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Risk Factors - BF-A

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Item 1A. Risk Factors” and those described from time to time in our future reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including:

•Our substantial dependence upon the continued growth of the Jack Daniel’s family of brands

•Substantial competition from new entrants, consolidations by competitors and retailers, and other competitive activities, such as pricing actions (including price reductions, promotions, discounting, couponing, or free goods), marketing, category expansion, product introductions, or entry or expansion in our geographic markets or distribution networks

•Disruption of our distribution network or inventory fluctuations in our products by distributors, wholesalers, or retailers

•Risks from changes to the trade policies, tariffs, and import and export regulations of the United States or foreign governments and the effectiveness of our actions to mitigate the negative impact on our margins, sales, and/or distributors

•Changes in consumer preferences, consumption, or purchase patterns – particularly away from larger producers in favor of small distilleries or local producers, or away from brown spirits, our premium products, or spirits generally, and our ability to anticipate or react to them; further legalization of marijuana; bar, restaurant, travel, or other on-premise declines; shifts in demographic or health and wellness trends; or unfavorable consumer reaction to new products, line extensions, package changes, product reformulations, or other product innovation

•Route-to-consumer changes that affect the timing of our sales, temporarily disrupt the marketing or sale of our products, or result in higher fixed costs

•Production facility, aging warehouse, or supply chain disruption

•Imprecision in supply/demand forecasting

•Higher costs, lower quality, or unavailability of energy, water, raw materials, product ingredients, or labor

•Risks associated with acquisitions, dispositions, business partnerships, or investments – such as acquisition integration, termination difficulties or costs, or impairment in recorded value

•Unfavorable global or regional economic conditions and related economic slowdowns or recessions, low consumer confidence, high unemployment, weak credit or capital markets, budget deficits, burdensome government debt, austerity measures, higher interest rates, higher taxes, political instability, higher inflation, deflation, lower returns on pension assets, or lower discount rates for pension obligations

•Negative publicity related to our company, products, brands, marketing, executive leadership, employees, Board of Directors, family stockholders, operations, business performance, or prospects or risks relating to the increased risk of social media

•Product recalls or other product liability claims, product tampering, contamination, or quality issues

•Failure to attract or retain key executive or employee talent

•Impact of health epidemics and pandemics, and the risk of the resulting negative economic impacts and related governmental actions

•Risks associated with being a U.S.-based company with a global business, including commercial, political, and financial risks; local labor policies and conditions; compliance with local trade practices and other regulations; terrorism, kidnapping, extortion, or other types of violence; and health pandemics

•Failure to comply with anti-corruption laws, trade sanctions and restrictions, or similar laws or regulations

•Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, particularly due to a stronger U.S. dollar

•A downgrade or potential downgrade of our credit ratings

•Changes in laws, regulatory measures, or governmental policies, especially those affecting production, importation, marketing, labeling, pricing, distribution, sale, or consumption of our beverage alcohol products

•Tax rate changes (including excise, corporate, sales or value-added taxes, property taxes, payroll taxes, import and export duties, and tariffs) or changes in related reserves, changes in tax rules or accounting standards, and the unpredictability and suddenness with which they can occur

•Decline in the social acceptability of beverage alcohol in significant markets

•Significant additional labeling or warning requirements or limitations on availability of our beverage alcohol products

•Counterfeiting and inadequate protection of our intellectual property rights

•Significant legal disputes and proceedings, or government investigations

•Cyberbreach or failure or corruption of our key information technology systems or those of our suppliers, customers, or direct and indirect business partners, or failure to comply with personal data protection laws

•Our status as a family “controlled company” under New York Stock Exchange rules, and our dual-class share structure

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information. Certain matters discussed in this report, including the information presented in Part II under “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” include measures that are not measures of financial performance under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). These non-GAAP measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for any measure derived in accordance with GAAP, and also may be inconsistent with similarly titled measures presented by other companies. In Part II under “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” we present the reasons we use these measures under the heading “Non-GAAP Financial Measures,” and we reconcile these measures to the most closely comparable GAAP measures under the heading “Results of Operations.”

PART I

Item 1. Business

Overview

Brown-Forman Corporation (the “Company,” “Brown-Forman,” “we,” “us,” or “our” below) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in 1933, successor to a business founded in 1870 as a partnership and later incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1901. We primarily manufacture, distill, bottle, import, export, market, and sell a wide variety of beverage alcohol products under recognized brands. According to International Wine & Spirit Research (IWSR), we are the largest American-owned premium-plus spirits company. We are a “controlled company” under New York Stock Exchange rules because the Brown family owns more than 50% of our voting stock.

For a discussion of recent developments, see “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Executive Summary.”

Brands

Beginning in 1870 with Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky – our founding brand – and spanning the generations since, we have built a portfolio of more than 40 spirit and ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktail brands that includes some of the best-known and most loved trademarks in our industry. The most important and iconic brand in our portfolio is Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, the #1 selling American whiskey in the world.1 Within the Jack Daniel’s portfolio, Jack Daniel’s 14-Year-Old Tennessee Whiskey took home honors for World’s Best Tennessee Whiskey and Jack Daniel’s Bonded won the award for Best Tennessee Whiskey (No Age Statement) at the 2026 World Whiskies Awards. Our premium bourbon, Old Forester, was recognized by the San Francisco Spirits Competition in 2026, where both Old Forester 1870 Original Batch and Old Forester 1897 Bottled in Bond won Double Gold (the highest honor).

1IWSR 2025 Data.

See “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Results of Operations – Fiscal 2026 Brand Highlights” for brand performance details.

Our vision in marketing is to be the best brand builders in the industry. We build our portfolio by investing in platforms that keep us deeply connected to our consumers and help us relentlessly forge the world's most authentic, admired, and enduring spirits brands. These platforms cover a wide spectrum of activities, including media advertising (TV, radio, print, outdoor, digital, and social), consumer and trade promotions, sponsorships, and visitors’ center programs at our distilleries.

Markets

We sell our products in over 170 countries. The United States, our most important market, accounted for 42% of our net sales in fiscal 2026, and the other 58% were outside of the United States. The table below shows the percentage of total reported net sales for our top markets in our three most recent fiscal years:

For details about net sales in our top markets, see “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Results of Operations – Fiscal 2026 Market Highlights.” For details about our reportable segment and for additional geographic information about net sales and long-lived assets, see Note 19 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.” For details on risks related to our global operations, see “Item 1A. Risk Factors.”

Distribution Network and Customers

Our distribution network, or our “route to consumer” (RTC), varies depending on (a) the laws and regulatory framework for trade in beverage alcohol by market, (b) our assessment of a market’s long-term attractiveness and competitive dynamics, (c) the relative profitability of distribution options available to us, (d) the structure of the retail and wholesale trade in a market, and (e) our portfolio’s development stage in a market. As these factors change, we evaluate our RTC strategy and, from time to time, adapt our model.

Outside the United States, we use a variety of RTC models, which can be grouped into three categories: owned distribution, partner, and government-controlled markets. In these owned-distribution markets, and in a large portion of the Travel Retail channel, we sell our products directly to retailers or wholesalers. In many other markets, we rely on third parties to distribute our brands, generally under fixed-term distribution contracts. In Canada, we sell our products to provincial governments.

We believe that our customer relationships are good and that our exposure to concentrations of credit risk is limited due to the diverse geographic areas covered by our operations and our thorough evaluation of each customer. No other customer accounted for 10% or more of our consolidated net sales in fiscal 2026.

Seasonality

Holiday buying makes the fourth calendar quarter (generally our third fiscal quarter) the peak season for our business.

Competition

Trade information indicates that we are one of the largest global suppliers of premium spirits. According to IWSR, for calendar year 2025, the ten largest global spirits companies controlled over 20% of the total spirits volume sold around the world. While we believe that the overall market environment offers considerable growth opportunities for us, our industry is, and will remain, highly competitive. We compete against many global, regional, and local brands in a variety of categories of beverage alcohol, but our brands compete primarily in the industry’s premium-and-above price points. Our competitors include major global spirits companies, such as Bacardi Limited, Becle S.A.B. de C.V., Davide Campari-Milano N.V., Diageo PLC, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, Pernod Ricard SA, Rémy Cointreau, and Suntory Global Spirits.

