Risk Factors Dashboard
Once a year, publicly traded companies issue a comprehensive report of their business, called a 10-K. A component mandated in the 10-K is the ‘Risk Factors’ section, where companies disclose any major potential risks that they may face. This dashboard highlights all major changes and additions in new 10K reports, allowing investors to quickly identify new potential risks and opportunities.
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Risk Factors - TLRY
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Risks Related to Ongoing Litigation Claims
We are subject to litigation, arbitration and demands, which could result in significant liability and costs, and impact our resources and reputation.
Tilray has previously been named as a defendant in multiple class actions cases, including the securities litigation claims against its predecessor (Aphria) in Canada and the U.S., and a class action that was commenced in 2020 related to the drop in Tilray’s stock price. In addition, legal proceedings covering a wide range of matters are pending or threatened in various U.S. and foreign jurisdictions against the Company. The type of claims that may be raised in these proceedings include product liability, unfair trade practices, antitrust, tax, contraband shipments, patent infringement, employment matters, claims for contribution and claims of competitors, shareholders or distributors. Litigation is subject to uncertainty and it is possible that there could be adverse developments in pending or future cases.
We are also subject to other litigation and demands relating to business decisions, regulatory and industry changes, supply relationships, and our business acquisition matters and related activities. Litigation may include claims for substantial compensatory or punitive damages or claims for indeterminate amounts of damages. Tilray and its various subsidiaries are also involved from time to time in other reviews, investigations and proceedings (both formal and informal) by governmental and self-regulatory agencies regarding our business. These matters could result in adverse judgments, settlements, fines, penalties, injunctions or other relief.
We have incurred and may continue to incur substantial costs and expenses relating directly to these actions, and substantial losses if these actions are ultimately litigated. Responding to such actions could divert management’s attention away from our business operations and result in substantial costs and potential losses. For more information on our pending legal proceedings, see “Part I, Item 3. Legal Proceedings”.
Risks Related to the Cannabis Business
Our cannabis business is dependent upon regulatory approvals and licenses, ongoing compliance and reporting obligations, and timely renewals.
Our ability to cultivate, process, and sell medical and adult-use cannabis, cannabis-derived extracts and derivative cannabis products in Canada is dependent on maintaining the licenses issued to our operating subsidiaries by Health Canada under the Cannabis Regulations, or CR. These licenses allow us to produce cannabis in bulk and finished forms and to sell and distribute such cannabis in Canada. They also allow us to export medical cannabis in bulk and finished form to and from specified jurisdictions around the world, subject to obtaining, for each specific shipment, an export approval from Health Canada and an import approval (or no objection notice) from the applicable regulatory authority in the country to or from which the export or import is being made. These CR licenses and other approvals are valid for fixed periods and we must obtain renewals on a periodic basis. There can be no assurance that existing licenses will be renewed or new licenses obtained on the same or similar terms as our existing licenses, nor can there be any assurance that Health Canada will continue to issue import or export permits on the same terms or on the same timeline, or that other countries will allow, or continue to allow, imports or exports.
We are also required to obtain and maintain certain permits, licenses or other approvals from regulatory agencies in countries and markets outside of Canada in which we operate or to which we export our product, including, in the case of certain countries, the ability to demonstrate compliance with EU-GMP standards. We have received certification of compliance with EU-GMP standards for cultivation and production at Tilray Portugal and Aphria RX in Germany, as well as Part II EU-GMP certification for Aphria One and Part I EU-GMP certification for ARA-Avanti Rx Analytics Inc.’s (“Avanti”) approved facility. These GMP certified facilities are subject to extensive ongoing compliance reviews to ensure that we continue to maintain compliance with current GMP standards. There can be no assurance that we will be able to continue to comply with these standards. Moreover, future governmental actions in countries where we operate, or export products, may limit or altogether restrict the import and/or export of cannabis products.
Any future cannabis production facilities that we operate in Canada or elsewhere will also be subject to separate licensing requirements under the CR or applicable local requirements. Although we believe that we will meet the requirements for future renewals of our existing licenses and obtain requisite licenses for future facilities, there can be no assurance that existing licenses will be renewed or new licenses obtained on the same or similar terms as our existing licenses, nor can there be any assurance that Health Canada will continue to issue import or export permits on the same terms or on the same timeline, or that other countries will allow, or continue to allow, imports or exports. An agency’s denial of or delay in issuing or renewing a permit, license or other approval, or revocation or substantial modification of an existing permit, license or approval, could restrict or prevent us from continuing the affected operations, or limit the export and/or import of our cannabis products. In addition, the export and import of cannabis is subject to United Nations treaties establishing country-by-country national estimates and our export and import permits are subject to these estimates which could limit the amount of cannabis we can export to any particular country.
Further, our facilities are subject to ongoing inspections by the governing regulatory authority to monitor our compliance with their licensing requirements. Our existing licenses and any new licenses that we may obtain in the future in Canada or other jurisdictions may be revoked or restricted in the event that we are found not to be in compliance. Should we fail to comply with the applicable regulatory requirements or with conditions set out under our licenses, should our licenses not be renewed when required, be renewed on different terms, or be revoked, we may not be able to continue producing or distributing cannabis in Canada or other jurisdictions or to import or export cannabis products. In addition, we may be subject to enforcement proceedings resulting from a failure to comply with applicable regulatory requirements in Canada or other jurisdictions, which could result in damage awards, the suspension, withdrawal or non-renewal of our existing approvals or denial of future approvals, recall of products, the imposition of future operating restrictions on our business or operations or the imposition of fines or other penalties.
