Item 1A. Risk Factors.

Industry Risks

We operate in a highly competitive industry.

The food and beverage industry is highly competitive across all of our product offerings. Our principal competitors in these categories are manufacturers, as well as retailers with their own branded and private label products. We compete based on product innovation, price, product quality, nutritional value, service, taste, convenience, brand recognition and loyalty, effectiveness of marketing and distribution, promotional activity, and the ability to identify and satisfy changing consumer preferences.

We may need to reduce our prices in response to competitive and customer pressures, including pressures in relation to private label products that are generally sold at lower prices. These pressures have restricted and may in the future continue to restrict our ability to increase prices in response to commodity and other cost increases. Failure to effectively assess, timely change and set proper pricing, promotions, or trade incentives may negatively impact the achievement of our objectives.

The rapid emergence of new distribution channels, particularly e-commerce, may create consumer price deflation, affecting our retail customer relationships and presenting additional challenges to increasing prices in response to commodity or other cost increases. We may also need to increase or reallocate spending on marketing, retail trade incentives, materials, advertising, and new product or channel innovation to maintain or increase market share. These expenditures are subject to risks, including uncertainties about trade and consumer acceptance of our efforts. If we are unable to compete effectively, our profitability, financial condition, and operating results may decline.

Our success depends on our ability to correctly predict, identify, and interpret changes in consumer preferences and demand, to offer new products to meet those changes, and to respond to competitive innovation.

Consumer preferences for food and beverage products change continually and rapidly. Our success depends on our ability to predict, identify, and interpret the tastes and dietary habits of consumers and to offer products that appeal to consumer preferences, including with respect to health and wellness. If we do not offer products that appeal to consumers, our sales and market share will decrease, which could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

We must distinguish between short-term trends and long-term changes in consumer preferences. If we do not accurately predict which shifts in consumer preferences will be long-term, or if we fail to introduce new and improved products to satisfy those preferences, our sales could decline. In addition, because of our varied consumer base, we must offer an array of products that satisfy a broad spectrum of consumer preferences. If we fail to expand our product offerings successfully across product categories, or if we do not rapidly develop products in faster-growing or more profitable categories, demand for our products could decrease, which could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

Prolonged negative perceptions concerning the health implications of certain food and beverage products (including as they relate to obesity or other health concerns) could influence consumer preferences and acceptance of some of our products and marketing programs. We strive to respond to consumer preferences and social expectations, but we may not be successful in our efforts. Continued negative perceptions and failure to satisfy consumer preferences could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

In addition, achieving growth depends on our successful development, introduction, and marketing of innovative new products and line extensions. There are inherent risks associated with new product or packaging introductions, including uncertainties about trade and consumer acceptance or potential impacts on our existing product offerings. We may be required to increase expenditures for new product development. Successful innovation depends on our ability to correctly anticipate customer and consumer acceptance, to obtain, protect, and maintain necessary intellectual property rights, and to avoid infringing upon the intellectual property rights of others. We must also be able to respond successfully to technological advances by and intellectual property rights of our competitors, and failure to do so could compromise our competitive position and impact our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

Changes in the retail landscape or the loss of key retail customers could adversely affect our financial performance.

Retail customers, such as supermarkets, warehouse clubs, and food distributors in our major markets, may continue to consolidate, resulting in fewer but larger customers for our business across various channels. Consolidation also produces larger retail customers that may seek to leverage their positions to improve their profitability by demanding improved efficiency, lower pricing, more favorable terms, increased promotional programs, or specifically-tailored product offerings. In addition, larger retailers have scale to develop supply chains that permit them to operate with reduced inventories or to develop and market their own private label products. Retail consolidation and increasing retailer power could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

Retail consolidation also increases the risk that adverse changes in our customers’ business operations or financial performance may have a corresponding material and adverse effect on us. For example, if our customers cannot access sufficient funds or financing, then they may delay, decrease, or cancel purchases of our products, or delay or fail to pay us for previous purchases, which could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

In addition, technology-based systems, which give consumers the ability to shop through e-commerce websites and mobile commerce applications, are also significantly altering the retail landscape in many of our markets. If we are unable to adjust to developments in these changing landscapes, we may be disadvantaged in key channels and with certain consumers, which could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

Changes in our relationships with significant customers, suppliers, or other business relationships could adversely impact us.

We derive significant portions of our sales from certain significant customers (see Sales and Customers within Item 1, Business). There can be no assurance that all of our significant customers will continue to purchase our products in the same mix or quantities or on the same terms as in the past, particularly as increasingly powerful retailers may demand lower pricing and focus on developing their own brands. The loss of a significant customer or a material reduction in sales or a change in the mix of products we sell to a significant customer could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

Disputes with significant suppliers, including disputes related to pricing or performance, could adversely affect our ability to supply products to our customers and could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results. In addition, terminations of relationships with other significant contractual counterparties, including licensors, could adversely affect our portfolio, product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

In addition, the financial condition of such customers, suppliers, and other significant contractual counterparties are affected in large part by conditions and events that are beyond our control. Significant deteriorations in the financial conditions of significant customers, suppliers, and other business relationships could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

Maintaining, extending, and expanding our reputation and brand image are essential to our business success.

We have many iconic brands with long-standing consumer recognition across the globe. Our success depends on our ability to maintain brand image for our existing products, extend our brands to new platforms, and expand our brand image with new product offerings.

We seek to maintain, extend, and expand our brand image through marketing investments, including advertising and consumer promotions, and product innovation. Negative perceptions on the role of food and beverage marketing could adversely affect our brand image or lead to stricter regulations and scrutiny of marketing practices. Moreover, adverse publicity about legal or regulatory action against us, our quality and safety, our environmental or social impacts, our products becoming unavailable to consumers, or our suppliers and, in some cases, our competitors, could damage our reputation and brand image, undermine our customers’ confidence, and reduce demand for our products, even if the regulatory or legal action is unfounded or not material to our operations. Furthermore, existing or increased legal or regulatory restrictions on our advertising, consumer promotions, and marketing, or our response to those restrictions, could limit our efforts to maintain, extend, and expand our brands.

In addition, our success in maintaining, extending, and expanding our brand image depends on our ability to adapt to a rapidly changing media environment. We increasingly rely on social media and online dissemination of advertising campaigns. The growing use of social and digital media increases the speed and extent that information, including misinformation, and opinions can be shared. Negative posts or comments about us, our brands or our products, or our suppliers and, in some cases, our competitors, on social or digital media, whether or not valid, could seriously damage our brands and reputation. In addition, we might fail to appropriately target our marketing efforts, anticipate consumer preferences, or invest sufficiently in maintaining, extending, and expanding our brand image. If we do not maintain, extend, and expand our reputation or brand image, then our product sales, financial condition, and operating results could be materially and adversely affected.