Brand recognition, brand provenance, quality of product and packaging, availability, flavor profile, and price affect consumers’ choices among competing brands in our industry. Other factors also influence consumers, including advertising, promotions, merchandising at the point of sale, expert or celebrity endorsement, social media and word of mouth, and the timing and relevance of new product introductions. Although some competitors have substantially greater resources than we do, we believe that our competitive position is strong, particularly as it relates to brand awareness, quality, availability, and relevance of new product introductions.

Ingredients and Other Supplies

The principal raw materials used in manufacturing and packaging our distilled spirits, liqueurs, and RTD products are shown in the table below.

None of these raw materials are currently in short supply, but shortages could occur in the future. From time to time, our agricultural ingredients (agave, barley, corn, malted barley, molasses, rye, sugar, and wood) could be adversely affected by weather and other forces out of our control that might constrain supply or reduce our inventory below desired levels for optimum production.

Whiskeys, certain tequilas, rums, and some other distilled spirits must be aged. Because we must produce these distilled spirits years in advance to meet projected future demand, our inventories of these products may be larger in relation to sales and total assets than in many other businesses.

For details on risks related to the unavailability of raw materials and the inherent uncertainty in forecasting supply and demand, see “Item 1A. Risk Factors.”

Intellectual Property

Our intellectual property includes trademarks, copyrights, proprietary packaging and trade dress, proprietary manufacturing technologies, know-how, and patents. Our intellectual property, especially our trademarks, is essential to our business. We register our trademarks broadly around the world, focusing primarily on where we sell or expect to sell our products. We protect our intellectual property rights vigorously but fairly. We have licensed some of our trademarks to third parties for use with services or on products other than alcoholic beverages, which we believe enhances the awareness and protection of our brands. Depending on the jurisdiction, trademarks are valid as long as they are in use and/or their registrations are properly maintained. We also have various licenses and distribution agreements for the production, sale, and marketing of our products, and for the sale and marketing of products of others. These licenses and distribution agreements have varying terms and durations.

For details on risks related to the protection of our intellectual property, see “Item 1A. Risk Factors.” For details on our most important brands, see “Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Results of Operations – Fiscal 2026 Brand Highlights.”

Regulatory Environment

Federal, state, local, and foreign authorities regulate how we produce, store, transport, distribute, market, and sell our products. Some countries and local jurisdictions prohibit or restrict the marketing or sale of distilled spirits in whole or in part.

In the United States, at the federal level, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury regulates the spirits and wine industry with respect to the production, blending, bottling, labeling, advertising, sales, and transportation of beverage alcohol. Similar regulatory regimes exist at the state level and in most non-U.S. jurisdictions where we sell our products. In addition, beverage alcohol products are subject to customs duties, excise taxes, and/or sales taxes in many countries, including taxation at the federal, state, and local level in the United States.

Many countries set their own distilling and maturation requirements. For example, under U.S. federal and state regulations, bourbon and Tennessee whiskeys must be aged in new, charred oak barrels; we typically age our whiskeys at least three years. Mexican authorities regulate the production and bottling of tequilas; they mandate minimum aging periods for extra añejo (three years), añejo (one year), and reposado (two months). Irish whiskey must be matured at least three years in a wood cask, such as oak, on the island of Ireland. Scotch whisky must be matured in oak casks for at least three years in Scotland.

Our operations are also subject to various environmental protection statutes and regulations, and our policy is to comply with them. Complying with these statutes and regulations has not materially impacted our capital expenditures, earnings, or competitive position, and is not expected to have a material impact during fiscal 2027.

Integrated Strategy and Performance

For more than 155 years, Brown-Forman and the Brown family have been committed to driving sustainable growth and building exceptional spirits brands responsibly. We believe Brown-Forman’s status as a publicly traded, family-controlled company has contributed to this growth and our ability to create long-term value for all stockholders. The image on the left illustrates our highest ambition, “Nothing Better in the Market,” surrounded by the values that have guided us for decades: integrity, respect, trust, teamwork, and excellence. In addition to these guiding principles, our success depends on several strategic priorities, as illustrated in the image on the right: the quality of the brands within our portfolio, our geographic reach, the talent and diversity of our people, and the return on our investments. Moreover, taking an integrated approach means that many aspects of our company contribute to this value creation and are fundamental to our strategy, including our spirit of commitment to environmental sustainability, alcohol and marketing responsibility, culture and inclusion, and doing our part in the communities in which we live and work.

In recent years, we faced a challenging, volatile environment. Our employees’ unique mix of agility, resilience, energy, and collaboration enabled us to succeed despite these challenges. As we move toward a reimagined future with renewed enthusiasm for the opportunities ahead, our core values and ambition to deliver “Nothing Better in the Market” will continue to guide our decisions and actions. We believe we are well positioned to navigate the ever-changing landscape. We will make bold moves with a commitment to improve continuously as we work together to deliver sustained long-term growth.

This Integrated Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2026, presents not only our financial performance but also our environmental, social, and governance strategies, commitments, and results.

Portfolio and Responsibility

We seek to build brands and create stockholder value responsibly by delivering strong, sustainable growth, solid margins, and high returns on invested capital. We aim to grow our premium spirits portfolio both organically and through innovation. Opportunistically and thoughtfully, we also consider acquisitions and partnerships that will enhance our capacity to deliver meaningful growth, improve margins, and create stockholder value.

We strive to grow our brands and enhance consumers’ experience with them. Even as we do so, we remain committed to marketing our brands responsibly and promoting responsible drinking. Regulation of our industry is not new, and external interest from the World Health Organization and other health entities has grown over time. We uphold high standards of self-regulation by adhering to industry guidelines on responsible marketing and advertising. We promote alcohol responsibility both independently and with industry organizations, such as the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking, the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (responsibility.org) in the United States, the Portman Group in the United Kingdom, DrinkWise in Australia, and FISAC in Mexico.

The Jack Daniel’s family of brands, led by Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey (JDTW), is our most valuable asset – the engine of our overall financial performance and the foundation of our leadership position in the American whiskey category.1 We continually strive to strengthen the brand’s leadership position, and will work steadfastly to keep JDTW relevant to consumers worldwide. We will also pursue opportunities to grow the Jack Daniel’s family of brands across markets, premium-and-above price points, channels, and consumer groups. Product innovation continues to contribute meaningfully to our performance. Here are some of the Jack Daniel's expressions that have made new "friends of Jack" over the last 15 years: Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey (2011); Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire (2015); Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple (2019); Jack Daniel’s 10-Year-Old Tennessee Whiskey (2021); Jack Daniel’s Bonded Tennessee Whiskey and Triple Mash Blended Straight Whiskey (2022); Jack Daniel’s Bonded Rye - Tennessee Rye Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s American Single Malt, and Jack Daniel’s 12-Year-Old Tennessee Whiskey (2023); Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel - Barrel Proof Rye (2024); Jack Daniel’s 14-Year-Old Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Heritage Barrel, and our most recent launch, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Blackberry (2025). Individually and collectively, these expressions add great value to the Company and to our consumers around the world.

In addition to the leadership of our Jack Daniel’s family of brands, we expect strong worldwide growth from our other whiskey brands, particularly Woodford Reserve and Old Forester. Woodford Reserve is the leading super-premium American whiskey globally,1 growing volumes at a strong double-digit compound annual growth rate since the brand was introduced over 25 years ago. Old Forester has continued its return to prominence in the United States and in select international markets. Innovation has played an important role in the premiumization of both of these brands, including the success of high-end expressions such as Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, Woodford Reserve Double Double Oaked, and the Old Forester Whiskey Row Series.

Outside of our American whiskey brands, we believe our portfolio remains well positioned in other high-growth categories, with meaningful premium brands and a focus on accelerating our super-premium portfolio. Our tequila portfolio is led by two brands steeped in Mexican heritage, Herradura and el Jimador. We remain committed to the growth of our tequila business in the United States and the long-term growth prospects for the category globally. In addition, the acquisitions of Gin Mare (2022) and Diplomático (2023) provide us with leadership positions in the super-premium-and-above gin and rum categories, respectively, and we look to grow these brands globally.

Our RTD portfolio continues to evolve globally. We continue to invest in the global expansion of our established RTD brands, most notably New Mix, which has demonstrated sustained leadership in Mexico and is now being introduced to select markets in the United States. This expansion reflects our broader desire to leverage our tequila expertise and meet growing consumer demand for authentic, spirit-based cocktails. In March 2026, we jointly announced a mutual agreement to conclude that partnership, and with that we will assume management of supply, sales, marketing, and distribution of Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails effective July 7, 2026.