Government regulation of the cannabis industry is evolving, including recent regulatory developments in the United States to broaden medical access to cannabis and reschedule cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act, and unfavorable changes or lack of commercial legalization could impact our ability to carry on our business as currently conducted and the potential expansion of our business.
We operate in a highly regulated and rapidly evolving industry. The successful execution of our business objectives is contingent upon compliance with all applicable laws and regulatory requirements in Canada (including the Cannabis Act and CR), Europe and other jurisdictions, and obtaining all required regulatory approvals for the production, sale, import and export of our cannabis products. The laws, regulations and guidelines generally applicable to the cannabis industry domestically and internationally may change in ways currently unforeseen. Any amendment to or replacement of existing laws, regulations, guidelines or policies may cause adverse effects to our operations, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
The federal legislative framework pertaining to the Canadian cannabis market is still very new. In addition, the governments of every Canadian province and territory have implemented different regulatory regimes for the distribution and sale of cannabis for adult-use purposes within those jurisdictions. There is no guarantee that the Canadian legislative framework regulating the cultivation, processing, distribution and sale of cannabis will not be amended or replaced or the current legislation will create the growth opportunities we currently anticipate.
In the United States, despite cannabis having been legalized at the state level for medical use in many states and for adult-use in a number of states, cannabis meeting the statutory definition of “marijuana” continues to be categorized as a Schedule I controlled substance under the federal Controlled Substances Act, or the CSA, and subject to the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act, or the CSIEA. Hemp and marijuana both originate from the Cannabis sativa plant and CBD is a constituent of both. There have been regulatory efforts in the United States to broaden medical access to cannabis and reschedule cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. “Marihuana” or “marijuana” is defined in the CSA as a Schedule I controlled substance whereas “hemp” is essentially any parts of the Cannabis sativa plant that has not been determined to be marijuana. Pursuant to the 2018 Farm Bill, “hemp,” or cannabis and cannabis derivatives containing no more than 0.3% of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is as of the date of this Form 10-K excluded from the statutory definition of “marijuana” and, as such, is no longer a Schedule I controlled substance under the CSA. Pursuant to the 2018 Farm Bill, “hemp,” or cannabis and cannabis derivatives containing no more than 0.3% of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is now excluded from the statutory definition of “marijuana” and, as such, is no longer a Schedule I controlled substance under the CSA. As a result, our activity in the United States is limited to (a) certain corporate and administrative services, including accounting, legal and creative services, (b) supply of study drug for clinical trials under DEA and FDA authorization, and (c) participation in the market for hemp and hemp-derived products containing CBD in compliance with the 2018 Farm Bill.
There can be no assurance that the United States will implement federal legalization of cannabis. With respect to CBD and hemp, while the 2018 Farm Bill exempts hemp and hemp derived products from the CSA, the commercialization of hemp products in the United States is subject to various laws, including the 2018 Farm Bill, the FD&C Act, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, or (the “DSHEA”), applicable state and/or local laws, and FDA regulations. See also Risk Factor “United States regulations relating to hemp-derived CBD products are new and rapidly evolving, and changes may not develop in the timeframe or manner most favorable to our business objectives”.
Our ability to expand internationally is also contingent, in part, upon compliance with applicable regulatory requirements enacted by governmental authorities and obtaining all requisite regulatory approvals. We cannot predict the impact of the compliance regime that governmental authorities may implement to regulate the adult-use or medical cannabis industry. Similarly, we cannot predict how long it will take to secure all appropriate regulatory approvals for our products, or the extent of testing and documentation that may be required by governmental authorities. The impact of the various compliance regimes, any delays in obtaining, or failure to obtain regulatory approvals may significantly delay or impact the development of markets, products and sales initiatives and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. As the commercial cannabis industry develops in Canada and other jurisdictions, we anticipate that regulations governing cannabis in Canada and globally will continue to evolve. Further, Health Canada or the regulatory authorities in other countries in which we operate or to which we export our cannabis products may change their administration or application of the applicable regulations or their compliance or enforcement procedures at any time. There is no assurance that we will be able to comply or continue to comply with applicable regulations, which could impact our ability to continue to carry on business as currently conducted and the potential expansion of our business.
We currently incur and will continue to incur ongoing costs and obligations related to regulatory compliance. A failure on our part to comply with regulations may result in additional costs for corrective measures, penalties or restrictions on our business or operations. In addition, changes in regulations, more vigorous enforcement thereof or other unanticipated events could require extensive changes to our operations, increased compliance costs or give rise to material liabilities, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Our production and processing facilities are integral to our business and adverse changes or developments affecting our facilities may have an adverse impact on our business.
Our cultivation and processing facilities are integral to our business and the licenses issued by applicable regulatory authorities is specific to each of these facilities. Adverse changes or developments affecting these facilities, including, but not limited to, disease or infestation of our crops, a fire, an explosion, a power failure, a natural disaster, an epidemic, pandemic or other public health crisis, or a material failure of our security infrastructure, could reduce or require us to entirely suspend operations at the affected facilities.
A significant failure of our site security measures and other facility requirements, including failure to comply with applicable regulatory requirements, could have an impact on our ability to continue operating under our facility licenses and our prospects of renewing our licenses, and could also result in a suspension or revocation of these licenses.
