular requires
+Added: Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, approval but the EPA’s own projected timeline
+Added: for approval has lengthened and may lengthen further.
+Added: We may have insufficient financial resources, and we may be unable to raise sufficient
+Added: capital, to complete our projects timely or at all.
+Added: Although we intend to use reputable third-party contractors with expertise in their
+Added: fields to implement our projects, adverse conditions and events as well as delays in capital projects are not uncommon.
+Added: Moreover, the
+Added: projects’ interaction with existing processes may result in the degradation of other plant operations.
+Added: For example, operation of
+Added: our corn oil and high protein system at our Magic Valley facility has resulted in inconsistent product quality and degraded other operations
+Added: at the plant, including production rates.
+Added: We continue to work to resolve the system’s issues but can provide no assurance that the
+Added: system will perform as anticipated or perform sufficiently well to justify continued operation or expansion to our three other dry mills.
+Added: In the past, we have extended our expected completion dates for various projects and, as circumstances require, may have to do so again.
+Added: can provide no assurances that our projects will be completed, or if completed, will be completed timely.
+Added: We also can provide no assurances
+Added: that our project assumptions will reflect prevailing future conditions or that our projects will achieve the results we expect, including
+Added: as to projected additional EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA.
+Added: Failure to achieve our expected results may have a material adverse effect on
+Added: our business, financial condition and results of operations.
+Added: regularly incur significant expenses to repair, maintain and upgrade our production facilities and operating equipment, and any interruption
+Added: in our operations would harm our operating performance.
+Added: We regularly incur significant expenses to repair, maintain and upgrade
+Added: our production facilities and operating equipment, estimated at an average of $30.0 million per year and $34.0 million for 2024.
+Added: and equipment we use to produce our alcohols and essential ingredients are complex, have many parts, and some operate on a continuous
+Added: We must perform routine equipment maintenance and must periodically replace a variety of parts such as motors, pumps, pipes and
+Added: electrical parts, and engage in other repairs.
+Added: In addition, our production facilities require periodic shutdowns to perform major maintenance
+Added: and upgrades.
+Added: Our production facilities also occasionally require unscheduled shutdowns to perform repairs.
+Added: For example, we recently completed
+Added: our biennial wet mill outage at our Pekin Campus.
+Added: The wet mill was offline for ten days, which will negatively impact sales and margins
+Added: for the second quarter.
+Added: In the first quarter of 2024, production at our Colombia facility was hampered by equipment issues that extended
+Added: the facility’s regularly scheduled outage.
+Added: In the third quarter of 2023 we experienced unusually high unscheduled production downtime
+Added: for repairs and maintenance at our Pekin Campus which reduced sales volumes and increased losses.
+Added: These scheduled and unscheduled shutdowns
+Added: result in lower sales and increased costs in the periods during which a shutdown occurs and could result in unexpected operational issues
+Added: in future periods resulting from changes to equipment and operational and mechanical processes made during shutdown.
+Added: indebtedness may expose us to risks that could negatively impact our business, prospects, liquidity, cash flows and results of operations.
+Added: have incurred, and anticipate incurring additional, substantial indebtedness for our capital improvement projects.
+Added: We expect that these
+Added: projects, when completed, will generate financial returns sufficient to service and ultimately repay or refinance our indebtedness.
+Added: the costs, timing, and effects of our capital improvement projects may not meet our projections.
In addition, our indebtedness could:
−Removed: it more difficult to pay or refinance our indebtedness if it becomes due during adverse economic
−Removed: and industry conditions;
+Added: it more difficult to repay or refinance our indebtedness if it becomes due during adverse
+Added: economic and industry conditions;
+Added: in adverse consequences due to a breach of our financial or other covenants and obligations
+Added: in favor of our lenders;
our flexibility to pursue strategic opportunities or react to changes in our business and
5 unchanged sentences
our ability to procure additional financing for working capital or other purposes.
−Removed: Our ability to generate sufficient cash to make
−Removed: all required principal and interest payments when due depends on our performance, which is subject to a variety of factors beyond our
−Removed: control, including the cost of key production inputs, the supply of and demand for specialty alcohols and essential ingredients, and many
−Removed: other factors related to the industries in which we operate.
−Removed: We cannot provide any assurance that we will be able to timely service or
−Removed: satisfy our debt obligations.
−Removed: Our failure to timely service or satisfy our debt obligations would have a material adverse effect on our
−Removed: business, business prospects, liquidity, cash flows and results of operations.
−Removed: Our ability to utilize net operating loss carryforwards
−Removed: and certain other tax attributes may be limited.
−Removed: Federal and state income tax laws impose restrictions
−Removed: on our use of net operating loss, or NOL, and tax credit carryforwards in the event that an “ownership change” occurs for
−Removed: tax purposes, as defined by Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code, or Code.
