Constellation Brands 10-Q 2022-11-30

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

For the quarterly period ended November 30, 2022

or

For the transition period from to

Commission File Number: 001-08495

CONSTELLATION BRANDS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

207 High Point Drive, Building 100, Victor, New York 14564

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

(585) 678-7100

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. ☒ Yes ☐ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). ☒ Yes ☐ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

Yes ☐ No ☒

There were 184,498,219 shares of Class A Common Stock and 52,685 shares of Class 1 Common Stock outstanding as of December 31, 2022.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

This Form 10-Q contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. For further information regarding such forward-looking statements, risks, and uncertainties, please see “Information Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” under MD&A.

Defined Terms

Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “Company,” “CBI,” “we,” “our,” or “us” refer to Constellation Brands, Inc. and its subsidiaries. We use terms in this Form 10-Q and in our Notes that are specific to us or are abbreviations that may not be commonly known or used.

PART I – FINANCIAL INFORMATION

CONSTELLATION BRANDS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in millions, except share and per share data)

(unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

CONSTELLATION BRANDS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

(in millions, except per share data)

(unaudited)

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Introduction

This MD&A provides additional information on our businesses, current developments, financial condition, cash flows, and results of operations. It should be read in conjunction with our Financial Statements and with our consolidated financial statements and notes included in our 2022 Annual Report. This MD&A is organized as follows:

Overview. This section provides a general description of our business, which we believe is important in understanding the results of our operations, financial condition, and potential future trends.

Strategy. This section provides a description of our strategy and a discussion of global supply chain and COVID-19 related impacts and significant divestitures, acquisitions, and investments.

Results of operations. This section provides an analysis of our results of operations presented on a business segment basis for the three months ended November 30, 2022, and November 30, 2021, and nine months ended November 30, 2022, and November 30, 2021. In addition, a brief description of significant transactions and other items that affect the comparability of the results is provided.

Liquidity and capital resources. This section provides an analysis of our cash flows, outstanding debt, and a discussion of the amount of financial capacity available to fund our on-going operations and future commitments, as well as a discussion of other financing arrangements.

Overview

We are an international producer and marketer of beer, wine, and spirits with operations in the U.S., Mexico, New Zealand, and Italy with powerful, consumer-connected, high-quality brands like Corona Extra, Modelo Especial, the Robert Mondavi Brand Family, Kim Crawford, Meiomi, The Prisoner Wine Company, and High West. In the U.S., we are one of the top growth contributors at retail among beverage alcohol suppliers. We are the third-largest beer company in the U.S. and continue to strengthen our leadership position as the #1 high-end beer supplier and the #1 share gainer across the U.S. beer market. Within wine and spirits, we are making solid progress in refining our brand portfolio to shift to a higher-end focused business to deliver net sales growth and margin expansion. The strength of our brands makes us a supplier of choice to many of our consumers and our customers, which include wholesale distributors, retailers, and on-premise locations. We conduct our business through entities we wholly own as well as through a variety of joint ventures and other entities.

Our internal management financial reporting consists of three business divisions: (i) Beer, (ii) Wine and Spirits, and (iii) Canopy and we report our operating results in four segments: (i) Beer, (ii) Wine and Spirits, (iii) Corporate Operations and Other, and (iv) Canopy. Our Canopy Equity Method Investment makes up the Canopy segment. If the Canopy Transaction is completed, including conversion of our Canopy common shares into Exchangeable Shares, our internal management financial reporting will consist of two business divisions: (i) Beer

and (ii) Wine and Spirits and we will report our operating results in three segments: (i) Beer, (ii) Wine and Spirits, and (iii) Corporate Operations and Other.

In the Beer segment, our portfolio consists of high-end imported beer brands, craft beer, and ABAs. We have an exclusive perpetual brand license to import, market, and sell our Mexican beer portfolio in the U.S. In the Wine and Spirits segment, we sell a portfolio that includes higher-margin, higher-growth wine brands complemented by certain higher-end spirits brands. Amounts included in the Corporate Operations and Other segment consist of costs of executive management, corporate development, corporate finance, corporate growth and strategy, human resources, internal audit, investor relations, legal, public relations, and information technology, as well as our investments made through our corporate venture capital function. All costs included in the Corporate Operations and Other segment are general costs that are applicable to the consolidated group and are, therefore, not allocated to the other reportable segments. All costs reported within the Corporate Operations and Other segment are not included in our CODM’s evaluation of the operating income (loss) performance of the other reportable segments. The business segments reflect how our operations are managed, how resources are allocated, how operating performance is evaluated by senior management, and the structure of our internal financial reporting.