We face intense competition, and anticipate competition will increase, which could hurt our business.
We face, and we expect to continue to face, intense competition from other Licensed Producers and other potential competitors, some of which have longer operating histories and more financial resources than we have. In addition, we anticipate that the cannabis industry will continue to undergo consolidation, creating larger companies with financial resources, manufacturing and marketing capabilities and product offerings that may be greater than ours. As a result of this competition, we may be unable to maintain our operations or develop them as currently proposed, on terms we consider acceptable, or at all.
Health Canada has issued hundreds of licenses for Licensed Producers. The number of licenses granted and the number of Licensed Producers ultimately authorized by Health Canada could have an adverse impact on our ability to compete for market share in Canada. We expect to face additional competition from new market entrants and may experience downward price pressure on our cannabis products as new entrants increase production. If the number of users of cannabis in Canada increases, the demand for products will increase and the Company expects that competition will become more intense, as current and future competitors begin to offer an increasing number of diversified products and pricing strategies.
Our commercial opportunity in the medical and adult-use markets could also be impacted if our competitors produce and commercialize products that, among other things, are safer, more effective, more convenient or less expensive than the products that we may produce, have greater sales, marketing and distribution support than our products, enjoy enhanced timing of market introduction and perceived effectiveness advantages over our products and receive more favorable publicity than our products. To remain competitive, we intend to continue to invest in research and development, marketing and sales and client support. We may not have sufficient resources to maintain research and development, marketing and sales and client support efforts on a competitive basis. We may not have sufficient resources to maintain research and development, marketing and sales and client support efforts on a competitive basis.
In addition to the foregoing, the legal landscape for medical and adult-use cannabis is changing internationally. We maintain operations outside of Canada, which may be affected as other countries develop, adopt and change their laws related to medical and adult-use cannabis. Increased international competition, including competition from suppliers in other countries who may be able to produce at lower cost, and limitations placed on us by Canadian or other regulations, might lower the demand for our cannabis products on a global scale.
Competition from the illicit cannabis market could impact our ability to succeed.
We face competition from illegal market operators that are unlicensed and unregulated including illegal dispensaries and illicit market suppliers selling cannabis and cannabis-based products. As these illegal market participants do not comply with the regulations governing the cannabis industry, their operations may have significantly lower costs. The perpetuation of the illegal market for cannabis may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, as well as the perception of cannabis use. Furthermore, given the restrictions on regulated cannabis retail, it is possible that legal cannabis consumers revert to the illicit market as a matter of convenience.
The cannabis industry and market are relatively new and evolving, which could impact our ability to succeed in this industry and market.
We are operating our business in a relatively new industry and market that is expanding globally, and our success depends on our ability to attract and retain consumers and patients. There are many factors which could impact our ability to attract and retain consumers and patients, including but not limited to brand awareness, our ability to continually produce desirable and effective cannabis products and the ability to bring new consumers and patients into the category. The failure to acquire and retain consumers and patients could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
To remain competitive, we will continue to innovate new products, build brand awareness and make significant investments in our business strategy and production capacity. These investments include introducing new products into the markets in which we operate, adopting quality assurance protocols and procedures, building our international presence and undertaking research and development. These activities may not promote our products as effectively as intended, or at all, and we expect that our competitors will undertake similar investments to compete with us for market share. Competitive conditions, consumer preferences, regulatory conditions, patient requirements, prescribing practices, and spending patterns in this industry and market are relatively unknown and may have unique characteristics that differ from other existing industries and markets and that cause our efforts to further our business to be unsuccessful or to have undesired consequences. As a result, we may not be successful in our efforts to attract and retain customers or to develop new cannabis products and produce and distribute these products in time to be effectively commercialized, or these activities may require significantly more resources than we currently anticipate in order to be successful.
Regulations constrain our ability to market and distribute our products in Canada.
In Canada, there are significant regulatory restrictions on the marketing, branding, product formats, product composition, packaging, and distribution of adult-use cannabis products. For instance, the CR includes a requirement for health warnings on product packaging, the limited ability to use logos and branding (only one brand name and one brand element per package), restrictions on packaging itself, and restrictions on types and avenues of marketing. Cannabis 2.0 regulations, which govern the production and sale of new classes or forms of cannabis products (including vapes and edibles), impose considerable restrictions on product composition, labeling, and packaging in addition to being subject to similar marketing restrictions as existing form factors.
Further, each province and territory of Canada has the ability to separately regulate the distribution of cannabis within such province or territory (including the legal age), and the rules and regulations adopted vary significantly. Additional marketing and product composition restrictions have been imposed by some provinces and territories. Such federal and provincial restrictions may impair our ability to differentiate our products and develop our adult-use brands. Some provinces and territories also impose significant restrictions on our ability to merchandise products; for example, some provinces impose restrictions on investment in retailers or distributors as well as in our ability to negotiate for preferential retail space or in-store marketing. If we are unable to effectively market our products and compete for market share, our sales and results of operations may be adversely affected.
Research regarding the health effects of cannabis is in relatively early stages and subject to further study which could impact demand for cannabis products.
