SENSIENT TECHNOLOGIES CORP 10-K

Item 1A. Risk Factors. As with any business, the Company’s business and operations involve risks and uncertainties. In addition to the other discussions in this report, particularly those under the headings “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” below and “Forward-Looking Statements” above, the following factors should be considered: Business Risks • Intense competition with our competitors may result in reduced sales and profitability. We develop, manufacture, and sell flavors, flavor enhancers, ingredients, extracts, and bionutrients; essential oils; natural ingredients, including dehydrated vegetables and other food ingredients; natural and synthetic food and beverage colors; personal care colors and ingredients; pharmaceutical and nutraceutical excipients and ingredients; and technical colors, specialty colors, and specialty dyes and pigments. We sell these products to customers in industries and markets that are highly competitive. We face intense competition from multiple competitors in each of our business lines. These competitors range from large multinational flavor companies with broad and sophisticated product portfolios and outstanding technological capabilities to smaller more specialized regional companies that focus on a single product line or offering. Our success against these competitors depends upon our ability to continually develop and manufacture safe, high quality, innovative, and legally compliant products across each of our product lines in varying batch sizes, at varying frequencies, and at acceptable prices. We also must provide outstanding product development support, on time delivery, regulatory assistance, and after-sale product support to all of our customers, wherever they are located. If we are unable to do these tasks, or if competitors do any of these tasks better than we do, we may lose part or all of our business with some customers. We do lose business to competitors from time to time. Competition can reduce both our sales and the prices at which we are able to sell our products, which can negatively affect our results. • Our business is impacted by adverse developments in economic conditions, which could negatively affect our financial performance and our ability to grow or sustain the growth of our business. We compete around the world in various geographic regions and product markets. Global economic and political conditions affect our businesses and the businesses of our customers and suppliers. Economic downturns, changes in interest rates, lower consumer confidence, decreasing employment levels, price instability, inflation, slowing economic growth, and social and political instability in the industries and/or markets where we compete could negatively affect our financial performance in future periods and adversely impact our ability to grow or sustain our business. For example, current macroeconomic and political instability have caused global supply chain disruptions, inflation, and the strengthening of the U.S. dollar, which have adversely impacted and could continue to adversely impact our results of operations. 9 Index In addition, the credit markets provide us with liquidity to operate and grow our business beyond the liquidity that our cash flows provide. A worldwide economic downturn and/or disruption of the credit markets could reduce our access to capital or significantly increase our costs of capital, which may negatively impact our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows. We have seen our interest expense rise as a result of increased interest rates, and a continued increase in such rates may negatively affect our results. • A disruption in our manufacturing operations could adversely affect our profitability. We develop, manufacture, and distribute our products around the world. Generally, our labs and plants are dedicated to particular product lines. For example, many (but by no means all) of our food colors products are developed and manufactured in our St. Louis facility. While we have redundant capabilities across labs and plants for many product lines, in some cases, we only manufacture particular products at one facility. To establish a new manufacturing capability at a plant could require substantial time, money, and numerous governmental and customer approvals. Additionally, because of the complexity and highly specialized nature of many of the products we produce, it would require a tremendous amount of technical, engineering, and management time and effort to establish the new capability. Manufacturing involves inherent risks such as industrial accidents, environmental events, labor disputes, labor shortages, product quality control issues, safety issues, licensing, and regulatory compliance requirements, as well as natural disasters, conflicts, terrorist acts, civil unrest, ERP software issues, cyber-attacks, and other events that we cannot control. If one of our development or manufacturing facilities is disrupted or impaired, we could cause a supply disruption to our customers, which could cause short and long-term damage to our customer relationships. Such disruption would have an adverse effect on our financial performance and future growth. • The coronavirus/COVID-19 has significantly impacted worldwide economic conditions and could adversely affect our results and financial condition. The coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, has caused, and may continue to cause, a material adverse effect on the level of economic activity around the world, including through factory shutdowns, disruptions in supply and logistics, travel and transportation restrictions, widespread illness and quarantines, and uncertainty and volatility in the financial markets. These disruptions present numerous risks to our operations. We may be unable to produce goods due to constraints in production caused by our factories being ordered to close; our inability to obtain raw materials due to shortages, transportation disruptions, or supplier shutdowns; or due to illnesses and quarantines