−Removed: In general, an ownership change occurs when stockholders
−Removed: owning 5% or more of a corporation entitled to use NOL or other loss carryforwards have increased their ownership by more than 50 percentage
−Removed: points during any three-year period.
−Removed: The annual base limitation under Section 382 of the Code is calculated by multiplying the corporation’s
−Removed: value at the time of the ownership change by the greater of the long-term tax-exempt rate determined by the Internal Revenue Service in
−Removed: the month of the ownership change or the two preceding months.
−Removed: Our ability to utilize our NOL and other loss carryforwards may be substantially
−Removed: These limitations could result in increased future tax obligations, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial
−Removed: condition and results of operations.
−Removed: Risks Related to Legal and Regulatory Matters
−Removed: We may be adversely affected by environmental, health
−Removed: and safety laws and regulations, as well as liabilities which may not be adequately covered by insurance .
−Removed: We are subject to various federal, state and local
−Removed: environmental laws and regulations, including those relating to the discharge of materials into the air, water and ground;
−Removed: the generation,
−Removed: storage, handling, use, transportation and disposal of hazardous materials and wastes;
+Added: ability to generate operating results and sufficient cash to make all required principal and interest payments when due, and to satisfy
+Added: our financial covenants and other obligations, depends on our performance, which is subject to a variety of factors beyond our control,
+Added: including the cost of key production inputs, the supply of and demand for alcohols and essential ingredients, and many other factors
+Added: related to the industries in which we operate.
+Added: We cannot provide any assurance that we will be able to timely service or satisfy our
+Added: debt obligations, including our financial covenants.
+Added: Our failure to timely service or satisfy our debt obligations, including to meet
+Added: our financial covenants, could result in our indebtedness being immediately due and payable, and would have a material adverse effect
+Added: on our business, business prospects, liquidity, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations.
+Added: ability to utilize net operating loss carryforwards and certain other tax attributes may be limited.
+Added: and state income tax laws impose restrictions on our use of net operating loss, or NOL, and tax credit carryforwards in the event that
+Added: an “ownership change” occurs for tax purposes, as defined by Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code, or Code.
+Added: an ownership change occurs when stockholders owning 5% or more of a corporation entitled to use NOL or other loss carryforwards have
+Added: increased their ownership by more than 50 percentage points during any three-year period.
+Added: The annual base limitation under Section 382
+Added: of the Code is calculated by multiplying the corporation’s value at the time of the ownership change by the greater of the long-term
+Added: tax-exempt rate determined by the Internal Revenue Service in the month of the ownership change or the two preceding months.
+Added: to utilize our NOL and other loss carryforwards may be substantially limited.
+Added: These limitations could result in increased future tax
+Added: obligations, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
+Added: Related to Legal and Regulatory Matters
+Added: may be adversely affected by environmental, health and safety laws and regulations, as well as related liabilities that may not be adequately
+Added: covered by insurance .
+Added: are subject to various federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations, including those relating to the discharge of materials
+Added: into the air, water and ground;
+Added: the generation, storage, handling, use, transportation and disposal of hazardous materials and wastes;
and the health and safety of our employees.
−Removed: addition, some of these laws and regulations require us to operate under permits that are subject to renewal or modification.
−Removed: regulations and permits often require expensive pollution control equipment or operational changes to limit actual or potential impacts
−Removed: to the environment.
−Removed: A violation of these laws and regulations or permit conditions may result in substantial fines, natural resource damages,
−Removed: criminal sanctions, permit revocations and/or production facility shutdowns.
−Removed: In addition, we have made, and expect to make, significant
−Removed: capital expenditures on an ongoing basis to comply with increasingly stringent environmental laws, regulations and permits.
−Removed: We may be liable for the investigation and cleanup
−Removed: of environmental contamination at each of our production facilities and at off-site locations where we arrange for the disposal of hazardous
−Removed: substances or wastes.
−Removed: If these substances or wastes have been or are disposed of or released at sites that undergo investigation and/or
−Removed: remediation by regulatory agencies, we may be responsible under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act
−Removed: of 1980, or other environmental laws for all or part of the costs of investigation and/or remediation, and for damages to natural resources.
−Removed: We may also be subject to related claims by private parties alleging property damage and personal injury due to exposure to hazardous
−Removed: or other materials at or from those properties.
−Removed: Some of these matters may require us to expend significant amounts for investigation,
−Removed: cleanup or other costs not covered by insurance.
−Removed: In addition, new laws, new interpretations of existing
−Removed: laws, increased governmental enforcement of environmental laws or other developments could require us to make significant additional expenditures.
−Removed: Continued government and public emphasis on environmental issues will likely result in increased future investments for environmental
−Removed: controls at our production facilities.
−Removed: Present and future environmental laws and regulations, and interpretations of those laws and regulations,
−Removed: applicable to our operations, more vigorous enforcement policies and discovery of currently unknown conditions may require substantial
−Removed: expenditures that could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
−Removed: The hazards and risks associated with producing
−Removed: and transporting our products (including fires, natural disasters, explosions and abnormal pressures and blowouts) may also result in
−Removed: personal injury claims or damage to property and third parties.