Research and clinical trials on the potential benefits and the short-term and long-term effects of cannabis use on human health remains in relatively early stages and there is limited standardization. As such, there are inherent risks associated with using cannabis and cannabis derivative products. Moreover, future research and clinical trials may draw opposing conclusions to statements contained in articles, reports and studies we relied on or could reach different or negative conclusions regarding the benefits, viability, safety, efficacy, dosing or other facts and perceptions related to cannabis, which could adversely affect social acceptance of cannabis and the demand for our products.
United States regulations relating to hemp-derived CBD products, delta-9 products, and medical cannabis products are new and rapidly evolving, and changes may not develop in the timeframe or manner most favorable to our business objectives.
Our participation in the market for hemp-derived CBD products, delta-9 products, and medical cannabis products in the United States and elsewhere may require us to employ novel approaches to existing regulatory pathways. Although the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill legalized the cultivation of hemp in the United States to produce products containing CBD and other non-THC cannabinoids, it remains unclear whether and when the FDA will propose or implement new or additional regulations. While, to date, there are no laws or regulations enforced by the FDA which specifically address the manufacturing, packaging, labeling, distribution, or sale of hemp or hemp-derived CBD products and delta-9 products. While, to date, there are no laws or regulations enforced by the FDA which specifically address the manufacturing, packaging, labeling, distribution, or sale of hemp or hemp-derived CBD products and the FDA has issued no formal regulations addressing such matters, the FDA has issued various guidance documents and other statements reflecting its non-binding opinion on the regulation of such products. The FDA has issued no formal regulations addressing such matters, the FDA has issued various guidance documents and other statements reflecting its non-binding opinion on the regulation of such products.
The hemp plant and the cannabis/marijuana plant are both part of the same cannabis sativa genus/species of plant, except that hemp, by definition, has less than 0.3% THC content, but the same plant with a higher THC content is cannabis/marijuana, which is legal under certain state laws, but which is not legal under United States federal law. The similarities between these two can cause confusion, and our activities with legal hemp in the United States may be incorrectly perceived as us being involved in federally illegal cannabis. The FDA has stated in guidance and other public statements that it is prohibited to sell a food, beverage or dietary supplement to which THC or CBD has been added. While the FDA does not have a formal policy of enforcement discretion with respect to any products with added CBD, the agency has stated that its primary focus for enforcement centers on products that put the health and safety of consumers at risk, such as those claiming to prevent, diagnose, mitigate, treat, or cure diseases in the absence of requisite approvals. While the agency’s enforcement to date has therefore focused on products containing CBD and that make drug-like claims, there is the risk that the FDA could expand its enforcement activities and require us to alter our marketing for our hemp-derived CBD products and delta-9 products or cease distributing them altogether. The FDA could also issue new regulations that prohibit or limit the sale of hemp-derived CBD products and delta-9 products. Such regulatory actions and associated compliance costs may hinder our ability to successfully compete in the market for such products.
In addition, such products may be subject to regulation at the state or local levels. State and local authorities have issued their own restrictions on the cultivation or sale of hemp or hemp-derived CBD and delta-9 products. This includes laws that ban the cultivation or possession of hemp or any other plant of the cannabis genus and derivatives thereof, such as CBD. State regulators may take enforcement action against food and dietary supplement products that contain CBD, or enact new laws or regulations that prohibit or limit the sale of such products.
The regulation of hemp and CBD in the United States has been constantly evolving, with changes in federal and state laws and regulation occurring on a frequent basis. Violations of applicable FDA and other laws could result in warning letters, significant fines, penalties, administrative sanctions, injunctions, convictions or settlements arising from civil proceedings. Unforeseen regulatory obstacles or compliance costs may hinder our ability to successfully compete in the market for such products.
Risks Related to the MedMen Investment
We may recognize significant impairments in the carrying value of our investment in the MedMen secured convertible notes as a result of MedMen’s ongoing restructuring or liquidation undertakings.
On August 31, 2021, we acquired an indirect interest in certain senior secured convertible notes issued by MedMen. The notes are only exercisable upon U.S. federal legalization of cannabis or in certain other limited circumstances. The notes are secured by a collateral portfolio consisting of assets and/or equity interests of numerous MedMen U.S. operating subsidiaries and intermediate holding entities. We currently record this investment in our financial statements as a convertible note receivable with a value of as May 31, 2024 of $32,000. See Note 11 (Convertible notes receivable) for additional details on transactions during the period.
On January 24, 2024, MedMen disclosed that its chief executive officer had stepped down and its board had appointed a chief restructuring officer. MedMen and certain subsidiaries subsequently commenced insolvency actions in the United States and Canada in late April 2024, with each of its directors resigning immediately prior to such filings.
MedMen’a restructuring activities, such as asset sales, liquidations, debt restructuring, foreclosures or assignments, may lead to significant changes in MedMen’s operations and asset base, impacting the recoverability of our investment carrying values. The resulting value of our investments may be significantly impacted. MedMen’s restructuring and liquidation proceedings may impact the recoverability of our investments, particularly if there are competing claims on assets or if the process is subject to state and local laws rather than U.S. bankruptcy laws. While our investment in MedMen benefits from security interests in certain of its assets, the realization of these interests could be challenging, especially in jurisdictions where U.S. bankruptcy laws do not apply. In such cases, we may be reliant on state and local restructuring processes or other negotiated arrangements to recover value from our collateral.
MedMen’s restructuring activities could also lead to significant impairments in the carrying value of our investment in the MedMen convertible notes, which could materially and adversely affect our financial results and the value of our investment portfolio.
