Source: https://q10k.com/HAIN
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 22:56:46+00:00

Document:
As of February 1, 2019, there were 104,118,392 shares outstanding of the registrant’s Common Stock, par value $.01 per share.
This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2018 (the “Form 10-Q”) contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, relating to our business and financial outlook, which are based on our current beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about future events only as of the date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and are not statements of historical fact. We make such forward-looking statements pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Many of our forward-looking statements include discussions of trends and anticipated developments under the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” section of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as the use of “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” “predicts,” “potential,” or “continue” and similar expressions, or the negative of those expressions. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, our beliefs or expectations relating to our business strategy, growth strategy, market price, brand portfolio and product performance, the seasonality of our business, our results of operations and financial condition, enhancing internal controls and remediating material weaknesses. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of our future performance and involve risks, uncertainties, estimates and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, our actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date hereof, unless it is specifically otherwise stated to be made as of a different date. We undertake no obligation to further update any such statement to reflect new information, the occurrence of future events or circumstances or otherwise.
The forward-looking statements in this filing do not constitute guarantees or promises of future performance. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences may include, but are not limited to, the impact of competitive products, changes to the competitive environment, changes to consumer preferences, our ability to manage our supply chain effectively, changes in raw materials, freight, commodity costs and fuel, consolidation of customers, reliance on independent distributors, general economic and financial market conditions, risks associated with our international sales and operations, our ability to execute and realize cost savings initiatives, including, but not limited to, cost reduction initiatives under Project Terra and stock-keeping unit (“SKU”) rationalization plans, the identification and remediation of material weaknesses in our internal controls over financial reporting, our ability to manage our financial reporting and internal control system processes, potential liabilities due to legal claims, government investigations and other regulatory enforcement actions, costs incurred due to pending and future litigation, the availability of key personnel and changes in management team, potential liability if our products cause illness or physical harm, impairments in the carrying value of goodwill or other intangible assets, our ability to identify and complete acquisitions or divestitures and integrate acquisitions, the availability of organic and natural ingredients, the reputation of our brands, risks relating to the protection of intellectual property, cybersecurity risks, unanticipated expenditures and other risks described in Part I, Item 1A of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018 under the heading “Risk Factors” and Part II, Item 1A, “Risk Factors” set forth herein, as well as in other reports that we file in the future.
The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (collectively, along with its subsidiaries, the “Company,” and herein referred to as “Hain Celestial,” “we,” “us” and “our”), was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Lake Success, New York. The Company’s mission has continued to evolve since its founding, with health and wellness being the core tenet — To Create and Inspire A Healthier Way of LifeTM and be the leading marketer, manufacturer and seller of organic and natural, “better-for-you” products by anticipating and exceeding consumer expectations in providing quality, innovation, value and convenience. The Company is committed to growing sustainably while continuing to implement environmentally sound business practices and manufacturing processes. Hain Celestial sells its products through specialty and natural food distributors, supermarkets, natural food stores, mass-market and e-commerce retailers, food service channels and club, drug and convenience stores in over 80 countries worldwide.
The Company manufactures, markets, distributes and sells organic and natural products under brand names that are sold as “better-for-you” products, providing consumers with the opportunity to lead A Healthier Way of Life™. Hain Celestial is a leader in many organic and natural products categories, with many recognized brands in the various market categories it serves, including Almond Dream®, Arrowhead Mills®, Bearitos®, Better Bean®, BluePrint®, Casbah®, Celestial Seasonings®, Clarks™, Coconut Dream®, Cully & Sully®, Danival®, DeBoles®, Earth’s Best®, Ella’s Kitchen®, Europe’s Best®, Farmhouse Fare™, Frank Cooper’s®, Gale’s®, Garden of Eatin’®, GG UniqueFiber®, Hain Pure Foods®, Hartley’s®, Health Valley®, Imagine®, Johnson’s Juice Co.™, Joya®, Lima®, Linda McCartney® (under license), MaraNatha®, Mary Berry (under license), Natumi®, New Covent Garden Soup Co.®, Orchard House®, Rice Dream®, Robertson’s®, Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery™, Rudi’s Organic Bakery®, Sensible Portions®, Spectrum®, Soy Dream®, Sun-Pat®, Sunripe®, SunSpire®, Terra®, The Greek Gods®, Tilda®, Walnut Acres®, WestSoy®, Yorkshire Provender®, Yves Veggie Cuisine®and William’s™. The Company’s personal care products are marketed under the Alba Botanica®, Avalon Organics®, Earth’s Best®, JASON®, Live Clean® and Queen Helene® brands.
The Company’s unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by U.S. GAAP. The amounts as of and for the periods ended June 30, 2018 are derived from the Company’s audited annual financial statements. The unaudited consolidated financial statements reflect all normal recurring adjustments which, in management’s opinion, are necessary for a fair presentation for interim periods. Operating results for the three and six months ended December 31, 2018 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019. Please refer to the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements as of June 30, 2018 and for the fiscal year then ended included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018 (the “Form 10-K”) for information not included in these condensed notes.
The Company is presenting the operating results and cash flows of the Hain Pure Protein reportable segment within discontinued operations in the current and prior periods. The assets and liabilities of the Hain Pure Protein reportable segment are presented as assets and liabilities of discontinued operations in the Consolidated Balance Sheets for all periods presented.
All amounts in the unaudited consolidated financial statements, notes and tables have been rounded to the nearest thousand, except par values and per share amounts, unless otherwise indicated.
