HSY Hershey Company

Risks

• Our Company’s reputation or brand image might be impacted as a result of issues or concerns relating to the quality and safety of our products, ingredients or packaging, human and workplace rights, and other environmental, social or governance matters, which in turn could negatively impact our operating results.
• Increases in raw material and energy costs along with the availability of adequate supplies of raw materials could affect future financial results.
• Price increases may not be sufficient to offset cost increases and maintain profitability or may result in sales volume declines associated with pricing elasticity.
• Market demand for new and existing products could decline.
• Increased marketplace competition could hurt our business.
• Disruption to our manufacturing operations or supply chain could impair our ability to produce or deliver finished products, resulting in a negative impact on our operating results.
• Our financial results may be adversely impacted by the failure to successfully execute or integrate acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures.
• Changes in governmental laws and regulations could increase our costs and liabilities or impact demand for our products.
• Political, economic and/or financial market conditions could negatively impact our financial results.
• Our international operations may not achieve projected growth objectives, which could adversely impact our overall business and results of operations.
• Disruptions, failures or security breaches of our information technology infrastructure could have a negative impact on our operations.
• We might not be able to hire, engage and retain the talented global workforce we need to drive our growth strategies.
• We may not fully realize the expected costs savings and/or operating efficiencies associated with our strategic initiatives or restructuring programs, which may have an adverse impact on our business.
• Complications with the design or implementation of our new enterprise resource planning system could adversely impact our business and operations.