Strategy

Business strategy

Our overall strategic vision is to consistently deliver industry-leading total stockholder returns over the long-term through a focus on these key pillars:

• continue building strong brands people love with advantaged routes to market;

• build a culture that is consumer-obsessed and leverages robust innovation capabilities to stay on the forefront of consumer trends; and

• deliver on impactful ESG initiatives that we believe are not only good business, but also good for the world.

We will continue to strive for success by ensuring consumer-led decision making drives all aspects of our business; building a diverse talent pipeline with best-in-class people development; investing in data systems, architecture, and infrastructure that enables our business; and exemplifying intentional and proactive balance sheet management. We place focus on positioning our portfolio on higher-margin, higher-growth categories of the beverage alcohol industry to align with consumer-led premiumization trends, which we believe will continue to drive faster growth rates across beer, wine, and spirits. To continue capitalizing on consumer-led premiumization trends, become more competitive, and grow our business, we have employed a strategy dedicated to organic growth and supplemented by targeted investments and acquisitions. We also believe a key component to driving faster growth rates is to invest in and strengthen our leadership position within the DTC and 3-tier eCommerce channels. As a part of our strategy, we have launched Digital Business Acceleration which we believe will enable us to drive results by enhancing our business in key areas including procurement, end-to-end supply chain planning, and marketing optimization. For further information on Third Quarter 2023 and Nine Months 2023 Digital Business Acceleration investments, see the respective “Selling, general, and administrative expenses” within Results of Operations below.

Our business strategy for the Beer segment focuses on upholding our leadership position in the high-end segment of the U.S. beer market through maintenance of leading margins, enhancements to our results of operations and operating cash flow, and exploring new avenues for growth. This includes continued focus on growing our beer portfolio in the U.S. through expanding distribution for key brands, including within the DTC and 3-tier eCommerce channels, as well as continued expansion, optimization, and/or construction activities for our Mexico beer operations. Additionally, in an effort to compete more fully in growing sectors of the high-end segment of the U.S. beer market, we have leveraged our innovation capabilities to create new line extensions behind celebrated, trusted brands and package formats that are intended to meet emerging needs.

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As a result of our global operating, investment, acquisition, divestiture, and financing activities, we are exposed to market risk associated with changes in foreign currency exchange rates, commodity prices, interest rates, and equity prices. To manage the volatility relating to these risks, we periodically purchase and/or sell derivative instruments including foreign currency forward and option contracts, commodity swap contracts, interest rate swap contracts, and Pre-issuance hedge contracts. We use derivative instruments to reduce earnings and cash flow volatility resulting from shifts in market rates, as well as to hedge economic exposures. We do not enter into derivative instruments for trading or speculative purposes.

Foreign currency and commodity price risk

Foreign currency derivative instruments are or may be used to hedge existing foreign currency denominated assets and liabilities, forecasted foreign currency denominated sales/purchases to/from third parties as well as intercompany sales/purchases, intercompany principal and interest payments, and in connection with investments, acquisitions, or divestitures outside the U.S. As of November 30, 2022, we had exposures to foreign currency risk primarily related to the Mexican peso, euro, New Zealand dollar, and Canadian dollar. Approximately 100% of our balance sheet exposures and 87% of our forecasted transactional exposures for the remaining three months of Fiscal 2023 were hedged as of November 30, 2022.

Commodity derivative instruments are or may be used to hedge forecasted commodity purchases from third parties as either economic hedges or accounting hedges. As of November 30, 2022, exposures to commodity price risk which we are currently hedging include aluminum, corn, diesel fuel, and natural gas prices. Approximately 88% of our forecasted transactional exposures for the remaining three months of Fiscal 2023 were hedged as of November 30, 2022.

We have performed a sensitivity analysis to estimate our exposure to market risk of foreign exchange rates and commodity prices reflecting the impact of a hypothetical 10% adverse change in the applicable market. The volatility of the applicable rates and prices is dependent on many factors which cannot be forecasted with reliable accuracy. Gains or losses from the revaluation or settlement of the related underlying positions would substantially offset such gains or losses on the derivative instruments. The aggregate notional value, estimated fair value, and sensitivity analysis for our open foreign currency and commodity derivative instruments are summarized as follows:

Interest rate risk

The estimated fair value of our fixed interest rate debt is subject to interest rate risk, credit risk, and foreign currency risk. In addition, we also have variable interest rate debt outstanding (primarily SOFR-based), certain of which includes a fixed margin subject to the same risks identified for our fixed interest rate debt.