−Removed: As protection against operating hazards, we maintain insurance coverage
−Removed: against some, but not all, potential losses.
−Removed: However, we could sustain losses for uninsurable or uninsured risks, or in amounts in excess
−Removed: of existing insurance coverages.
−Removed: Events that result in significant personal injury or damage to our property or third parties or other
+Added: In addition, some of these laws and regulations require us to operate under permits that
+Added: are subject to renewal or modification.
+Added: These laws, regulations and permits often require expensive pollution control equipment or operational
+Added: changes to limit actual or potential impacts to the environment.
+Added: Any violation of these laws and regulations or permit conditions may
+Added: result in substantial fines, natural resource damages, criminal sanctions, permit revocations and/or production facility shutdowns.
+Added: addition, we have made, and expect to make, significant capital expenditures on an ongoing basis to comply with increasingly stringent
+Added: environmental laws, regulations and permits.
+Added: may be liable for the investigation and cleanup of environmental contamination at each of our production facilities and at off-site locations
+Added: where we arrange for the disposal of hazardous substances or wastes.
+Added: If these substances or wastes have been or are disposed of or released
+Added: at sites that undergo investigation and/or remediation by regulatory agencies, we may be responsible under the Comprehensive Environmental
+Added: Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, or other environmental laws for all or part of the costs of investigation and/or remediation,
+Added: and for damages to natural resources.
+Added: We may also be subject to related claims by private parties alleging property damage and personal
+Added: injury due to exposure to hazardous or other materials at or from those properties.
+Added: Some of these matters may require us to expend significant
+Added: amounts for investigation, cleanup or other costs not covered by insurance.
+Added: addition, new laws, new interpretations of existing laws, increased governmental enforcement of environmental laws or other developments
+Added: could require us to make significant additional expenditures.
+Added: Continued government and public emphasis on environmental issues will likely
+Added: result in increased future investments for environmental controls at our production facilities.
+Added: Present and future environmental laws
+Added: and regulations, and interpretations of those laws and regulations, applicable to our operations, more vigorous enforcement policies
+Added: and discovery of currently unknown conditions may require substantial expenditures that could have a material adverse effect on our results
+Added: of operations and financial condition.
+Added: hazards and risks associated with producing and transporting our products (including fires, natural disasters, explosions and abnormal
+Added: pressures and blowouts) may also result in personal injury claims or damage to property and third parties.
+Added: As protection against operating
+Added: hazards, we maintain insurance coverage against some, but not all, potential losses.
+Added: However, we could sustain losses for uninsurable
+Added: or uninsured risks, or in amounts in excess of existing insurance coverages.
+Added: Events that result in significant personal injury or damage
+Added: to our property or third parties or other losses that are not fully covered by insurance could have a material adverse effect on our
+Added: results of operations and financial condition.
+Added: may be adversely affected by food and drug laws and regulations, as well as related liabilities that may not be adequately covered by
+Added: of our products are subject to regulation by the U.S.
+Added: Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, as well as similar state agencies.
+Added: regulates, under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or FDCA, the processing, formulation, safety, manufacture, packaging, labeling
+Added: and distribution of food ingredients, vitamins, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals for active and inactive ingredients.
+Added: Many of the FDA’s
+Added: and FDCA’s rules and regulations apply directly to us as well as indirectly through their application in our customers’ products.
+Added: To be properly marketed and sold in the United States, a relevant product must be generally recognized as safe, approved and not adulterated
+Added: or misbranded under the FDCA and relevant regulations issued under the FDCA.
+Added: we fail to comply with laws and FDA regulations or those of similar state agencies, we may be prevented from selling certain of our products
+Added: and may also be subject to government agency enforcement liability.
+Added: In addition, we may be subject to product liability and other claims
+Added: by our customers or by individuals alleging personal injury from our products as food and drug additives.
+Added: maintain insurance coverage against some, but not all, potential losses.
+Added: Some of these matters, if they arise, may require us to expend
+Added: significant amounts for investigation and defense or other costs not covered by insurance.
+Added: We could sustain losses for uninsurable or
+Added: uninsured risks, or in amounts in excess of existing insurance coverages.
+Added: Events that result in significant personal injury or other
losses that are not fully covered by insurance could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
−Removed: Future demand for fuel-grade ethanol is uncertain
−Removed: and may be affected by changes to federal mandates, public perception, consumer acceptance and overall consumer demand for transportation
−Removed: fuel, any of which could negatively affect demand for fuel-grade ethanol and our results of operations.
−Removed: Although many trade groups, academics and governmental
−Removed: agencies support fuel-grade ethanol as a fuel additive that promotes a cleaner environment, others criticize fuel-grade ethanol production
−Removed: and use as consuming considerably more energy and emitting more greenhouse gases than other biofuels and potentially depleting water resources.