Risks related to the Beverage Alcohol Business
Changes in consumer preferences or public attitudes about alcohol could decrease demand for our beverage alcohol products.
If general consumer trends lead to a decrease in the demand for our beers and other alcohol products or Breckenridge’s whiskey products, including craft beer, our sales and results of operations in the beverage alcohol segment may be adversely affected. There is no assurance that the craft brewing segment will experience growth in future periods. If the markets for wine, spirits or flavored alcohol beverages continue to grow, this could draw consumers away from the industry in general and our beverage alcohol products specifically.
Further, the alcoholic beverage industry is subject to public concern and political attention over alcohol-related social problems, including drunk driving, underage drinking and health consequences from the misuse of alcohol. In reaction to these concerns, steps may be taken to restrict advertising, to impose additional cautionary labeling or packaging requirements, or to increase excise or other taxes on beverage alcohol products. Any such developments may have an adverse impact on the financial condition, operating results and cash flows for our beverage alcohol businesses. Any such developments may have an adverse impact on the financial condition, operating results and cash flows for SweetWater, Montauk and Breckenridge.
Developments affecting production sites, including at our breweries or our distillery in Breckenridge, could negatively impact financial results for our beverage alcohol business segment.
Adverse changes or developments affecting our beer production sites, or our distillery in Breckenridge, including, fire, power failure, natural disaster, public health crisis, or a material failure of our security infrastructure, could reduce or require us to entirely suspend operations. Additionally, due to many factors, including seasonality and production schedules of our various products and packaging, actual production capacity may fluctuate throughout the year and may not reach full working capacity. If we experience contraction in our sales and production volumes, the excess capacity and unabsorbed overhead may have an adverse effect on gross margins, operating cash flows and overall financial performance of our beverage alcohol businesses.
Breckenridge and our other craft beverage brands portfolio each face substantial competition in the beer industry and the broader market for alcoholic beverage products which could impact our business and financial results.
The market for alcoholic beverage products within the United States is highly competitive due to the increasing number of domestic and international beverage companies with similar pricing and target drinkers, the introduction and expansion of hard seltzers and ready-to-drink beverages, gains in market share achieved by domestic specialty beers and imported beers, and the acquisition of craft brewers and smaller producers by larger companies. We anticipate competition among domestic craft brewers and distillers will also remain strong as existing facilities build more capacity, expand geographically and add more products, flavors and styles. The continued growth in the sales of hard seltzers, craft-brewed domestic beers and imported beers is expected to increase competition in the market for alcoholic beverages within the United States and, as a result, prices and market share of Breckenridge’s and our other craft brands' products may fluctuate and possibly decline.
The alcohol industry has seen continued consolidation among producers in order to take advantage of cost savings opportunities for supplies, distribution and operations. Due to the increased leverage that these combined operations have in distribution and sales and marketing expenses, the costs to Breckenridge and our other craft brands of competing could increase. Due to the increased leverage that these combined operations have in distribution and sales and marketing expenses, the costs to SweetWater, Montauk and Breckenridge of competing could increase. The potential also exists for these large competitors to increase their influence with their distributors, making it difficult for smaller producers to maintain their market presence or enter new markets. The increase in the number and availability of competing products and brands, the costs to compete and potential decrease in distribution support and opportunities may adversely affect our business and financial results.
Breckenridge and our other craft beverage brands portfolio are each dependent on distributors to deliver sustained growth and distribute products.
In the United States, each of SweetWater, Breckenridge, Montauk and our other craft brands sells its alcohol beverages to independent distributors for distribution to retailers and, ultimately, to consumers. No assurance can be given that SweetWater, Breckenridge, Montauk and our other craft brands will be able to maintain their current distribution networks or secure additional distributors on favorable terms. No assurance can be given that SweetWater, Breckenridge and Montauk will be able to maintain their current distribution networks or secure additional distributors on favorable terms. If existing distribution agreements are terminated, it may not be possible to enter into new distribution agreements on substantially similar terms or to timely put in place replacement distribution agreements, which may result in an impairment to distribution and an increase in the costs of distribution.
General Business Risks and Risks Related to Our Financial Condition and Operations
Additional impairments of our goodwill, impairments of our intangible and other long-lived assets, and changes in the estimated useful lives of intangible assets could have a material adverse impact on our financial results.
Goodwill, intangible and other long-lived assets comprise a significant portion of our total assets. As of May 31, 2024 our goodwill and intangible assets totaled $2.0 billion and $915.5 million, respectively. We test goodwill and indefinite lived intangible assets for impairment annually, while our other long-lived assets, including our finite-lived intangible assets, are tested for impairment when circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable, in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the U.S. (“GAAP”). A decrease in our market capitalization or profitability, or unfavorable changes in market, economic or industry conditions could increase the risk of additional impairment. Any resulting additional impairments could have a negative impact on our stock price.
We will continue to monitor key assumptions and other factors utilized in our goodwill, intangible and other long-lived assets impairment analysis, and if business or other market conditions develop that are materially different than we currently anticipate, we will conduct an additional impairment evaluation. Any reduction in or impairment of the value of goodwill, intangible assets and long-lived assets will result in a charge against earnings, which could have a material adverse impact on our reported financial results.
We have a limited operating history and a history of net losses, and we may not achieve or maintain profitability in the future.