In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). This guidance outlines a single, comprehensive model for accounting for revenue from contracts with customers, providing a single five-step model to be applied to all revenue transactions. The guidance also requires improved disclosures to assist users of the financial statements to better understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue that is recognized. Subsequent to the issuance of ASU 2014-09, the FASB issued various additional ASUs clarifying and amending this new revenue guidance. The Company adopted the new revenue standard on July 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective transition method. The adoption did not materially impact our results of operations or financial position, and, as a result, comparisons of revenues and operating profit between periods were not materially affected by the adoption of ASU 2014-09. The Company recorded a net increase to beginning retained earnings of $163 on July 1, 2018 due to the cumulative impact of adopting ASU 2014-09. Additionally, as our products exhibit similar economic characteristics, are sold through similar channels to similar customers and are recognized at a point in time, we have concluded that the Company’s segment disclosures in Note 17, Segment Information, are indicative of the level of revenue disaggregation required under ASU 2014-09.
In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01, Financial Instruments-Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities. ASU 2016-01 requires that most equity investments be measured at fair value, with subsequent changes in fair value recognized in net income. The pronouncement also impacts financial liabilities under the fair value option and the presentation and disclosure requirements for financial instruments. We adopted ASU 2016‑01 in the three months ended September 30, 2018, which resulted in a net decrease to beginning retained earnings of $348 on July 1, 2018, representing the accumulated unrealized losses (net of tax) reported in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) for available for sale equity securities on June 30, 2018. We will no longer classify equity investments as trading or available for sale and will no longer recognize unrealized holding gains and losses on equity securities previously classified as available for sale in other comprehensive income (loss) as a result of adoption of ASU 2016-01.
In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting, which provides guidance about which changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award require an entity to apply modification accounting in Topic 718. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company adopted the provisions of ASU 2017-09 as of July 1, 2018. There was no impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements resulting from the adoption of this guidance.
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business. The amendments in this update clarify the definition of a business with the objective of adding guidance to assist entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses. The definition of a business affects many areas of accounting including acquisitions, disposals, goodwill and consolidation. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those periods. The Company adopted this guidance on July 1, 2018. There was no impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements resulting from the adoption of this guidance.
In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory. U.S. GAAP historically prohibited recognizing current and deferred income tax consequences for an intra-entity asset transfer until the asset was sold to an outside party. ASU 2016-16 states that an entity should recognize the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset other than inventory when the transfer occurs. The new standard is effective for public companies in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017. The amendments are required to be applied on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative-effect adjustment directly to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption. The Company adopted this guidance on July 1, 2018. There was no impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements resulting from the adoption of this guidance.
In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments (A Consensus of the Emerging Issues Task Force). ASU 2016-15 provides guidance on the classification of certain cash receipts and payments in the statement of cash flows. The guidance must be applied retrospectively to all periods presented, but may be applied prospectively if retrospective application would be impracticable. The new standard is effective for public companies in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company adopted this guidance on July 1, 2018. There was no impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements resulting from the adoption of this guidance.
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (ASC 842). The amendments in this update replace most of the existing U.S. GAAP lease accounting guidance in order to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. The ASU is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those years, with early adoption permitted. The ASU requires lessees and lessors to recognize and measure leases at the beginning of the earliest period presented using a modified retrospective approach. In July 2018, the FASB approved amendments to create an optional transition method that will provide an option to use the effective date of ASC 842 as the date of initial application of the transition. Under the new transition method, a reporting entity would initially apply the new lease requirements at the effective date and recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption, continue to report comparative periods presented in the financial statements in the period of adoption in accordance with current U.S. GAAP (i.e., ASC 840, Leases) and provide the required disclosures under ASC 840 for all periods presented under current U.S. GAAP. We will adopt the standard effective July 1, 2019.
As part of the Company’s assessment work to-date, the Company has formed an implementation work team to perform a comprehensive evaluation of the impact of the adoption of this guidance, which includes assessing the Company’s lease portfolio, the impact to business processes and internal controls over financial reporting and the related disclosure requirements. Additionally, the Company is implementing lease accounting software to assist in the quantification of the expected impact on the Consolidated Balance Sheet and to facilitate the calculations of the related accounting entries and disclosures, as well as to facilitate accounting, presentation and disclosure for all leases after the initial date of application under the new standard.
While the Company is continuing to assess all potential impacts of the standard, the most significant impact relates to the recognition of new right-of-use assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet for manufacturing, warehouse and office space operating leases. We believe that all of these leases will continue to be classified as operating leases under the new standard. We expect the accounting for capital leases to remain substantially unchanged.
Refer to Note 2, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Practices, in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements as of June 30, 2018 and for the fiscal year then ended included in the Form 10-K for a detailed discussion on additional recently issued accounting pronouncements not yet adopted by the Company. There has been no change to the statements made in the Form 10-K as of the date of filing of this Form 10-Q.
On June 24, 2018, the Company entered into a Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) Succession Agreement (the “Agreement”), whereby the the Company’s former CEO, Irwin D. Simon, agreed to terminate his employment with the Company upon the hiring of a new CEO.
On October 26, 2018, the Company’s Board of Directors appointed Mark L. Schiller as President and CEO, succeeding Mr. Simon. In connection with the appointment, on October 26, 2018, the Company and Mr. Schiller entered into an employment agreement, which was approved by the Board, with Mr. Schiller’s employment commencing on November 5, 2018. Accordingly, Mr. Simon’s employment with the Company terminated on November 4, 2018.
The Agreement provides Mr. Simon with a cash separation payment of $34,295 payable in a single lump sum and cash benefit continuation costs of $208. These costs were recognized from June 24, 2018 through November 4, 2018. Expense recognized in connection with the agreement were $9,080 and $33,051 in the three and six months ended December 31, 2018, respectively, and are included in the Consolidated Statement of Operations as a component of “Chief Executive Officer Succession Plan expense, net.” As of December 31, 2018, the total cash separation payment was held in a rabbi trust, which has been classified as restricted cash and included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. The cash separation payment will be paid during the current fiscal year.
