Reynolds Consumer Products (REYN) Risk Factors

Some of our products are manufactured at a single location. For example, our Malvern, Arkansas plant is our sole producer of foil reroll for our Louisville, Kentucky and Wheeling, Illinois plants, which in turn are our sole producers of household foil. The loss of the use of all or a portion of any of our key manufacturing facilities, especially one that is a sole producer, or the loss of any key suppliers, due to any reason, including an accident, labor issues, weather conditions, natural disaster, a disease outbreak (including epidemics, pandemics or similar widespread public health concerns), cyber-attacks against our information systems (such as ransomware) or otherwise, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We depend on our senior executive officers and other key personnel to operate our businesses, develop new products and technologies and service our customers. The loss of any of these key personnel could adversely affect our operations. Competition is intense for qualified personnel and the loss of them or an inability to attract, retain and motivate additional highly skilled personnel required for the operation and expansion of our business could hinder our ability to successfully conduct research and development activities or develop and support marketable products. Additionally, the high U.S. employment levels in our industry in recent years have increased turnover as compared to prior periods at some of our facilities and made hiring and retaining hourly employees more difficult. Any of these factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Fluctuations in raw material and energy costs could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Raw material costs represent a significant portion of our cost of sales. The primary raw materials we use are plastic resins, particularly polyethylene and polystyrene, and aluminum. The prices of our raw materials have fluctuated significantly in recent years. Aluminum prices have been historically volatile as aluminum is a cyclical commodity with prices subject to global market factors. Resin prices have also historically fluctuated with changes in crude oil and natural gas prices as well as changes in refining capacity and the demand for other petroleum-based products. We experienced significant increases in material costs in both 2021 and 2022, particularly in resin and aluminum prices, which negatively impacted our results. Significant increases in material costs could also occur in future periods, which could negatively impact our future results. Raw material costs are also impacted by governmental actions, such as tariffs and trade sanctions. For example, the imposition by the U.S. government of tariffs on products imported from certain countries and trade sanctions against certain countries have introduced greater uncertainty with respect to policies affecting trade between the United States and other countries and have impacted the cost of certain raw materials, including aluminum and resin. Major developments in trade relations, including the imposition of new or increased tariffs by the United States and/or other countries, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. We typically do not enter into long-term fixed price purchase contracts for our principal raw materials. The majority of sales contracts for our products generally do not contain cost pass-through mechanisms for raw material costs. Where our contracts use such pass-through mechanisms, differences in timing between purchases of raw materials and sales to customers can create a "lead lag" effect during which margins are negatively impacted when raw material costs rise and positively impacted when raw material costs fall. We adjust prices, where possible, to mitigate the effect of production cost increases, including raw materials, but these increases are not always possible or may not cover the increased raw material costs. For example, we implemented multiple rounds of price increases in both 2021 and 2022, however those pricing actions typically lagged material cost increases. In addition, we distribute our products and receive raw materials primarily by rail and truck. Reduced availability of rail or trucking capacity has caused us, and may continue to cause us, to incur unanticipated expenses and impair our ability to distribute our products or receive our raw materials in a timely manner, which could disrupt our operations, strain our customer relations and adversely affect our operating profits. In particular, reduced trucking capacity, due to a shortage of drivers, the federal regulation requiring drivers to electronically log their driving hours and adverse weather conditions, among other reasons, have caused an increase in the cost of transportation for us and many other companies.

We may face competition from a variety of sources, including Pactiv and other members of PEI Group, both today and in the future. For example, while we have supply agreements in place with Pactiv, Pactiv may still compete with us in certain products and/or in certain channels. In addition, while none of the other members of PEI Group currently manufacture or sell products that compete with our products, they may do so in the future, including as a result of acquiring a company that operates as a manufacturer of consumer products. Due to the significant resources of PEI Group, including financial resources and know-how resulting from the previous management of our business, PEI Group could have a significant competitive advantage should it decide to engage in the type of business we conduct, which may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Although Pactiv has historically sold the products (primarily tableware and cups) that we purchase from it in the foodservice business-to-business channel, after the termination of our supply agreement with Pactiv it could seek to sell such products in the retail channel or otherwise compete with us, especially where we sell private label or store brand products. As our former supplier, Pactiv would have information about products, including pricing that could give it a competitive advantage. In addition, we may partner with companies that compete with PEI Group in certain markets. Our affiliation with PEI Group may affect our ability to effectively partner with these companies. These companies may favor our competitors because of our relationship with PEI Group.