We must leverage our brand value to compete against private label products.

In nearly all of our product categories, we compete with branded products as well as private label products, which are typically sold at lower prices. Our products must provide higher value and/or quality to our consumers than alternatives, particularly during periods of economic uncertainty. Consumers may not buy our products if relative differences in value and/or quality between our products and private label products change in favor of competitors’ products or if consumers perceive this type of change. If consumers prefer private label products, then we could lose market share or sales volumes or shift our product mix to lower margin offerings. A change in consumer preferences could also cause us to increase capital, marketing, and other expenditures, which could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

We may be unable to drive revenue growth in our key product categories, increase our market share, or add products that are in faster-growing and more profitable categories.

Our future results will depend on our ability to drive revenue growth in our key product categories and growth in the food and beverage industry in the countries in which we operate. Our future results will also depend on our ability to enhance our portfolio by adding innovative new products in faster-growing and more profitable categories and our ability to increase market share in our existing product categories. Our failure to drive revenue growth, limit market share decreases in our key product categories, or develop innovative products for new and existing categories could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

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

Selling products for human consumption involves inherent legal and other risks, including product contamination, spoilage, product tampering, allergens, or other adulteration. We have decided and could in the future decide to, and have been or could in the future be required to, recall products due to suspected or confirmed product contamination, adulteration, product mislabeling or misbranding, tampering, undeclared allergens, or other deficiencies. Product recalls or market withdrawals could result in significant losses due to their costs, the destruction of product inventory, and lost sales due to the unavailability of the product for a period of time.

We could be adversely affected if consumers lose confidence in the safety and quality of certain food products or ingredients, or the food safety system generally. Adverse attention about these types of concerns, whether or not valid, may damage our reputation, discourage consumers from buying our products, or cause production and delivery disruptions that could negatively impact our net sales and financial condition.

We may also suffer losses if our products or operations violate applicable laws or regulations, or if our products cause injury, illness, or death. In addition, our marketing could face claims of false or deceptive advertising or other criticism. A significant product liability or other legal judgment or a related regulatory enforcement action against us, or a significant product recall, may materially and adversely affect our reputation and profitability. Moreover, even if a product liability or fraud claim is unsuccessful, has no merit, or is not pursued, the negative publicity surrounding assertions against our products or processes could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

Unanticipated business disruptions could adversely affect our ability to provide our products to our customers.

We have a complex network of suppliers, owned and leased manufacturing locations, co-manufacturing locations, distribution networks, and information systems that support our ability to consistently provide our products to our customers. Factors that are hard to predict or beyond our control, such as weather, raw material shortages, natural disasters, fires or explosions, political unrest, terrorism, generalized labor unrest, or health pandemics, could damage or disrupt our operations or our suppliers’, co-manufacturers’ or distributors’ operations. These disruptions may require additional resources to restore our supply chain or distribution network. If we cannot respond to disruptions in our operations, whether by finding alternative suppliers or replacing capacity at key manufacturing or distribution locations, or if we are unable to quickly repair damage to our information, production, or supply systems, we may be late in delivering, or be unable to deliver, products to our customers and may also be unable to track orders, inventory, receivables, and payables. If that occurs, our customers’ confidence in us and long-term demand for our products could decline. Any of these events could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

Business Risks

We may not successfully identify, complete, or realize the benefits from strategic acquisitions, alliances, divestitures, joint ventures, or other investments.

From time to time, we have evaluated and may continue to evaluate acquisition candidates, alliances, joint ventures, or other investments that may strategically fit our business objectives, and we have divested and may consider divesting businesses that do not meet our strategic objectives or growth or profitability targets. These activities may present financial, managerial, and operational risks including, but not limited to, diversion of management’s attention from existing core businesses, difficulties integrating or separating personnel and financial and other systems, inability to effectively and immediately implement control environment processes across a diverse employee population, adverse effects on existing or acquired customer and supplier business relationships, and potential disputes with buyers, sellers, or partners. Activities in such areas are regulated by numerous antitrust and competition laws in the United States, Canada, the European Union, and other jurisdictions, and we may be required to obtain the approval of these transactions by competition authorities, as well as to satisfy other legal requirements.

To the extent we undertake acquisitions, alliances, joint ventures, investments, or other developments outside our core regions or in new categories, we may face additional risks related to such developments. For example, risks related to foreign operations include compliance with U.S. laws affecting operations outside of the United States, such as the FCPA, currency rate fluctuations, compliance with foreign regulations and laws, including tax laws, and exposure to politically and economically volatile developing markets. Any of these factors could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

We may be unable to realize the anticipated benefits from prior or future streamlining actions to reduce fixed costs, simplify or improve processes, and improve our competitiveness.

We have implemented a number of cost savings initiatives, including our Integration Program (as defined in Overview, in Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations), that we believe are important to position our business for future success and growth. We have evaluated and continue to evaluate changes to our organizational structure to enable us to reduce costs, simplify or improve processes, and improve our competitiveness. Our future success may depend upon our ability to realize the benefits of these or other cost savings initiatives. In addition, certain of our initiatives may lead to increased costs in other aspects of our business such as increased conversion, outsourcing, or distribution costs. We must accurately predict costs and be efficient in executing any plans to achieve cost savings and operate efficiently in the highly competitive food and beverage industry, particularly in an environment of increased competitive activity. To capitalize on our efforts, we must carefully evaluate investments in our business, and execute in those areas with the most potential return on investment. If we are unable to realize the anticipated benefits from any cost-saving efforts, we could be cost disadvantaged in the marketplace, and our competitiveness, production, profitability, financial conditions, and operating results could be adversely affected.

We may not be able to successfully execute our strategic initiatives.

We plan to continue to conduct strategic initiatives in various markets. Consumer demands, behaviors, tastes and purchasing trends may differ in these markets and, as a result, our sales may not be successful or meet expectations, or the margins on those sales may be less than currently anticipated. We may also face difficulties integrating new business operations with our current sourcing, distribution, information technology systems, and other operations. Any of these challenges could hinder our success in new markets or new distribution channels. We may also face difficulties divesting business operations with minimal impact to the retained businesses. There can be no assurance that we will successfully complete any planned strategic initiatives, that any new business will be profitable or meet our expectations, or that any divestiture will be completed without disruption, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

Our international operations subject us to additional risks and costs and may cause our profitability to decline.