On October 26, 2018, the Company and Mr. Simon entered into a Consulting Agreement (the “Consulting Agreement”) in order to, among other things, assist Mr. Schiller with his transition as the Company’s incoming CEO. The term of the Consulting Agreement commenced on November 5, 2018 and continued until February 5, 2019. Mr. Simon is entitled to receive an aggregate consulting fee of $975 as compensation for his services during the consulting term, of which $650 was recognized in the Consolidated Statement of Operations as a component of “Chief Executive Officer Succession Plan expense, net” in the three and six months ended December 31, 2018.
Basic net (loss) income per share excludes the dilutive effects of stock options, unvested restricted stock and unvested restricted share units. Due to our net loss in three and six months ended December 31, 2018, all common stock equivalents such as stock options and unvested restricted stock awards have been excluded from the computation of diluted net loss per share because the effect would have been anti-dilutive to the computations. Diluted earnings per share in the three and six months ended December 31, 2017 includes the dilutive effects of common stock equivalents such as stock options and unvested restricted stock awards.
There were 1,152 and 567 stock-based awards excluded from our diluted earnings per share calculations for the three and six months ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, as such awards were contingently issuable based on market or performance conditions, and such conditions had not been achieved during the respective periods.
There were 388 restricted stock awards excluded from our diluted loss per share calculation for the three and six months ended December 31, 2018 as such awards were anti-dilutive. Anti-dilutive restricted stock awards excluded from our diluted earnings per share calculation for the three and six months ended December 31, 2017 were de minimis.
There were 111 potential shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of stock options excluded from diluted loss per share computations for the three and six months ended December 31, 2018, as they were anti-dilutive. No such awards were excluded for the three and six months ended December 31, 2017.
On June 21, 2017, the Company's Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $250,000 of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock. Repurchases may be made from time to time in the open market, pursuant to pre-set trading plans, in private transactions or otherwise. The authorization does not have a stated expiration date. The extent to which the Company repurchases its shares and the timing of such repurchases will depend upon market conditions and other corporate considerations, including the Company’s historical strategy of pursuing accretive acquisitions. As of December 31, 2018, the Company had not repurchased any shares under this program and had $250,000 of remaining capacity under the share repurchase program.
In March 2018, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a plan to sell all of the operations of the Hain Pure Protein Corporation (“HPPC”) and EK Holdings, Inc. (“Empire”) operating segments, which are reported in the aggregate as the Hain Pure Protein reportable segment. Collectively, these planned dispositions represent a strategic shift that will have a major impact on the Company’s operations and financial results and have been accounted for as discontinued operations. The Company is actively marketing the sale of Hain Pure Protein, and a sale is anticipated to occur within twelve months of the Board of Directors’ approval, which occurred in March 2018.
The Company is presenting the operating results and cash flows of Hain Pure Protein within discontinued operations in the current and prior periods. The assets and liabilities of Hain Pure Protein are presented as assets and liabilities of discontinued operations in the Consolidated Balance Sheets for all periods presented.
(1) The assets and liabilities of Hain Pure Protein are classified as current on the December 31, 2018 and June 30, 2018 Consolidated Balance Sheets because it is probable that the sale will occur within twelve months of the Board of Directors’ approval.
(2) In the three months ended June 30, 2018, results for HPPC (which comprises the Plainville Farms and FreeBird brands) were below our projections. The fourth quarter results, as well as negative market conditions in the sector, required the Company to reduce the internal projections for the business, which resulted in the Company lowering the projected long-term growth rate and profitability levels for HPPC. Accordingly, the updated projections indicated that the fair value of the HPPC business was below carrying value. As a result, in the three months ended June 30, 2018, the Company recorded a reserve of $78,464 to adjust the carrying value of Hain Pure Protein to its fair value, less its cost to sell primarily related to the Plainville Farms business. In the first quarter of the current fiscal year, the Company increased the reserve to adjust the carrying value of Hain Pure Protein by an additional $2,958. In the three months ended December 31, 2018, the Company recorded an additional reserve of $54,946, primarily related to the Plainville Farms business, as well as unfavorable market conditions that continued to negatively impact the Hain Pure Protein reportable segment.
(3) The change in deferred taxes from June 30, 2018 to December 31, 2018 was the result of the reversal of the $12,250 million deferred tax liability previously recorded related to Hain Pure Protein being classified as held for sale. In addition, deferred taxes were impacted by the tax effect of current period book losses as well as the deferred tax benefit arising from asset impairment charges.
defined by authoritative guidance. The excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the identified assets and liabilities has been recorded as goodwill.
The costs related to all acquisitions have been expensed as incurred and are included in “Project Terra costs and other” in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Acquisition-related costs for the three and six months ended December 31, 2018 were de minimis. Acquisition-related costs of $215 and $329 were expensed in the three and six months ended December 31, 2017, respectively. The expenses incurred primarily related to professional fees and other transaction-related costs associated with our recent acquisitions.
There were no acquisitions completed in the six months ended December 31, 2018.
On December 1, 2017, the Company acquired Clarks UK Limited, (“Clarks”), a leading maple syrup and natural sweetener brand in the United Kingdom. Clarks produces natural sweeteners under the ClarksTM brand, including maple syrup, honey and carob, date and agave syrups, which are sold in leading retailers and used by food service and industrial customers in the United Kingdom. Consideration for the transaction, inclusive of a subsequent working capital adjustment, consisted of cash, net of cash acquired, totaling £9,179 (approximately $12,368 at the transaction date exchange rate). Additionally, contingent consideration of up to a maximum of £1,500 is payable based on the achievement of specified operating results over the 18-month period following completion of the acquisition. Clarks is included in our United Kingdom operating segment. Net sales and income before income taxes attributable to the Clarks acquisition included in our consolidated results represented less than 1% of our consolidated results.