−Removed: Some studies suggest that corn-based ethanol is less efficient than ethanol produced from other feedstock and that it negatively impacts
−Removed: consumers by causing increased prices for dairy, meat and other food generated from livestock that consume corn.
−Removed: Additionally, critics
−Removed: of fuel-grade ethanol contend that corn supplies are redirected from international food markets to domestic fuel markets.
−Removed: views of corn-based ethanol production gain broader acceptance, support for existing measures promoting use and domestic production of
−Removed: corn-based ethanol as a fuel additive could decline, leading to a reduction or repeal of federal ethanol usage mandates, which would materially
−Removed: and adversely affect the demand for fuel-grade ethanol.
−Removed: These views could also negatively impact public perception of the fuel-grade ethanol
−Removed: industry and acceptance of ethanol as an alternative fuel.
−Removed: There are limited markets for fuel-grade ethanol
−Removed: beyond those established by federal mandates.
−Removed: Discretionary blending and E85 blending (i.e., gasoline blended with up to 85% fuel-grade
−Removed: ethanol by volume) are important secondary markets.
−Removed: Discretionary blending is often determined by the price of fuel-grade ethanol relative
−Removed: to the price of gasoline.
−Removed: In periods when discretionary blending is financially unattractive, the demand for fuel-grade ethanol may decline.
−Removed: Also, the demand for fuel-grade ethanol is affected by the overall demand for transportation fuel.
−Removed: Demand for transportation fuel is affected
−Removed: by the number of miles traveled by consumers and vehicle fuel economy.
−Removed: Lower demand for fuel-grade ethanol and essential ingredients would
−Removed: reduce the value of our ethanol and related products, erode our overall margins and diminish our ability to generate revenue or to operate
−Removed: In addition, we believe that consumer acceptance of E15 and E85 fuels is necessary before fuel-grade ethanol can achieve any
−Removed: significant growth in market share relative to other transportation fuels.
−Removed: The United States fuel-grade ethanol industry is highly
−Removed: dependent upon various federal and state laws and any changes in those laws could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations,
−Removed: cash flows and financial condition.
−Removed: The domestic market for fuel-grade ethanol is significantly
−Removed: impacted by federal mandates for volumes of renewable fuels (such as ethanol) required to be blended with gasoline.
−Removed: Future demand for
−Removed: fuel-grade ethanol will largely depend on incentives to blend ethanol into motor fuels, including the price of ethanol relative to the
−Removed: price of gasoline, the relative octane value of ethanol, constraints on the ability of vehicles to use higher ethanol blends, and the
−Removed: Environmental Protection Agency’s, or EPA’s, established volumes from time to time, small refinery waivers, and other applicable
−Removed: environmental requirements.
−Removed: The EPA has implemented the Renewable Fuel Standard
−Removed: under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.
−Removed: The EPA, in coordination with the Secretary
−Removed: of Energy and the Secretary of Agriculture, determines annual quotas for the quantity of renewable fuels (such as fuel-grade ethanol)
−Removed: that must be blended into motor fuels consumed in the United States.
−Removed: The EPA finalized, in July 2023, mandatory volumes of 15.25 billion
−Removed: and 15.0 billion gallons for 2023 and 2024, respectively, of conventional renewable fuel, or corn-based fuel-grade ethanol.
−Removed: The EPA may issue small refinery waivers, in full
−Removed: or in part, to reduce or eliminate annual renewable fuel volume requirements for small refineries that process fewer than 75,000 barrels
−Removed: of petroleum daily.
−Removed: Various bills in Congress introduced from time
−Removed: to time are also directed at altering existing renewable fuels energy legislation, but none have passed in recent years.
−Removed: Some legislative
−Removed: bills are directed at halting or reversing expansion of, or even eliminating, the renewable fuel program.
−Removed: Our results of operations, cash flows and financial
−Removed: condition could be adversely impacted if the EPA reduces mandatory volumes or issues significant small refinery waivers, or if any legislation
−Removed: is enacted that reduces volume requirements.
−Removed: Risks Related to Ownership of our Common Stock
−Removed: Our stock price
−Removed: is highly volatile, which could result in substantial losses for investors purchasing shares of our common stock and in litigation against
−Removed: The market price of our common
−Removed: stock has fluctuated significantly in the past and may continue to fluctuate significantly in the future.
−Removed: The market price of our common
−Removed: stock may continue to fluctuate in response to one or more of the following factors, or any of the other risks or uncertainties discussed
−Removed: in this report, many of which are beyond our control:
+Added: United States fuel-grade ethanol industry is highly dependent upon various federal and state laws and regulations and any changes in
+Added: those laws or regulations could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.
+Added: The domestic market for fuel-grade ethanol is significantly impacted
+Added: by federal mandates for volumes of renewable fuels (such as ethanol) required to be blended with gasoline.