Many of our customers are large and possess significant market leverage, which results in significant downward pricing pressure and can constrain our ability to pass through price increases. We generally sell our branded products pursuant to informal trading policies and our store brand products under one year or multi-year agreements. We do not have written agreements with most of our customers. Our contracts generally do not obligate the customer to purchase any given amount of product. If our major customers reduce purchasing volumes or stop purchasing our products for any reason, our business and results of operations would likely be materially and adversely affected. It is possible that we will lose customers, which may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. We rely on a relatively small number of customers for a significant portion of our revenue. In 2023, sales to our top ten customers accounted for 72% of our total revenue, and our two largest customers, Walmart and Sam's Club, individually accounted for 30% and 18%, respectively, of our total revenue. Walmart and Sam's Club are affiliated entities. Sales to Walmart are concentrated more heavily in our Hefty Waste & Storage segment, and sales to Sam's Club are concentrated more heavily in our Hefty Tableware segment. The loss of any of our significant customers would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, over the last several years, there has been a trend toward consolidation among our customers in the retail industry and we expect that this trend will continue. Consolidation among our customers could increase their ability to apply pricing pressure, and thereby force us to reduce our selling prices or lose sales. In addition, following a consolidation, our customers may close stores, reduce inventory or switch suppliers. Any of these factors could negatively impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We historically operated as part of Pactiv Evergreen Inc. ("PEI") and its subsidiaries (together with PEI, "PEI Group"). In preparation for our IPO, PEI Group effected certain distributions pursuant to the Corporate Reorganization to transfer its interests in us to PFL in a manner that was intended to qualify as tax-free to PFL and PEI Group under Sections 368(a)(1)(D) and 355 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("Code"). PEI received a tax opinion as to the tax treatment of these distributions, which relied on certain facts, assumptions, representations and undertakings from Mr. Graeme Hart, PEI Group and us regarding the past and future conduct of the companies' respective businesses and other matters. If any of these facts, assumptions, representations or undertakings are incorrect or not otherwise satisfied, PEI may not be able to rely on the opinion of tax counsel and could be subject to significant tax liabilities. Notwithstanding the opinion of tax counsel, the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") could determine on audit that these distributions are taxable if it determines that any of these facts, assumptions, representations or undertakings are not correct or have been violated or if it disagrees with the conclusions in the opinion, or for other reasons. If the distributions are determined to be taxable for U.S. federal income tax purposes, PFL, PEI and Pactiv Evergreen Group Holdings Inc. could incur significant U.S. federal income tax liabilities, and we could also incur significant liabilities. Under the tax matters agreement between PEI and us ("Tax Matters Agreement"), we are required to indemnify PEI Group against taxes incurred by them that arise as a result of, among other things, a breach of any representation made by us, including those provided in connection with the opinion of tax counsel or us taking or failing to take, as the case may be, certain actions, in each case, that result in any of the distributions failing to meet the requirements of a tax-free distribution under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code.

Our operations are subject to various national, state, local, foreign and international environmental, health and safety laws, regulations and permits that govern, among other things, the emission or discharge of materials into the environment; the use, storage, treatment, disposal, management and release of hazardous substances and wastes; the health and safety of our employees and the end-users of our products; and the materials used in, and the recycling of, our products. These laws and regulations impose liability, which can be strict, joint and several, for the costs of investigating and remediating, and damages resulting from, present and past releases of hazardous substances related to our current and former sites, as well as at third party sites where we or our predecessors have sent waste for disposal. Non-compliance with, or liability related to, these laws, regulations and permits, which tend to become more stringent over time, could result in substantial fines or penalties, injunctive relief, requirements to install pollution control devices or other controls or equipment, civil or criminal sanctions, permit revocations or modifications and/or facility shutdowns, and could expose us to costs of investigation or remediation, as well as tort claims for property damage or personal injury, and could limit production. In addition, a number of governmental authorities, both in the United States and abroad, have considered, and are expected to consider, legislation aimed at reducing the amount of plastic waste. Programs have included banning certain types of products, mandating certain rates of recycling and/or the use of recycled materials, imposing deposits or taxes on plastic bags and packaging material, and requiring retailers or manufacturers to take back packaging used for their products. Such legislation, as well as voluntary initiatives, aimed at reducing the level of plastic wastes could reduce the demand for certain plastic products, result in greater costs for manufacturers of plastic products or otherwise impact our business, financial condition and results of operations. Additional regulatory efforts addressing other environmental or safety concerns in the future could similarly impact our operations and financial results.