affecting our workforce. Any of these events could adversely affect our ability to produce and sell our products, resulting in reduced revenue. While all of our manufacturing facilities currently remain open, it remains possible that a government could order partial or total shutdown of one or more of our facilities as a result of a zero-COVID government policy or otherwise. Earlier during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 through 2022, our facilities in China and India were shut down at times by the local governments as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. Any such future shutdowns could adversely affect our results. Even if our facilities are allowed to remain open, an outbreak of illness among employees at any of our facilities could result in a temporary or prolonged manufacturing disruption or facility closure. We have also found it difficult to hire production workers and other employees in some markets as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and changing dynamics in the employment market, which have increased competition for labor. Additionally, changes in governmental policies could also affect our ability to operate our facilities. Even if we can produce our products, we may not be able to ship them on time due to transportation disruptions. In addition, due to travel restrictions and customer shutdowns, we may not be able to continue sales efforts with some new and existing customers. Even where we can produce our products, offer our products for sale, and deliver them, our customers may not be able to fully operate their production facilities due to shutdowns or their inability to obtain other raw materials necessary to produce their products, which may result in less demand for our products. Customers may also face transportation disruptions for their products, which could reduce customers’ sales and, therefore, customers’ demand for our products. Additionally, many customers have cancelled or delayed new product introductions due to the disruptions created by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is unclear when, or if, such new product introductions will return to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels. A prolonged decline of new product introductions or limited time offerings could adversely affect our results. Overall, COVID-19 and the volatile economic conditions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic could exacerbate the other risk factors that we identify in this report, any of which could materially adversely impact our business. More broadly, the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the massive economic and societal impacts that can be generated by a global pandemic, and there can be no assurance that there will not be a resurgence of COVID-19, globally or in regions that are significant to us, or the outbreak of another pandemic in the future, either of which could materially adversely impact our business. As a result of any of the foregoing, our results or financial condition could be adversely impacted and the impacts could be material. 10 Index • Intense competition among our customers and their competitors may result in reduced sales and profitability for our customers and us. Generally, we do not sell products directly to consumers. The customers to whom we sell our products incorporate our products into their own products. Our customers face intense competition . This competitive pressure has caused some of our customers to change or reduce ordering patterns, to resist price increases, to discontinue or reduce existing product offerings, and to introduce fewer new products and reduce or eliminate traditional limited time offerings. Some of our large, multinational customers may increasingly become vertically integrated as a result of cost pressures, supply chain disruptions, or other reasons. We would lose business to the extent any of our customers are able to produce the products that we otherwise supply them. Additionally, the commercial outlets for many of our customers are also under intense competitive pressure, which has caused many such commercial outlets to be resistant to price increases from their suppliers. Ultimately, o ur ability to sell our products to customers depends upon our customers’ ability to succeed against their competitors and to respond effectively to the demands of their own customers. When our customers do not successfully compete, as happens from time to time, it can impact our sales and the prices at which we sell our products, which can negatively affect our results. • The ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and the global response to it, may adversely affect our operations. In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. This ongoing military conflict has increased the likelihood of supply chain interruptions and, for certain raw materials, decreased our ability to source materials that we need to make our products. For example, suppliers located in Ukraine are our main source of sunflower oil, which is primarily used in our savory and beverage businesses. We have encountered difficulties, and may continue to encounter difficulties, in finding favorable pricing and reliable alternative sources or substitutes for certain of the raw materials we need (including sunflower oil) for certain products. If these difficulties persist, accelerate, or expand, our operations could be adversely affected. In addition, we have experienced increased costs for transportation, energy, and raw materials due in part to the negative impact of the Russia-Ukraine military conflict on the global economy. These increased costs, or any potential shortage of energy or raw materials, could adversely affect our profitability. The military conflict may also increase the risk of cybersecurity incidents, including the risk of cyberattacks in retaliation for the United States’ and European Union’s support of Ukraine and sanctions against Russia or otherwise. Such attacks, whether on us or on critical infrastructure and financial institutions