We are a global company with sales and operations in numerous countries within developed and emerging markets. Approximately 31% of our 2018 net sales were generated outside of the United States. As a result, we are subject to risks inherent in global operations. These risks, which can vary substantially by market, are described in many of the risk factors discussed in this section and also include:

•	compliance with U.S. laws affecting operations outside of the United States, including anti-bribery laws such as the FCPA;

•	changes in the mix of earnings in countries with differing statutory tax rates, changes in the valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities, changes in tax laws or their interpretations, or tax audit implications;

•	the imposition of increased or new tariffs, quotas, trade barriers, or similar restrictions on our sales or imports, trade agreements, regulations, taxes, or policies that might negatively affect our sales or costs;

•	currency devaluations or fluctuations in currency values;

•	compliance with antitrust and competition laws, data privacy laws, and a variety of other local, national, and multi-national regulations and laws in multiple jurisdictions;

•	discriminatory or conflicting fiscal policies in or across foreign jurisdictions;

•	changes in capital controls, including currency exchange controls, government currency policies, or other limits on our ability to import raw materials or finished product into various countries or repatriate cash from outside the United States;

•	challenges associated with cross-border product distribution;

•	changes in local regulations and laws, the uncertainty of enforcement of remedies in foreign jurisdictions, and foreign ownership restrictions and the potential for nationalization or expropriation of property or other resources;

•	risks and costs associated with political and economic instability, corruption, anti-American sentiment, and social and ethnic unrest in the countries in which we operate;

•	the risks of operating in developing or emerging markets in which there are significant uncertainties regarding the interpretation, application, and enforceability of laws and regulations and the enforceability of contract rights and intellectual property rights;

•	risks arising from the significant and rapid fluctuations in currency exchange markets and the decisions made and positions taken to hedge such volatility;

•	changing labor conditions and difficulties in staffing our operations;

•	greater risk of uncollectible accounts and longer collection cycles; and

•	design, implementation, and use of effective control environment processes across our diverse operations and employee base.

In addition, political and economic changes or volatility, geopolitical conflicts, terrorist activity, political unrest, civil strife, acts of war, public corruption, expropriation, and other economic or political uncertainties could interrupt and negatively affect our business operations or customer demand. Slow economic growth or high unemployment in the markets in which we operate could constrain consumer spending, and declining consumer purchasing power could adversely impact our profitability. All of these factors could result in increased costs or decreased sales, and could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and results of operations.

Our performance may be adversely affected by economic and political conditions in the United States and in various other nations where we do business.

Our performance has been in the past and may continue in the future to be impacted by economic and political conditions in the United States and in other nations where we do business. Economic and financial uncertainties in our international markets, including uncertainties surrounding the legal and regulatory effects of Brexit, changes to major international trade arrangements (e.g., the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement), and the imposition of tariffs by certain foreign governments, including China and Canada, in response to the imposition of tariffs or modification of trade relationships by the United States, could negatively impact our operations and sales. Other factors impacting our operations in the United States and in international locations where we do business include export and import restrictions, currency exchange rates, currency devaluation, cash repatriation restrictions, recessionary conditions, foreign ownership restrictions, nationalization, the impact of hyperinflationary environments, terrorist acts, and political unrest. Such factors in either domestic or foreign jurisdictions, and our responses to them, could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results. For further information on Venezuela, see Note 16, Venezuela - Foreign Currency and Inflation, in Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.

We rely on our management team and other key personnel and may be unable to hire or retain key personnel or a highly skilled and diverse global workforce.

We depend on the skills, working relationships, and continued services of key personnel, including our experienced management team. In addition, our ability to achieve our operating goals depends on our ability to identify, hire, train, and retain qualified individuals. We compete with other companies both within and outside of our industry for talented personnel, and we may lose key personnel or fail to attract, train, and retain other talented personnel and a diverse global workforce with the skills and in the locations we need to operate and grow our business. Unplanned turnover, failure to attract and develop personnel with key emerging capabilities such as e-commerce and digital marketing skills, or failure to develop adequate succession plans for leadership positions, including the Chief Executive Officer position, could deplete our institutional knowledge base and erode our competitiveness. Changes in immigration laws and policies could also make it more difficult for us to recruit or relocate skilled employees. Any such loss, failure, or limitation could adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

We are significantly dependent on information technology, and we may be unable to protect our information systems against service interruption, misappropriation of data, or breaches of security.

We rely on information technology networks and systems, including the Internet, to process, transmit, and store electronic and financial information, to manage a variety of business processes and activities, and to comply with regulatory, legal, and tax requirements. We also depend on our information technology infrastructure for digital marketing activities and for electronic communications among our locations, personnel, customers, and suppliers. These information technology systems, some of which are managed by third parties, may be susceptible to damage, invasions, disruptions, or shutdowns due to hardware failures, computer viruses, hacker attacks and other cybersecurity risks, telecommunication failures, user errors, catastrophic events or other factors. If our information technology systems suffer severe damage, disruption, or shutdown, by unintentional or malicious actions of employees and contractors or by cyber-attacks, and our business continuity plans do not effectively resolve the issues in a timely manner, we could experience business disruptions, reputational damage, transaction errors, processing inefficiencies, the leakage of confidential information, and the loss of customers and sales, causing our product sales, financial condition, and operating results to be adversely affected and the reporting of our financial results to be delayed.

In addition, if we are unable to prevent security breaches or disclosure of non-public information, we may suffer financial and reputational damage, litigation or remediation costs, fines, or penalties because of the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information belonging to us or to our partners, customers, consumers, or suppliers.

Misuse, leakage, or falsification of information could result in violations of data privacy laws and regulations, damage to our reputation and credibility, loss of opportunities to acquire or divest of businesses or brands, and loss of ability to commercialize products developed through research and development efforts and, therefore, could have a negative impact on net sales. In addition, we may suffer financial and reputational damage because of lost or misappropriated confidential information belonging to us, our current or former employees, or to our suppliers or consumers, and may become subject to legal action and increased regulatory oversight. We could also be required to spend significant financial and other resources to remedy the damage caused by a security breach or to repair or replace networks and information systems.

Our results of operations could be affected by natural events in the locations in which we or our customers, suppliers, distributors, or regulators operate.