We appreciate the power of our brands to enrich the experience of life, and we believe it is our duty to ensure that our products are marketed with deep respect for our consumers. Our mission for alcohol responsibility is to empower mindful choices around beverage alcohol. We launched the Pause campaign in 2019. Pause is Brown-Forman’s driving effort to encourage mindful choices. We execute our 2030 Alcohol Responsibility strategy through the lens of our Pause campaign to showcase the importance of alcohol responsibility and inspire action among our consumers, colleagues, and business partners.

Geography

The United States remains our largest market, and growth in this market is important to our long-term success. This includes increased emphasis on digital marketing and the growth of our e-commerce capabilities to engage consumers across all touchpoints.

In fiscal 2026, we began implementing the most significant evolution of our U.S. distribution network in over 60 years. This multi-year transformation involved a comprehensive review of open and control states2, resulting in new distributor

1IWSR 2025 data.

2Control states refer to the 18 state-managed markets in the United States where government agencies oversee the wholesale or retail distribution of distilled spirits.

organizations across 25 markets. In fiscal 2026, we brought on new distributors in 14 open states. In April 2026, we announced the realignment of 11 control states to new distributor organizations, effective June 1, 2026. We believe these relationships will enhance our commercial execution and operational excellence to drive long-term growth.

Outside the United States, our improved routes to consumers continue to increase our competitiveness.

People, Culture, Ethics, and Compliance

As we work to increase our brands’ relevance and appeal to diverse consumer groups around the world, we believe a diversity of experiences, perspectives, and mindsets within our own workforce is essential. Our strategy is to embed inclusion into everything we do. We prioritize initiatives that help us build a workforce that reflects our global consumers, create a culture of inclusion, retain and expand our consumer base, and be a good neighbor in our communities. We believe this will make us a better employer, help us build iconic brands, and make us a more sustainable business.

One of the main drivers of our inclusive culture is the continued growth and leadership of our ten Employee Resources Groups (ERGs), which are open to all employees. We believe ERGs are instrumental in enriching our company’s culture and our employees’ experience by supporting development and engagement of our diverse workforce; driving cultural awareness and competency across the organization; enabling authentic engagement with our consumers; and creating spaces for our employees and their allies to connect with, support, and advocate for one another.

Our core values of integrity, respect, trust, teamwork, and excellence form the foundation of our ethics and compliance program. “Values Drive Decisions” is the key theme of this program, and we use it to teach our employees to rely on our values when faced with a difficult decision and to “speak up” if they believe they, a colleague, or a business partner may have violated the law, our Code of Conduct, or company policy. In countries where we operate, we offer a third-party service to employees and others who choose to “speak up” anonymously. As we train our managers, we reinforce our commitment to non-retaliation and maintaining a “speak up” culture.

We convey our compliance expectations to employees via our Code of Conduct, and our employees certify annually that they will comply with it and report potential violations. The Code of Conduct details our expectations with respect to different risks scenarios; provides links to Q&As, policies, and training; and gives contact details for subject-matter experts. We refresh our Code of Conduct and certification annually and make it available in 13 languages.

Investment and Sustainability

For over a century and a half, we have learned that long-term success requires investment and a mindset of sustainability. We understand the need to invest in our brands, global supply chain facilities, homeplace and visitor centers, and aging inventory. We also understand the importance of investing in our people, our communities, and the environment. We recognize that climate change is a business issue with risks and opportunities. As such, we are committed to actions that will ensure the long-term health of the planet and our business. In fiscal 2025, we revised our 2030 Sustainability Strategy to account for our current organization and to align our efforts with industry best practices and the most current climate science. Our goals broaden our focus beyond business operations to include our supply chain, where the majority of our environmental footprint resides. With this evolving strategy, we have a roadmap for continued progress over the next quarter-century.

Our continued investments in our sustainability strategy underscore our long-term focus:

•Byproducts to Energy: In fiscal 2026, the anaerobic digester project at the Jack Daniel Distillery became operational and is converting a portion of the distillery byproducts to renewable energy and fertilizer.

•Water Stewardship: In fiscal 2026, we continued our work with Waterplan to refine the measurement of water- related risk at our production facilities and to identify opportunities to improve the recharge rate of the aquifer that our Casa Herradura facility depends on.

•Sustainable Agriculture: In fiscal 2025, we committed to a five-year program to expand the use of regenerative agriculture practices by Kentucky corn farmers led by Precision Conservation Management and coordinated by the Kentucky Distillers Association.

•Sustainable Forestry: In fiscal 2025, a coalition of state forestry associations in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama, supported by Brown-Forman, announced that they received a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to engage with family forest landowners on sustainable management practices to improve white oak forests in the Cumberland Plateau.

Community

We strive to be a responsible and caring corporate citizen and invest in the communities where our employees live and work. We encourage employees to participate in philanthropic outreach efforts through company-led volunteer projects and nonprofit board service. This employee engagement, as well as our philanthropic contributions, further promote Brown-Forman’s unique culture and commitment to community.

We continue to expand our community engagement in Brown-Forman global office locations, allowing those employees closest to the needs of their communities to decide how to invest their volunteer time and charitable-giving resources. We created the Brown-Forman Foundation (the Foundation) in fiscal 2018 to help fund our ongoing philanthropic endeavors, with an emphasis on the communities surrounding Brown-Forman’s headquarters in Louisville, KY. The Foundation’s resources provide a consistent source of support for charitable giving independent of our annual earnings. Our partner organizations include AMPED, the Louisville Central Community Center, the Louisville Urban League, Simmons College of Kentucky, and the West End School.

In summary, we believe that having a long-term-focused, committed, and engaged stockholder base, anchored by the Brown family, gives us a distinct strategic advantage, particularly in a business with multi-generational brands and aged products.

Human Capital Resources

Overview

At Brown-Forman, our values-based culture is the foundation of our long-term stewardship. With 66% of our workforce in salaried roles and 34% in hourly production roles, we focus on integrated talent management across our primary locations in the United States, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. In fiscal 2026, we also expanded the presence of our operational hubs in India, Mexico, and Poland. Our high engagement scores and low voluntary attrition rates reflect our commitment to a safe and supportive environment, through which we seek to support the stability of our supply chain and the integrity of our global commercial operations.

Total Rewards

To attract and retain premium talent, Brown-Forman maintains a globally consistent yet locally competitive Total Rewards framework. We refresh our market data annually, focusing on both locally relevant benefits and compensation. We price roles based on robust third-party salary surveys specific to each employee's geography, function, and level. Beyond initial market pricing, we proactively monitor internal pay parity during annual cycles and talent acquisition windows. This disciplined approach seeks to ensure that our compensation remains competitive with the external market while upholding our internal standards of fairness and equity.

Talent Development

We cultivate a high-performance culture by aligning individual development with our strategic business objectives. Through robust succession planning and a diverse array of experiential learning opportunities—including global project roles and technical upskilling—we aim to cultivate talent that remains agile. Our strategy focuses on optimizing our existing human capital; we facilitate internal career pathways that allow long-tenured employees to acquire new competencies in emerging areas of our business. By tracking and analyzing internal movement data, we validate that our development programs provide the necessary scale and depth to support our global expansion.

Culture & Inclusion

Brown-Forman’s inclusion strategy is a core component of our talent management and brand-building efforts. We believe that an inclusive environment is essential for attracting elite talent and fostering the innovative thinking required for global growth. In fiscal 2026, we continued to reinforce this commitment by focusing on four critical pillars: Colleagues, Culture, Consumers, and Community. This approach seeks to ensure our workforce remains representative of our global consumer base, which allows us to maintain deep, authentic connections with the markets in which we operate.

Workforce Stability

Brown-Forman continues to benefit from low voluntary turnover among salaried employees, a trend consistent with our historical performance. We regularly evaluate attrition through a dual lens of quantitative data and qualitative feedback to ensure our retention strategies remain aligned with employee expectations. This ongoing global monitoring enables us to identify and respond to talent trends early, supporting the continued engagement and stability of our workforce across all geographic regions.

Executive Officers

Information about Our Executive Officers

The following persons served as executive officers as of June 12, 2026:

Available Information

Our website address is www.brown-forman.com. Our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to these reports are available free of charge on our website as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file those reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The information provided on our website, and any other website referenced herein, is not part of this report, and is therefore not incorporated by reference into this report or any other filing we make with the SEC, unless that information is otherwise specifically incorporated by reference.