globally, could also adversely affect our operations. It is not possible to predict the broader or long-term consequences of this military conflict, which could include further sanctions, regional instability, a wider military conflict, and adverse effects on international trade policies and economic conditions, cybersecurity, currency exchange rates, and financial markets. • In some product lines, most of our sales are made to a relatively small number of customers; if we lose any of those customers, sales and operating results could decline. In some of our product lines, our sales are concentrated with a small number of customers. While we do not currently have any single customer that we consider to be significant to us as a whole, the loss of a significant customer for a particular product line could substantially affect the sales and profitability of that line or the business unit that sells that product line, which may cause us to re-evaluate that line. Those developments could negatively affect our results. • Consolidation has resulted in customers with increased buying power, which can affect our profitability. Many of our customers have consolidated in recent years and we expect the combination trend to continue in many business lines. These consolidations have often produced large, sophisticated customers with increased buying power who are more capable of resisting price increases or vertically integrating. If the larger size or greater buying power of those customers results in additional negotiating strength, the prices we are able to charge could be negatively affected and our profitability could decline. In addition, if any of these large customers are able to produce the products that we otherwise supply them, our results of operations may be adversely impacted. 11 Index • Our sales and profitability are affected by changing consumer preferences, changing regulations and technologies, and our ability and our customers’ ability to make and sell to consumers in highly competitive markets. Although we do not generally make or sell proprietary consumer products, many of our products are sold to companies that develop and market consumer products, either directly or through other commercial and retail outlets. Sales of flavors, colors, personal care ingredients, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical excipients and ingredients, and many of our other products depend in part upon our customers’ ability to create and sell products to consumers in highly competitive markets, all of which are beyond our control. Our sales could also be affected by changing regulations or technologies that could impact consumer demand for products that contain our products. Therefore, we depend upon our customers’ ability to create markets for the consumer products that incorporate the products that we manufacture. In addition, if we cannot adequately anticipate and respond to the needs of our customers as they evolve in response to changing consumer preferences, new technologies, and price demands, our results could be adversely affected. The COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing economic uncertainty have impacted consumer behavior in numerous ways and it is difficult to predict whether these changes will persist over the long term and how they will impact our customers. Additionally, the market pressures on our customers may adversely affect the willingness of these customers to launch new products, to introduce limited time offerings, and to grow or continue to produce existing product lines. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen a reduction in the size of new product launches and fewer limited time offerings from some of our customers. Any of these actions by our customers can adversely affect our results. • If we do not maintain an efficient cost structure, our profitability could decrease. Our success depends in part on our ability to maintain an efficient cost structure. We regularly initiate cost-reduction measures that could impact our manufacturing, sales, operations, and information systems functions. If we do not continue to manage costs and achieve additional efficiencies, or we do not successfully implement related strategies, our competitiveness and our profits could decrease. As discussed above, the price pressures in our markets make such cost reduction efforts particularly important. For example, in 2020 and 2021, the Company executed an operational improvement plan to further consolidate manufacturing facilities and improve efficiencies within the Personal Care business line of the Company. These types of activities have required, and may continue to require, the devotion of significant resources and management attention and may pose business risks. Our ability to realize anticipated cost savings may be affected by a number of factors, including our ability to effectively reduce overhead, rationalize manufacturing capacity, and effectively produce products at the consolidated facilities. Furthermore, our cost reduction efforts may not be as effective as we had anticipated, which could have an adverse effect on our financial condition. • A disruption in our supply chain could adversely affect our profitability. We generally rely on third party suppliers for various raw materials that we use to make our products. We use many different chemical products, natural products, and other commodities as raw material ingredients. We also use raw materials whose production is energy intensive and dependent on successful farming techniques and favorable climatic and environmental conditions. As the demand for natural products continues to grow, the risks associated with agriculture, such as reduced crop yields, reduced crop availability, water shortages, increased water costs, reduced access to water, droughts, and other potentially more severe weather events, are becoming increasingly important. In addition, we obtain some raw materials from a single supplier or a limited number of suppliers. Disruptions or other issues with those suppliers could affect