There were no cash flow designated or undesignated interest rate swap contracts or Pre-issuance hedge contracts outstanding as of November 30, 2022, or November 30, 2021.

We have performed a sensitivity analysis to estimate our exposure to market risk of interest rates reflecting the impact of a hypothetical 1% increase in the prevailing interest rates. The volatility of the applicable rates is dependent on many factors which cannot be forecasted with reliable accuracy.

The aggregate notional value, estimated fair value, and sensitivity analysis for our outstanding fixed-rate debt, including current maturities, are summarized as follows:

A 1% hypothetical change in the prevailing interest rates would have increased interest expense on our variable interest rate debt by $6.6 million and $3.6 million for the nine months ended November 30, 2022, and November 30, 2021, respectively.

Equity price risk

The estimated fair value of our investment in the November 2018 Canopy Warrants and the Canopy Debt Securities are subject to equity price risk, interest rate risk, credit risk, and foreign currency risk. This investment is recognized at fair value utilizing various option-pricing models and has the potential to fluctuate from, among other items, changes in the quoted market price of the underlying equity security. We manage our equity price risk exposure by closely monitoring the financial condition, performance, and outlook of Canopy.

As of November 30, 2022, the fair value of our investment in the November 2018 Canopy Warrants and the Canopy Debt Securities was $74.7 million, with an unrealized net gain (loss) on this investment of $(39.1) million recognized in our results of operations for the nine months ended November 30, 2022. We have performed a sensitivity analysis to estimate our exposure to market risk of the equity price reflecting the impact of a hypothetical 10% adverse change in the quoted market price of the underlying equity security. As of November 30, 2022, such a hypothetical 10% adverse change would have resulted in a decrease in fair value of $1.6 million.

For additional discussion on our market risk, refer to Notes 3 and 4.

Disclosure controls and procedures

Our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer have concluded, based on their evaluation as of the end of the period covered by this report, that the Company’s “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in the Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) are effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act (i) is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and (ii) is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Internal control over financial reporting

In connection with the foregoing evaluation by our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, no changes were identified in the Company’s “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in the Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) that occurred during our fiscal quarter ended November 30, 2022, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

PART II – OTHER INFORMATION

I****tem 1. Legal Proceedings.

For additional information regarding Legal Proceedings, see Item 1A. “Risk Factors.”

In addition to information discussed elsewhere in this Form 10-Q, you should carefully consider the risk factors disclosed in the 2022 Annual Report. The risk factors associated with our business have not materially changed compared to the risk factors disclosed in the 2022 Annual Report except for the updated risk factors below. The risk factors described below and the additional risks described in the 2022 Annual Report are not the only risks we face. Additional factors not presently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial could materially affect our business, liquidity, financial condition, and/or results of operations in present and/or future periods.

Operational Risks

Marijuana is currently illegal under U.S. federal law and in other jurisdictions; we do not control Canopy’s business or operations; the Canopy Transaction, which is designed to capitalize on U.S. cannabis market opportunities, may significantly alter our relationship with and investment in Canopy

The ability of Canopy to achieve its business objectives is contingent, in part, upon the legality of the cannabis industry, Canopy’s compliance with regulatory requirements enacted by various governmental authorities, and Canopy obtaining all regulatory approvals, where necessary, for the production and sale of its products. The laws and regulations governing medicinal and recreational cannabis are still developing, including in ways that we may not foresee. Canopy’s success will depend on, among other things, the ability of Canopy to operate successfully in the cannabis market space and the presence of sufficient retail outlets. There are also concerns about health issues associated with certain types of form factors for cannabis products, such as those used in inhalables. These issues may result in a less robust consumer demand for certain form factors. A robust cannabis consumer market may not develop consistent with our expectations, or consumers may choose not to purchase any Canopy products. Although the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 has taken hemp and hemp derived cannabinoids out of the most restrictive class of controlled substances, marijuana is a schedule-1 controlled substance in the U.S. and is currently illegal under U.S. federal law. Even in those U.S. states in which the recreational and/or medicinal use of marijuana has been legalized, its use remains a violation of U.S. federal law. Since U.S. federal laws criminalizing the use of marijuana preempt state laws that legalize its use, continuation of U.S. federal law in its current state regarding marijuana could limit the expansion of Canopy’s business into the U.S. Similar issues of illegality apply in other countries. Any amendment to or replacement of existing laws to make them more onerous, or delays in amending or replacing existing laws to liberalize the legal possession and use of cannabis, or delays in obtaining, or the failure to obtain, any necessary regulatory approvals may significantly delay or negatively impact Canopy’s markets, products, and sales initiatives.