On our website, we have posted our Code of Conduct that applies to all our directors and employees, and our Code of Ethics that applies specifically to our senior financial officers. If we amend or waive any of the provisions of our Code of Conduct or our Code of Ethics applicable to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, or principal accounting officer that relates to any element of the definition of “code of ethics” enumerated in Item 406(b) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), we intend to disclose these actions on our website. We have also posted on our website our Corporate Governance Guidelines and the charters of our Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee, and Executive Committee of our Board of Directors. Copies of these materials are available free of charge by writing to our Secretary at 850 Dixie Highway, Louisville, Kentucky 40210 or emailing [email protected].

Item 1A. Risk Factors

We believe the following discussion identifies the material risks and uncertainties that could adversely affect our business. If any of the following risks were actually to occur, our business, results of operations, cash flows, or financial condition could be materially and adversely affected. Additional risks not currently known to us, or that we currently deem to be immaterial, could also materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations, cash flows, or financial condition.

Risks Related to Our Business and Operations

Our business performance depends substantially on the continued health of the Jack Daniel’s family of brands.

The Jack Daniel’s family of brands is the primary driver of our revenue, and Jack Daniel’s is an iconic global trademark with a loyal consumer fan base. We invest much effort and many resources to protect and preserve the brand’s reputation for authenticity, craftsmanship, and quality. A brand’s reputational value is based in large part on consumer perceptions, and even an isolated incident that causes harm – particularly one resulting in widespread negative publicity – could adversely influence these perceptions and erode consumer trust and confidence in the brand. Significant damage to the brand equity of the Jack Daniel’s family of brands would adversely affect our business. Given the importance of Jack Daniel’s to our overall success, a significant or sustained decline in sales of our Jack Daniel’s products, as a result of negative publicity or otherwise, would have a negative effect on our financial results. Additionally, if we are not successful in our efforts to maintain or increase the relevance of the Jack Daniel’s brand to current and future consumers, our business and operating results could suffer.

Changes to our route-to-consumer models and consolidation among beverage alcohol producers, distributors, wholesalers, suppliers, and retailers could hinder the marketing, sale, or distribution of our products.

We use various business models to market and distribute our products in different countries around the world. In the United States, we sell our products either to distributors for resale to retail outlets or e-commerce retailers or, in those states that control alcohol sales, to state governments who then sell them to retail customers and consumers. In our non-U.S. markets, we use a variety of route-to-consumer models, and, in many markets, we rely on third parties to distribute, market, and sell our products. We own and operate 17 distribution companies in 18 countries. Transitioning from a third-party distribution model to an owned-distribution model involves a significant undertaking, and subjects us to additional operational and execution risks associated with each affected geographic region. If we are unsuccessful in our route-to-consumer strategies, including any transition to owned distribution, the sale and marketing of our products could be disrupted.

Disruption of our distribution network or fluctuations in our product inventory levels at distributors, wholesalers, or retailers could negatively affect our results for a particular period. Moreover, other suppliers, as well as wholesalers and retailers of our brands, offer products that compete directly with ours for shelf space, promotional displays, and consumer purchases.

Pricing (including price promotions, discounting, couponing, and free goods), marketing, new product introductions, entry into our distribution networks, and other competitive behavior by other suppliers and by wholesalers and traditional and e-commerce retailers, could adversely affect our growth, business, and financial results. While we seek to take advantage of the efficiencies and opportunities that large retail customers can offer, they often seek lower pricing and increased purchase volume flexibility, offer competing private label products, and represent a large number of other competing products. If the buying power of these large retail customers continues to increase, it could negatively affect our financial results. Further, while we believe we have sufficient scale to succeed relative to our major competitors, we nevertheless face a risk that continuing consolidation of large beverage alcohol companies could put us at a competitive disadvantage.

Consolidation, whether domestically or internationally, among spirits producers, distributors, wholesalers, suppliers, or retailers and the increased growth of the e-commerce environment across the consumer product goods market have created and could continue to create a more challenging competitive landscape for our products. Consolidation at any level could hinder the distribution and sale of our products as a result of reduced attention and resources allocated to our brands because our brands might represent a smaller portion of the new business portfolio. Furthermore, consolidation of distributors may lead to the erosion of margins. Changes in distributors’ strategies, including a reduction in the number of brands they carry, the allocation of shelf space for our competitors’ brands, or private label products, may adversely affect our growth, business, financial results, and market share. Our competitors may respond to industry and economic conditions and shifts in consumer behaviors more rapidly or effectively than we do. To remain competitive, we must be agile and efficient in adopting digital technologies and building analytical capabilities, which our competitors may be able to achieve with more agility and resources.

We are subject to risks from changes to the trade policies, tariffs, and import and export regulations of the United States and foreign governments.

Changes in import and export policies, including trade restrictions, new or increased tariffs or quotas, embargoes, sanctions and countersanctions, safeguards, or customs restrictions by the United States and foreign governments, could require us to change the way we conduct business and negatively affect our business performance, financial condition, results of operations, and our relationships with customers, suppliers, and employees. Likewise, changes in laws and policies governing foreign trade, manufacturing, development, and investment in the territories or countries where we currently sell our products or conduct our business could adversely affect our business.

For example, in March 2025, several Canadian provinces removed all American beverage alcohol from store shelves, including Jack Daniel’s, in response to the United States announcing a 25% tariff on goods imported from Canada. While certain U.S. tariffs were struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in February 2026, the United States subsequently announced additional new tariffs on nonexempt imports, and the U.S. tariff rate remains at a historically high level. Additionally, newly announced tariffs, particularly in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision invalidating the use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to authorize certain tariffs and the potential escalation of trade disputes, could pose a significant risk to our business, including an increase to the cost of our products and, to the extent we absorb the costs of tariffs and do not pass them through to our customers, higher cost of goods sold and lower gross profit and margins. Further, actions we take to adapt to new tariffs or trade restrictions may cause us to modify our operations or forgo business opportunities. Likewise, tariffs and import and export regulations could also limit the availability of our products, prompt consumers to seek alternative products, and provide an opportunity for competitors not subject to such tariffs to establish a presence in markets where we conduct our business.

Changes in consumer preferences and purchases, any decline in the social acceptability of our products, or governmental adoption of policies disadvantageous to beverage alcohol could negatively affect our business results.

We are a branded consumer products company in a highly competitive market, and our success depends substantially on our continued ability to offer consumers appealing, high-quality products. As a result, consumers may begin to shift their consumption and purchases away from our premium and super-premium products, or away from alcoholic beverages entirely. This shift further includes consumption at home as a result of various factors, including shifts in social trends and shifts in the channels for the purchases of our products. These shifts in consumption and purchasing channels could adversely impact our profitability. Consumers may also begin to prefer the products of competitors or may generally reduce their demand for brands produced by larger companies. Over the past several decades, the number of small, local distilleries in the United States has grown significantly. This growth is being driven by a trend of consumers showing increasing interest in locally produced, regionally sourced products. As more brands enter the market, increased competition could negatively affect demand for our premium and super-premium American whiskey brands, including Jack Daniel’s. In addition, we could experience unfavorable business results if we fail to attract consumers from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities in all our markets.

Expansion into new product categories by other suppliers, or innovation by new entrants into the market, could increase competition in our product categories. For example, we have observed an increase in diversification by various consumer goods companies such as the entrance of both traditional beer and soft drink companies into the ready-to-drink market and the entrance of both beer and spirits companies into the cannabis market – expanding the potential for competition in the spirits market from various sectors of the consumer goods industry. Increased competition may, among other things, negatively impact our ability to maintain or gain market share; increase pricing pressure, which inhibits our ability to adequately respond to inflationary changes in commodities used in making our products; require increases in marketing and promotional activities; and negatively impact the market for our premium and super-premium products. To continue to succeed, we must anticipate or react effectively to shifts in demographics, our competition, consumer behavior, consumer preferences, drinking tastes, and drinking occasions.

We believe that new products, line extensions, label and bottle changes, product reformulations, and similar product innovations by both our competitors and us will increase competition in our industry. Product innovation, particularly for our core brands, is a significant element of our growth strategy; however, there can be no assurance that we will continue to develop and implement successful line extensions, packaging, formulation or flavor changes, or new products.

Unsuccessful implementation or short-lived popularity of our product innovations could result in inventory write-offs and other costs, could reduce profits from one year to the next, and could also damage consumers’ perception of our brands. Our inability to attract consumers to our product innovations relative to our competitors’ products – especially over time – could negatively affect our growth, business, and financial results.