the availability of those materials. Even if there are multiple suppliers of a particular raw material, there are occasionally shortages. Constrictions in supply of raw materials can lead to increased costs. We may not be able to pass these costs to customers for a variety of reasons, including the fact that some of our competitors may not be subject to the increased costs. Additionally, government regulatory action against any of our suppliers could also cause a supply disruption. We have, in the past, dealt with regulators shutting down suppliers that provided the Company with raw materials. This adversely impacted the supply of raw materials for the affected products and, therefore, impacted our ability to produce products containing these raw materials. Additionally, our yields from harvests for onion were adversely impacted in 2021 and 2022 by both drought and flooding, resulting in reduced availability of onion products for our Natural Ingredients business. Any future unavailability or shortage of a raw material, however caused, could negatively affect our operations using that raw material and thus adversely affect our results. • We may not be able to manage inventory as effectively as anticipated, which may adversely impact our performance. Efficient inventory management is essential to our performance. We must maintain appropriate inventory levels and product mix to meet customer demand, without incurring costs related to storing and holding excess inventory. If our inventory management decisions do not accurately predict demand or otherwise result in excess inventory, as has happened in the past, our financial results may be adversely impacted by markdowns, impairment charges, or other costs related to disposal of excess or obsolete inventory. For example, the shelf-life for natural products is generally shorter than synthetic products, so as the demand for natural products grows, it becomes more likely that any excess inventory could need to be written off or subject to markdowns and would have an adverse impact on our revenue and profitability. Additionally, if we do not maintain enough inventory to satisfy the demand of our customers, we may lose business to our competitors, which could adversely affect our results. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have held large quantities of raw material and finished goods inventory to minimize disruptions to our customers. As we emerge from the worst impacts of the pandemic, we may not be as effective as we intend in reducing our inventory to more normal levels. 12 Index • Raw material, energy, labor, and transportation cost volatility, including inflation in prices due to ongoing supply chain challenges and other macroeconomic forces, may reduce our profitability. We have experienced challenges as a result of ongoing domestic and global supply chain issues, particularly with respect to raw materials, logistics, and labor. In addition, we have experienced inflationary increases in the costs of raw materials, energy, transportation, and labor. Although we attempt to manage these challenges through pricing and other actions, we may not be able to increase our product prices enough to offset these increased costs. Increasing our prices also may reduce sales volume and related profitability and cause us to lose customers. If inflationary conditions persist, accelerate, or expand, it will become more difficult to manage these challenges without adverse impacts to our revenues and profitability. We use various energy sources in our production and distribution processes. Commodity and energy prices are subject to significant volatility caused by market fluctuations, supply and demand, currency fluctuation, production and transportation disruption, disruptive world events (such as the Russia-Ukraine military conflict discussed above), and changes in governmental regulations, particularly related to carbon reduction. Commodity, transportation, and energy price increases will raise both our raw material costs and operating costs. Additionally, as many areas move away from using carbon-based sources of energy, we would initially anticipate increases in the cost of energy generated from renewable energy sources as well as potential reliability and continuity issues related to electrical power generation, distribution, and supply. While the long-term environment impact of these moves is favorable, the shorter and medium-term impact in increased energy prices could adversely affect our profitability. • The financial condition of our customers may adversely affect their ability to buy products from us at current levels, to accept price increases, or to pay for products that they have already purchased. As mentioned above, our customers are under intense pressure in their markets from competitors and as a result of changing consumer preferences. Historically, these combined pressures have resulted in some of the Company’s customers entering bankruptcy or receivership. There is risk that other customers of the Company could enter bankruptcy or receivership in the near-term. Once in bankruptcy or receivership, these customers are restricted from paying certain outstanding invoices to the Company until later in the bankruptcy process and even when able to pay, may not be able to pay the full amounts owed. Additionally, certain payments made to us prior to a customer declaring for bankruptcy may be, and have been, subject to clawback during the bankruptcy or receivership process. Financially distressed customers may change or reduce ordering patterns, reduce willingness to accept price increases, discontinue or reduce existing product offerings, and introduce fewer new products. Those developments could adversely affect our results. • The impact of currency exchange rate fluctuation may negatively affect our results. We report the results of our foreign operations in the applicable local currency and then translate those results into U.S. dollars at applicable exchange rates. The applicable exchange rates between and among foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar have fluctuated and will continue to do so in the future. These fluctuations have impacted our results of operations in recent periods as discussed below in more detail under the headings “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” Such currency exchange rate volatility may also adversely impact our financial condition or liquidity. While we may use forward exchange contracts and foreign currency denominated debt to manage our exposure to foreign exchange risk, such risk management strategies do not insulate us completely from those exposures and may not be effective, and our results of operations could be adversely affected. Exchange rates can be volatile and a substantial weakening of foreign currencies against the U.S. dollar could reduce our profit margin in certain of our businesses outside of the U.S. and adversely impact the comparability of results from period to period. The continued strength of the U.S. dollar could continue to adversely impact our revenue and profit in non-U.S. jurisdictions. • Operating in foreign countries and emerging markets exposes us to increased risks, including economic, political, security, and international operation risks. We operate, manufacture, and sell our products and obtain raw materials in many foreign countries and emerging markets. This subjects us to risks that could materially impact our operating results, including: difficulties in staffing and managing foreign personnel in diverse cultures; transportation delays or interruptions; sometimes unpredictable regulatory changes; physical security risks; and the effects of international political developments and political and economic instability. For example, we have a natural colors business in Peru, which has experienced political instability in recent years, including the removal of its president in late 2022. While the political instability of Peru has not yet materially adversely impacted our business in Peru, it could do so in the future, and our results of operations could be adversely affected. Also, we have a flavors manufacturing facility in Celaya, Mexico, which has experienced increased levels of political and criminal violence by narcotics trafficking cartels during 2022. While the instability in Mexico has not yet materially adversely impacted our business there, it could do so in the future, and our results of operations could be adversely affected. 13 Index In addition, changes in policies by the United States or foreign governments could negatively affect our operating results due to changes in duties, tariffs, trade regulations, taxes, or limitations on currency or fund transfers. For example, changes in the trade relationship between the U.S. and China as well as potential regulatory actions by the Chinese government may affect the availability and cost of our raw materials and products originating in China, the demand for, as well as the supply of, our products manufactured in China or containing raw materials from China, and the demand from Chinese customers for our products. Chinese government pandemic control policies also caused our facilities to be shutdown for certain periods during 2022. • The impact of tariffs and other trade barriers may negatively affect our results. The Company has manufacturing facilities located around the world. The Company sells to customers located both inside and outside the countries in which products are manufactured. The Company also depends upon suppliers both inside and outside the countries in which products are manufactured. Tariffs and other trade barriers imposed by the U.S. or other countries have affected and could continue to adversely affect our manufacturing costs, our ability to source and import raw materials, our ability to export our products to other markets, and our ability to compete successfully against other companies that are not impacted by tariffs to the same extent as the Company. For example, we have production facilities, customers, and suppliers in the United Kingdom, and greater trade restrictions resulting from the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union could result in increased costs and other adverse financial impacts to our business. Additionally, the uncertainties created by tariffs and other trade barriers have also affected and could continue to affect our customers’ demand for our products because, for example, the customers decide to delay product launches or destock inventory due to these uncertainties. It is difficult to predict the effects of current or future tariffs and other trade barriers and disputes, and the Company’s efforts to reduce the effects of tariffs through pricing and other measures may not be effective. In some cases, our products, such as U.S. grown garlic and onion, benefit from tariffs levied against foreign products. If these beneficial tariffs were reduced or eliminated, it could adversely affect our business and financial condition. • Various stakeholders’ increasing and changing expectations and new laws and regulations with respect to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) matters may impose additional costs on us or expose us to additional risks. Stakeholder expectations in connection with ESG matters have been, and continue to be, rapidly evolving and increasing. The enhanced stakeholder and regulatory focus on ESG matters requires us to continuously monitor various developing standards and reporting requirements and make continuous progress in our efforts to reduce our, as well as our suppliers’, energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, and waste generation. Implementing such monitoring, reporting, and improved sustainability could be costly. Even where we make progress, our ESG practices still may not meet the standards of all of our stakeholders. For example, many of our large, global customers are committing to long-term targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within their supply chains. If we are unable to achieve these reductions, our customers may seek out alternative suppliers