Depreciation and amortization expense for the three months ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 was $7,735 and $8,083, respectively. Such expense for the six months ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 was $16,184 and $16,368, respectively.
In the six months ended December 31, 2018, the Company recorded $5,275 of non-cash impairment charges primarily related to the Company’s decision to consolidate manufacturing of certain fruit-based products in the United Kingdom.
Additionally, in the second quarter of fiscal 2019, the Company recorded a $534 non-cash impairment charge to write down the value of certain machinery and equipment used to manufacture certain slow moving SKUs in the United States that were discontinued.
(a) The total carrying value of goodwill is reflected net of $134,277 of accumulated impairment charges, of which $97,358 related to the Company’s United Kingdom operating segment, $29,219 related to the Company’s Europe operating segment and $7,700 related to the Company’s Hain Ventures operating segment (formerly known as the Cultivate Ventures operating segment).
Beginning in the third quarter of fiscal 2018, operations of Hain Pure Protein have been classified as discontinued operations as discussed in Note 5, Discontinued Operations. Therefore, goodwill associated with Hain Pure Protein is presented as assets of discontinued operations in the Consolidated Financial Statements.
The Company performs its annual test for goodwill and indefinite lived intangible asset impairment as of the first day of the fourth quarter of its fiscal year. In addition, if and when events or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of any of its reporting units or indefinite-life intangible assets below their carrying value, an interim test is performed.
During the three months ended December 31, 2018, the Company updated the forecasted operating results for each of its reporting units based on the most recent financial results. The updated forecasts reflected lower projected short-term revenue growth and profitability than previously expected, primarily in its United States segment. In connection with the preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements for the period ended December 31, 2018, the Company assessed qualitative and quantitative factors, which included sensitivity analyses, and concluded that it is more likely than not that the fair value of its reporting units exceeds its carrying amount. The Company will continue to monitor impairment indicators and financial results in future periods.
(a) The gross carrying value of trademarks and tradenames is reflected net of $83,734 and $65,834 of accumulated impairment charges at December 31, 2018 and at June 30, 2018, respectively.
basis if and when events or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of any of its indefinite-life intangible assets below their carrying value. In assessing fair value, the Company utilizes a “relief from royalty” methodology. This approach involves two steps: (i) estimating the royalty rates for each trademark and (ii) applying these royalty rates to a projected net sales stream and discounting the resulting cash flows to determine fair value. If the carrying value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset exceeds the fair value of the asset, the carrying value is written down to fair value in the period identified. During the three months ended December 31, 2018, the Company determined that an indicator of impairment existed in certain of the Company’s indefinite-lived tradenames. The result of this assessment for the second quarter of fiscal 2019 indicated that the fair value of certain of the Company’s tradenames was below their carrying value, and therefore an impairment charge of $17,900 was recognized ($11,300 in the United States segment, $2,787 in the United Kingdom segment, $3,813 in the Rest of World). During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018, an impairment charge of $5,632 ($5,100 in the Rest of World and $532 in the United Kingdom segment) related to certain of the Company’s tradenames was recognized.
On February 6, 2018, the Company entered into the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”). The Credit Agreement provides for a $1,000,000 unsecured revolving credit facility through February 6, 2023 and provides for a $300,000 term loan. Under the Credit Agreement, the credit facility may be increased by an additional uncommitted $400,000, provided certain conditions are met.
whereby its allowable consolidated leverage ratio increased to no more than 4.0 to 1.0 as of December 31, 2018 and no more than 3.75 to 1.0 as of March 31, 2019 and June 30, 2019. The consolidated leverage ratio returns to 3.5 to 1.0 beginning in the period ending September 30, 2019. As of December 31, 2018, $576,036 is available under the Credit Agreement, and the Company was in compliance with all associated covenants, as amended.
The Credit Agreement provides that loans will bear interest at rates based on (a) the Eurocurrency Rate, as defined in the Credit Agreement, plus a rate ranging from 0.875% to 1.70% per annum; or (b) the Base Rate, as defined in the Credit Agreement, plus a rate ranging from 0.00% to 0.70% per annum, the relevant rate being the Applicable Rate. The Applicable Rate will be determined in accordance with a leverage-based pricing grid, as set forth in the Credit Agreement. Swing line loans and Global Swing Line loans denominated in U.S. dollars will bear interest at the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate, and Global Swing Line loans denominated in foreign currencies shall bear interest based on the overnight Eurocurrency Rate for loans denominated in such currency plus the Applicable Rate. The weighted average interest rate on outstanding borrowings under the Credit Agreement at December 31, 2018 was 4.10%. Additionally, the Credit Agreement contains a Commitment Fee, as defined in the Credit Agreement, on the amount unused under the Credit Agreement ranging from 0.20% to 0.30% per annum, and such Commitment Fee is determined in accordance with a leverage-based pricing grid. The aforementioned February 6, 2019 amendment to the Credit Agreement also includes a provision whereby if the Company’s consolidated leverage ratio equals or exceeds 3.5 as of December 31, 2018, March 31, 2019 or June 30, 2019, the loans will bear interest at rates based on (a) the Eurocurrency rate, as defined in the Credit Agreement, plus a rate of 1.90%; or (b) the Base Rate, as defined in the Credit Agreement, plus a rate of 0.90%, and will be subject to a 0.35% Commitment Fee on the unused amounts under the Credit Agreement.
The term loan has required installment payments due on the last day of each fiscal quarter commencing June 30, 2018 in an amount equal to $3,750 and can be prepaid in whole or in part without premium or penalty.
