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Item 1A. RISK FACTORS

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Item 1A. RISK FACTORS

Important risk factors that apply to us are outlined in Item 1A in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 (the “10-K Report”). In addition to these risk factors, we include the following updates:

Operational Risks

Our operating results are highly dependent upon and fluctuate based upon business and economic conditions and governmental policies affecting the agricultural industry in which we or our customers operate. These factors are outside of our control and may significantly affect our profitability.

The most important of these factors are:

  • weather and field conditions (particularly during periods of traditionally high crop nutrients application);

  • quantities of crop nutrients imported and exported;

  • current and projected inventories and prices, which are heavily influenced by U.S. exports and world-wide markets; and

  • governmental policies, including farm and biofuel policies, which may directly or indirectly influence the number of acres planted, the level of inventories, the mix of crops planted or crop prices or otherwise negatively affect our operating results.

International market conditions and the success of our countervailing duty petitions, which are also outside of our control, may also significantly influence our operating results. The international market for crop nutrients is influenced by such factors as the relative value of the U.S. dollar and its impact upon the cost of importing crop nutrients, foreign agricultural policies, including subsidy policies, the existence of, or changes in, import or foreign currency exchange barriers in certain foreign markets, changes in the hard currency demands of certain countries and other regulatory policies of foreign governments, as well as the laws and policies of the U.S. affecting foreign trade and investment, including use of tariffs. In April 2021, the U.S. Department of Commerce (“DOC”) issued countervailing duty (“CVD”) orders on imports of phosphate fertilizers from Morocco and Russia, in response to petitions filed by Mosaic. The purpose of the petitions was to remedy the injury to the U.S. phosphate fertilizer industry caused by imports that benefit from unfair foreign subsidies, and thereby restore fair competition. CVD orders normally stay in place for at least five years, with possible extensions. Moroccan and Russian producers have initiated actions at the U.S. Court of International Trade (“CIT”) seeking to overturn the orders. Mosaic has also made claims contesting certain aspects of DOC’s final determinations that, we believe, failed to capture the full extent of Moroccan and Russian subsidies. These litigation challenges remain underway. Most recently, in July and September 2023, the CIT issued three remand rulings – one addressing DOC’s determination in the CVD investigation of phosphate fertilizers from Russia, one addressing DOC’s determination in the CVD investigation of phosphate fertilizers from Morocco, and one addressing the U.S. International Trade Commission’s determination in antidumping and countervailing duty investigations of phosphate fertilizers from Russia and Morocco – instructing the agencies to reconsider certain aspects of the rulings that were the basis for issuing the CVD orders.

When a CVD order is in place, DOC normally conducts annual administrative reviews, which establish a final CVD assessment rate for past imports during a defined period, and a CVD cash deposit rate for future imports. In November 2023, DOC announced the final results of the first administrative reviews for the CVD orders on phosphate fertilizers for Russia and Morocco, covering the period November 30, 2020 to December 31, 2021. DOC calculated new subsidy rates of 2.12% for Moroccan producer OCP and 28.50% for Russian producer PhosAgro. These determinations are subject to appeal to the CIT. DOC is also conducting administrative reviews covering the period January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022. The applicable final CVD assessment rates and cash deposit rates for imports of phosphate fertilizer from Morocco and Russia could change as a result of these various proceedings and potential associated appeals, whether in federal courts or at the World Trade Organization. A reversal of, or change in, the ITC's or DOC's prior determination in the CVD investigations could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition or operating results.

ITEM 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS

Pursuant to our employee stock plans relating to the grant of employee stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock unit awards and other equity-based awards, we have granted and may in the future grant employee stock options to purchase shares of our Common Stock for which the purchase price may be paid by means of delivery to us by the optionee of shares of our Common Stock that are already owned by the optionee (at a value equal to market value on the date of the option exercise).

Table of Contents

During the periods covered by this report, no options to purchase shares of our Common Stock were exercised for which the purchase price was so paid.

Issuer Repurchases of Equity Securities**(a)**

The following table sets forth information with respect to shares of our Common Stock that we purchased under the repurchase programs during the quarter ended September 30, 2023:

PeriodTotal number of shares purchasedAverage price paid per shareTotal number of shares purchased as part of a publicly announced programMaximum approximate dollar value of shares that may yet be purchased under the program**(b)**
Common Stock
July 1, 2023- July 31, 2023—$——$1,467,818,178
August 1, 2023- August 31, 2023218,00038.93218,0001,459,330,893
September 1, 2023- September 30, 20233,730,78337.933,730,7831,317,818,221
Total3,948,783$37.993,948,783$1,317,818,221

______________________________

(a) In the second quarter of 2022, we announced the establishment of a $1.0 billion share repurchase program. On July, 31, 2022, our Board of Directors authorized a new share repurchase program, effective upon completion of the $1.0 billion program, which allows us to repurchase up to $2.0 billion of our Common Stock through open market purchases, accelerated share repurchase arrangements, privately negotiated transactions or otherwise. The program has no set expiration date.

(b) At the end of the month shown.

ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Information concerning mine safety violations or other regulatory matters required by Section 1503(a) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and Item 104 of Regulation S-K is included in Exhibit 95 to this report.

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