United Parks & Resorts (PRKS) Risk Analysis

We operate in a complex and evolving regulatory environment and are subject to various federal and state statutes and regulations and international treaties implemented by federal law. The states in which we operate also regulate zoological activity involving the import and export of exotic and native wildlife, endangered and/or otherwise protected species, zoological display and anti-cruelty statutes. We incur significant compliance costs in connection with these regulations, and violation of such regulations could subject us to fines and penalties and result in the loss of our licenses and permits, which, if occurred, could impact our ability to display certain animals. Future amendments to existing statutes, regulations and treaties or new statutes, regulations and treaties or lawsuits against the Company, government agencies or other third parties in the zoological industry may potentially restrict our ability to maintain our animals, or to acquire new ones to supplement or sustain our breeding programs or otherwise adversely affect our business. See the further discussion of proposed regulations under "Recent Regulatory Developments" in the "Business" section included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. In light of the uncertain legal, legislative and regulatory environment and evolving public sentiment, we continue to evaluate a broad spectrum of enhancements, modifications and alternatives with respect to the display, husbandry and breeding practices, handling and care, and study and research of our animals. Any decisions regarding such matters are subject to consideration and assessment of various factors including, but not limited to, the health and welfare of the animals, guest sentiment, market conditions, anticipated impact on our business, regulatory environment, legal proceedings, and input from our conservation partners, and other factors. If we were to pursue or be required to pursue any alternative approaches with respect to the display, husbandry and breeding practices, handling and care, or study and research of our orcas or other animals in our zoological collection, the full impact of such alternatives on our business will not be known until such alternatives are finalized. In the meantime, we continue to invest significant management attention and resources to evaluate the impact of and ensure compliance with the applicable regulatory and other developments.

From time to time, animal activist and other third-party groups may make claims before government agencies, bring lawsuits against us, attempt to generate negative publicity associated with our business and/or attempt to influence guests to avoid our parks. Such activities sometimes are based on allegations that we do not properly care for some of our animals. On other occasions, such activities are specifically designed to change existing law or enact new law in order to impede our ability to retain, exhibit, acquire or breed animals. While we seek to structure our operations to comply with all applicable federal and state laws and vigorously defend ourselves when sued, there are no assurances as to the outcome of claims and lawsuits that could be brought against us or new laws or changes to existing laws that could negatively impact us. Even if not successful, these lawsuits, or proposed changes to laws, can require deployment of our resources and can lead to negative publicity. Negative publicity created by activists or in the media could adversely affect our reputation and results of operations. At times, activists and other third-party groups have also attempted to generate negative publicity related to our relationships with our business partners, such as corporate sponsors, promotional partners, vendors, ticket resellers and others. These activities have at times led relationships with some ticket resellers to be terminated. Although sales from any particular ticket reseller may not constitute a significant portion of our ticket sales, if a relationship with a ticket reseller is terminated, we will attempt to find alternative distribution channels. However, there can be no assurance that we will be successful or that those channels will be as successful or not have additional costs. If we are unable to find cost effective alternative distribution channels, the loss of multiple ticket resellers could have a negative impact on our results of operations.

Labor is a primary component in the cost of operating our business. We devote significant resources to recruiting and training our employees to meet our staffing needs. Increased labor costs or turnover due to competition, inflationary pressures, increased minimum wage or employee benefit costs or otherwise has and could continue to put pressure on our margins and adversely impact our operating expenses. For example, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 and the amendments thereto contain provisions that have impacted our healthcare costs. Any future amendments or new legislation could significantly increase our compensation costs, which would reduce our net income and adversely affect our cash flows. Under legislation passed by the City of San Diego specifically for employees working in the hospitality industry which includes theme parks, beginning on July 1, 2026, San Diego's minimum wage for theme park employees will increase to $19.00 per hour with further increases of $1.50 per hour each year on July 1 until reaching $25.00 per hour effective July 1, 2030. From that point forward, future minimum wage increases will be adjusted annually for inflation starting July 1, 2031. Under current Virginia law, its state minimum wage is $12.00 an hour adjusted annually beginning January 1, 2025 based on changes in the consumer price index, which for 2025 resulted in a minimum wage of $12.41 and increased to $12.77 in 2026. In November 2020, Florida passed a ballot initiative providing for its minimum wage to increase by $1.00 per hour on September 30 of each year until the minimum wage reaches $15.00 per hour on September 30, 2026. From that point forward, future minimum wage increases will be adjusted annually for inflation starting September 30, 2027. In addition, a number of companies with whom we compete for talent have announced wage and benefit increases to attract and retain employees in a tight labor market which has driven-up labor costs. Increases to the minimum wage in locations where we do business, increases to wages of companies with whom we compete for talent and/or increased benefit costs will negatively impact our operating expenses. See also "If we fail to hire and/or retain employees, our business may be adversely affected".