We currently have the right to nominate four members of the Canopy board of directors. While we do not control Canopy’s business or operations, we do rely on Canopy’s internal controls and procedures for operation of that business. Nevertheless, our current financing arrangements require us to certify, among other things, that to our knowledge (i) Canopy is properly licensed and operating in accordance with Canadian laws in all material respects; (ii) Canopy does not knowingly or intentionally purchase, manufacture, distribute, import, and/or sell marijuana, or any other controlled substance in or from the U.S. or any other jurisdiction, in each case, where such purchase, manufacture, distribution, importation, or sale of marijuana or such other controlled substance is illegal, except in compliance with all applicable federal, state, local, or foreign laws, rules, and regulations; and (iii) Canopy does not knowingly or intentionally partner with, invest in, or distribute marijuana or any other controlled substance to any third-party that knowingly or intentionally purchases, sells, manufactures, or distributes marijuana or any other controlled substance in the U.S. or any other jurisdiction, in each case, where such purchase, sale, manufacture, or distribution of marijuana or such other controlled substance is illegal, except in compliance with all applicable federal, state, local, or foreign laws, rules, and regulations. If Canopy were to knowingly or intentionally violate any of these applicable laws and we became aware of such violation, we would

be unable to make the required certification under our current financing arrangements, which could lead to a default under those financing arrangements.

If the Canopy Transaction is completed and we exchange our Canopy common shares for Exchangeable Shares and terminate certain legacy agreements with Canopy, we and Canopy will no longer be able to derive benefits from our strategic relationship. The Exchangeable Shares will not carry (i) voting rights, which will limit our ability to exert influence over Canopy (as will the termination of our rights under the investor rights agreement and the resignations of our nominees to Canopy’s board of directors), or (ii) rights to receive dividends or other rights upon dissolution of Canopy, which will limit our right to derive economic benefits from our investment in Canopy if it declares dividends or dissolves and we continue to hold Exchangeable Shares. Furthermore, we expect to no longer apply the equity method to our investment in Canopy, which may subject our financial statements to additional volatility as we expect to account for the Exchangeable Shares at fair value. In connection with an exchange of our Canopy common shares for Exchangeable Shares, we will also surrender our November 2018 Canopy Warrants to Canopy for cancellation, and therefore, we will not realize an opportunity to increase our ownership in Canopy if its stock price were to recover prior to their expiration. The perception of the Canopy Transaction by members of the investment community, whether or not it is completed, and the potential that Canopy may not remain listed on the stock exchanges it is currently listed on may result in a decrease in the value of Canopy’s common stock and further impair its liquidity and marketability. If the Canopy Transaction is not completed for any reason, including if Canopy fails to receive the requisite shareholder approval for the Canopy Amendment, Canopy will have expended substantial time and resources that could otherwise have been spent on Canopy’s existing businesses and the pursuit of other opportunities that could have been beneficial to Canopy. Canopy may not fully realize the anticipated benefits of the Canopy Transaction if it is completed. To the extent any of the foregoing factors impact Canopy, it could have a material adverse effect on Canopy’s business, liquidity, financial condition, and/or results of operations. Were that to occur, we may not be able to recover the value of our investment in Canopy.