We have been and may in the future be impacted by severe weather and other geological events, including hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, or tsunamis that could disrupt our operations or the operations of our customers, suppliers, distributors, or regulators. Natural disasters or other disruptions at any of our facilities or our suppliers’ or distributors’ facilities may impair or delay the delivery of our products. Influenza or other pandemics could disrupt production of our products, reduce demand for certain of our products, or disrupt the marketplace in the foodservice or retail environment with consequent material adverse effects on our results of operations. While we insure against many of these events and certain business interruption risks and have policies and procedures to manage business continuity planning, we cannot provide any assurance that such insurance will compensate us for any losses incurred as a result of natural or other disasters or that our business continuity plans will effectively resolve the issues in a timely manner. To the extent we are unable to, or cannot, financially mitigate the likelihood or potential impact of such events, or effectively manage such events if they occur, particularly when a product is sourced from a single location, there could be a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations, and additional resources could be required to restore our supply chain.

The Sponsors have substantial control over us and may have conflicts of interest with us in the future.

As of December 29, 2018, the Sponsors own approximately 49% of our common stock. Four of our current 11 directors had been directors of Heinz prior to the closing of the 2015 Merger and remained directors of Kraft Heinz pursuant to the merger agreement. In addition, the Board elected Joao M. Castro-Neves, a partner of 3G Capital, one of the Sponsors, effective June 12, 2019. Furthermore, some of our executive officers, including Bernardo Hees, our Chief Executive Officer, are partners of 3G Capital. As a result, the Sponsors have the potential to exercise influence over management and have substantial control over decisions of our Board of Directors as well as over any action requiring the approval of the holders of our common stock, including adopting any amendments to our charter, electing directors, and approving mergers or sales of substantially all of our capital stock or our assets. In addition, to the extent that the Sponsors were to collectively hold a majority of our common stock, they together would have the power to take shareholder action by written consent to adopt amendments to our charter or take other actions, such as corporate transactions, that require the vote of holders of a majority of our outstanding common stock. The directors designated by the Sponsors may have significant authority to effect decisions affecting our capital structure, including the issuance of additional capital stock, the incurrence of additional indebtedness, the implementation of stock repurchase programs, and the decision of whether to declare dividends and the amount of any such dividends. Additionally, the Sponsors are in the business of making investments in companies and may from time to time acquire and hold interests in businesses that compete directly or indirectly with us. The Sponsors may also pursue acquisition opportunities that may be complementary to our business, and, as a result, those acquisition opportunities may not be available to us. So long as the Sponsors continue to own a significant amount of our equity, they will continue to be able to strongly influence or effectively control our decisions.

Financial Risks

Our level of indebtedness, as well as our failure to comply with covenants under our debt instruments, could adversely affect our business and financial condition.

We have a substantial amount of indebtedness, and are permitted to incur a substantial amount of additional indebtedness, including secured debt. Our existing debt, together with any incurrence of additional indebtedness, could have important consequences, including, but not limited to:

•	increasing our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions;

•	limiting our ability to obtain additional financing for working capital, capital expenditures, research and development, debt service requirements, acquisitions, and general corporate or other purposes;

•	resulting in a downgrade to our credit rating, which could adversely affect our cost of funds, including our commercial paper programs; liquidity; and access to capital markets;

•	restricting us from making strategic acquisitions or causing us to make non-strategic divestitures;

•	limiting our ability to adjust to changing market conditions and place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors who are not as highly leveraged;

•	making it more difficult for us to make payments on our existing indebtedness;

•	requiring a substantial portion of cash flows from operations to be dedicated to the payment of principal and interest on our indebtedness, thereby reducing our ability to use our cash flow to fund our operations, payments of dividends, capital expenditures, and future business opportunities;

•	exposing us to risks related to fluctuations in foreign currency, as we earn profits in a variety of currencies around the world and substantially all of our debt is denominated in U.S. dollars; and

•	in the case of any additional indebtedness, exacerbating the risks associated with our substantial financial leverage.

In addition, there can be no assurance that we will generate sufficient cash flow from operations or that future debt or equity financings will be available to us to enable us to pay our indebtedness or to fund other needs. As a result, we may need to refinance all or a portion of our indebtedness on or before maturity. There is no assurance that we will be able to refinance any of our indebtedness on favorable terms, or at all. Any inability to generate sufficient cash flow or to refinance our indebtedness on favorable terms could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition.

Our indebtedness instruments contain customary representations, warranties and covenants, including a financial covenant in our senior unsecured revolving credit facility (the “Senior Credit Facility”) to maintain a minimum shareholders’ equity (excluding accumulated other comprehensive income/(losses)). The creditors who hold our debt could accelerate amounts due in the event that we default, which could potentially trigger a default or acceleration of the maturity of our other debt. If our operating performance declines, or if we are unable to comply with any covenant, such as our ability to timely prepare and file our periodic reports with the SEC, we have needed and may in the future need to obtain waivers from the required creditors under our indebtedness instruments to avoid being in default.

During the period from December 29, 2018 to the filing date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, due to the delays in the preparation of our financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2018 and the fiscal quarter ended March 30, 2019, we were not in compliance with certain reporting covenants under the Senior Credit Facility. As previously disclosed, we entered into two waiver agreements with respect to the Senior Credit Facility, pursuant to which the lenders, as party to the Senior Credit Facility, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, granted temporary waivers of compliance by us with respect to the requirement to furnish the lenders a copy of the consolidated financial statements for our fiscal year ended December 29, 2018 no later than June 28, 2019 and for our fiscal quarter ended March 30, 2019 no later than July 31, 2019. The filing of this Annual Report on Form 10-K will constitute compliance with the requirement to furnish the lenders a copy of the consolidated financial statements for our fiscal year ended December 29, 2018 no later than June 28, 2019. We also currently expect to file our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 30, 2019 on or before July 31, 2019 in compliance with the requirement to furnish the lenders a copy of the consolidated financial statements for such quarter no later than July 31, 2019. For further information related to the two waiver agreements, see Liquidity and Capital Resources in Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

However, we may not be able to secure similar waivers for any future delays in our periodic reports with the SEC. Furthermore, if we breach any covenants under our indebtedness instruments and seek a waiver, we may not be able to obtain a waiver from the required creditors, or we may not be able to remedy compliance within the terms of any waivers approved by the required creditors. If this occurs, we would be in default under our indebtedness instruments and unable to access our Senior Credit Facility. In addition, certain creditors could exercise their rights, as described above, and we could be forced into bankruptcy or liquidation.