Tilda, a component of our United Kingdom reportable segment, maintains short-term borrowing arrangements primarily used to fund the purchase of rice from India and other countries. The maximum borrowings permitted under all such arrangements are £52,000. Outstanding borrowings are collateralized by the current assets of Tilda, typically have six-month terms and bear interest at variable rates typically based on LIBOR plus a margin (weighted average interest rate of approximately 4.16% at December 31, 2018). As of December 31, 2018 and June 30, 2018, there were $18,725 and $9,338 of borrowings under these arrangements, respectively.
In general, the Company uses an estimated annual effective tax rate, which is based on expected annual income and statutory tax rates in the various jurisdictions in which the Company operates, to determine its quarterly provision for income taxes. In the first quarter of fiscal 2019, the Company used an estimated annual effective tax rate to calculate its provision for income taxes. The Company calculated its effective tax rate on a discrete basis for the six months ended December 31, 2018 due to significant variations in the relationship between tax expense and projected pre-tax income. The Company’s effective tax rate may change from period-to-period based on recurring and non-recurring factors including the geographical mix of earnings, enacted tax legislation, state and local income taxes and tax audit settlements.
On December 22, 2017, the U.S. government enacted comprehensive tax legislation pursuant to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”), which significantly revised the ongoing U.S. corporate income tax law by lowering the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21%, implementing a territorial tax system, imposing a one-time tax on foreign unremitted earnings and setting limitations on deductibility of certain costs (e.g., interest expense and executive compensation), among other things.
Due to the complexities involved in accounting for the Tax Act, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) 118 required that the Company include in its financial statements a reasonable estimate of the impact of the Tax Act on earnings to the extent such reasonable estimate has been determined. Pursuant to SAB 118, the Company was allowed a measurement period of up to one year after the enactment date of the Tax Act to finalize the recording of the related tax impacts. As of December 31, 2018, the Company finalized its accounting for the income tax effects of the Tax Act and recorded an additional expense of $8,205 related to its transition tax liability. The net increase in the transition tax was due to the finalization of our earnings and profits study for our foreign subsidiaries. The adjustment of the Company’s provisional tax expense was recorded as a change in estimate in accordance with SAB No. 118. Despite the completion of the Company’s accounting for the Tax Act under SAB 118, many aspects of the law remain unclear, and we expect ongoing guidance to be issued at both the federal and state levels. The Company will continue to monitor and assess the impact of any new developments.
The Tax Act also includes a provision to tax global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) of foreign subsidiaries. The FASB Staff Q&A Topic No. 5, Accounting for Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income, states that an entity can make an accounting policy election either to recognize deferred taxes for temporary differences that are expected to reverse as GILTI in future years or provide for the tax expense related to GILTI resulting from those items in the year the tax is incurred. We have elected to recognize the resulting tax on GILTI as a period expense in the period the tax is incurred. We have computed the impact on our effective tax rate on a discrete basis. The actual tax expense we record for GILTI may differ from this estimate.
The effective income tax rate from continuing operations was expense of 19.1% and a benefit of 70.1% for the three months ended December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively. The effective income tax rate from continuing operations was a benefit of 8.4% and 19.9% for the six months ended December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively. The effective income tax rate from continuing operations for the three and six months ended December 31, 2018 was impacted by provisions in the Tax Act including GILTI, finalization of the transition tax liability, and limitations on the deductibility of executive compensation. The effective income tax rate was also impacted by the geographical mix of earnings and state taxes. The effective rate for the three and six months ended December 31, 2017 was primarily impacted by the enactment of the Tax Act on December 22, 2017, specifically the revalue of net deferred tax liabilities to the enacted 21% tax rate, inclusion of the transition tax liability estimate and deductibility of executive officers’ compensation.
The income tax benefit from discontinued operations was $22,452 and $27,620 for the three and six months ended December 31, 2018, while the income tax expense from discontinued operations was $1,321 and $2,307 for the three and six months ended December 31, 2017. The benefit for income taxes for the three and six months ended December 31, 2018 includes the reversal of the $12,250 deferred tax liability previously recorded related to Hain Pure Protein being classified as held for sale. In addition, the three and six month tax benefit is impacted by the tax effect of current period book losses as well as the deferred tax benefit arising from asset impairment charges.
Foreign currency translation adjustments included intra-entity foreign currency transactions that were of a long-term investment nature and were a net loss of $313 and a net gain of $315 for the three months ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, and a net loss of $472 and a net gain of $1,066 for the six months ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.
Amounts reclassified into income for deferred gains/(losses) on cash flow hedging instruments are recorded in “Cost of sales” in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and, before taxes, were $132 for the six months ended December 31, 2017. There were no amounts reclassified into income for deferred gains/(losses) on cash flow hedging instruments for the three and six months ended December 31, 2018 and for the three months ended December 31, 2017.
The Company has two stockholder-approved plans, the Amended and Restated 2002 Long-Term Incentive and Stock Award Plan and the 2000 Directors Stock Plan, under which the Company’s officers, senior management, other key employees, consultants and directors may be granted options to purchase the Company’s common stock or other forms of equity-based awards.
In the six months ended December 31, 2018, the Company recorded a benefit of $1,867 related to the reversal of expense associated with the TSR Grant under the 2017-2019 LTIP, as defined and discussed further below.
At December 31, 2018, there was no unrecognized compensation expense related to stock option awards.
(1) Includes 1,050 performance share units granted to Mr. Schiller in connection with his Inducement Award, as described further below, and 79 time-based restricted shares granted to Mr. Schiller that vest over three years.
(2) Includes the vesting of 172 shares associated with Irwin D. Simon, the Company’s former CEO, 88 of which were accelerated in connection with the CEO Succession Agreement.
(3) Includes the cancellation of 223 shares of performance stock unit awards previously granted in connection with the 2016-2018 LTIP, as further discussed below.
At December 31, 2018, $15,107 of unrecognized stock-based compensation expense, net of estimated forfeitures, related to non-vested restricted stock awards was expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately 2.7 years.