We began operating in 2014 and have yet to generate a profit. We intend to continue to expend funds to explore potential opportunities and complete strategic mergers and acquisitions, invest in research and development, expand our marketing and sales operations and meet the compliance requirements as a public company. We intend to continue to expend significant funds to explore potential opportunities and complete strategic mergers and acquisitions, invest in research and development, expand our marketing and sales operations and meet the compliance requirements as a public company.
Our efforts to grow our business may be more costly than we expect and we may not be able to increase our revenue enough to offset higher operating expenses. We may incur significant losses in the future for a number of reasons, including as a result of unforeseen expenses, difficulties, complications and delays, the other risks described herein and other unknown events. The amount of future net losses will depend, in part, on the growth of our future expenses and our ability to generate revenue. If we continue to incur losses in the future, the net losses and negative cash flows incurred to date, together with any such future losses, will have an adverse effect on our stockholders’ equity and working capital. Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with producing and selling cannabis and beverage alcohol products, as outlined herein, we are unable to accurately predict when, or if, we will be able to achieve profitability. Even if we achieve profitability in the future, we may not be able to sustain profitability in subsequent periods. If we are unable to achieve and sustain profitability, the market price of our common stock may significantly decrease and our ability to raise capital, expand our business or continue our operations may be impaired.
We are exposed to risks relating to the laws of various countries as a result of our international operations.
We currently conduct operations in multiple countries and plan to expand these international operations. As a result of our operations, we are exposed to various levels of political, economic, legal and other risks and uncertainties associated with operating in or exporting to these jurisdictions. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, changes in the laws, regulations and policies governing the production, sale and use of our products, political instability, instability at the United Nations level, currency controls, fluctuations in currency exchange rates and rates of inflation, labor unrest, changes in taxation laws, regulations and policies, restrictions on foreign exchange and repatriation and changing political conditions and governmental regulations relating to foreign investment and the cannabis business more generally.
Changes, if any, in the laws, regulations and policies relating to the advertising, production, sale and use of our products or in the general economic policies in these jurisdictions, or shifts in political attitude related thereto, may adversely affect the operations, or profitability of our operations, in these countries. As we explore novel business models, such as global co-branded products, cannabinoid clinics and cannabis retail, international regulations will become increasingly challenging to manage. Specifically, our operations may be affected in varying degrees by government regulations with respect to, but not limited to, restrictions on advertising, production, price controls, export controls, controls on currency remittance, increased income taxes, restrictions on foreign investment, land and water use restrictions and government policies rewarding contracts to local competitors or requiring domestic producers or vendors to purchase supplies from a particular jurisdiction. Failure to comply strictly with applicable laws, regulations and local practices could result in additional taxes, costs, civil or criminal fines or penalties or other expenses being levied on our international operations, as well as other potential adverse consequences such as the loss of necessary permits or governmental approvals.
Furthermore, there is no assurance that we will be able to secure the requisite import and export permits for the international distribution of our products. Countries may also impose restrictions or limitations on imports that require the use of, or confer significant advantages upon, producers within that particular country. As a result, we may be required to establish facilities in one or more countries in the EU (or elsewhere) where we wish to distribute our products in order to take advantage of the favorable legislation offered to producers in these countries.
We are required to comply concurrently with all applicable laws in each jurisdiction where we operate or to which we export our products, and any changes to such laws could adversely impact our business.
Various federal, state, provincial and local laws and regulations govern our business in the jurisdictions in which we operate or propose to operate, and in which we export or propose to export our products. Such laws and regulations include those relating to health and safety, conduct of operations and the production, management, transportation, storage and disposal of our products and of certain material used in our operations. In many cases, we must concurrently comply with complex federal, provincial, state and/or local laws in multiple jurisdictions. These laws change frequently and may be difficult to interpret and apply. Compliance with these laws and regulations requires the investment of significant financial and managerial resources, and a determination that we are not in compliance with any of these laws and regulations could harm our brand image and business. Moreover, it is impossible for us to predict the cost or effect of such laws, regulations or guidelines upon our future operations. Changes to these laws or regulations could negatively affect our competitive position within our industry and the markets in which we operate, and there is no assurance that various levels of government in the jurisdictions in which we operate will not pass legislation or regulation that adversely impacts our business.
Our strategic alliances and other third-party business relationships may not achieve the intended beneficial impact and expose us to risks.
We currently have, and may adjust the scope of, and may in the future enter into, strategic alliances with third parties that we believe will complement or augment our existing business. Our ability to complete further strategic alliances is dependent upon, and may be limited by, among other things, the availability of suitable candidates and capital. In addition, strategic alliances could present unforeseen integration obstacles or costs, may not enhance our business or profitability and may involve risks that could adversely affect us, including the investment of significant amounts of management time that may be diverted from operations in order to pursue and complete such transactions or maintain such strategic alliances. We may become dependent on our strategic partners and actions by such partners could harm our business. Future strategic alliances could result in the incurrence of debt, impairment charges, costs and contingent liabilities, and there can be no assurance that future strategic alliances will achieve, or that our existing strategic alliances will continue to achieve, the expected benefits to our business or that we will be able to consummate future strategic alliances on satisfactory terms, or at all.
We may not be able to successfully identify and execute future acquisitions, dispositions or other equity transactions or to successfully manage the impacts of such transactions on our operations.
