Shake Shack (SHAK) Risk Analysis

We are a party to the Tax Receivable Agreement with the non-controlling interest holders. Under the Tax Receivable Agreement, we are required to make cash payments to the non-controlling interest holders equal to 85% of the tax benefits, if any, that we actually realize, or in certain circumstances are deemed to realize, as a result of (i) the increases in the tax basis of the net assets of SSE Holdings resulting from any redemptions or exchanges of LLC Interests from the non-controlling interest holders and (ii) certain other tax benefits related to our making payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement. We expect that the amount of the cash payments that we are required to make under the Tax Receivable Agreement will be significant. Any payments made by us to the non-controlling interest holders under the Tax Receivable Agreement will generally reduce the amount of overall cash flow that might have otherwise been available to us. Furthermore, our future obligation to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement could make us a less attractive target for an acquisition, particularly in the case of an acquirer that cannot use some or all of the tax benefits that are the subject of the Tax Receivable Agreement. Payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement are not conditioned on any non-controlling interest holders continued ownership of LLC Interests or our Class A common stock after the IPO. The actual amount and timing of any payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement, will vary depending upon a number of factors, including the timing of redemptions or exchanges by the holders of LLC Interests, the amount of gain recognized by such holders of LLC Interests, the amount and timing of the taxable income we generate in the future, and the federal tax rates then applicable.

We have an aggregate of 160,857,603 shares of Class A common stock authorized but unissued, including 2,921,587 shares of Class A common stock issuable upon the redemption or exchange of LLC Interests held by the non-controlling interest holders. Subject to certain restrictions set forth in the SSE Holdings LLC Agreement, the non-controlling interest holders are entitled to have their LLC Interests redeemed or exchanged for shares of our Class A common stock. We cannot predict the timing or size of any future issuances of our Class A common stock resulting from the redemption or exchange of LLC Interests or the effect, if any, that future issuances and sales of shares of our Class A common stock may have on the market price of our Class A common stock. Sales or distributions of substantial amounts of our Class A common stock, including shares issued in connection with an acquisition, or the perception that such sales or distributions could occur, may cause the market price of our Class A common stock to decline.

Provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, as well as provisions of Delaware law could discourage, delay or prevent a merger, acquisition or other change in control of our Company, even if such change in control would be beneficial to our stockholders. These provisions include: ?the authority to issue "blank check" preferred stock that could be issued by our Board of Directors to increase the number of outstanding shares and thwart a takeover attempt;?our classified board of directors providing that not all members of our Board of Directors are elected at one time;?the removal of directors only for cause;?prohibiting the use of cumulative voting for the election of directors;?limiting the ability of stockholders to call special meetings or amend our bylaws;?requiring all stockholder actions to be taken at a meeting of our stockholders; and ?our advance notice and duration of ownership requirements for nominations for election to the Board of Directors or for proposing matters that can be acted upon by stockholders at stockholder meetings. These provisions could also discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult for you and other stockholders to elect directors of your choosing and cause us to take other corporate actions you desire. In addition, because our Board of Directors is responsible for appointing the members of our management team, these provisions could in turn affect any attempt by our stockholders to replace current members of our management team. In addition, the Delaware General Corporation Law (the "DGCL"), to which we are subject, prohibits us, except under specified circumstances, from engaging in any mergers, significant sales of stock or assets or business combinations with any stockholder or group of stockholders who owns at least 15% of our common stock.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation requires, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers or other employees to us or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or the bylaws or (iv) any action asserting a claim against us governed by the internal affairs doctrine will have to be brought only in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware. Although we believe this provision benefits us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware law in the types of lawsuits to which it applies, the provision may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers.

Payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement will be based on the tax reporting positions that we determine, and the IRS or another tax authority may challenge all or part of the tax basis increases, as well as other related tax positions we take, and a court could sustain such challenge. If the outcome of any such challenge would reasonably be expected to materially affect a recipient's payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement, then we will not be permitted to settle or fail to contest such challenge without the consent (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) of each non-controlling interest holder that directly or indirectly owns at least 10% of the outstanding LLC Interests. We will not be reimbursed for any cash payments previously made to the non-controlling interest holders under the Tax Receivable Agreement in the event that any tax benefits initially claimed by us and for which payment has been made to non-controlling interest holders are subsequently challenged by a taxing authority and are ultimately disallowed. Instead, any excess cash payments made by us to non-controlling interest holders will be netted against any future cash payments that we might otherwise be required to make to such non-controlling interest holders under the terms of the Tax Receivable Agreement. However, we might not determine that we have effectively made an excess cash payment to a non-controlling interest holder for a number of years following the initial time of such payment and, if any of our tax reporting positions are challenged by a taxing authority, we will not be permitted to reduce any future cash payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement until any such challenge is finally settled or determined. As a result, payments could be made under the Tax Receivable Agreement in excess of the tax savings that we realize in respect of the tax attributes with respect to non-controlling interest holders that are the subject of the Tax Receivable Agreement.