Artisan Partners (APAM) Risk Analysis

We operate in a legislative and regulatory environment that is subject to continual change, the nature of which we cannot predict. The laws and regulations applicable to our business generally involve restrictions and requirements in connection with a variety of technical, specialized, and expanding matters and concerns. We may be adversely affected as a result of new or revised legislation or regulations imposed by the SEC, other U.S. or non-U.S. regulatory authorities or self-regulatory organizations that supervise the financial markets. We also may be adversely affected by changes in the interpretation or enforcement of existing laws and rules by these governmental authorities and self-regulatory organizations, as well as by courts. It is impossible to determine the extent of the impact of any new laws, regulations or initiatives that may be proposed, or whether any such proposals will become law. Compliance with any new laws or regulations, or changes in the interpretation or enforcement of existing laws or regulations, could be difficult and expensive and affect the manner in which we conduct business. Non-compliance with applicable new laws, rules or regulations could result in litigation, governmental investigations and enforcement actions that could result in fines, penalties, suspensions of individual employees, or limitations on particular business activities, any of which could have an adverse impact on our reputation and business.

We are subject to income taxes, as well as non-income based taxes, in both the U.S. and certain foreign jurisdictions at various levels of government. We cannot predict future changes in the tax laws, regulations, administrative guidance or judicial decisions to which we are subject or that could apply to our business. Any such changes could have a material impact on our tax liability, materially impact our effective tax rate, result in additional tax reporting obligations, or result in increased costs associated with our tax compliance efforts. From time to time, we are subject to income and non-income based tax audits in the jurisdictions in which we operate. The calculation of our tax liabilities involves dealing with uncertainties in the application of complex tax rules and regulations in a number of jurisdictions. From time to time, tax authorities have disagreed with certain positions we have taken which has resulted in additional taxes and, in certain cases interest payments. In the future, such instances may result in additional taxes, interest, fines and penalties becoming due. We evaluate whether to record tax liabilities for possible tax audit issues based on our estimate of whether, and the extent to which, additional income taxes will be due. We adjust these liabilities in light of changing facts and circumstances and consultations with our outside tax advisors. However, due to the complexity of some of these uncertainties, the ultimate resolution may result in a payment that is materially different from our estimates.

As a holding company, our assets principally consist of our ownership of partnership units of Holdings, deferred tax assets and cash and we have no independent means of generating revenue. Holdings is a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, as such, is not subject to U.S. federal income tax. Instead, Holdings' taxable income is allocated to holders of its partnership units, including us. Accordingly, we incur income taxes on our proportionate share of Holdings' taxable income and also may incur expenses related to our operations. Under the terms of its amended and restated limited partnership agreement, Holdings is obligated to make tax distributions to holders of its partnership units, including us. In addition to tax expenses, we are also required to make payments under the TRAs, which will be significant, and we incur other expenses related to the TRAs and our operations. We intend to fund the payment of amounts due under the TRAs out of the reduced tax payments that APAM realizes in respect of the tax attributes to which the TRAs relate. We also intend to cause Holdings to make distributions in an amount sufficient to allow us to pay our taxes and pay any additional operating expenses. However, its ability to make such distributions will be subject to various limitations and restrictions as set forth in the preceding risk factor. If, as a consequence of these various limitations and restrictions, we do not have sufficient funds to pay tax or other liabilities or to fund our operations, we may have to borrow funds and thus our liquidity and financial condition could be materially adversely affected. To the extent that we are unable to make payments when due under the TRAs, such payments will be deferred and will accrue interest from the due date (without extension) until such payments are made.