The Company maintains a long-term incentive program (the “LTI Plan”). The LTI Plan currently consists of two performance-based long-term incentive plans (the “2016-2018 LTIP” and the “2017-2019 LTIP”) that provide for performance equity awards that can be earned over the respective three-year performance period. Participants in the LTI Plan include certain of the Company’s executive officers and other key executives.
The Compensation Committee administers the LTI Plan and is responsible for, among other items, selecting the specific performance measures for awards and setting the target performance required to receive an award after the completion of the performance period. The Compensation Committee determines the specific payout to the participants. Such awards may be paid in cash and/or unrestricted shares of the Company’s common stock at the discretion of the Compensation Committee, provided that any such stock-based awards shall be issued pursuant to and be subject to the terms and conditions of the Amended and Restated 2002 Long-Term Incentive and Stock Award Plan, as in effect and as amended from time-to-time.
Upon adoption of the 2016-2018 LTIP and 2017-2019 LTIP, the Compensation Committee granted performance stock units to each participant, the achievement of which is dependent upon a defined calculation of relative total shareholder return over the period from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2018 and from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2019 (the “TSR Grant”), respectively. The grant date fair value for these awards was separately estimated based on a Monte Carlo simulation that calculated the likelihood of goal attainment. Each performance unit translates into one unit of common stock. The TSR Grant represents half of each participant’s target award. The other half of the 2016-2018 LTIP and 2017-2019 LTIP is based on the Company’s achievement of specified net sales growth targets over the respective three-year period. If the targets are achieved, the award in connection with the 2017-2019 LTIP may be paid only in unrestricted shares of the Company’s common stock.
During the six months ended December 31, 2018, in connection with the 2016-2018 LTIP, for the three-year performance period of July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2018, the Compensation Committee determined that the adjusted operating income goal required to be met for Section 162(m) funding was not achieved and determined that no awards would be paid or vested pursuant to the 2016-2018 LTIP. Accordingly, all performance stock unit awards previously granted in connection with the relative TSR portion of the award were forfeited, and amounts accrued relating to the net sales portion of the award were reversed. As such, in the six months ended December 31, 2018, the Company recorded a benefit of $6,482 associated with the reversal of previously accrued amounts under the net sales portion of the 2016-2018 LTIP, of which $5,065 was recorded in Chief Executive Officer Succession Plan expense, net on the Consolidated Statement of Operations.
In connection with the 2017-2019 LTIP, in the six months ended December 31, 2018, the Company determined that the achievement of the adjusted operating income goal required to be met for Section 162(m) funding was not probable. Accordingly, during the six months ended December 31, 2018, the Company recorded benefits of $1,129 and $1,867 associated with the reversal of previously accrued amounts under the portions of the 2017-2019 LTIP that were dependent on the achievement of pre-determined performance measures of net sales and relative TSR, respectively.
On November 6, 2018, Mr. Schiller received an award of 1,050 performance-stock units intended to represent the total three-year long-term incentive opportunity that would have been made in fiscal years 2019 – 2021 (the “PSUs”). The PSUs will vest pursuant to the achievement of pre-established three-year compound annual TSR levels. The number of shares actually issued will range from zero to 1,050. No PSUs will vest if the 3-Year compound annual TSR is below 15%.
The number of PSUs expected to be earned, based upon the achievement of the TSR market condition, is factored into the grant date Monte Carlo valuation. Compensation expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the three-year service period, regardless of the eventual number of PSUs that are earned based upon the market condition, provided Mr. Schiller remains an employee at the end of the three-year period. Compensation expense is reversed if at any time during the three-year service period Mr. Schiller is no longer an employee, subject to certain termination and change in control eligibility provisions. These PSUs are subject to a holding period of one year after the vesting date. As such, an illiquidity discount was applied to the grant date fair value. The total grant date fair value of the award was estimated to be $7,571, or $7.21 per share.
Total compensation cost related to this award recognized in the three and six months ended December 31, 2018 was $386.
Level 3 – Prices or valuation techniques that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable (i.e., supported by little or no market activity).
The rabbi trust investments consist of cash and mutual funds whose fair value is based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets, and are designated as Level 1 within the valuation hierarchy. The equity investment consists of the Company’s less than 1% investment in Yeo Hiap Seng Limited, a food and beverage manufacturer and distributor based in Singapore. Fair value is measured using the market approach based on quoted prices. The Company utilizes the income approach to measure fair value for its foreign currency forward contracts. The income approach uses pricing models that rely on market observable inputs such as yield curves, currency exchange rates and forward prices.
The Company estimates the original fair value of the contingent consideration as the present value of the expected contingent payments, determined using the weighted probabilities of the possible payments. The Company reassesses the fair value of contingent payments on a periodic basis. Although the Company believes its estimates and assumptions are reasonable, different assumptions, including those regarding the operating results of the respective businesses, or changes in the future may result in different estimated amounts.
The following table summarizes the Level 3 activity for the six months ended December 31, 2018.
(a) The change in the fair value of contingent consideration is included in “Project Terra costs and other” in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations.
There were no transfers of financial instruments between the three levels of fair value hierarchy during the six months ended December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017.
The carrying amount of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, net, accounts payable and certain accrued expenses and other current liabilities approximate fair value due to the short-term maturities of these financial instruments. The Company’s debt approximates fair value due to the debt bearing fluctuating market interest rates (See Note 10, Debt and Borrowings).
In addition to the instruments named above, the Company also makes fair value measurements in connection with its interim and annual goodwill and trade name impairment testing. These measurements fall into Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy (See Note 9, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets).
available on a cost-effective basis, to manage such risk. Derivative financial instruments are not used for speculative purposes. The fair value of these derivatives is included in prepaid expenses and other current assets and accrued expenses and other current liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. For derivative instruments that qualify as hedges of probable forecasted cash flows, the effective portion of changes in fair value is temporarily reported in accumulated other comprehensive income and recognized in earnings when the hedged item affects earnings. Fair value hedges and derivative instruments not designated as hedges are marked-to-market each reporting period with any unrealized gains or losses recognized in earnings.