We rely on intellectual property rights such as patents, trademarks and copyrights, as well as unpatented proprietary knowledge and trade secrets, to protect our business. However, these rights do not afford complete protection against third parties. For example, patents, trademarks and copyrights are territorial; thus, our business will only be protected by these rights in those jurisdictions in which we have been issued patents or have trademarks or copyrights, or have obtained licenses to use such patents, trademarks or copyrights. Even so, the laws of certain countries may not protect our intellectual property rights to the same extent as do the laws of the United States. Additionally, there can be no assurance that others will not independently develop knowledge and trade secrets that are similar to ours, or develop products or brands that compete effectively with our products and brands without infringing, misusing or otherwise violating any of our intellectual property rights. We cannot be certain that any of our current or pending patents, trademarks and copyrights will provide us with sufficient protection from competitors, or that any intellectual property rights we do hold will not be invalidated, circumvented or challenged in the future. There is also a risk that we will not be able to obtain and perfect or, where appropriate, license, the intellectual property rights necessary to support new product introductions and product innovations. Additionally, we have licensed, and may license in the future, patents, trademarks, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights to third parties. While we attempt to ensure that our intellectual property rights are protected when entering into business relationships, third parties may take actions that could materially and adversely affect our rights or the value of our intellectual property rights. Third parties may copy or otherwise obtain and use our proprietary knowledge or trade secrets without authorization or infringe, misuse or otherwise violate our other intellectual property rights. For example, our brand names, especially Reynolds, Hefty, Diamond and Presto, are well-established in the market and have attracted infringers in the past. Additionally, we may not be able to prevent current and former employees, contractors and other parties from misappropriating our confidential and proprietary knowledge. Infringement, misuse or other violation of any of our intellectual property rights may dilute or diminish the value of our brands and products in the marketplace, which could adversely affect our results of operations and make it more difficult for us to maintain a strong market position. Although we believe that our intellectual property rights are sufficient to allow us to conduct our business without incurring liability to third parties, our products and brands may infringe on the intellectual property rights of others, and in the past we have been, and in the future we may be, subject to claims asserting infringement, misuse or other violation of intellectual property rights and seeking damages, the payment of royalties or licensing fees, and/or injunctions against the sales of our products. If we are found to have infringed, misused or otherwise violated the intellectual property rights of others, we could be forced to pay damages, cease use of such intellectual property or, if we are given the opportunity to continue to use the intellectual property rights of others, we could be required to pay a substantial amount for continued use of those rights. In any case, such claims could be protracted and costly and could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations regardless of their outcome.

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected certain parts of our business and operations. A resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic, or a future pandemic or health epidemic, could adversely impact our business and results of operations in a number of ways, including but not limited to: - a shutdown, disruption or less than full utilization of one or more of our manufacturing, warehousing or distribution facilities, or disruption in our supply chain or customer base, including but not limited to, as a result of illness, government restrictions or other workforce disruptions;- the failure of third parties on which we rely, including but not limited to those that supply our raw materials and other necessary operating materials, co-manufacturers and independent contractors, to meet their obligations to us, or significant disruptions in their ability to do so;- new or escalated government or regulatory responses in markets where we manufacture, sell or distribute our products, or in the markets of third parties on which we rely, could prevent or disrupt our business operations;- higher costs in certain areas such as front-line employee compensation, as well as incremental costs associated with newly added health screenings, temperature checks and enhanced cleaning and sanitation protocols to protect our employees, which we expect could increase in these or other areas;- significant reductions or volatility in demand for one or more of our products, which may be caused by, among other things: the temporary inability of consumers to purchase our products due to illness, quarantine or other travel restrictions, or financial hardship; or other pandemic related restrictions impacting consumer behavior;- an inability to respond to or capitalize on increased demand, including challenges and increased costs associated with adding capacity and related staffing issues;- a change in demand for or availability of our products as a result of retailers, distributors or carriers modifying their inventory, fulfillment or shipping practices; and - the unknown duration and magnitude of a pandemic and all of its related impacts. These and other impacts of a pandemic could have the effect of heightening many of the other risk factors disclosed in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The ultimate impact depends on the severity and duration of the pandemic and actions taken by governmental authorities and other third parties in response, each of which is uncertain and difficult to predict. Any of these disruptions could adversely impact our business and results of operations.