CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements included or incorporated by reference in this
prospectus, other than purely historical information, including
estimates, projections, statements relating to our business plans,
objectives, and expected operating results, and the assumptions
upon which those statements are based, are “forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933
and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These
forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words
“believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,”
“strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “may,” “should,”
“will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,”
and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on
current expectations and assumptions, which are subject to risks
and uncertainties that may cause results to differ materially from
those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. We
undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any
forward-looking statements, whether because of new information,
future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by
law.
Risks and uncertainties to which our forward-looking statements are
subject include, without limitation: (1) the ability to
successfully manage global financial risks, including foreign
currency fluctuations, currency exchange or pricing controls and
localized volatility; (2) the ability to successfully manage
local, regional or global economic volatility, including reduced
market growth rates, and to generate sufficient income and cash
flow to allow the Company to affect the expected share repurchases
and dividend payments; (3) the ability to manage disruptions
in credit markets or changes to our credit rating; (4) the
ability to maintain key manufacturing and supply arrangements
(including execution of supply chain optimizations and sole
supplier and sole manufacturing plant arrangements) and to manage
disruption of business due to factors outside of our control, such
as natural disasters, acts of war or terrorism, or disease
outbreaks; (5) the ability to successfully manage cost
fluctuations and pressures, including prices of commodities and raw
materials, and costs of labor, transportation, energy, pension and
healthcare; (6) the ability to stay on the leading edge of
innovation, obtain necessary intellectual property protections and
successfully respond to changing consumer habits and technological
advances attained by, and patents granted to, competitors;
(7) the ability to compete with our local and global
competitors in new and existing sales channels, including by
successfully responding to competitive factors such as prices,
promotional incentives and trade terms for products; (8) the
ability to manage and maintain key customer relationships;
(9) the ability to protect our reputation and brand equity by
successfully managing real or perceived issues, including concerns
about safety, quality, ingredients, efficacy or similar matters
that may arise; (10) the ability to successfully manage the
financial, legal, reputational and operational risk associated with
third-party relationships, such as our suppliers, contract
manufacturers, distributors, contractors and external business
partners; (11) the ability to rely on and maintain key company
and third party information and operational technology systems,
networks and services, and maintain the security and functionality
of such systems, networks and services and the data contained
therein; (12) the ability to successfully manage uncertainties
related to changing political conditions (including the United
Kingdom’s exit from the European Union) and potential implications
such as exchange rate fluctuations and market contraction;
(13) the ability to successfully manage regulatory and legal
requirements and matters (including, without limitation, those laws
and regulations involving product liability, product and packaging
composition, intellectual property, labor and employment,
antitrust, data protection, tax, environmental, and accounting and
financial reporting) and to resolve pending matters within current
estimates; (14) the ability to manage changes in applicable
tax laws and regulations including maintaining our intended tax
treatment of divestiture transactions; (15) the ability to
successfully manage our ongoing acquisition, divestiture and joint
venture activities, in each case to achieve the Company’s overall
business strategy and financial objectives, without impacting the
delivery of base business objectives; (16) the ability to
successfully achieve productivity improvements and cost savings and
manage ongoing organizational changes, while successfully
identifying, developing and retaining key employees, including in
key growth markets where the availability of skilled or experienced
employees may be limited; and (17) the ability to successfully
manage the demand, supply, and operational challenges associated
with a disease outbreak, including epidemics, pandemics, or similar
widespread public health concerns (including the novel coronavirus,
COVID-19, outbreak). For
additional information concerning factors that could cause actual
results and events to differ materially from those projected
herein, please refer to our most recent Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K reports incorporated by reference
herein.
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