Derivative instruments designated at inception as hedges are measured for effectiveness at the inception of the hedge and on a quarterly basis. These assessments determine whether derivatives designated as qualifying hedges continue to be highly effective in offsetting changes in the cash flows of hedged items. Any ineffective portion of change in fair value is not deferred in accumulated other comprehensive income and is included in current period results. The Company will discontinue cash flow hedge accounting when the forecasted transaction is no longer probable of occurring on the originally forecasted date or when the hedge is no longer effective. There were no discontinued foreign exchange hedges for the three and six months ended December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017.
There were no cash flow hedges or fair value hedges outstanding as of December 31, 2018 and June 30, 2018.
The notional amounts of derivative foreign currency exchange contracts not designated as hedges at December 31, 2018 and June 30, 2018 were $48,093 and $20,986, respectively. The fair values of derivatives not designated as hedges at December 31, 2018 and June 30, 2018 were $410 and $338 of net assets, respectively.
Gains and losses related to both designated and non-designated foreign currency exchange contracts are recorded in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations based upon the nature of the underlying hedged transaction and were not material for the three and six months ended December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017.
On August 17, 2016, three securities class action complaints were filed in the Eastern District of New York against the Company alleging violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The three complaints are: (1) Flora v. The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., et al. (the “Flora Complaint”); (2) Lynn v. The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., et al. (the “Lynn Complaint”); and (3) Spadola v. The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., et al. (the “Spadola Complaint” and, together with the Flora and Lynn Complaints, the “Securities Complaints”). On June 5, 2017, the court issued an order for consolidation, appointment of Co-Lead Plaintiffs and approval of selection of co-lead counsel. Pursuant to this order, the Securities Complaints were consolidated under the caption In re The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. Securities Litigation (the “Consolidated Securities Action”), and Rosewood Funeral Home and Salamon Gimpel were appointed as Co-Lead Plaintiffs. On June 21, 2017, the Company received notice that plaintiff Spadola voluntarily dismissed his claims without prejudice to his ability to participate in the Consolidated Securities Action as an absent class member. The Co-Lead Plaintiffs in the Consolidated Securities Action filed a Consolidated Amended Complaint on August 4, 2017 and a Corrected Consolidated Amended Complaint on September 7, 2017 on behalf of a purported class consisting of all persons who purchased or otherwise acquired Hain Celestial securities between November 5, 2013 and February 10, 2017 (the “Amended Complaint”). The Amended Complaint names as defendants the Company and certain of its current and former officers (collectively, the “Defendants”) and asserts violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 based on allegedly materially false or misleading statements and omissions in public statements, press releases and SEC filings regarding the Company’s business, prospects, financial results and internal controls. Defendants filed a motion to dismiss on October 3, 2017. Co-Lead Plaintiffs filed an opposition on December 1, 2017, and Defendants filed the reply on January 16, 2018. On April 4, 2018, the Court requested additional briefing relating to certain aspects of Defendants’ motion to dismiss. In accordance with this request, Lead Plaintiffs submitted their supplemental brief on April 18, 2018, and Defendants submitted an opposition on May 2, 2018. Lead Plaintiffs filed a reply brief on May 9, 2018, and Defendants submitted a sur-reply on May 16, 2018.
On September 16, 2016, a stockholder derivative complaint, Paperny v. Heyer, et al. (the “Paperny Complaint”), was filed in New York State Supreme Court in Nassau County against the Board of Directors and certain officers of the Company alleging breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, lack of oversight and corporate waste. On December 2, 2016 and December 29, 2016, two additional stockholder derivative complaints were filed in New York State Supreme Court in Nassau County against the Board of Directors and certain officers under the captions Scarola v. Simon (the “Scarola Complaint”) and Shakir v. Simon (the “Shakir Complaint” and, together with the Paperny Complaint and the Scarola Complaint, the “Derivative Complaints”), respectively.
Both the Scarola Complaint and the Shakir Complaint allege breach of fiduciary duty, lack of oversight and unjust enrichment. On February 16, 2017, the parties for the Derivative Complaints entered into a stipulation consolidating the matters under the caption In re The Hain Celestial Group (the “Consolidated Derivative Action”) in New York State Supreme Court in Nassau County, ordering the Shakir Complaint as the operative complaint. On November 2, 2017, the parties agreed to stay the Consolidated Derivative Action until April 11, 2018. On April 6, 2018, the parties filed a proposed stipulation agreeing to stay the Consolidated Derivative Action until October 4, 2018, which the Court granted on May 3, 2018. On October 9, 2018, the Court further stayed this matter until December 4, 2018 and on December 4, 2018 further stayed the matter until January 14, 2019. On January 14, 2019, the Court held a status conference and granted Plaintiffs leave to file an amended complaint by March 7, 2019, while continuing the stay as to all other aspects of the case. The Court scheduled a status conference for March 13, 2019.
On May 23, 2017, an additional stockholder filed a complaint under seal in the Eastern District of New York against the Board of Directors and certain officers of the Company. The complaint alleges that the Company’s directors and certain officers made materially false and misleading statements in press releases and SEC filings regarding the Company’s business, prospects and financial results. The complaint also alleges that the Company violated its by-laws and Delaware law by failing to hold its 2016 Annual Stockholders Meeting and includes claims for breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment and corporate waste. On August 9, 2017, the Court granted an order to unseal this case and reveal Gary Merenstein as the plaintiff (the “Merenstein Complaint”).