Production facility disruption could adversely affect our business.

Some of our largest brands, including Jack Daniel’s and our tequilas, are distilled at single locations. A catastrophic event causing physical damage, disruption, or failure at any one of our major distillation or bottling facilities could adversely affect our business. Further, because whiskeys, rums, and some tequilas are aged for various periods, we maintain a substantial inventory of aged and maturing products in warehouses at a number of different sites. The loss of a substantial amount of aged inventory – through fire, other natural or man-made disaster, contamination, or otherwise – could significantly reduce the supply of the affected product or products. These and other supply (or supply chain) disruptions could prevent us from meeting consumer demand for the affected products in the short and medium term. In addition to catastrophic events identified above, supply disruptions could include the temporary inability to make our products at normal levels or at all. We could also experience disruptions if our suppliers are unable to deliver supplies. Our business continuity plans may not prevent business disruption, and reconstruction of any damaged facilities could require a significant amount of time and resources.

The inherent uncertainty in supply/demand forecasting could adversely affect our business, particularly with respect to our aged products.

There is an inherent risk of forecasting imprecision in determining the quantity of aged and maturing products to produce and hold in inventory in a given year for future sale. The forecasting strategies we use to balance product supply with fluctuations in consumer demand may not be effective for particular years or products. For example, in addition to our American and Irish whiskeys, rums, and some tequilas, which are aged for various periods, our Scotch whisky brands require long-term maturation – an average of 12 years with limited releases of 30 years or more – making forecasts of demand for such products in future periods subject to significant uncertainty. Our tequila supply also depends on the growth cycle of agave plants, which take approximately six to seven years to reach full maturity, requiring us to make forecasts of demand for our tequilas over a long-time horizon to determine in advance how much agave to plant or otherwise source. Factors that affect our ability to forecast accurately include changes in business strategy, market demand, consumer preferences, macroeconomic conditions, introductions of competing products, and other changes in market conditions. Additionally, our supply of aged products can deviate from expectations due to changes in forecasted maturation loss. Such forecasting errors could lead to our inability to meet the objectives of our business strategy, failure to meet future demand, or a future surplus of inventory and consequent write-down in value of such inventory. A failure to accurately forecast demand for our products or efficiently manage inventory could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial results. Further, we cannot be certain that we will be successful in using various levers, such as pricing changes, to create the desired balance of available supply and consumer demand for particular years or products. As a consequence, we may be unable to meet consumer demand for the affected products for a period of time. Furthermore, not having our products in the market consistently may adversely affect our brand equity and future sales.

Higher costs or unavailability of water, raw materials, product ingredients, or labor could adversely affect our financial results.

Our products use materials and ingredients that we purchase from suppliers. Our ability to make and sell our products depends on the availability of the raw materials, product ingredients, finished products, oak barrels, glass and PET bottles, cans, bottle closures, packaging, and other materials used to produce and package them. For instance, only a few glass producers make bottles on a scale sufficient for our requirements, and a single producer supplies most of our glass requirements. Inability of our primary glass provider to produce sufficient quantities to meet our needs would increase our cost to produce and constrain supply of some of our products. Likewise, we source our oak barrels, in which we age our American whiskey, from an external supplier.

Higher costs or insufficient availability of suitable grain, agave, water, molasses, oak barrels, glass, closures, and other input materials, or higher associated labor costs or insufficient availability of labor, could adversely affect our financial results. Similarly, when energy costs rise, our transportation, freight, and other operating costs, such as distilling and bottling expenses, also could increase.

International or domestic geopolitical or other events, including the imposition of tariffs or quotas by governmental authorities on any raw materials that we use in the production of our products, could adversely affect the supply and cost of these raw materials to us. Additionally, changes in global grain and commodity pricing and availability may impact the markets where we operate. If we cannot offset higher raw material costs with higher selling prices, increased sales volume, or reductions in other costs, our profitability could be adversely affected. For example, armed conflicts in the Middle East have contributed to elevated freight rates and longer transit times compared to historical levels, and prolonged or escalating conflicts could result in additional supply chain disruption, including higher transportation costs (such as a result of increased fuel costs), shipping delays, or increased costs from using air freight instead of ocean freight to mitigate inventory delays.

Weather, acute or chronic climate change impacts, floods, fires, diseases, and other agricultural uncertainties that affect the health, yield, quality, or price of the various raw materials used in our products also present risks for our business, including in some cases potential impairment in the recorded value of our inventory. Increasing average temperatures could also affect the maturation and yield of our aged inventory over time. Changes in weather patterns or intensity can disrupt our supply chain as well, which may affect production operations, insurance costs and coverage, and the timely delivery of our products.

Water is an essential component of our products, so the quality and quantity of available water is critical to our ability to operate our business. If extended droughts become more common or severe, or if our water supply is interrupted for other reasons such as government intervention, high-quality water could become scarce in some key production regions for our products, which in turn could adversely affect our business and financial results.

Unfavorable economic conditions could negatively affect our operations and results.

Unfavorable global or regional economic conditions may be triggered by numerous developments beyond our control, including geopolitical events, health crises, and other events that trigger economic volatility on a global or regional basis. Those types of unfavorable economic conditions could adversely affect our business and financial results. In particular, a significant deterioration in economic conditions, including economic slowdowns or recessions, increased unemployment levels, inflationary pressures, or disruptions to credit and capital markets could lead to decreased consumer confidence and consumer spending, thus reducing consumer demand for our products and sales of used barrels. Unfavorable economic conditions could also cause governments to increase taxes on beverage alcohol to attempt to raise revenue, reducing consumers’ willingness to make discretionary purchases of beverage alcohol products or pay for premium brands such as ours.

Unfavorable economic conditions could also adversely affect our suppliers, distributors, customers, and retailers, who in turn could experience cash flow challenges, more costly or unavailable financing, credit defaults, and other financial hardships. Such financial hardships could lead to distributor or retailer destocking, disruption in raw material supply, increase in bad debt expense, or increased levels of unsecured credit that we may need to provide to customers. Other potential negative consequences to our business from unfavorable economic conditions include higher interest rates, an increase in the rate of inflation, deflation, exchange rate fluctuations, credit or capital market instability, or lower returns on pension assets or lower discount rates for pension obligations (possibly requiring higher contributions to our pension plans).

We might not succeed in our strategies for investments, acquisitions, dispositions, and other strategic transactions.

From time to time, we consider acquiring or investing in additional brands or businesses or undertaking other strategic transactions. We expect to continue to seek acquisition, investment, and other strategic opportunities that we believe will increase long-term stockholder value, but we may not successfully identify potential acquisition or investment opportunities, identify suitable counterparties willing to transact with us, or consummate the purchase of brands or businesses or other strategic transactions at acceptable prices and terms. Acquisitions, investments and other transactions involve risks and uncertainties, including the potential to pay more than a brand or business is ultimately determined to be worth; potential difficulties integrating acquired brands and personnel; if applicable, difficulties in obtaining governmental approvals; the possible loss of key customers or employees most knowledgeable about the acquired business; implementing and maintaining consistent U.S. public company standards, controls, procedures, policies, and information systems; exposure to unknown liabilities; possible business disruption; and possible management distraction or departure. We have in the past, and could in the future, incur restructuring charges or record impairment losses on the value of intangible assets resulting from previous acquisitions. Whether or not completed, the evaluation, negotiation, announcement, or pursuit of any such transactions may

involve significant costs, management distraction, disruption to our business relationships, employee uncertainty, and litigation risk.

In selling assets or businesses, we may not get prices or terms as favorable as we anticipated. We could also encounter difficulty in finding buyers on acceptable terms in a timely manner, which could delay accomplishment of our strategic objectives. Expected cost savings from reduced overhead relating to the sold assets may not materialize. Any of these outcomes could negatively affect our financial results.

Negative publicity or our inability or failure to recognize, respond to, and effectively manage the increased impact of social media could affect our business performance.