Additional impairments of the carrying amounts of goodwill or other indefinite-lived intangible assets could negatively affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Our goodwill balance consists of 20 reporting units, and our indefinite-lived intangible asset balance primarily consists of a number of individual brands. We test our reporting units and brands for impairment annually as of the first day of our second quarter, or more frequently if events or circumstances indicate it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit or brand is less than its carrying amount. Such events and circumstances could include a sustained decrease in our market capitalization, increased competition or unexpected loss of market share, increased input costs beyond projections (for example due to regulatory or industry changes), disposals of significant brands or components of our business, unexpected business disruptions (for example due to a natural disaster or loss of a customer, supplier, or other significant business relationship), unexpected significant declines in operating results, or significant adverse changes in the markets in which we operate. We test reporting units for impairment by comparing the estimated fair value of each reporting unit with its carrying amount. We test brands for impairment by comparing the estimated fair value of each brand with its carrying amount. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit or brand exceeds its estimated fair value, we record an impairment loss based on the difference between fair value and carrying amount, in the case of reporting units, not to exceed to the associated carrying amount of goodwill.

As detailed in Note 10, Goodwill and Intangible Assets, in Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, as a result of our 2018 annual impairment test in the second quarter of 2018, we recognized a goodwill impairment loss of $133 million and an indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment loss of $101 million. Additionally, as part of our interim impairment test in the third quarter of 2018, we recognized an indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment loss of $215 million and a definite-lived intangible asset impairment loss of $3 million.

For the fourth quarter of 2018, in connection with the preparation of our year-end financial statements, we assessed the changes in circumstances that occurred during the quarter to determine if it was more likely than not that the fair values of any reporting units or brands were below their carrying amounts. Although our annual impairment test is performed during the second quarter, we perform this qualitative assessment each interim reporting period.

While there was no single determinative event or factor, the consideration in totality of several factors that developed during the fourth quarter of 2018 led us to conclude that it was more likely than not that the fair values of certain reporting units and brands were below their carrying amounts. These factors included: (i) a sustained decrease in our share price in November and December of 2018, which reduced our market capitalization below the book value of net assets; (ii) the completion of our fourth quarter results, which were below management’s expectations due to several factors such as higher than expected supply chain costs and increased competition; (iii) the development and approval of our 2019 annual operating plan in December 2018, which provided additional insights into expectations and priorities for the coming years, such as lower growth and margin expectations; (iv) the announcement in November 2018 to sell certain assets in our natural cheese portfolio in Canada, which changed the composition and use of the remaining assets and brands in the associated reporting unit; (v) fluctuations in foreign exchange rates in certain countries; (vi) increased interest rates in certain locations, including an increase in the United States in December 2018; and (vii) increased and prolonged economic and regulatory uncertainty in the United States and global economies as of the end of December 2018.

Accordingly, we performed an interim impairment test on these reporting units and brands as of December 29, 2018. As a result of our interim impairment test, we recognized goodwill impairment losses of $6.9 billion and indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment losses of $8.6 billion in the fourth quarter of 2018.

Fair value determinations require considerable judgment and are sensitive to changes in underlying assumptions, estimates, and market factors. Estimating the fair value of individual reporting units and brands requires us to make assumptions and estimates regarding our future plans, as well as industry, economic, and regulatory conditions. These assumptions and estimates include estimated future annual net cash flows, income tax considerations, discount rates, growth rates, royalty rates, contributory asset charges, and other market factors. If current expectations of future growth rates and margins are not met, if market factors outside of our control, such as discount rates, change, or if management’s expectations or plans otherwise change, including as a result of the development of our global five-year operating plan, then one or more of our reporting units or brands might become impaired in the future. As detailed in Note 10, Goodwill and Intangible Assets, in Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, we recorded impairment losses totaling $15.9 billion for the year ended December 29, 2018. Our reporting units and brands that were impaired in 2018 were written down to their respective fair values resulting in zero excess fair value over carrying amount as of their latest 2018 impairment testing dates. Accordingly, these and other individual reporting units and brands that have 20% or less excess fair value over carrying amount as of their latest testing date have a heightened risk of future impairments if any assumptions, estimates, or market factors change in the future. Reporting units with a heightened risk of future impairments had an aggregate goodwill carrying amount of $29.0 billion at December 29, 2018 and included: U.S. Grocery, U.S. Refrigerated, Canada Retail, Latin America Exports, Southeast Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and Northeast Asia. Of the $29.0 billion with a heightened risk of future impairments, $9.3 billion is attributable to reporting units with 0% excess fair value over carrying amount. Brands with a heightened risk of future impairments had an aggregate carrying amount of $29.3 billion at December 29, 2018 and included: Kraft, Philadelphia, Oscar Mayer, Velveeta, Miracle Whip, Planters, A1, Cool Whip, Stove Top, ABC, and Quero. Of the $29.3 billion with a heightened risk of future impairments, $24.0 billion is attributable to brands with 0% excess fair value over carrying amount. Although the remaining reporting units and brands have more than 20% excess fair value over carrying amount as of their latest 2018 impairment testing date, these amounts are also associated with the 2013 Heinz acquisition and the 2015 Merger and are recorded on the balance sheet at their estimated acquisition date fair values. Therefore, if any assumptions, estimates, or market factors change in the future, these amounts are also susceptible to impairments, which could negatively affect our operating results or net worth.

Our net sales and net income may be exposed to foreign exchange rate fluctuations.

We derive a substantial portion of our net sales from international operations. We hold assets and incur liabilities, earn revenue, and pay expenses in a variety of currencies other than the U.S. dollar, primarily the British pound sterling, euro, Australian dollar, Canadian dollar, New Zealand dollar, Brazilian real, Indonesian rupiah, Chinese renminbi, and Indian rupee. Since our consolidated financial statements are reported in U.S. dollars, fluctuations in exchange rates from period to period will have an impact on our reported results. We have implemented currency hedges intended to reduce our exposure to changes in foreign currency exchange rates. However, these hedging strategies may not be successful, and any of our unhedged foreign exchange exposures will continue to be subject to market fluctuations. In addition, in certain circumstances, we may incur costs in one currency related to services or products for which we are paid in a different currency. As a result, factors associated with international operations, including changes in foreign currency exchange rates, could significantly affect our results of operations and financial condition.

Commodity, energy, and other input prices are volatile and could negatively affect our consolidated operating results.