If the October 2022 Credit Agreement Amendments become effective, our financing arrangements will (i) restrict repayment of the loans under our credit agreements with proceeds derived, directly or indirectly, from Canopy prior to the Specified Time, (ii) restrict the use of proceeds from the loans under our credit agreements, directly or indirectly, for any investment in, transaction with, or to fund the activities of or business with Canopy prior to the Specified Time, and (iii) provide that we will not convert any of our outstanding Exchangeable Shares for Canopy common shares or own any Canopy common shares until the Specified Time. Additionally, we will no longer be required to make the certifications with respect to Canopy provided under our current financing arrangements. If the foregoing obligations become effective and we do not comply with them, we could trigger an event of default under such debt facilities or agreements. In such an event, the holders of our debt could elect to declare as due and payable all amounts outstanding under those instruments. An event of default could also result in events of default under other debt facilities or agreements that contain cross-acceleration or cross-default provisions, which could permit counterparties thereunder to exercise remedies. If that occurred, we might not have available funds to satisfy our repayment obligations.

Strategic Risks

Dependence upon trademarks and proprietary rights, failure to protect our intellectual property rights

Our future success depends significantly on our ability to protect our current and future brands and products and to defend our intellectual property rights. We have been granted numerous trademark registrations and use certain trademarks under license covering our brands and products, and we have filed, and expect to continue to file or have filed on our behalf, trademark applications seeking to protect newly developed brands and products. We cannot be sure that trademark registrations will be issued with respect to any of such trademark applications. We could also, by omission, fail to timely renew or protect a trademark and our competitors could challenge, invalidate, or circumvent any existing or future trademarks issued to, or licensed by, us.

As previously disclosed in the 2022 Annual Report, our subsidiaries CB Brand Strategies, LLC, Crown Imports LLC, and Compañía Cervecera de Coahuila, S. de R.L. de C.V. are defendants in a lawsuit originally filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on February 15, 2021, and most recently amended on March 16, 2022, by Cervecería Modelo de México, S. de R.L. de C.V. and Trademarks Grupo Modelo, S. de R.L. de C.V., which alleges, among other things, that our sublicense of the trademarks for our Mexican beer brands should

not permit us to use the Corona brand name on our Corona Hard Seltzer or the Modelo brand name on our Modelo Ranch Water. On August 5, 2022, both the plaintiffs and the defendants filed motions for summary judgment. On November 3, 2022, the court denied our motion for summary judgment. On December 13, 2022, the court denied plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment. On December 19, 2022, the court issued an order setting certain pretrial deadlines and providing that the court is “considering a trial starting in March 2023.” While we continue to believe this lawsuit is without merit, litigation is inherently unpredictable and subject to substantial uncertainties and unfavorable developments and resolutions could occur. In addition, our cost of defending this litigation could be substantial. If we are not successful, we may not be able to market Corona Hard Seltzer in its current formulation under the Corona brand name or Modelo Ranch Water in its current formulation under the Modelo brand name and we may be required to pay damage awards, each of which may have an adverse effect on our business, liquidity, financial condition, and/or results of operations.

We may be subject to other litigation related to our trademarks and intellectual property rights. A substantial adverse judgment or other unfavorable resolution of these matters or our failure to otherwise protect our intellectual property rights could have a material adverse effect on our business, liquidity, financial condition, and/or results of operations.

Financial Risks

Securities measured at fair value

The value of the warrants and debt securities we hold in Canopy through our subsidiaries is subject to the volatility of the market price of Canopy’s common stock. This volatility subjects our financial statements to volatility. The market price of Canopy’s common stock has experienced significant volatility, and that volatility may continue in the future and may also be subject to wide fluctuations in response to many factors beyond the control of Canopy, or of us. These factors include, but are not limited to:

• actual or anticipated fluctuations in Canopy’s reported results of operations or financial position, including due to another significant impairment of goodwill or intangible or other long-lived assets;

• adverse market conditions;

• recommendations and reports by securities and industry analysts;

• impact of COVID-19 on Canopy’s operations, revenues, and ability to access financial markets as well as, on the cannabis industry generally;

• the outcome of the Canopy Transaction and related transactions;

• significant acquisitions, investments, equity issuances, asset sales, and/or other divestitures by Canopy;

• changes in the performance or market valuations of companies in Canopy’s industry;

• announcement of developments and material events by Canopy or its competitors;

• fluctuations in the costs of vital production materials and services;

• addition or departure of Canopy executive officers or other key personnel;

• speculative trading activity by certain investors;

• news reports relating to trends, concerns, technological, or competitive developments, regulatory changes and other related issues in Canopy’s industry or target markets;

• legal and regulatory changes affecting the cannabis industry generally and Canopy’s business and operations; and

• administrative obligations associated with Health Canada requirements and compliance with all associated rules and regulations including, but not limited to, the Canadian Cannabis Act.