Unfavorable publicity, whether accurate or not, related to our industry or to us or our products, brands, marketing, executive leadership, employees, Board of Directors, family stockholders, operations, current or anticipated business performance, or environmental, social, or governance efforts could negatively affect our corporate reputation, stock price, ability to attract and retain high-quality talent, or the performance of our brands and business. Additionally, investor advocacy groups, institutional investors, other market participants, stockholders, employees, consumers, customers, influencers, and policymakers have focused increasingly on the environmental, social, and governance or “sustainability” positions and practices of companies. If our positions or practices do not meet investor or other stakeholder expectations and standards, which continue to evolve, our corporate reputation, stock price, ability to attract and retain high-quality talent, and the performance of our brands and business may be negatively affected. Stakeholders and others who disagree with our company’s actions, positions, or statements may speak negatively or advocate against the Company, with the potential to harm our reputation or business through negative publicity, adverse government treatment, or other means.

There has been a marked increase in the use of social media platforms and websites, including blogs, chat and messaging platforms, video-sharing platforms, and other forms of Internet-based communications which allow individuals access to a broad audience. The rising popularity of social media and other consumer-oriented technologies has increased the speed and accessibility of information dissemination and given users the ability to more effectively organize collective actions such as boycotts and other brand-damaging behaviors. Many social media platforms immediately publish content, often without context, filters, or checks on accuracy. Consequently, companies may not be able to investigate or effectively respond to negative information or content disseminated in this manner, including fictitious media content (such as content produced by generative AI or bad actors). Adverse publicity or negative commentary on social media, whether accurate or not, particularly any that go “viral,” could cause consumers or other stakeholders to react by disparaging or avoiding our brands or company, which could materially negatively affect our financial results.

Social media is also increasingly used to compel companies to express public positions on issues and topics not directly related to their core business, which could prove controversial or divisive to consumers and result in lost sales or a misallocation of resources. In addition, laws and regulations, including FTC enforcement, are rapidly evolving to govern social media platforms and communications. A failure of us, our employees, or third parties acting at our direction or on our behalf, or others perceived to be associated with us, to abide by applicable laws and regulations regarding the use of social media, or to appropriately use social media, could adversely impact our reputation and our business, or subject us to penalties or litigation. Other risks associated with the use of social media include improper disclosure of proprietary information, negative comments about our brands, exposure of personally identifiable information, fraud, hoaxes, and malicious dissemination of false information.

Product recalls or other product liability claims could materially and adversely affect our sales.

The success of our brands depends on the positive image that consumers have of them. We could decide to or be required to recall products due to suspected or confirmed product contamination, product tampering, spoilage, regulatory non-compliance, food safety issues, or other quality issues. Any of these events could adversely affect our financial results. Actual contamination, whether deliberate or accidental, could lead to inferior product quality and even illness, injury, or death of consumers, potential liability claims, and material loss. Should a product recall become necessary, or we voluntarily recall a product in the event of contamination, damage, or other quality issue, sales of the affected product or our broader portfolio of brands could be adversely affected. A significant product liability judgment or widespread product recall may negatively impact sales and our business and financial results. Even if a product liability claim is unsuccessful or is not fully pursued, resulting negative publicity could adversely affect our reputation with existing and potential customers and our corporate and brand image.

Our failure to attract or retain key talent could adversely affect our business.

Our success depends on the efforts and abilities of our senior management team, other key employees, and our high-quality employee base, as well as our ability to attract, motivate, reward, develop, and retain them. Difficulties in hiring or retaining key executive or other employee talent, or the unexpected loss of experienced employees resulting in the depletion of our institutional knowledge base, could have an adverse impact on our business performance, reputation, financial condition, or results of operations. Given changing demographics, immigration laws and policies, and demand for talent globally, we may not be able to find the people with the right skills, at the right time, and in the right location, to achieve our business objectives.

Our business faces various risks related to health epidemics and pandemics that could materially and adversely affect our business, our operations, our cash flows, and our financial results.

Our business, operations, cash flows, and financial results have previously been, and in the future could be, impacted by health epidemics, pandemics, and similar outbreaks. Any future epidemic, pandemic, or other outbreak could cause negative impacts such as (a) a global or U.S. recession or other economic crisis; (b) credit and capital markets volatility (and access to these markets, including by our suppliers and customers); (c) volatility in demand for our products; (d) changes in accessibility to our products due to illness, quarantines, “stay at home” orders, travel restrictions, retail, restaurant, bar, and hotel closures, social distancing requirements, and other government action; (e) changes in consumer behavior and preferences; and (f) disruptions in raw material supply, in our manufacturing operations, or in our distribution and supply chain. In addition, we may incur increased costs and otherwise be negatively affected if a significant portion of our workforce (or the workforces within our distribution or supply chain) cannot work or work effectively, including because of illness, quarantines, “stay at home” orders, social distancing requirements, other government action, facility closures, or other restrictions. Accordingly, a future widespread health epidemic or pandemic could materially and adversely affect our business, operations, cash flows, and financial results.

Risks Related to Our Global Operations

Our global business is subject to commercial, political, and financial risks.

Our products are sold in more than 170 countries; accordingly, we are subject to risks associated with doing business globally, including commercial, political, and financial risks. In addition, we are subject to potential business disruption caused by military conflicts, including the ongoing conflict with Iran and/or Iranian-sponsored actors, other conflicts in the Middle East, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the resulting sanctions imposed on Russia by the United States and other countries; potentially unstable governments or legal systems; social, racial, civil, or political upheaval or unrest; local labor policies and conditions, including labor strikes and work stoppages; possible expropriation, nationalization, or confiscation of assets; problems with repatriation of foreign earnings; economic or trade sanctions; closure of markets to imports; anti-American sentiment; terrorism, kidnapping, extortion, or other types of violence in or outside the United States; and health crises. Violent crime is increasing in markets around the globe, including the United States. If a violent event should occur at one of our sites, it could disrupt business operations, impair brand reputation, increase insurance and security expenses, and adversely affect the price of our stock.

A failure to comply with anti-corruption laws, trade sanctions and restrictions, or similar laws or regulations may have a material adverse effect on our business and financial results.

While we are committed to doing business in accordance with all applicable laws, including anti-corruption laws and global trade restrictions, we remain subject to the risk that an employee, or one of our many direct or indirect business associates, may take action determined to be in violation of international trade, money laundering, anti-corruption, or other laws, sanctions, or regulations, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the U.K. Bribery Act 2010, or equivalent local laws. Further, our obligation to comply with applicable anti-corruption, economic and trade sanctions, or other laws or regulations, our Code of Conduct, Code of Ethics for Senior Financial Officers, and our other policies could result in higher operating costs, delays, or even competitive disadvantages as compared to competitors based in different parts of the world.

Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates relative to the U.S. dollar could have a material adverse effect on our financial results.

The global scope of our business means that foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations relative to the U.S. dollar influence our financial results. In many markets outside the United States, we sell our products and pay for some goods, services, and labor costs primarily in local currencies. Because our foreign currency revenues exceed our foreign currency expense, we have a net exposure to changes in the value of the U.S. dollar relative to those currencies. Over time, our reported financial results will be negatively impacted by a stronger U.S. dollar and will be benefited by a weaker one. We hedge some of our foreign currency exposure through the use of foreign currency derivatives or other means. However, even in those cases, we do not fully eliminate our foreign currency exposure.

A downgrade or potential downgrade of our credit ratings could adversely impact our borrowing costs and access to credit and capital markets, which could negatively affect our financial condition.

Rating agencies routinely evaluate us, basing their ratings on a number of factors, including our cash-generating capability, levels of indebtedness, policies with respect to stockholder distributions, the impact of strategic transactions, and our financial strength generally, as well as factors beyond our control, such as the state of the economy and our industry. Any downgrade or announcement that we are under review for a potential downgrade of our credit ratings, as occurred in November, 2025, especially any downgrade to below investment grade, could increase our future borrowing costs, impair our ability to access the credit and capital markets, including the commercial paper market, on terms commercially acceptable to us or at all or result in a reduction in our liquidity, requiring us to rely on more expensive types of financing. Any such outcome could negatively affect our financial condition.

Legal and Regulatory Risks

National and local governments may adopt regulations or undertake investigations that could limit our business activities or increase our costs.

Our business is subject to extensive regulatory requirements regarding production, exportation, importation, marketing and promotion, labeling, distribution, pricing, and trade practices, among others. Changes in laws, regulatory measures, or governmental policies, or the manner in which current ones are interpreted or enforced, could subject us to governmental investigations, cause us to incur material additional costs or liabilities, and jeopardize the growth of our business in the affected market. Specifically, governments could prohibit or impose or increase limitations on advertising and promotional activities, or times or locations where beverage alcohol may be sold or consumed, or adopt other measures that could limit our opportunities to reach consumers or sell our products. Some countries historically have banned all television, newspaper, magazine, and digital commerce/advertising for beverage alcohol products. Additional regulation of this nature could substantially reduce consumer awareness of our products in the affected markets and make introducing new products more challenging.