We purchase and use large quantities of commodities, including dairy products, meat products, coffee beans, nuts, tomatoes, potatoes, soybean and vegetable oils, sugar and other sweeteners, corn products, wheat products, cucumbers, onions, other fruits and vegetables, spices, and flour to manufacture our products. In addition, we purchase and use significant quantities of resins, metals, cardboard, glass, plastic, paper, fiberboard, and other materials to package our products, and we use other inputs, such as natural gas and water, to operate our facilities. We are also exposed to changes in oil prices, which influence both our packaging and transportation costs. Prices for commodities, energy, and other supplies are volatile and can fluctuate due to conditions that are difficult to predict, including global competition for resources, currency fluctuations, severe weather or global climate change, crop failures, or shortages due to plant disease or insect and other pest infestation, consumer, industrial, or investment demand, and changes in governmental regulation and trade, tariffs, alternative energy, including increased demand for biofuels, and agricultural programs. Additionally, we may be unable to maintain favorable arrangements with respect to the costs of procuring raw materials, packaging, services, and transporting products, which could result in increased expenses and negatively affect our operations. Furthermore, the cost of raw materials and finished products may fluctuate due to movements in cross-currency transaction rates. Rising commodity, energy, and other input costs could materially and adversely affect our cost of operations, including the manufacture, transportation, and distribution of our products, which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and operating results.

Although we monitor our exposure to commodity prices as an integral part of our overall risk management program, and seek to hedge against input price increases to the extent we deem appropriate, we do not fully hedge against changes in commodity prices, and our hedging strategies may not protect us from increases in specific raw materials costs. For example, hedging our costs for one of our key commodities, dairy products, is difficult because dairy futures markets are not as developed as many other commodities futures markets. Continued volatility or sustained increases in the prices of commodities and other supplies we purchase could increase the costs of our products, and our profitability could suffer. Moreover, increases in the prices of our products to cover these increased costs may result in lower sales volumes, or we may be constrained from increasing the prices of our products by competitive and consumer pressures. If we are not successful in our hedging activities, or if we are unable to price our products to cover increased costs, then commodity and other input price volatility or increases could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and operating results.

Volatility in the market value of all or a portion of the derivatives we use to manage exposures to fluctuations in commodity prices may cause volatility in our gross profit and net income.

We use commodity futures, options, and swaps to economically hedge the price of certain input costs, including dairy products, meat products, coffee beans, sugar, vegetable oils, wheat products, corn products, cocoa products, packaging products, diesel fuel, and natural gas. We recognize gains and losses based on changes in the values of these commodity derivatives. We recognize these gains and losses in cost of products sold in our consolidated statements of income to the extent we utilize the underlying input in our manufacturing process. We recognize these gains and losses in general corporate expenses in our segment operating results until we sell the underlying products, at which time we reclassify the gains and losses to segment operating results. Accordingly, changes in the values of our commodity derivatives may cause volatility in our gross profit and net income.

Our results could be adversely impacted as a result of increased pension, labor, and people-related expenses.

Inflationary pressures and any shortages in the labor market could increase labor costs, which could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated operating results or financial condition. Our labor costs include the cost of providing employee benefits in the United States, Canada, and other foreign jurisdictions, including pension, health and welfare, and severance benefits. Any declines in market returns could adversely impact the funding of pension plans, the assets of which are invested in a diversified portfolio of equity and fixed-income securities and other investments. Additionally, the annual costs of benefits vary with increased costs of health care and the outcome of collectively-bargained wage and benefit agreements.

Furthermore, we may be subject to increased costs or experience adverse effects to our operating results if we are unable to renew collectively bargained agreements on satisfactory terms. Our financial condition and ability to meet the needs of our customers could be materially and adversely affected if strikes or work stoppages and interruptions occur as a result of delayed negotiations with union-represented employees both in and outside of the United States.

Regulatory Risks

Compliance with laws, regulations, and related interpretations and related legal claims or other regulatory enforcement actions could impact our business, and we face additional risks and uncertainties related to any potential actions resulting from the SEC’s ongoing investigation, as well as potential additional subpoenas, litigation, and regulatory proceedings.

As a large, global food and beverage company, we operate in a highly-regulated environment with constantly-evolving legal and regulatory frameworks. Various laws and regulations govern production, storage, distribution, sales, advertising, labeling, including on-pack claims, information or disclosures, marketing, licensing, trade, labor, tax, environmental matters, privacy, as well as health and safety and data protection practices. Government authorities regularly change laws and regulations and their interpretations. In particular, Brexit could result in a new regulatory regime in the United Kingdom that may or may not follow that of the European Union, and the creation of new and divergent laws and regulations could increase the cost and complexity of our compliance. In addition, this shift in regime could create a number of legal and accounting complexities with respect to existing relationships, including uncertainty regarding the continuity of contracts entered into by entities in the United Kingdom or the European Union. Our compliance with new or revised laws and regulations, or the interpretation and application of existing laws and regulations, could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and results of operations. As a consequence of the legal and regulatory environment in which we operate, we are faced with a heightened risk of legal claims and regulatory enforcement actions.

As previously disclosed on February 21, 2019, we received a subpoena in October 2018 from the SEC related to our procurement area, specifically the accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls related to our procurement function, including, but not limited to, agreements, side agreements, and changes or modifications to agreements with our suppliers. Following the receipt of this subpoena, we, together with external counsel and forensic accountants, and subsequently, under the oversight of the Audit Committee, conducted an internal investigation into our procurement area and related matters. Following our earnings release and investor call on February 21, 2019, when we announced the results of our interim assessment of goodwill and intangible asset impairments, the SEC requested additional information related to our financial reporting, internal controls, and disclosures, our assessment of goodwill and intangible asset impairments, and our communications with certain shareholders. It is our understanding that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois also is reviewing this matter, working with the SEC and receiving materials from it. After our earnings release, four securities class action lawsuits, one class action lawsuit under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”), and five stockholder derivative actions were filed against us and certain of our current and former officers, directors, and employees. One of the securities class action lawsuits was voluntarily dismissed without prejudice, while the other matters are still pending.

We intend to vigorously defend against these lawsuits. We are unable, at this time, to estimate our potential liability in these matters, but we may be required to pay judgments, settlements, or other penalties and incur other costs and expenses in connection with the securities and ERISA class action lawsuits and the stockholder derivative actions. See Item 3, Legal Proceedings, and Note 18, Commitment and Contingencies, in Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, for additional information.