We currently account for our investment in Canopy under the equity method. There may be a future impairment of our Canopy Equity Method Investment if our expectations about Canopy’s prospective results and cash flows decline, which could be influenced by a variety of factors including those listed above. We currently recognize our equity in Canopy’s earnings on a two-month lag primarily because of the availability of Canopy’s financial results since Canopy’s fiscal year ends annually March 31 while our fiscal year ends annually on the last day of February. In the event the Canopy Transaction is completed and we convert our Canopy common shares into Exchangeable Shares, we expect to account for the Exchangeable Shares at fair value, which may subject our financial statements to additional volatility because the value of the Exchangeable Shares would be subject to similar volatility factors as the warrants and debt securities we currently hold in Canopy.

Other Risks

The Reclassification may not benefit us or our stockholders

The long-term impacts of the Reclassification are still unknown, and the Reclassification may not result in an increase in stockholder value or improve the liquidity and marketability of our equity. If the Reclassification is not viewed favorably by members of the investment community, it may cause a decrease in the value of our Class A Stock and impair its liquidity and marketability. Furthermore, securities markets worldwide have recently experienced significant price and volume fluctuations. This market volatility, as well as general economic, market, or political conditions, could cause a reduction in the market price and liquidity of shares of our Class A Stock.

Sands Family Stockholder Class A Stock ownership and Board of Directors nomination rights

Until the date that is five years after the Effective Time and so long as the Sands Family Stockholders, collectively, have beneficial or record ownership of at least 10% of the issued and outstanding shares of Class A Stock, our Board of Directors will, subject to the procedures and limitations set forth in the Reclassification Agreement, nominate two individuals designated by WildStar for election to the Board of Directors at any annual meeting of our stockholders at which directors are to be elected (or otherwise in connection with any action by written consent pursuant to which a majority of the Board of Directors will be elected). So long as the Sands Family Stockholders, collectively, have beneficial or record ownership of less than 10% but at least 9,239,463.1 shares of Class A Stock, as adjusted by any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination or similar transaction, the Board of Directors will, subject to the procedures and limitations set forth in the Reclassification Agreement, nominate one individual designated by WildStar for election to the Board of Directors at any annual meeting of our stockholders at which directors are to be elected (or otherwise in connection with any action by written consent pursuant to which a majority of the Board of Directors will be elected).

The amount of Class A Stock currently held by the Sands Family Stockholders, together with the foregoing Board of Directors nomination rights, provide the Sands Family Stockholders with significant continued influence over the Company’s decisions. The interests of the Sands Family Stockholders with respect to matters potentially or actually involving or affecting the Company and its other stockholders, such as future acquisitions, financings, and other corporate opportunities and attempts to acquire the Company, may conflict with the interests of our other stockholders.

The Sands family and entities controlled by members of the Sands family have pledged shares of Class A Stock to secure various credit facilities. In the event of noncompliance with certain covenants under the credit facilities, the financial institutions to which such stock is pledged have certain remedies, including the right to sell the pledged shares subject to certain protections afforded to the borrowers and pledgors. The sale by such financial institutions of a substantial amount of the pledged shares could depress, or result in volatility in, the trading price of our Class A Stock.

On November 10, 2022, our Board of Directors amended and restated our by-laws to implement certain conforming changes in connection with the Amended and Restated Charter and certain other changes to update the Amended and Restated By-Laws in accordance with best corporate practices. The amendments, among other things, include:

• a requirement that stockholders nominating directors to the Board of Directors certify their compliance with the SEC’s universal proxy rules; and

• revisions to the advance notice requirements for stockholders making director nominations, including (i) establishing clear eligibility requirements for requesting our director and officer questionnaire and other nomination materials and providing that we have five business days to respond to such requests and (ii) enhancing our ability to request supplemental information from Board of Director nominees after the nomination deadline.

The foregoing description of the Amended and Restated By-Laws is a summary, does not purport to be complete, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the Amended and Restated By-Laws, a copy of which is filed herewith as Exhibit 3.2 and is incorporated herein by reference.

The Company agrees, upon request of the SEC, to furnish copies of each instrument that defines the rights of holders of long-term debt of the Company or its subsidiaries that is not filed herewith pursuant to Item 601(b)(4)(iii)(A) because the total amount of long-term debt authorized under such instrument does not exceed 10% of the total assets of the Company and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.