Additional regulation in the United States and other countries addressing the risks and impacts of climate change, use of water, and other environmental and social issues could increase our operating costs. Increasing regulation of greenhouse gas emissions could increase the cost of energy, including fuel, required to operate our facilities or transport and distribute our products, thereby substantially increasing the production, distribution, and supply chain costs associated with our products.

Tax increases and changes in tax rules could adversely affect our financial results.

Our business is sensitive to changes in both direct and indirect taxes. As a multinational company based in the United States, we are more exposed to the impact of changes in U.S. tax legislation and regulations than most of our major competitors, especially changes that affect the corporate income tax rate. In addition, aspects of U.S. tax laws may lead foreign jurisdictions to enact tax legislation unfavorable to us.

At the global level, potential changes in tax rules or the interpretation of tax rules arising out of the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting project initiated by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) include increased residual profit allocations to market jurisdictions and the implementation of a global minimum tax rate. In December 2021, the OECD issued Pillar Two model rules, which would establish a global per-country minimum tax of 15%, and the European Union has approved a directive requiring member states to incorporate similar provisions into their respective domestic laws. The directive required the rules to become effective for fiscal years starting on or after December 31, 2023. While the United States has not yet enacted legislation to adopt Pillar Two, numerous countries have enacted such legislation, or have indicated their intent to adopt such legislation. In January 2026, the OECD released new administrative guidance introducing a "side-by-

side" framework (the package). The package modifies key aspects of Pillar Two, introducing safe harbors and largely exempting U.S.-headquartered companies from the application of certain aspects of the global minimum tax regime in recognition of existing U.S. minimum tax rules. These updated model rules must be incorporated into local tax legislation by implementing countries to become effective. The details of these minimum tax regimes are still being considered and could increase tax uncertainty in the short term. The ultimate enactment and interpretation of these evolving rules could adversely impact our financial results, cash flows, and results of operations in the future.

Our business operations are also subject to numerous duties or taxes not based on income, sometimes referred to as “indirect taxes.” These indirect taxes include excise taxes, sales or value-added taxes, property taxes, payroll taxes, import and export duties, and tariffs. Increases in or the imposition of new indirect taxes on our operations or products would increase the cost of our products or materials used to produce our products or, to the extent levied directly on consumers, make our products less affordable, which could negatively affect our financial results by reducing purchases of our products and encouraging consumers to switch to lower-priced or lower-taxed product categories. As governmental entities look for increased sources of revenue, they may increase taxes on beverage alcohol products. Additionally, in fiscal 2026, Australia continued to make an annual increase in excise taxes based on the consumer price index.

We are also subject to regular reviews and audits by both domestic and foreign tax authorities on the direct and indirect taxes we pay. While we believe our tax positions will be sustained, the final outcome of tax audits and related litigation may differ materially from the tax provisions and accruals recorded in our Consolidated Financial Statements, which could adversely impact our results of operations and cash flows.

Our ability to market and sell our products depends heavily on societal attitudes toward drinking and governmental policies that both flow from and affect those attitudes.

Increased social and political attention has been directed at the beverage alcohol industry. For example, attention remains focused largely on public health concerns related to alcohol abuse, including drunk driving, underage drinking, and the negative health impacts of the abuse and misuse of beverage alcohol. While most people who drink alcoholic beverages do so in moderation, it is commonly known and well reported that excessive levels or inappropriate patterns of drinking can lead to increased risk of a range of health conditions and, for certain people, can result in alcohol dependence. Some academics, public health officials, and critics of the alcohol industry in the United States, Europe, and other parts of the world continue to seek governmental measures to make beverage alcohol more expensive, less available, or more difficult to advertise and promote. If future scientific research indicates more widespread serious health risks associated with alcohol consumption – particularly with moderate consumption – or if for any reason the social acceptability of beverage alcohol declines significantly, sales of our products could be adversely affected.

Significant additional labeling, warning requirements, or limitations on the availability of our products could inhibit sales of affected products.

Various jurisdictions have adopted or may seek to adopt significant additional product labeling or warning requirements or impose limitations on the availability of our products relating to the content or perceived adverse health consequences of some of our products. Several such labeling regulations or laws require warnings on any product with substances that the jurisdiction lists as potentially associated with cancer or birth defects. Our products already raise health and safety concerns for some regulators, and heightened requirements could be imposed. For example, Ireland’s Public Health (Alcohol) (Labelling) regulation sets unique health labeling requirements for alcohol being sold in the Irish market. The regulation mandates that all alcoholic beverages display warnings on product packaging informing consumers about the risk of consuming alcohol when pregnant and the risk of liver disease and fatal cancers from alcohol consumption. Such campaigns could result in additional governmental regulations concerning the production, marketing, labeling, or availability of our products, any of which could damage our reputation, make our premium brands unrecognizable, or reduce demand for our products, which could adversely affect our profitability. If additional or more severe requirements of this type are imposed on one or more of our major products under current or future health, environmental, or other laws or regulations, they could inhibit sales of such products. Further, we cannot predict whether our products will become subject to increased rules and regulations, which, if enacted, could increase our costs or adversely impact sales.

Counterfeiting or inadequate protection of our intellectual property rights could adversely affect our business prospects.

Our brand names, trademarks, and related intellectual property rights are critical assets, and our business depends on protecting them online and in the countries where we do business. We may not succeed in protecting our intellectual property rights in a given market or in challenging those who infringe our rights or imitate or counterfeit our products. Although we believe that our intellectual property rights are legally protected in the markets where we do business, the ability to register and enforce intellectual property rights varies from country to country. In some countries, for example, it may be more difficult to

successfully stop counterfeiting or look-alike products, either because the law is inadequate or, even though satisfactory legal options may exist, it may be difficult to obtain and enforce sanctions against counterfeiters. We may not be able to register our trademarks in every country where we want to sell a particular product, and we may not obtain favorable decisions by courts or trademark offices.

Many global spirits brands, including some of our brands, experience problems with product counterfeiting and other forms of trademark infringement. We combat counterfeiting by working with other companies in the spirits industry through our membership in the Alliance Against Counterfeit Spirits (AACS) and with brand owners in other industries via our membership in React, an anti-counterfeiting network organization. While we believe AACS and React are effective organizations, they are not active in every market, and their efforts are subject to obtaining the cooperation of local authorities and courts in the markets where they are active. Despite the efforts of AACS, React, and our own teams, lower-quality and counterfeit products that could be harmful to consumers could reach the market and adversely affect our intellectual property rights, brand equity, corporate reputation, and financial results. In addition, the industry as a whole could suffer negative effects related to the manufacture, sale, and consumption of illegally produced beverage alcohol.

Litigation and legal disputes could expose our business to financial and reputational risk.

Major private or governmental litigation challenging the production, marketing, promotion, distribution, or sale of beverage alcohol or specific brands could affect our ability to sell our products. Because litigation and other legal proceedings can be costly to defend, even actions that are ultimately decided in our favor could have a negative impact on our business reputation or financial results. Lawsuits have been brought against beverage alcohol companies alleging problems related to alcohol abuse, negative health consequences from drinking, problems from alleged marketing or sales practices, and underage drinking. While these lawsuits have been largely unsuccessful in the past, others may succeed in the future. We could also experience employment-related or cybersecurity-related class actions, environmental claims, commercial disputes, product liability actions stemming from a beverage or container production defect, a whistleblower suit, or other major litigation that could adversely affect our business results, particularly if there is negative publicity.

As discussed throughout these risk factors, governmental actions around the world are a continuing compliance risk for global companies such as ours. In addition, as a U.S. public company, we are exposed to the risk of securities-related class action suits, particularly following a precipitous drop in the share price of our stock. Adverse developments in major lawsuits concerning these or other matters could result in management distraction and have a material adverse effect on our financial results and business.

Risks Related to Cybersecurity and Data Privacy

We rely on information technology (IT) systems to manage our business operations. A cyber breach, a failure or corruption of one or more of our key IT systems, networks, processes, associated sites, or service providers, or a failure to comply with personal data privacy laws could have a material adverse impact on our business.