Furthermore, if the SEC commences legal action as a result of the investigation, we could be required to pay significant penalties and become subject to injunctions, cease and desist orders, and other equitable remedies. The SEC investigation will not be resolved as a result of the completion of the internal investigation and the filing of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We can provide no assurances as to the outcome or timing of any governmental or regulatory investigation.

We have incurred, and may continue to incur, significant expenses related to legal, accounting, and other professional services in connection with the internal investigation, the SEC investigation, and related legal and regulatory matters. These expenses, the delay in timely filing this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the delay in timely filing our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 30, 2019, and the diversion of the attention of the management team that has occurred, and is expected to continue, has adversely affected, and could continue to adversely affect, our business, financial condition, and cash flows.

As a result of matters associated with the internal investigation related to the SEC investigation and various lawsuits, we are exposed to greater risks associated with litigation, regulatory proceedings, and government enforcement actions and additional subpoenas. Any future investigations or additional lawsuits may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

We identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting. If we are unable to remediate these material weaknesses, or if we experience additional material weaknesses or other deficiencies in the future or otherwise fail to maintain an effective system of internal controls, we may not be able to accurately and timely report our financial results, in which case our business may be harmed, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, and the price of our common stock may decline.

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting and for evaluating and reporting on the effectiveness of our system of internal control. Our internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external reporting purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). As a public company, we are required to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and other rules that govern public companies. In particular, we are required to certify our compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which requires us to furnish annually a report by management on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. In addition, our independent registered public accounting firm is required to report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting.

In connection with our most recent year-end assessment of internal control over financial reporting, we determined that, as of December 29, 2018, we did not maintain effective internal control over financial reporting because of a material weakness in our risk assessment process related to designing and maintaining controls sufficient to appropriately respond to changes in our business environment. This material weakness in risk assessment also contributed to material weaknesses arising from (i) supplier contracts and related arrangements, and (ii) goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment testing, and we have taken and are taking certain remedial steps to improve our internal control over financial reporting. For further discussion of the material weaknesses identified and our remedial efforts, see Item 9A, Controls and Procedures.

Remediation efforts place a significant burden on management and add increased pressure to our financial resources and processes. As a result, we may not be successful in making the improvements necessary to remediate the material weaknesses identified by management, be able to do so in a timely manner, or be able to identify and remediate additional control deficiencies, including material weaknesses, in the future.

If we are unable to successfully remediate our existing or any future material weaknesses or other deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting, the accuracy and timing of our financial reporting may be adversely affected; our liquidity, our access to capital markets, the perceptions of our creditworthiness, and our ability to complete acquisitions may be adversely affected; we may be unable to maintain or regain compliance with applicable securities laws, The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) listing requirements, and the covenants under our debt instruments or derivative arrangements regarding the timely filing of periodic reports; we may be subject to regulatory investigations and penalties; investors may lose confidence in our financial reporting; we may suffer defaults, accelerations, or cross-accelerations under our debt instruments or derivative arrangements to the extent we are unable to obtain waivers from the required creditors or counterparties or are unable to cure any breaches; and our stock price may decline.

Our failure to prepare and timely file our periodic reports with the SEC limits our access to the public markets to raise debt or equity capital, restricts our ability to issue equity securities, including within the Kraft Heinz Savings Plan and the Kraft Heinz Union Savings Plan (collectively, the “Plan”), and could impact our listing on Nasdaq.

We did not file our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 29, 2018 or our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 30, 2019 within each respective timeframe required by the SEC, meaning we have not remained current in our reporting requirements with the SEC. This limits our ability to access the public markets to raise debt or equity capital, which could prevent us from pursuing transactions or implementing business strategies that we might otherwise believe are beneficial to our business. We are not currently eligible to use a registration statement on Form S-3 that would allow us to continuously incorporate by reference our SEC reports into the registration statement, or to use “shelf” registration statements to conduct offerings, until approximately one year from the date we regain and maintain status as a current filer. If we wish to pursue a public offering now, we would be required to file a registration statement on Form S-1 and have it reviewed and declared effective by the SEC. Doing so would likely take significantly longer than using a registration statement on Form S-3 and increase our transaction costs, and the necessity of using a Form S-1 for a public offering of registered securities could, to the extent we are not able to conduct offerings using alternative methods, adversely impact our ability to raise capital or complete acquisitions of other companies in a timely manner.

In addition, as a result of the failure to remain current in our reporting requirements with the SEC, we are not currently eligible to use Form S-8 registration statements. As a result, on April 23, 2019, the administrator of the Plan issued a notice to Plan participants advising participants of a blackout period during which participants are prohibited from acquiring beneficial ownership of additional interests in The Kraft Heinz Company Stock Fund. If we are not able to become and remain current in our reporting requirements with the SEC, it restricts our ability to maintain The Kraft Heinz Company Stock Fund or issue other equity securities to our employees.

As previously disclosed, we also received notices from Nasdaq regarding our noncompliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1), which requires listed companies to timely file all required periodic financial reports with the SEC. We timely submitted our plan to regain compliance, and Nasdaq granted the Company until September 11, 2019 to regain compliance, subject to our compliance with certain terms outlined in the notice received on May 15, 2019, including filing this Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2018 and filing our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 30, 2019, which we expect to file as promptly as practicable following the filing of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. If we are not able to file before September 11, 2019, however, our common stock may be subject to delisting by Nasdaq.

We reached a determination to restate certain of our previously issued consolidated financial statements, which resulted in unanticipated costs and may affect investor confidence and raise reputational issues.

As discussed in the Explanatory Note, in Note 2, Restatement of Previously Issued Consolidated Financial Statements, and in Note 23, Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited), in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we reached a determination to restate our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures for the years ended December 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 and to restate each of the quarterly and year-to-date periods for the nine months ended September 29, 2018 and for fiscal year 2017, following the identification of misstatements as a result of the internal investigation conducted. We do not believe that the misstatements are quantitatively material to any period presented in our prior financial statements. However, due to the qualitative nature of the matters identified in our internal investigation, including the number of years over which the misconduct occurred and the number of transactions, suppliers, and procurement employees involved, we determined that it would be appropriate to correct the misstatements in our previously issued consolidated financial statements by restating such financial statements. The restatement also included corrections for additional identified out-of-period and uncorrected misstatements in the impacted periods. As a result, we have incurred unanticipated costs for accounting and legal fees in connection with or related to the restatement, and have become subject to a number of additional risks and uncertainties, which may affect investor confidence in the accuracy of our financial disclosures and may raise reputational issues for our business.