Material acquisitions, dispositions and other strategic transactions involve a number of risks, including: (i) the potential disruption of our ongoing business; (ii) the distraction of management away from the ongoing oversight of our existing business activities; (iii) incurring additional indebtedness; (iv) the anticipated benefits and cost savings of those transactions not being realized fully, or at all, or taking longer to realize than anticipated; (v) an increase in the scope and complexity of our operations; (vi) the loss or reduction of control over certain of our assets; and (vii) capital stock or cash to pay for the acquisition. Material acquisitions and strategic transactions have been and continue to be material to our business strategy. There can be no assurance that we will find suitable opportunities for strategic transactions at acceptable prices, have sufficient capital resources to pursue such transactions, be successful in negotiating required agreements, or successfully close transactions after signing such agreements. There is no guarantee that any acquisitions will be accretive, or that past or future acquisitions will not result in additional impairments or write downs.
The existence of one or more material liabilities of an acquired company that are unknown to us at the time of acquisition could result in our incurring those liabilities. A strategic transaction may result in a significant change in the nature of our business, operations and strategy, and we may encounter unforeseen obstacles or costs in implementing a strategic transaction or integrating any acquired business into our operations.
We are subject to risks inherent in an agricultural business, including the risk of crop failure.
We grow cannabis, which is an agricultural process. As such, our business is subject to the risks inherent in the agricultural business, including risks of crop failure presented by weather, climate change, forest fires, insects, plant diseases and similar agricultural risks. Although we primarily grow our products indoors under climate-controlled conditions, we also have certain outdoor cultivation capacity and there can be no assurance that natural elements, such as insects, climate change and plant diseases, will not interrupt our production activities or have an adverse effect on our business.
We depend on significant customers for a substantial portion of our revenue. If we fail to retain or expand our customer relationships or significant customers reduce their purchases, our revenue could decline significantly.
We derive a significant portion of revenue from the supply contracts we have with 12 Canadian provinces and territories for adult-use cannabis products. There are many factors which could impact our contractual agreements with the provinces and territories, including but not limited to availability of supply, product selection and the popularity of our products with retail customers. If our supply agreements with certain Canadian provinces and territories are amended, terminated or otherwise altered, our sales and results of operations could be adversely affected, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
In addition, not all of our supply contracts with the Canadian provinces and territories contain purchase commitments or otherwise obligate the provincial or territorial wholesaler to buy a minimum or fixed volume of cannabis products from us. The amount of cannabis that the provincial or territorial wholesalers may purchase under the supply contracts may therefore vary from what we expect or planned for. As a result, our revenues could fluctuate materially in the future and could be materially and disproportionately impacted by the purchasing decisions of the provincial or territorial wholesalers. In the future, these customers may decide to purchase less product from us than they have in the past, may alter purchasing patterns or return inventory, or may decide not to continue to purchase our products, any of which could cause our revenue to decline materially and materially harm our financial condition and results of operations. If we are unable to diversify our customer base, we will continue to be susceptible to risks associated with customer concentration.
We may be unable to attract or retain key personnel, and we may be unable to attract, develop and retain additional employees required for our development and future success.
Our success is largely dependent on the performance of our management team and certain employees and our continuing ability to attract, develop, motivate and retain highly qualified and skilled employees. Qualified individuals are in high demand, and we may incur significant costs to attract and retain them. The loss of the services of any key personnel, or an inability to attract other suitably qualified persons when needed, could prevent us from executing on our business plan and strategy, and we may be unable to find adequate replacements on a timely basis, or at all.
Further, officers, directors, and certain key personnel at each of our facilities that are licensed by Health Canada are subject to the requirement to obtain and maintain a security clearance from Health Canada under the CR. Moreover, under the CR, an individual with security clearance must be physically present on site when other individuals are conducting activities with cannabis. Under the CR, a security clearance is valid for a limited time and must be renewed before the expiry of a current security clearance. There is no assurance that any of our existing personnel who presently or may in the future require a security clearance will be able to obtain or renew such clearances or that new personnel who require a security clearance will be able to obtain one. A failure by an individual in a key operational position to maintain or renew his or her security clearance could result in a reduction or complete suspension of our operations. In addition, if an individual in a key operational position leaves us, and we are unable to find a suitable replacement who is able to obtain a security clearance required by the CR in a timely manner, or at all, we may not be able to conduct our operations at planned production volume levels or at all.
The CR also requires us to designate a qualified individual in charge who is responsible for supervising activities relating to the production of study drugs for clinical trials, which individual must meet certain educational and security clearance requirements. If our current designated qualified person in charge fails to maintain their security clearance, or leaves us and we are unable to find a suitable replacement who meets these requirements, we may no longer be able to continue our clinical trial activities.
Increased labor costs, potential organization of our workforce, employee strikes, work stoppages, and other labor-related disruption may adversely affect our business, financial conditions and operations.
Outside Portugal and Portland, Oregon, none of our employees are represented by a labor union or subject to a collective bargaining agreement. In Portugal, none of our employees are represented by a labor union or subject to any workforce-initiated labor agreement. As with other companies carrying on business in Portugal, we are subject to a government-mandated collective bargaining agreement, which grants employees nominal additional benefits beyond those required by the local labor code. We cannot assure that our labor costs going forward will remain competitive based on various factors, such as: (i) our workforce may organize in the future and labor agreements may be put in place that have significantly higher labor rates and company obligations; (ii) our competitors may maintain significantly lower labor costs, thereby reducing or eliminating our comparative advantages vis-à-vis one or more of our competitors or the larger industry; and (iii) our labor costs may increase in connection with our growth. In Portland, Oregon , employees voted to ratify a three-year collective bargaining agreement that covers approximately 50 full-time and part-time employees.