As a company with complex IT systems, we have been a target of cyberattacks and other hacking activities in the past, and we expect to continue to be a target in the future. While past cyberattacks and hacking activities have not materially impacted our business or disrupted our operations, increased IT security threats and more sophisticated cybercrimes and cyberattacks, including computer viruses and other malicious codes, ransomware, unauthorized access attempts, denial-of-service attacks, phishing, the use of deepfakes to spread misinformation or for scamming purposes, social engineering, hacking, and other types of attacks, pose a risk to the security and availability of our IT systems, networks, and services, including those that are managed, hosted, provided, or used by third parties, as well as the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of our data and the data of our customers, partners, consumers, employees, stockholders, suppliers, and others. As a result, we may experience material disruptions or suffer material adverse effects in the future from cyberattacks or other hacking activities. Furthermore, our increasingly mobile, hybrid, and global workforce, coupled with new technology like generative artificial intelligence, further increases our exposure to cyber risk.

In the ordinary course of our business, we receive, process, transmit, and store information relating to identifiable individuals (personal data), primarily employees and former employees, beneficiaries of employees or former employees, customers, and consumers globally. As a result, we are subject to various U.S. federal and state laws and regulations relating to personal data, as well as similar laws and regulations in other countries and regions in which we operate. Such laws and regulations include the California Consumer Protection Act, the California Privacy Rights Act, data protection and AI regulations in the European Union, and other similar regulations that may change or be added to frequently.

Unauthorized access or other cyber-related interruptions to our IT infrastructure, or those of our service providers, suppliers, customers, or other direct or indirect business associates, could result in failure of our IT systems, networks, or services to function properly. This could lead to the loss or unauthorized disclosure of our business strategy or other

confidential information; disruptions to our business operations; misappropriation of personal data; and reputational, competitive, or business harm. Each of these events may adversely affect our business operations or financial results, or may cause financial and reputational damage, undermine consumer confidence, subject us to government enforcement actions (including fines), or result in private litigation against us, which could result in loss of revenue, increased costs, liability for monetary damages, fines, or criminal prosecution.

Risks Related to Our Ownership and Corporate Governance Structure

The Brown family has the ability to control the outcome of matters submitted for stockholder approval.

We are a “controlled company” under New York Stock Exchange rules. Controlled companies are exempt from New York Stock Exchange listing standards that require a board composed of a majority of independent directors, a fully-independent nominating/corporate governance committee, and a fully-independent compensation committee. We may avail ourselves of the exemption from having a board composed of a majority of independent directors, and we utilize the exemption from having a fully-independent nominating/corporate governance committee. Notwithstanding the available exemption, our Compensation Committee is composed exclusively of independent directors. As a result of our use of some “controlled company” exemptions, our corporate governance practices differ from those of non-controlled companies, which are subject to all of the New York Stock Exchange corporate governance requirements.

We have two classes of common stock. Our Class A common stock is entitled to full voting powers, including in the elections of directors, while our Class B common stock may not vote except as provided by the laws of Delaware. We have had two classes of common stock since 1959, when our stockholders approved the issuance of two shares of Class B non-voting common stock to every holder of our voting common stock. Dual-class share structures have come under the scrutiny of major indices, institutional investors, and proxy advisory firms, with some calling for the reclassification of non-voting common stock.

A majority of our voting stock is controlled by members of the Brown family, and, collectively, they have the ability to control the outcome of stockholder votes, including the election of all of our directors and the approval or rejection of any merger, change of control, or other significant corporate transactions. The extent of this advantage may vary over time depending on, among other things, the Brown family’s level of ownership in the Company.

However, the Brown family’s interests may not always be aligned with other stockholders’ interests. By exercising their control, the Brown family could cause the Company to take actions that are at odds with the investment goals or interests of institutional, short-term, non-voting, or other non-controlling investors, or that have a negative effect on our stock price. Further, because the Brown family controls the majority of our voting stock, Brown-Forman might be a less attractive takeover target, which could adversely affect the market price of both our voting and our non-voting common stock. And the difference in voting rights for our common stock could also adversely and disproportionately affect the value of our Class B non-voting common stock to the extent that investors view, or any potential future purchaser of our Company views, the superior voting rights and control represented by the Class A common stock to have value.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

None.

Item 1C. Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity Risk Management Strategy and Processes

Our Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) leads our Global Information Security team, reports to the Chief Information Officer (CIO), and meets regularly with other members of senior management. Our CISO holds advanced degrees in Computer Science and Business Administration, in addition to relevant IT and cybersecurity certifications from organizations such as the EC Council, ISACA, and CSA. She has served in various IT roles for over 20 years, including leading the IT Security function.

Our Global Information Security team is responsible for our information security strategy, policy, security engineering, operations, and cyberthreat detection and response. Our Global Information Security team, which includes a security operations center, seeks to protect the Company against reasonably foreseeable cyberthreats and risks. The cybersecurity team members have the qualifications and certifications required for their roles. In addition, they have relevant industry experience in selecting, deploying, and operating cybersecurity technologies, initiatives, and processes globally. In order to stay ahead of potential threats and enhance our overall security posture, we rely on threat intelligence as well as other information obtained from governmental, public, and private sources, including external consultants that we engage.

We have made significant investments in people, processes, and technology to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of our IT systems. As part of that effort, we utilize the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework v2.0 as a guide for our security controls. We are continuing to advance towards an architecture based on “Zero-Trust” principles, where we continuously validate the identity and security posture of every user, device, application, or network component trying to leverage our IT resources. We temper this architecture with a business-risk-based approach that ensures we protect our digital assets while aligning our security measures with our overall organizational goals and priorities. In addition, our employees undergo annual security awareness training to improve their understanding of cybersecurity threats, and their ability to identify and escalate potential threats.

In the event of an incident, we leverage a multi-layered set of plans that include Endpoint Detection and Response software, Security Information and Event Management tools for detection, a Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan, and a Disaster Recovery Response Plan for recovery. The recovery plans outline the steps to be followed from incident detection to mitigation, recovery, and notification, including notifying designated functional leadership teams, the Disclosure Committee, the General Counsel, other senior leadership, and the Board of Directors, as appropriate. These designated leaders assess various factors, including operational, financial, legal, regulatory, and reputational impacts on the Company to determine the materiality of the incident and the appropriate response.

We have established a tiered risk management strategy that helps us to evaluate our ability to protect assets (data and systems) by identifying, assessing, and prioritizing associated risk through, among other tools, the use of a non-affiliated third-party assessor, audits by our internal audit team, tabletop exercises, penetration and vulnerability tests, and simulations. We report the results of these assessments to the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.

We rely on third-party service providers to deliver our products and services to our customers, including many of our technology initiatives. A cybersecurity incident at a supplier, subcontractor, or joint venture partner could materially adversely impact us. We evaluate third-party providers from a cybersecurity risk perspective, which may include an assessment of that service provider’s cybersecurity posture through a questionnaire, and include security and privacy addenda to our contracts where applicable.

Our systems periodically experience directed attacks intended to lead to interruptions and delays in our service and operations as well as loss, misuse, or theft of personal information (of third parties, employees and their beneficiaries, and customers) and other data. These incidents have not had a material impact on our services, systems, or business. However, despite our capabilities, processes, and other security measures we employ, we may not be aware of all vulnerabilities or might not accurately assess the risk of an incident. Additional information on cybersecurity risks we face can be found in “Item 1A. Risk Factors,” which should be read in conjunction with the foregoing information.

Cybersecurity Governance

The Board of Directors oversees management’s processes for identifying and mitigating risks, including cybersecurity risks, to help align our risk exposure with our strategic objectives. The Board of Directors has delegated oversight of risks related to cybersecurity to the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee regularly reports on its activities and findings with respect to risks from cybersecurity threats to the full Board of Directors.

The Audit Committee oversees our cybersecurity posture to assess key strategic, operational, and compliance risks. Our CIO and CISO update the Audit Committee quarterly regarding cyber risks, the threat landscape, reports on our security roadmap, risk mitigation and governance, and any cybersecurity incidents.

Assessing, identifying, and managing cybersecurity risks are integrated into our overall enterprise risk management (ERM) framework that provides risk quantification, scenario analysis to determine the potential impact on the enterprise, and processes to manage risk within the parameters of the organization’s risk appetite. Additionally, ERM provides support to the decision-making process to enable cybersecurity risk owners to accomplish the desired level of asset protection and alignment consistent with the organization’s strategy. The ERM update is presented annually to the Audit Committee and Board of Directors, including the management of top risks and the review of emerging risks.

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