Coca Cola Femsa SAB De CV (CFSL) Risk Analysis
Risk Overview Q4, 2023
Risk Change Over Time
- Cyber Security - Risk 1If we are unable to protect our information systems against service interruption, misappropriation of data or cybersecurity incidents, our operations could be disrupted, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
We rely on networks, information systems, and other technology, or IT systems, including the Internet and third-party hosted platforms and services, to support a variety of business processes and activities, including procurement and supply chain, manufacturing, distribution, invoicing, collection of payments and storage of client, third-party and employee personal data. We also use IT systems to process financial information and results of operations for internal reporting purposes and to comply with regulatory financial reporting and legal and tax requirements. Because IT systems are critical to many of our operating activities, our business may be impacted by network or hardware failures or impairments, malicious or disruptive software, unintentional or malicious actions of employees or contractors, cyberattacks by hackers or criminal groups (which may include deepfake or social engineering schemes, ransomware and other forms of malware, business email compromise, cyber extortion, denial of service, or attempts to exploit vulnerabilities or gain unauthorized access), or other events. Cybercriminals have increasingly demonstrated advanced capabilities, such as use of zero-day vulnerabilities and generative artificial intelligence. Cybersecurity incidents could result in the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information, regulated individual personal data, or delays in reporting our financial results, and we may lose revenue and profits as a result of our inability to timely produce or distribute our products. Any severe damage, disruption, or shutdown in our IT systems could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Our IT systems may be target of attacks. Although the cybersecurity incidents that we have experienced to date have not had a material effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations, such cybersecurity incidents could have a material adverse effect on us in the future. In order to address risks to our IT systems, we invest in specialized personnel, technologies, controls, cyber insurance, and personnel training to prevent these possible impacts. As a means of preventing such impacts, we maintain a cyber risk management program overseen by the audit committee and our senior management. However, there is no assurance that the measures we implement will be sufficient to prevent such incidents.
Risk Highlights Q4, 2023
Risk Word Cloud
Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 27
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1The protections afforded to minority shareholders in Mexico are different from those afforded to minority shareholders in the United States and investors may experience difficulties in enforcing civil liabilities against us or our directors, officers and controlling persons.
Under the Mexican Securities Market Law, the protections afforded to minority shareholders are different from, and may be less than, those afforded to minority shareholders in the United States. Therefore, it may be more difficult for minority shareholders to enforce their rights against us, our directors or our controlling interest shareholders than it would be for minority shareholders of a U.S. company. In addition, we are organized under the laws of Mexico and most of our directors, officers and controlling persons reside outside the United States, and all or a substantial portion of our assets and the assets of our directors, officers and controlling persons are located outside the United States. As a result, it may not be possible for investors to effect service of process within the United States on such persons or to enforce judgments against them in U.S. courts or in courts in jurisdictions outside of the United States, in each case, including in any action based on civil liabilities under the U.S. federal securities laws. The enforceability against our directors, officers and controlling persons in Mexico in actions for enforcement of judgments of U.S. courts, and liabilities predicated solely upon the U.S. federal securities laws will be subject to certain requirements provided for in the Mexican Federal Civil Procedure Code and any applicable treaties. Some of the requirements may include personal service of process and that the judgments of U.S. courts are not against Mexican public policy. The Mexican Securities Market Law, which is considered Mexican public policy, provides that, in the event of actions derived from any breach of the duty of care and the duty of loyalty against our directors and officers, any remedy would be exclusively for the benefit of our company. Therefore, investors would not be directly entitled to any remedies under such actions.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2Holders of ADSs may not be able to vote at our shareholder meetings.
Our units, which are comprised of 3 Series B shares and 5 Series L shares, trade on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") in the form of ADSs, each representing 10 units. Holders of ADSs may not receive notice of Series L or Series B shareholder meetings from the ADS depositary in sufficient time to enable such holders to return voting instructions to the ADS depositary in a timely manner.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3Our Series L shares have limited voting rights.
Our Series L shares grant the right to vote only in certain circumstances. In general terms, they grant the right to elect up to three of our maximum of 21 directors and only grant the right to vote on specific matters, including certain changes in our corporate form, mergers involving our company when our company is the merged entity or when the principal corporate purpose of the merged entity is not related to the corporate purpose of our company, the cancellation of the registration of our shares on the Mexican Stock Exchange (Bolsa Mexicana de Valores, or BMV) or any other foreign stock exchange, and those matters for which the Mexican Securities Market Law (Ley del Mercado de Valores) expressly grants the right to vote to classes of shares with limited voting rights. As a result, holders of units will not be able to influence our business or operations with respect to the Series L shares they indirectly hold. See "Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions-Major Shareholders" and "Item 10. Additional Information-Bylaws-Voting Rights, Transfer Restrictions and Certain Minority Rights."
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4Holders of units and ADSs in the United States may not be able to participate in any capital offering and as a result may be subject to dilution of their equity interests.
Under applicable Mexican law, if we issue new shares for cash as a part of a capital increase, other than in connection with a public offering of newly issued shares, treasury stock or mergers, we are generally required to grant our shareholders the right to purchase a sufficient number of shares to maintain their existing ownership percentage. Rights to purchase shares in these circumstances are known as preemptive rights. By law, we may not allow holders of our units or ADSs who are located in the United States to exercise any preemptive rights in any future capital increases unless (1) we file a registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, with respect to that future issuance of shares or (2) the offering qualifies for an exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. At the time of any future capital increase, we will evaluate the costs and potential liabilities associated with filing a registration statement with the SEC, as well as the benefits of preemptive rights to holders of our units and ADSs in the United States and any other factors that we consider important in determining whether to file a registration statement. We may decide not to file a registration statement with the SEC that would allow holders of our units or ADSs who are located in the United States to participate in a preemptive rights offering. In addition, under current Mexican law, the sale by the ADS depositary of preemptive rights and the distribution of the proceeds from such sales to the holders of ADSs is not possible. As a result, the equity interest of such holders of units or ADSs would be diluted proportionately. See "Item 10. Additional Information-Bylaws-Preemptive Rights."
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5The Coca-Cola Company and FEMSA have substantial influence on the conduct of our business, which may result in us taking actions contrary to the interests of our shareholders other than The Coca-Cola Company and FEMSA.
The Coca-Cola Company has substantial influence on the conduct of our business and Fomento Económico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V., which we refer to as FEMSA, has control over our company. As of the date of this report, The Coca-Cola Company indirectly owned 27.8% of our outstanding capital stock, representing 32.9% of our capital stock with full voting rights. The Coca-Cola Company is entitled to appoint up to five of our maximum of 21 directors and the vote of at least two of them is required to approve certain actions by our board of directors. As of the date of this report, FEMSA indirectly owned 47.2% of our outstanding capital stock, representing 56.0% of our capital stock with full voting rights. FEMSA is entitled to appoint up to 13 of our maximum of 21 directors and all of our executive officers. The Coca-Cola Company and FEMSA together, or only FEMSA in certain circumstances, have the power to determine the outcome of all actions requiring approval by our board of directors, and FEMSA and The Coca-Cola Company together, or only FEMSA in certain circumstances, have the power to determine the outcome of all actions requiring approval of our shareholders. See "Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions-Major Shareholders-The Shareholders Agreement." The interests of The Coca-Cola Company and FEMSA may be different from the interests of our other shareholders, which may result in us taking actions contrary to the interests of such other shareholders.
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