Our unionized workforces could adversely impact our competitiveness and therefore adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. The further unionization of a greater portion of our workforce could also negatively impact our ability to run our business in the most efficient manner to remain competitive.
Significant interruptions in our access to certain supply chains for key inputs such as raw materials, supplies, electricity, water and other utilities may impair our operations.
Our business is dependent on a number of key inputs and their related costs (certain of which are sourced in other countries and on different continents), including raw materials, supplies and equipment related to our operations, as well as electricity, water and other utilities. We operate global manufacturing facilities, and have dispersed suppliers and customers. Governments may regulate or restrict the flow of labor or products, and the Company's operations, suppliers, customers and distribution channels could be severely impacted. While we have not experienced any material supply chain disruptions, any significant future governmental-mandated or market-related interruption, price increase or negative change in the availability or economics of the supply chain for key inputs and, in particular, rising or volatile energy costs could curtail or preclude our ability to continue production. In addition, our operations would be significantly affected by a prolonged power outage.
Our ability to compete is dependent on us having access, at a reasonable cost and in a timely manner, to skilled labor, equipment, parts and components. No assurances can be given that we will be successful in maintaining our required supply of labor, equipment, parts and components. In addition, the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the resulting measures that have been taken, and could be taken in the future, have and may continue to have a negative impact on our costs, including for input materials, energy and transportation.
Fluctuations in cannabinoid prices relative to contracted prices with third party suppliers could negatively impact our earnings.
A portion of our results of operations and financial condition, as well as the selling prices for our products, are dependent upon cannabinoid supply contracts. Production and pricing of cannabinoids are determined by constantly changing market forces of supply and demand over which we have limited or no control. The market for cannabis biomass is particularly volatile compared to other commoditized markets due to the relatively nascent maturity of the industry in which we operate. The lack of centralized data and large variations in product quality make it difficult to establish a “spot price” for cannabinoids and develop an effective price hedging strategy. Accordingly, supply contracts with any term may prove to be costly in the future to the extent cannabinoid prices decrease dramatically or at a faster rate than anticipated.
Our failure to successfully negotiate supply contracts that address such market vagaries could result in us being contractually obligated to purchase products, some of which may be priced above then-current market prices, or interruption of the supply of inputs for the manufacturing of our products, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition, liquidity and prospects.
We may be negatively impacted by volatility in the political and economic environment, and a period of sustained inflation across the markets in which we operate could result in higher operating costs.
Trade, monetary and fiscal policies, and political and economic conditions may substantially change, and credit markets may experience periods of constriction and variability. These conditions may impact our business. Further rising inflation may negatively impact our business, raise cost and reduce profitability. While we would take actions, wherever possible, to reduce the impact of the effects of inflation, in the case of sustained inflation across several of the markets in which we operate, it could become increasingly difficult to effectively mitigate the increases to our costs. In addition, the effects of inflation on consumers’ budgets could result in the reduction of our customers’ spending habits. If we are unable to take actions to effectively mitigate the effect of the resulting higher costs, our profitability and financial position could be negatively impacted.
We face risks associated with the transportation of our products to consumers in a safe and efficient manner.
We depend on fast, cost-effective, and efficient courier services to distribute our products to both wholesale and retail customers. Any prolonged disruption of third-party transportation services could have a material adverse effect on our sales volumes or satisfaction with our services. Rising costs associated with third-party transportation services used by us to ship our products may also adversely impact our profitability, and more generally our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The security of our products during transportation to and from our facilities is of the utmost concern. A breach of security during transport or delivery could result in the loss of high-value product and forfeiture of import and export approvals, since such approvals are shipment specific. Any failure to take steps necessary to ensure the safekeeping of our cannabis products could also have an impact on our ability to continue supplying provinces and territories, to continue operating under our existing licenses, to renew or receive amendments to our existing licenses or to obtain new licenses.
Our products may be subject to recalls for a variety of reasons, which could require us to expend significant management and capital resources.
Manufacturers and distributors of cannabis, hemp and beverage alcohol products are sometimes subject to the recall or return of their products for a variety of reasons, including product defects, such as contamination, adulteration, unintended harmful side effects or interactions with other substances, packaging safety, and inadequate or inaccurate labeling disclosure. Although we have detailed procedures in place for testing finished products, there can be no assurance that any quality, potency or contamination problems will be detected in time to avoid unforeseen product recalls, regulatory action or lawsuits, whether frivolous or otherwise. If any of the products produced by us are recalled due to an alleged product defect or for any other reason, we could be required to incur the unexpected expense of the recall and any legal proceedings that might arise in connection with the recall. As a result of any such recall, we may lose a significant amount of sales and may not be able to replace those sales at an acceptable gross profit or at all. In addition, a product recall may require significant management attention or damage our reputation and goodwill or that of our products or brands.
Additionally, product recalls may lead to increased scrutiny of our operations by Health Canada or other regulatory agencies, requiring further management attention, increased compliance costs and potential legal fees, fines, penalties and other expenses. Any product recall affecting the cannabis industry more broadly, whether or not involving us, could also lead consumers to lose confidence in