+Added: Future demand for fuel-grade
+Added: ethanol will largely depend on incentives to blend ethanol into motor fuels, including the price of ethanol relative to the price of gasoline,
+Added: the relative octane value of ethanol, constraints on the ability of vehicles to use higher ethanol blends, and the EPA’s, established
+Added: volumes from time to time, small refinery waivers, and other applicable environmental requirements.
+Added: EPA has implemented the Renewable Fuel Standard under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.
+Added: The EPA, in coordination with the Secretary of Energy and the Secretary of Agriculture, determines annual quotas for the quantity of
+Added: renewable fuels (such as fuel-grade ethanol) that must be blended into motor fuels consumed in the United States.
+Added: The EPA finalized mandatory
+Added: volumes of 15.0 billion gallons for each of 2023, 2024, and 2025 of conventional renewable fuel, or corn-based fuel-grade ethanol, which
+Added: could decline in future years.
+Added: EPA may issue small refinery waivers, in full or in part, to reduce or eliminate annual renewable fuel volume requirements for small
+Added: refineries that process fewer than 75,000 barrels of petroleum daily.
+Added: In the past, the EPA has issued small refinery waivers that have
+Added: materially and adversely affected overall demand for and the price of fuel-grade ethanol.
+Added: Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit,
+Added: in the fourth quarter of 2023, struck down the EPA’s decision to deny numerous small refinery waivers, finding that the EPA’s
+Added: denials were impermissibly retroactive, contrary to law and counter to evidence in the litigation record.
+Added: Accordingly, small refinery
+Added: waivers from the EPA may be more likely in the future and could again materially and adversely affect overall demand for and the price
+Added: of fuel-grade ethanol.
+Added: bills in Congress introduced from time to time are also directed at altering existing renewable fuels energy legislation, but none have
+Added: passed in recent years.
+Added: Some legislative bills are directed at halting or reversing expansion of, or even eliminating in its entirety,
+Added: the renewable fuel program.
+Added: results of operations, cash flows and financial condition could be adversely impacted if the EPA reduces mandatory volumes or issues
+Added: significant small refinery waivers, or if any legislation is enacted that reduces volume requirements.
+Added: demand for fuel-grade ethanol is uncertain and may be affected by changes to federal mandates, public perception, consumer acceptance
+Added: and overall consumer demand for transportation fuel, any of which could negatively affect demand for fuel-grade ethanol and our results
+Added: of operations.
+Added: many trade groups, academics and governmental agencies support ethanol as a fuel additive that promotes a cleaner environment, others
+Added: criticize fuel-grade ethanol production and use as consuming considerably more energy and emitting more greenhouse gases than other biofuels
+Added: and potentially depleting water resources.
+Added: Some studies suggest that corn-based ethanol is less efficient than ethanol produced from
+Added: other feedstock and that it negatively impacts consumers by causing increased prices for dairy, meat and other food generated from livestock
+Added: that consume corn.
+Added: Additionally, critics of fuel-grade ethanol contend that corn supplies are redirected from international food markets
+Added: to domestic fuel markets.
+Added: If negative views of corn-based ethanol production gain broader acceptance, support for existing measures promoting
+Added: use and domestic production of corn-based ethanol as a fuel additive could decline, leading to a reduction or repeal of federal ethanol
+Added: usage mandates, which would materially and adversely affect the demand for fuel-grade ethanol.
+Added: These views could also negatively impact
+Added: public perception of the fuel-grade ethanol industry and acceptance of ethanol as an alternative fuel.
+Added: are limited markets for fuel-grade ethanol beyond those established by federal mandates.
+Added: Discretionary blending and E85 blending (i.e.,
+Added: gasoline blended with up to 85% fuel-grade ethanol by volume) are important secondary markets.
+Added: Discretionary blending is often determined
+Added: by the price of fuel-grade ethanol relative to the price of gasoline.
+Added: In periods when discretionary blending is financially unattractive,
+Added: the demand for fuel-grade ethanol may decline.
+Added: Also, the demand for fuel-grade ethanol is affected by the overall demand for transportation
+Added: Demand for transportation fuel is affected by the number of miles traveled by consumers and vehicle fuel economy.
+Added: for fuel-grade ethanol and essential ingredients, including through the transition by consumers to alternative fuel vehicles such as
+Added: electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles, would reduce the value of our ethanol and related products, erode our overall margins and diminish
+Added: our ability to generate revenue or to operate profitably.
+Added: In addition, we believe that additional consumer acceptance of E15 and E85
+Added: fuels is necessary before fuel-grade ethanol can achieve any significant growth in market share relative to other transportation fuels.
+Added: Related to Ownership of our Common Stock
+Added: stock price is highly volatile, which could result in substantial losses for investors purchasing shares of our common stock and in litigation
+Added: market price of our common stock has fluctuated significantly in the past and may continue to fluctuate significantly in the future.