who are better able to support such reductions. In addition, some of our customers and other stakeholders are requiring us to provide information on our plans relating to certain ESG matters, such as greenhouse gas emissions, and we expect this trend to continue as more regulations are being adopted. If we are unable to respond, or we are perceived to be responding inadequately, to the expectations of our stakeholders, our business and reputation could be harmed, our profit and revenue could decline, and it could have a negative impact on the trading price of our common stock. In addition, the increased focus on ESG matters may result in new or increased regulations, laws, and demands, such as carbon tax programs and enhanced sustainability reporting regimes, which could cause us to incur additional costs or to make changes to our operations to comply with any such regulations, laws, or demands. These actions are likely to increase costs associated with our operations, including costs for raw materials, production, and transportation. If we are unable to pass on these costs, our profit could decline. Further, our customers and the markets we serve may impose standards, regulations, market-based policies, or preferences that we may not be able to timely meet due to the required level of capital investment or technological advancement, which in the case of the availability of sustainable energy to support our operations is generally outside our control. If we fail to keep up with changing regulations and preferences, or if we fail to innovate or operate in ways that maximize sustainability, our customers may choose more sustainable suppliers. Failing to quickly and cost-efficiently adapt to stakeholder ESG expectations and standards could adversely affect our business and financial condition. Additionally, consumers who buy food and personal care products from our customers may be unwilling to pay the higher prices that could result from the increased costs of products as a result of these sustainability efforts, which could adversely affect our business and financial condition. 14 Index • World events and natural disasters are beyond our control and could affect our results. World events can adversely affect national, international, and local economies. Economies can also be affected by conflicts, natural disasters, changes in climate, severe weather (including droughts and flooding), epidemics, pandemics (including the coronavirus, as discussed in more detail above), or other catastrophic events. Such events and conditions, as well as uncertainty in or impairment of financial markets, have adversely affected and could continue to affect our revenues and profitability, particularly if they occur in locations in which we or our customers have significant operations. Our natural colors, flavors, extracts, and essential oils businesses are dependent on favorable climatic conditions and the non-occurrence of natural disasters. Adverse weather events could impact our or our growers’ ability to plant, grow, and harvest crops, and such events could also increase the presence of disease and pests on such crops, which may negatively affect our ability to supply certain products. For example, our Natural Ingredients business has significant operations in California, which has been dealing with drought conditions, flooding, and water supply issues. In the event that there is an insufficient supply of water for our operations or the operations of the growers that we contract with, our Natural Ingredients business may be materially impacted and could have an adverse effect on our results. As noted above, our yields from harvests for onion were adversely impacted in 2021 and 2022 by both drought and flooding, resulting in reduced availability of our onion products. In addition, while we have manufacturing facilities throughout the world, certain of our facilities are the sole manufacturer of a specific product, and a disruption in manufacturing could lead to increased costs of relocating or replacing the production of a product, or reformulating a product, which could have an adverse effect on our results. Litigation and Regulatory Risks • Many of our products are used in items for human consumption and contact. We may be subject to product liability claims and product recalls, which could negatively impact our profitability and corporate image. We sell flavors, fragrances, and colors that are used in foods, beverages, pharmaceuticals, personal care, nutraceuticals, and other items for human consumption or contact. These products involve risks such as contamination or spoilage, tampering, defects, and other adulteration. If the consumption or use of our products causes product damage, injury, illness, or death, we may be subject to liability, including class action lawsuits and other civil and governmental litigation. We are also subject to product liability claims involving products containing diacetyl and related chemicals. From time to time, we or our customers have withdrawn or recalled products in the event of contamination, product defects, or perceived quality problems. If our customers withdraw or recall products related to ingredients that we provide to them, as has occurred in the past, they may make claims against us. Although we vigorously defend against claims when they are made, there can be no assurance that any claims or recalls will not be material. While we maintain liability insurance against these risks, coverage may be unavailable or incomplete. A significant product defect, product recall, or product liability judgment can negatively impact our profitability for a period of time depending on the insurance coverage, costs, adverse publicity, product availability, scope, competitive reaction, and consumer attitudes. Even if a product liability claim is unsuccessful or is not fully pursued, the cost of defense and the negative publicity surrounding any assertion that our products caused illness, injury, or death or any recall involving our products could adversely affect our reputation with existing