Our success depends to a significant extent on discretionary consumer spending. Some of the factors that may influence consumer spending on entertainment and recreational activities include general economic conditions, the availability of discretionary income, consumer confidence, high interest rates, domestic and global supply chain issues, high levels of unemployment, pandemics, higher consumer debt levels, reductions in net worth based on market declines and uncertainty, the housing market, fluctuating foreign currency exchange rates and credit availability, government measures, inflationary pressure, tax rates and general uncertainty regarding the overall future economic environment, including recessionary concerns. From 2022 through 2024, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates eleven times in response to concerns about inflation. While the Federal Reserve decreased interest rates three times each in 2024 and 2025 and may further decrease interest rates in 2026, interest rates remain elevated and there is no guarantee that the Federal Reserve will take such action. Elevated interest rates and volatility in financial markets may increase economic uncertainty and negatively affect consumer spending. The demand for our parks, other entertainment and recreation activities generally, and discretionary travel is highly sensitive to downturns in the economy and the corresponding impact on discretionary consumer spending. Any actual or perceived deterioration or weakness in general, regional or local economic conditions, as well as other adverse economic or market conditions, may reduce our customers' discretionary income or willingness to spend on parks, entertainment, recreation activities and travel. An increase in general price levels (due to inflationary pressure, domestic and global supply chain issues or other macroeconomic factors) could also result in a shift in consumer demand away from discretionary spending, which would adversely affect our attendance or guest spending patterns and, at the same time, increase our operating costs. We may not be able to adequately increase our prices over time at price points that consumers are willing to pay to offset such increased costs. In the past, severe economic downturns, coupled with high volatility and uncertainty as to the future global economic landscape, have had an adverse effect on consumers' discretionary income and consumer confidence. Volatile, negative, inflationary or uncertain economic conditions and recessionary periods may adversely impact attendance figures, the frequency with which guests choose to visit our theme parks and guest spending patterns at our theme parks. The actual or perceived weakness in the economy could also lead to decreased spending by our guests.

Various factors beyond our control could adversely affect attendance and guest spending patterns at our theme parks. These factors could also affect our suppliers, vendors, insurance carriers and other contractual counterparties. Such factors include but are not limited to: - bad weather and even forecasts of bad weather, including abnormally hot, cold, snow/ice and/or wet weather, particularly during weekends, holidays or other peak periods;- natural disasters, such as hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, tornados, floods, sinkholes and volcanic eruptions and man-made disasters such as oil spills, which may deter travelers from scheduling vacations or cause them to cancel travel or vacation plans;- labor shortages impacting our parks, suppliers or others in the travel industry such as airlines and hotels;- inflation;- fluctuations in foreign exchange rates;- low consumer confidence or changes in consumer taste;- supply chain delays or shortages;- outbreaks of pandemic or contagious diseases, recreational water illnesses or consumers' concerns relating to potential exposure to travel-related health concerns such as pandemics and epidemics such as Coronavirus, Ebola, Zika, Influenza H1N1, avian bird flu, SARS and MERS;- changes in the desirability of particular locations or travel patterns of both our domestic and international guests;- adverse general economic related factors including changes in interest rates;- economic uncertainty;- electricity, oil and natural gas prices and travel costs and the financial condition of the airline, automotive and other transportation-related industries, any travel-related disruptions or incidents and their impact on travel or decrease transportation options to cities where we have parks;- war, geopolitical events, terrorist activities or threats and heightened travel security measures instituted in response to these events;- actions or statements by U.S. and foreign governmental officials related to travel and corporate travel-related activities (including changes to the U.S. visa rules or disease related restrictions or testing requirements) and the resulting public perception of such travel and activities;- interruption of public or private utility services to our theme parks; and - workplace violence or any other threatened or actual act of violence that threatens the safety and security of, or causes harm to our guests, employees, animals or facilities. Workplace violence or other violence can be pre-meditated or spontaneous and includes the threat from terrorism or an act of terrorism, a bomb threat or actual bombing, an active shooter or mass casualty/damage event, civil unrest resulting in violent protest, any violent criminal acts such as arson, armed robbery, assault, sexual assault, and interpersonal violence such as domestic violence, gender based violence, stalking, or any other violent act occurring on our property. Any one or more of these factors could adversely affect attendance, revenue, and per capita spending at our theme parks, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates and inflation impact our business. A strong dollar increases the cost for international tourists and inflationary pressures increase the cost of living which could impact guest's willingness to visit our parks or guest spending. In addition, demand for our parks is highly dependent on the general environment for travel and tourism, which can be significantly adversely affected by extreme weather events, including ice and snow conditions. In 2022 and parts of 2023, the United States encountered increased inflation and we experienced increased costs for labor, goods, food, merchandise, services and capital projects. Inflation increases the cost of goods we purchase, capital projects, wages and benefits, and services we buy. If we are not able to offset inflationary costs, our results of operations will be negatively impacted and possibly in a material manner. Any of these such events could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations. Additionally, because many of the attractions at our parks are outdoors, attendance at our parks is adversely affected by bad or extreme weather conditions and forecasts of bad or mixed weather conditions, which negatively affects our revenues and results of operations. Adverse weather events could also cause us to incur significant costs to repair or replace rides or facilities and cause extended closure times if rides or facilities have to be replaced. Natural disasters and adverse weather conditions can be caused or exacerbated by climate change, and the series of extreme weather events experienced in recent years presents an alarming trend. For example, attendance at our parks in 2024 was negatively impacted by significantly worse weather, including Hurricanes Milton and Debby. Separately, we have previously also experienced negative impacts from adverse weather such as unusual heat, cold and/or rain, which have caused park closures and other weather impacts.