+Added: The market price of our common stock may continue to fluctuate in response to one or more of the following factors, or any of the other
+Added: risks or uncertainties discussed in this report, many of which are beyond our control:
● fluctuations
+Added: in our quarterly or annual operating results;
+Added: ● fluctuations
in the market prices of our products;
1 unchanged sentence
in the costs of key production input commodities such as corn and natural gas;
−Removed: volume and timing of the receipt of orders for our products from major customers;
−Removed: ● competitive
−Removed: pricing pressures;
+Added: ● the timing, cost and effects of, and our ability to fund, our capital
+Added: improvement projects, including with respect to our CCS project and our corn oil and high protein system at our Magic Valley facility;
● anticipated
trends in our financial condition and results of operations;
+Added: ability to obtain any necessary financing;
+Added: volume and timing of the receipt of orders for our products from major customers, including
+Added: annual contracted sales volumes for our specialty alcohols;
+Added: ● competitive
+Added: pricing pressures;
in market valuations of companies similar to us;
1 unchanged sentence
developments or increased enforcement;
−Removed: ● fluctuations
−Removed: in our quarterly or annual operating results;
or departures of key personnel;
−Removed: ability to obtain any necessary financing;
−Removed: timing, cost and results of our capital improvement projects;
+Added: ● environmental,
+Added: product or other liabilities we may incur;
financing activities and future sales of our common stock or other securities;
−Removed: ability to maintain contra cts that are critical to our operations.
−Removed: The price at which you purchase
−Removed: shares of our common stock may not be indicative of the price that will prevail in the trading market.
−Removed: You may be unable to sell your
−Removed: shares of common stock at or above your purchase price, which may result in substantial losses to you and which may include the complete
−Removed: loss of your investment.
−Removed: In the past, securities class action litigation has often been brought against a company following periods of
−Removed: high stock price volatility.
+Added: ability to maintain contracts that are critical to our operations.
+Added: price at which you purchase shares of our common stock may not be indicative of the price that will prevail in the trading market.
+Added: may be unable to sell your shares of common stock at or above your purchase price, which may result in substantial losses to you and
+Added: which may include the complete loss of your investment.
+Added: In the past, securities class action litigation has often been brought against
+Added: a company following periods of high stock price volatility.
We may be the target of similar litigation in the future.
−Removed: Securities litigation could result in substantial
−Removed: costs and divert management’s attention and our resources away from our business.
−Removed: Any of the risks described
−Removed: above could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, the price of our common stock, or both.
−Removed: do not intend to pay any cash dividends on our shares of common stock in the near future, our stockholders will not be able to receive
−Removed: a return on their shares unless and until they sell them.
−Removed: We intend to retain a significant
−Removed: portion of any future earnings to finance the development, operation and expansion of our business.
−Removed: We do not anticipate paying any cash
−Removed: dividends on our common stock in the near future.
−Removed: The declaration, payment, and amount of any future dividends will be made at the discretion
−Removed: of our board of directors, and will depend upon, among other things, our results of operations, cash flows, and financial condition, operating
−Removed: and capital requirements, compliance with any applicable debt covenants, and other factors our board of directors considers relevant.
−Removed: There is no assurance that future dividends will be paid, and, if dividends are paid, there is no assurance of the amount of any such
−Removed: Unless our board of directors determines to pay dividends, our stockholders will be required to look solely to appreciation
−Removed: in the value of our common stock to realize any gain on their investment.
−Removed: There can be no assurance that any such appreciation will occur.
−Removed: Our bylaws contain an exclusive forum provision that
−Removed: could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees
−Removed: Our bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing
−Removed: to the selection of an alternative forum, the Delaware Court of Chancery shall be the sole and exclusive forum for (a) any derivative
−Removed: action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (b) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer
−Removed: or other employee of us to us or our stockholders, (c) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware
−Removed: General Corporation Law, or (d) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine.
−Removed: For the avoidance of doubt, the exclusive forum
−Removed: provision described above does not apply to any claims arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, or
−Removed: the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act.
−Removed: Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction
−Removed: over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder, and Section
−Removed: 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability
−Removed: created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder.
−Removed: The choice of forum provision in our bylaws may
−Removed: limit our stockholders’ ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that they find favorable for disputes with us or our directors,
−Removed: officers, employees or agents, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and our directors, officers, employees and agents even though
−Removed: an action, if successful, might benefit our stockholders.
−Removed: The applicable courts may also reach different judgments or results than would
−Removed: other courts, including courts where a stockholder considering an action may be located or would otherwise choose to bring the action,
−Removed: and such judgments or results may be more favorable to us than to our stockholders.
−Removed: With respect to the provision making the Delaware
−Removed: Court of Chancery the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions, stockholders who do bring a claim in the Delaware Court of
−Removed: Chancery could face additional litigation costs in pursuing any such claim, particularly if they do not reside in or near Delaware.