Our intellectual property rights are valuable, and any inability to protect them could reduce the value of our products and brands.

We consider our intellectual property rights, particularly and most notably our trademarks, but also our patents, trade secrets, trade dress, copyrights, and licensing agreements, to be a significant and valuable aspect of our business. We attempt to protect our intellectual property rights through a combination of patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, and trade dress laws, as well as licensing agreements, third-party nondisclosure and assignment agreements, and policing of third-party misuses of our intellectual property. Our failure to develop or adequately protect our trademarks, products, new features of our products, or our technology, or any change in law or other changes that serve to lessen or remove the current legal protections of our intellectual property, may diminish our competitiveness and could materially harm our business and financial condition. We also license certain intellectual property, most notably trademarks, from third parties. To the extent that we are not able to contract with these third parties on favorable terms or maintain our relationships with these third parties, our rights to use certain intellectual property could be impacted.

We may be unaware of intellectual property rights of others that may cover some of our technology, brands, or products. Any litigation regarding patents or other intellectual property could be costly and time-consuming and could divert the attention of our management and key personnel from our business operations. Third-party claims of intellectual property infringement might also require us to enter into costly license agreements. We also may be subject to significant damages or injunctions against development and sale of certain products.

Changes in tax laws and interpretations could adversely affect our business.

We are subject to income and other taxes in the United States and in numerous foreign jurisdictions. Our domestic and foreign tax liabilities are dependent on the jurisdictions in which profits are determined to be earned and taxed. Additionally, the amount of taxes paid is subject to our interpretation of applicable tax laws in the jurisdictions in which we operate. A number of factors influence our effective tax rate, including changes in tax laws and treaties as well as the interpretation of existing laws and rules. Federal, state, and local governments and administrative bodies within the United States, which represents the majority of our operations, and other foreign jurisdictions have implemented, or are considering, a variety of broad tax, trade, and other regulatory reforms that may impact us. For example, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “U.S. Tax Reform”) enacted on December 22, 2017 resulted in changes in our corporate tax rate, our deferred income taxes, and the taxation of foreign earnings. The comprehensive impact of U.S. Tax Reform is yet to be determined, and future guidance and interpretations may have adverse or uncertain effects. Relatedly, changes in tax laws resulting from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (“OECD”) multi-jurisdictional plan of action to address base erosion and profit sharing (“BEPS”) could impact our effective tax rate. It is not currently possible to accurately determine the potential comprehensive impact of these or future changes, but these changes could have a material impact on our business and financial condition.

Significant judgment, knowledge, and experience are required in determining our worldwide provision for income taxes. Our future effective tax rate is impacted by a number of factors including changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities, changes in geographic mix of income, increases in expenses not deductible for tax, including impairment of goodwill, and changes in available tax credits. In the ordinary course of our business, there are many transactions and calculations where the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. We are also regularly subject to audits by tax authorities. Although we believe our tax estimates are reasonable, the final determination of tax audits and any related litigation could be materially different from our historical income tax provisions and accruals. Economic and political pressures to increase tax revenue in various jurisdictions may make resolving tax disputes more difficult. The results of an audit or litigation could adversely affect our financial statements in the period or periods for which that determination is made.

Registered Securities Risks

Sales of our common stock in the public market could cause volatility in the price of our common stock or cause the share price to fall.

Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market, sales of our common stock by the Sponsors, or the perception that these sales might occur, could depress the market price of our common stock, and could impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities. A sustained depression in the market price of our common stock has happened (in November and December 2018, which was a contributing factor to our decision to perform an interim impairment test for certain reporting units and brands in the fourth quarter of 2018, for which we ultimately recorded impairment losses) and could in the future happen, which could also reduce our market capitalization below the book value of net assets, which could increase the likelihood of recognizing goodwill or indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment losses that could negatively affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Kraft Heinz, 3G Capital, and Berkshire Hathaway entered into a registration rights agreement requiring us to register for resale under the Securities Act all registrable shares held by 3G Capital and Berkshire Hathaway, which represents all shares of our common stock held by the Sponsors as of the date of the closing of the 2015 Merger. As of December 29, 2018, registrable shares represented approximately 49% of all outstanding shares of our common stock. Although the registrable shares are subject to certain holdback and suspension periods, the registrable shares are not subject to a “lock-up” or similar restriction under the registration rights agreement. Accordingly, offers and sales of a large number of registrable shares may be made pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act in accordance with the terms of the registration rights agreement. Sales of our common stock by the Sponsors to other persons would likely result in an increase in the number of shares being traded in the public market and may increase the volatility of the price of our common stock.

Our ability to pay regular dividends to our shareholders and the amounts of any such dividends are subject to the discretion of the Board of Directors and may be limited by our financial condition, debt agreements, or limitations under Delaware law.

Although it is currently anticipated that we will continue to pay regular quarterly dividends, any such determination to pay dividends and the amounts thereof will be at the discretion of the Board of Directors and will be dependent on then-existing conditions, including our financial condition, income, legal requirements, including limitations under Delaware law, debt agreements, and other factors the Board of Directors deems relevant. The Board of Directors has decided, and may in the future decide, in its sole discretion, to change the amount or frequency of dividends or discontinue the payment of dividends entirely. For these reasons, shareholders will not be able to rely on dividends to receive a return on investment. Accordingly, realization of any gain on shares of our common stock may depend on the appreciation of the price of our common stock, which may never occur.

Volatility of capital markets or macroeconomic factors could adversely affect our business.

Changes in financial and capital markets, including market disruptions, limited liquidity, uncertainty regarding Brexit, and interest rate volatility, including as a result of the use or discontinued use of certain benchmark rates such as LIBOR, may increase the cost of financing as well as the risks of refinancing maturing debt. In addition, our borrowing costs can be affected by short and long-term ratings assigned by rating organizations. A decrease in these ratings could limit our access to capital markets and increase our borrowing costs, which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and operating results.

Some of our customers and counterparties are highly leveraged. Consolidations in some of the industries in which our customers operate have created larger customers, some of which are highly leveraged and facing increased competition and continued credit market volatility. These factors have caused some customers to be less profitable, increasing our exposure to credit risk. A significant adverse change in the financial and/or credit position of a customer or counterparty could require us to assume greater credit risk relating to that customer or counterparty and could limit our ability to collect receivables. This could have an adverse impact on our financial condition and liquidity.