Item 1A. Risk Factors.
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Item 1A. Risk Factors.
Our business, operations, and financial condition are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The risk factors described in “Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 30, 2022, as revised below, should be carefully considered, together with the other information contained or incorporated by reference in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and in our other filings with the SEC, in connection with evaluating the Company, our business, and the forward-looking statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial also may affect us. The occurrence of any of these known or unknown risks could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
The risk factor described below updates the risk factors disclosed in Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 30, 2022, to include the potential impact of consumer litigation or any regulatory action by the FDA or other agencies in connection with the recall of select Jif peanut butter products at our Lexington, Kentucky, facility.
Our operations are subject to the general risks of the food industry.
The food industry is subject to risks posed by food spoilage and contamination, product tampering, mislabeling, food allergens, adulteration of food products resulting in product recall, and consumer product liability claims. Our operations could be impacted by both genuine and fictitious claims regarding our products as well as our competitors’ products. In the event of product contamination, tampering, or mislabeling, we may need to recall some of our products. A widespread product recall could result in significant loss due to the cost of conducting a product recall, including destruction of inventory and the loss of sales resulting from the unavailability of product for a period of time. We could also suffer losses from a significant product liability judgment or a regulatory action taken against us. A significant product recall, a product liability judgment, or a regulatory action, involving either us or our competitors, could also result in a loss of consumer confidence in our food products or the food category, and an actual or perceived loss of value of our brands, materially impacting consumer demand.
In May 2022, we initiated a voluntary recall of select Jif peanut butter products produced at our Lexington, Kentucky, facility and sold primarily in the U.S., due to potential salmonella contamination. At that time, we also suspended the manufacturing of Jif peanut butter products at the Lexington facility and temporarily paused shipments from our Memphis, Tennessee, facility to eliminate confusion while customers cleared their shelves of potentially impacted products manufactured at the Lexington facility. No other products produced at our other facilities were affected by this recall. In June 2022, we resumed manufacturing Jif peanut butter products at our Lexington facility, as well as shipping from our Memphis facility. We partnered with retailers to restock Jif peanut butter products during the first quarter of 2023 and anticipate a return to normal levels by the end of 2023. To date, we have recognized total direct costs associated with the recall of approximately $110.0, net of insurance recoveries, related to customer returns, fees, unsaleable inventory, and other product recall-related costs, primarily within our U.S. Retail Consumer Foods segment. The majority of the anticipated direct costs were incurred through the third quarter of 2023, and additional direct costs are expected to be minimal during the remainder of 2023.
Further, the FDA issued a warning letter on January 24, 2023, following an inspection of our Lexington facility completed in June 2022 in connection with the Jif voluntary recall, identifying concerns regarding certain practices and controls at the facility. We have responded to the warning letter with a detailed explanation of our food safety plan and extensive verification activities to prevent contamination in Jif peanut butter products. The FDA or other agencies may nonetheless conclude that certain practices or controls were not in compliance with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act or other laws. Any potential regulatory action based on such an agency conclusion could result in the imposition of injunctive terms and monetary payments that could have a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, brand, results of operations, and financial performance, as well as affect ongoing consumer litigation associated with the voluntary recall of Jif peanut butter products. The outcome and financial impact of the ongoing consumer litigation or any potential regulatory action associated with the Jif voluntary recall cannot be predicted at this time. Accordingly, no loss contingency has been recorded for these matters as of January 31, 2023, and the likelihood of loss is not considered probable or estimable.
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds.
Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers: The following table presents the total number of shares of common stock purchased during the third quarter of 2023, the average price paid per share, the number of shares that were purchased as part of a publicly announced repurchase program, if any, and the approximate dollar value of the maximum number of shares that may yet be purchased under the share repurchase program:
| Period | (a) | (b) | (c) | (d) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total Number of Shares Purchased | Average Price Paid Per Share | Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs | Maximum Number (or Approximate Dollar Value) of Shares That May Yet Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 1, 2022 - November 30, 2022 | 151 | $ | 145.61 | — | 5,811,472 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| December 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022 | 227 | 155.74 | — | 5,811,472 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| January 1, 2023 - January 31, 2023 | 368 | 158.57 | — | 5,811,472 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 746 | $ | 155.08 | — | 5,811,472 |
(a)Shares in this column include shares repurchased from stock plan recipients in lieu of cash payments.
(d) As of January 31, 2023, there were approximately 5.8 million common shares remaining available for repurchase pursuant to the Board’s authorizations.
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