−Removed: if a court were to find this provision of our bylaws inapplicable to, or unenforceable in respect of, one or more of the specified types
−Removed: of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could have
−Removed: a material adverse effect on us.
−Removed: General Risk Factors
−Removed: Cyberattacks through security vulnerabilities could
−Removed: lead to disruption of our business, reduced revenue, increased costs, liability claims, or harm to our reputation or competitive position.
−Removed: Security vulnerabilities may arise from our hardware,
−Removed: software, employees, contractors or policies we have deployed, which may result in external parties gaining access to our networks, data
−Removed: centers, cloud data centers, corporate computers, manufacturing systems, and/or access to accounts we have at our suppliers, vendors or
−Removed: External parties may gain access to our data or our customers’ data, or attack the networks causing denial of service
−Removed: or attempt to hold our data or systems in ransom.
−Removed: The vulnerability could be caused by inadequate account security practices such
−Removed: as the failure to timely remove employee access when terminated.
−Removed: To mitigate these security issues, we have implemented measures throughout
−Removed: our organization, including firewalls, backups, encryption, employee information technology policies and user account policies.
−Removed: there can be no assurance that these measures will be sufficient to avoid cyberattacks.
−Removed: If any of these types of security breaches were
−Removed: to occur and we were unable to protect sensitive data, our relationships with our business partners and customers could be materially
−Removed: damaged, our reputation could be materially harmed, and we could be exposed to a risk of litigation and possible significant liability.
−Removed: Further, if we fail to adequately maintain our
−Removed: information technology infrastructure, we may have outages and data loss.
−Removed: Excessive outages may affect our ability to timely and efficiently
−Removed: deliver products to customers or develop new products.
−Removed: Such disruptions and data loss may adversely impact our ability to fulfill orders
−Removed: and interrupt other processes.
−Removed: Delayed sales or lost customers resulting from these disruptions could adversely affect our financial results,
−Removed: stock price and reputation.
−Removed: Our and our business partners’ or contractors’
−Removed: failure to fully comply with applicable data privacy or similar laws could lead to significant fines and require onerous corrective action.
−Removed: In addition, data security breaches experienced by us or our business partners or contractors could result in the loss of trade secrets
−Removed: or other intellectual property, public disclosure of sensitive commercial data, and the exposure of personally identifiable information
−Removed: (including sensitive personal information) of our employees, customers, suppliers, contractors and others.
−Removed: Unauthorized use or disclosure of, or access to,
−Removed: any personal information maintained by us or on our behalf, whether through breach of our systems, breach of the systems of our suppliers
−Removed: or vendors by an unauthorized party, or through employee or contractor error, theft or misuse, or otherwise, could harm our business.
−Removed: If any such unauthorized use or disclosure of, or access to, such personal information was to occur, our operations could be seriously
−Removed: disrupted, and we could be subject to demands, claims and litigation by private parties, and investigations, related actions, and penalties
−Removed: by regulatory authorities.
−Removed: In addition, we could incur significant costs in notifying affected persons and entities and otherwise complying
−Removed: with the multitude of foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the unauthorized access to, or use or disclosure
−Removed: of, personal information.
−Removed: Finally, any perceived or actual unauthorized access to, or use or disclosure of, such information could harm
−Removed: our reputation, substantially impair our ability to attract and retain customers and have an adverse impact on our business, financial
−Removed: condition and results of operations.
+Added: Securities litigation
+Added: could result in substantial costs and divert management’s attention and our resources away from our business.
+Added: of the risks described above could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, the price of our common stock, or both.
+Added: we do not plan to pay any cash dividends on our shares of common stock, our stockholders will not be able to receive a return on their
+Added: shares unless and until they sell them.
+Added: intend to retain a significant portion of any future earnings to finance the development, operation and expansion of our business.
+Added: do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the near future.
+Added: The declaration, payment, and amount of any future
+Added: dividends will be made at the discretion of our board of directors, and will depend upon, among other things, our results of operations,
+Added: cash flows, and financial condition, operating and capital requirements, compliance with any applicable debt covenants, and other factors
+Added: our board of directors considers relevant.
+Added: There is no assurance that future dividends will be paid, and, if dividends are paid, there
+Added: is no assurance of the amount of any such dividend.
+Added: Unless our board of directors determines to pay dividends, our stockholders will
+Added: be required to look solely to appreciation in the value of our common stock to realize any gain on their investment.
+Added: There can be no
+Added: assurance that any such appreciation will occur.
+Added: bylaws contain exclusive forum provisions that could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes
+Added: with us or our directors, officers, employees or agents.
+Added: bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Delaware Court of Chancery shall be the
+Added: sole and exclusive forum for (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (b) any action asserting a claim of breach
+Added: of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of us to us or our stockholders, (c) any action asserting a claim
+Added: arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or (d) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal
+Added: affairs doctrine.