We are party to two TRAs. The first TRA generally provides for the payment by APAM to the assignees of the Pre-H&F Corp Merger Shareholder of 85% of the applicable cash savings, if any, of U.S. federal, state and local income taxes that APAM actually realizes (or is deemed to realize in certain circumstances) as a result of (i) the tax attributes of the preferred units APAM acquired in the merger of a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Pre-H&F Corp Merger Shareholder into APAM in March 2013 and (ii) tax benefits related to imputed interest. The second TRA generally provides for the payment by APAM to current or former limited partners of Holdings or their assignees of 85% of the applicable cash savings, if any, of U.S. federal, state and local income taxes that APAM actually realizes (or is deemed to realize in certain circumstances) as a result of (i) certain tax attributes of their partnership units sold to us or exchanged (for shares of Class A common stock, convertible preferred stock or other consideration) and that are created as a result of such sales or exchanges and payments under the TRAs and (ii) tax benefits related to imputed interest. The payment obligation under the TRAs is an obligation of APAM, not Holdings, and we expect that the payments we will be required to make under the TRAs will be substantial. Assuming no material changes in the relevant tax law and that APAM earns sufficient taxable income to realize all tax benefits that are subject to the TRAs, we expect that the reduction in tax payments for us associated with (i) the merger described above; (ii) the purchase or exchange of partnership units from March 2013 through December 31, 2024; and (iii) projected future purchases or exchanges of partnership units would aggregate to approximately $501 million over generally a minimum of 15 years, assuming the future purchases or exchanges described in clause (iii) occurred at a price of $43.05 per share of our Class A common stock, the closing price of our Class A common stock on December 31, 2024. Under such scenario we would be required to pay the other parties to the TRAs 85% of such amount, or approximately $466 million, over generally a minimum of 15 years. The actual amounts may materially differ from these hypothetical amounts, as potential future reductions in tax payments for us and TRA payments by us will be calculated using the market value of our Class A common stock at the time of purchase or exchange and the prevailing tax rates applicable to us over the life of the TRAs and will be dependent on us generating sufficient future taxable income to realize the benefit. As of December 31, 2024, we recorded a $341 million liability, representing amounts payable under the TRAs equal to 85% of the tax benefit we expected to realize from the H&F Corp merger described above, our purchase of partnership units from limited partners of Holdings and the exchange of partnership units from March 2013 through December 31, 2024, assuming no material changes in the related tax law and that APAM earns sufficient taxable income to realize all tax benefits subject to the TRAs. The liability will increase upon future purchases or exchanges of limited partnership units with the increase representing amounts payable under the TRAs equal to 85% of the estimated future tax benefits, if any, resulting from such purchases or exchanges. Payments under the TRAs are not conditioned on the counterparties' continued ownership of us. The actual increase in tax basis, as well as the amount and timing of any payments under these agreements, will vary depending upon a number of factors, including the timing of sales or exchanges by the holders of limited partnership units, the price of the Class A common stock at the time of such sales or exchanges, whether such sales or exchanges are taxable, the amount and timing of the taxable income APAM generates in the future and the tax rate then applicable and the portion of APAM's payments under the TRAs constituting imputed interest or depreciable basis or amortizable basis. Payments under the TRAs are expected to give rise to certain additional tax benefits attributable to either further increases in basis or in the form of deductions for imputed interest, depending on the TRA and the circumstances. Any such benefits are covered by the TRAs and will increase the amounts due thereunder. In addition, the TRAs provide for interest to be accrued for the period starting with the due date (without extensions) of the corresponding APAM tax return until the actual date of the TRA payment, as specified in the TRAs. In addition, to the extent that we are unable to make payments when due under the TRAs, such payments will be deferred and will accrue interest at a rate specified under the TRAs. Payments under the TRAs will be based on the tax reporting positions that we determine. Although we are not aware of any issue that would cause the IRS or other taxing authority to challenge a tax basis increase or other tax attributes subject to the TRAs, we will not be reimbursed for any payments previously made under the TRAs if such basis increases or other benefits are subsequently disallowed (however, any such additional payments may be netted against future payments (if any) that are made under the TRAs). As a result, in certain circumstances, payments could be made under the TRAs in excess of the benefits that we actually realize in respect of the attributes to which the TRAs relate.