and potential customers and our corporate image and thereby adversely impact our profitability. • There are an enormous number of laws and regulations applicable to us, our suppliers, and our customers across all of our business lines. Compliance with these legal requirements is costly to us and can affect our operations as well as those of our suppliers and customers. Failure to comply could also be costly and disruptive. Our facilities and products are subject to many laws and regulations relating to the environment, health, safety, and the content, processing, packaging, storage, distribution, quality, and safety of food, drugs, personal care, other consumer products, and industrial colors. These laws and regulations are administered in the United States by the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Labor, and other federal and state governmental agencies. We, our suppliers, and our customers are subject to similar governmental regulation and oversight abroad. Compliance with these laws and regulations can be complex and costly and affect our, our suppliers’, and our customers’ operations. Also, if we, our suppliers, or our customers fail to comply with applicable laws and regulations, we could be subject to administrative penalties and injunctive relief, civil and criminal remedies, fines, recalls of products, and private civil lawsuits. Regulatory action against a supplier or customer can create risk for us and negatively affect our operations. As discussed above, actions by regulatory agencies against us and our suppliers can also adversely impact the availability of raw materials. Whenever raw materials become more costly or unavailable due to legal, regulatory, or other governmental actions, our profitability could be adversely impacted. • Environmental compliance may be costly to us. Our operations are subject to extensive and stringent laws and regulations that pertain to the discharge of materials into the environment, handling of materials, and disposition of wastes and air emissions. These rules operate or will operate at both the federal and state levels in the United States, and there are analogous laws at most of our overseas locations. Environmental regulations, and the potential failure to comply with them, can have serious consequences, including the costs of compliance and defense; interference with our operations or the ability to obtain required permits; civil, criminal, and administrative penalties; and negative publicity. Additionally, the ability of our suppliers to comply with environmental regulations may cause adverse effects on us by reducing or eliminating the availability of necessary raw materials or increasing the cost of raw materials. These factors might adversely impact our ability to make certain products as well as our profitability on the products that can be made. 15 Index • We could be adversely affected by violations of anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws and regulations. Our business is subject to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the United Kingdom Bribery Act, and similar anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws and regulations in other countries where we operate. While we maintain robust policies to prevent violations of these laws and to monitor third party risks, investigating and resolving actual or alleged violations of anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws is expensive and could negatively impact our results of operations or financial condition. Under these laws, companies may be held liable for the corrupt actions taken by their directors, officers, employees, agents, or other representatives. We could be subject to substantial civil and/or criminal fines and penalties if we or any of our representatives fail to comply with these laws, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and reputation. • Changes in tax rates or tax laws could expose us to additional tax liabilities that may negatively affect our results. We are subject to taxes in the U.S. and numerous foreign jurisdictions. Our future effective tax rates could be affected by changes in the mix of earnings in countries with differing statutory tax rates; changes in the valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities; changes in liabilities for uncertain tax positions; the costs of repatriations; or changes in tax laws or their interpretation. Any of these changes could negatively impact our results. We are also subject to the routine examination of our income tax returns by tax authorities in those countries in which we operate, and we may be subject to assessments or audits in the future in any of these countries. The results of such assessments or audits, if adverse to us, could negatively impact our results. We have transfer pricing policies that are a significant component of the management and compliance of our operations across international boundaries and overall financial results. Many countries routinely examine transfer pricing policies of taxpayers subject to their jurisdiction, challenge transfer pricing policies aggressively where there is potential non-compliance, and impose significant interest charges and penalties where non-compliance is determined. However, governmental authorities could challenge these policies more aggressively in the future and, if challenged, we may not prevail. We could suffer significant costs related to one or more challenges to our transfer pricing policies. Structural and Organizational Risks • We depend on certain key personnel, and the loss of these persons may harm our business, including the loss of trade secrets. Our success depends in large part on the continued service and availability of our key management and technical personnel, and on our ability to attract and retain qualified new personnel. The competition for these individuals can be significant, and the loss of key employees could harm our business. In addition, we need to provide for smooth transitions when replacing key management and technical personnel positions. Our operations