+Added: bylaws also provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable
+Added: law, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting
+Added: a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, including all causes of action asserted
+Added: against any defendant named in such complaint, including our officers and directors, underwriters for any offering giving rise to such
+Added: complaint, and any other professional entity whose profession gives authority to a statement made by that person or entity and who has
+Added: prepared or certified any part of the documents underlying the offering.
+Added: the avoidance of doubt, the exclusive forum provisions described above do not apply to any claims arising under the Securities Act or
+Added: the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, to the extent federal law requires otherwise.
+Added: Section 27 of the
+Added: Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act
+Added: or the rules and regulations thereunder, and Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts
+Added: over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder.
+Added: choice of forum provisions in our bylaws may limit our stockholders’ ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that they find
+Added: favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees, agents or other third parties, which may discourage such lawsuits
+Added: against us and our directors, officers, employees, agents and other third parties even though an action, if successful, might benefit
+Added: our stockholders.
+Added: The applicable courts may also reach different judgments or results than would other courts, including courts where
+Added: a stockholder considering an action may be located or would otherwise choose to bring the action, and such judgments or results may be
+Added: more favorable to us than to our stockholders.
+Added: With respect to the provision making the Delaware Court of Chancery the sole and exclusive
+Added: forum for certain types of actions, stockholders who do bring a claim in the Delaware Court of Chancery could face additional litigation
+Added: costs in pursuing any such claim, particularly if they do not reside in or near Delaware.
+Added: Finally, if a court were to find these provisions
+Added: of our bylaws inapplicable to, or unenforceable in respect of, one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur
+Added: additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could have a material adverse effect on us.
+Added: through security vulnerabilities could lead to disruption of our business, reduced revenue, increased costs, liability claims, or harm
+Added: to our reputation or competitive position.
+Added: vulnerabilities may arise from our hardware, software, employees, contractors or policies we have deployed, which may result in external
+Added: parties gaining access to our networks, data centers, cloud data centers, corporate computers, manufacturing systems, and/or access to
+Added: accounts we have at our suppliers, vendors or customers.
+Added: External parties may gain access to our data or our customers’ data, or
+Added: attack the networks causing denial of service or attempt to hold our data or systems in ransom.
+Added: The vulnerability could be caused
+Added: by inadequate account security practices such as the failure to timely remove employee access when terminated.
+Added: To mitigate these security
+Added: issues, we have implemented measures throughout our organization, including firewalls, backups, encryption, employee information technology
+Added: policies and user account policies.
+Added: However, there can be no assurance that these measures will be sufficient to avoid cyberattacks.
+Added: If any of these types of security breaches were to occur and we were unable to protect sensitive data, our relationships with our business
+Added: partners and customers could be materially damaged, our reputation could be materially harmed, and we could be exposed to a risk of litigation
+Added: and possible significant liability.
+Added: if we fail to adequately maintain our information technology infrastructure, we may have outages and data loss.
+Added: Excessive outages may
+Added: affect our ability to timely and efficiently deliver products to customers or develop new products.
+Added: Such disruptions and data loss may
+Added: adversely impact our ability to fulfill orders and interrupt other processes.
+Added: Delayed sales or lost customers resulting from these disruptions
+Added: could adversely affect our financial results, stock price and reputation.
+Added: and our business partners’ or contractors’ failure to fully comply with applicable data privacy or similar laws could lead
+Added: to significant fines and require onerous corrective action.
+Added: In addition, data security breaches experienced by us or our business partners
+Added: or contractors could result in the loss of trade secrets or other intellectual property, public disclosure of sensitive commercial data,
+Added: and the exposure of personally identifiable information (including sensitive personal information) of our employees, customers, suppliers,
+Added: contractors and others.
+Added: use or disclosure of, or access to, any personal information maintained by us or on our behalf, whether through breach of our systems,
+Added: breach of the systems of our suppliers or vendors by an unauthorized party, or through employee or contractor error, theft or misuse,
+Added: or otherwise, could harm our business.
+Added: If any such unauthorized use or disclosure of, or access to, such personal information was to
+Added: occur, our operations could be seriously disrupted, and we could be subject to demands, claims and litigation by private parties, and
+Added: investigations, related actions, and penalties by regulatory authorities.
+Added: In addition, we could incur significant costs in notifying
+Added: affected persons and entities and otherwise complying with the multitude of foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating
+Added: to the unauthorized access to, or use or disclosure of, personal information.
+Added: Finally, any perceived or actual unauthorized access to,
+Added: or use or disclosure of, such information could harm our reputation, substantially impair our ability to attract and retain customers
+Added: and have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Compared sentence by sentence after normalising whitespace, quotation marks, case and digits, so re-formatting and restated figures do not read as changed language. Wording changes appear as one removal and one addition. The current filing and the prior one are authoritative.