On August 10, 2017, the court granted the parties stipulation to consolidate the Barnes Complaint, the Silva Complaint and the Merenstein Complaint under the caption In re The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. Stockholder Class and Derivative Litigation (the “Consolidated Stockholder Class and Derivative Action”) and to appoint Robbins Arroyo LLP and Scott+Scott as Co-Lead Counsel, with the Law Offices of Thomas G. Amon as Liaison Counsel for Plaintiffs. On September 14, 2017, a related complaint was filed under the caption Oliver v. Berke, et al. (the “Oliver Complaint”), and on October 6, 2017, the Oliver Complaint was consolidated with the Consolidated Stockholder Class and Derivative Action. The Plaintiffs filed their consolidated amended complaint under seal on October 26, 2017. On December 20, 2017, the parties agreed to stay Defendants’ time to answer, move, or otherwise respond to the consolidated amended complaint through and including 30 days after a decision is rendered on the motion to dismiss the Amended Complaint in the consolidated Securities Class Actions, described above.
On August 19, 2015, the Center for Environmental Health (“CEH”), a private enforcer, filed a complaint under the California Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act (the “Enforcement Act”) (commonly referred to as “Proposition 65”), naming various defendants, including the Company. The complaint alleges that the Company is required to provide warnings for certain of its products for alleged exposure to the substance listed under the Enforcement Act as “acrylamide.” The other defendants named in the action are five retailers and one distributor, all of which are named for the Company’s products at issue. Acrylamide is a chemical that can form in some foods during high-temperature cooking processes, such as frying, roasting and baking. The complaint seeks injunctive relief, civil penalties in the amount of $2,500 per day (unrounded) for each alleged violation, and CEH’s attorneys’ fees and costs.
On October 16, 2018, following a mediation on October 3, 2018, CEH and the Company executed a proposed consent judgment (“Consent Judgment”) to resolve the above-referenced action in its entirety. The Consent Judgment sets acrylamide standards for potato- and sweet-potato based fried or baked snack foods. The Consent Judgment requires the Company to pay total of $588 in non-contingent settlement payments. In addition, the Consent Judgment sets a series of separate contingent payments if the Company exercises certain options in the future with respect to injunctive terms. On December 18, 2018, the Court approved the Consent Judgment. Accordingly, the Consent Judgment is now in effect and binding on the parties.
Company’s cooperation and prompt remedial acts. The order and terms of the settlement relate to the Company’s previously disclosed material weaknesses in internal controls over financial reporting.
Beginning in the third quarter of fiscal 2018, the Hain Pure Protein operations were classified as discontinued operations as discussed in “Note 5, Discontinued Operations.” Therefore, segment information presented excludes the results of Hain Pure Protein. As a result, the Company is now managed in seven operating segments: the United States, United Kingdom, Tilda, Ella’s Kitchen UK, Europe, Canada and Hain Ventures (formerly known as Cultivate).
The prior period segment information contained below has been adjusted to reflect the Company’s revised operating and reporting structure.
Net sales and operating income are the primary measures used by the Company’s Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”) to evaluate segment operating performance and to decide how to allocate resources to segments. The CODM is the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. Expenses related to certain centralized administration functions that are not specifically related to an operating segment are included in “Corporate and Other.” Corporate and Other expenses are comprised mainly of the compensation and related expenses of certain of the Company’s senior executive officers and other selected employees who perform duties related to the entire enterprise, as well as expenses for certain professional fees, facilities and other items which benefit the Company as a whole. Additionally, certain Project Terra costs are included in “Corporate and Other.” Expenses that are managed centrally, but can be attributed to a segment, such as employee benefits and certain facility costs, are allocated based on reasonable allocation methods. Assets are reviewed by the CODM on a consolidated basis and therefore are not reported by operating segment.
The following tables set forth financial information about each of the Company’s reportable segments. Transactions between reportable segments were insignificant for all periods presented.
(a) For the three months ended December 31, 2018, Corporate and Other includes $10,148 of Chief Executive Officer Succession Plan expense, net, $5,506 of Project Terra costs and other and $920 of accounting review and remediation costs. Corporate and Other for the three months ended December 31, 2018 also includes impairment charges of $17,900 ($11,300 related to the United States segment, $2,787 related to the United Kingdom segment and $3,813 in Rest of World) related to certain of the Company’s tradenames. For the three months ended December 31, 2017, Corporate and Other includes $641 of Project Terra costs and other $4,451 of accounting review and remediation costs.
For the six months ended December 31, 2018, Corporate and Other includes $29,701 of Chief Executive Officer Succession Plan expense, net, $13,483 of Project Terra costs and other and $4,334 of accounting review and remediation costs. Corporate and Other for the six months ended December 31, 2018 also includes impairment charges of $17,900 ($11,300 related to the United States segment, $2,787 related to the United Kingdom segment and $3,813 in Rest of World) related to certain of the Company’s tradenames. For the six months ended December 31, 2017, Corporate and Other included $3,254 of Project Terra costs and other and net expense of $3,093 of accounting review and remediation costs, net of insurance proceeds, consisting of $8,093 of costs incurred in the six months ended December 31, 2017 offset by insurance proceeds of $5,000.
This Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and the related Notes for the period ended December 31, 2018 thereto contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018. Forward looking statements in this Form 10-Q are qualified by the cautionary statement included in this Form 10-Q under the sub-heading “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information” in the introduction of this Form 10-Q.
The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (the “Company”), a Delaware corporation, was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Lake Success, New York. The Company’s mission has continued to evolve since its founding, with health and wellness being the core tenet — To Create and Inspire A Healthier Way of LifeTM and be the leading marketer, manufacturer and seller of organic and natural, “better-for-you” products by anticipating and exceeding consumer expectations in providing quality, innovation, value and convenience. The Company is committed to growing sustainably while continuing to implement environmentally sound business practices and manufacturing processes.

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