and results may be negatively affected if we are not able to do so. Additionally, many of our key personnel must have access to the Company’s trade secrets to effectively perform their job responsibilities. Although we seek to impose confidentiality, non-solicitation, loyalty, and non-competition obligations on many employees through agreements and our Code of Conduct, these efforts may not be successful. Furthermore, litigation to enforce departing employees’ legal obligations may not be, and has not always been, successful as the legal systems in many jurisdictions disfavor or prohibit restrictions on an employee’s right to change jobs as well as on preemptive measures to prevent the disclosure of a company’s trade secrets and intellectual property before it occurs. As a result, there is a possibility that certain competitors could attempt to exploit the Company’s trade secrets and confidential information to the Company’s competitive detriment, which could adversely impact our profitability. • We face risks associated with strategic transactions that we have completed and may pursue in the future, which could adversely affect our operating results. Our business strategy includes acquiring businesses and making investments that complement our existing businesses. We have acquired many companies and operations in the past and may continue growth by acquisition in the future. We continue to analyze and evaluate acquisition opportunities with the potential to strengthen our industry position or enhance our existing product offerings. We may not be able to identify suitable acquisition candidates or have sufficient financing and/or cash available to successfully complete acquisitions in the future. Our future growth through acquisitions could involve significant risks that may have a material adverse effect on us. We may also be at risk for liabilities associated with acquisitions that the Company has made in the past. Acquired companies may have significant latent liabilities that may not be discovered before an acquisition or fully reflected in the price we pay. We may also need to finance future acquisitions, and the terms of any financing, and the need to ultimately repay or refinance any indebtedness, may have negative effects on us. Acquisitions also could have a dilutive effect on our financial results. Acquisitions also generally result in goodwill, which would need to be written off against earnings in the future if it becomes impaired. Acquisitions and investments may involve significant cash expenditures, debt incurrences, equity issuances, operating losses, and expenses. 16 Index In addition, since 2020, we have completed the divestiture of each of our inks, yogurt fruit preparations, and fragrances (excluding the essential oils product line) product lines. Divestitures have inherent risks, including potential post-closing liabilities and claims for indemnification, that may impact our ability to fully realize the anticipated benefits of a given divestiture. If any additional post-closing risks materialize, the benefits of such divestitures may not be fully realized, if at all, and our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be negatively impacted. Technology and Cybersecurity Risks • Our ability to protect our intellectual property rights is key to our performance. We protect our intellectual property rights as trade secrets, through patents, under confidentiality agreements, and through internal and external physical and cyber security systems. We could incur significant costs in asserting our intellectual property rights or defending ourselves from third party intellectual property claims. The laws of some of the countries in which we operate do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as the laws of the United States. If other parties were to infringe on our intellectual property rights, or if a third party successfully asserted that we had infringed on their intellectual property rights, it could have an adverse impact on our business. • Our ability to successfully maintain and upgrade our information technology systems, and to respond effectively to failures, disruptions, compromises, or breaches of our information technology systems, may adversely affect our competitiveness and profitability. Our success depends in part on our ability to maintain a current information technology platform for our businesses to operate effectively, reliably, and securely. We routinely review and upgrade our information technology and cybersecurity systems in order to better manage, report, and protect the information related to our formulas, research and development, manufacturing processes, trade secrets, sales, products, customers, personnel, and other operations. If we do not continue to maintain our information technology and cybersecurity platforms and successfully implement upgrades to systems to protect our vital information as well as our facilities and IT systems, our competitiveness and profits could decrease. Because of the nature of our business, and the importance of our proprietary information and manufacturing facilities, we face threats not only from hackers’ intent on theft and disruption, but also from malicious insiders that may attempt to steal Company information. Furthermore, our information technology systems may be susceptible to failures, disruptions, breaches, ransomware, theft, employee carelessness in the face of social engineering threats, and other similar cybersecurity events. The impact of any such event and the effectiveness of our response thereto may adversely affect our operations and subject us to lost business opportunities, increased operating costs, regulatory consequences, and reputational harm. While we take substantial steps to protect our information and systems through cyber security systems, monitoring, auditing, and training, these efforts may not always be successful. And, while we maintain liability insurance against these risks, coverage may be unavailable or incomplete. Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments. None.