Item 1A. Risk Factors.
Investing in our Subordinate Voting Shares involves a high degree of risk. The following are certain factors concerning, among other things, our business, growth prospects, cash flows, results of operations and financial condition that should be considered together with the other information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including our financial statements and the related notes appearing herein. We believe the risks described below are the risks that are material to us as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, although, these risks and uncertainties are not the only ones we face. If any of the following risks actually occur, our business, growth prospects, cash flows, results of operations and financial condition would likely be materially and adversely affected. In these circumstances, the market price of our Subordinate Voting Shares could decline, and you may lose part or all of your investment. Other events that we do not currently anticipate or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business, growth prospects, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations. Risks that we believe are material to us as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K include the following:
Risks Related to Our Business and Industry
• the illegality of cannabis under federal law;
• the uncertainty regarding the regulation of cannabis in the U.S.;
• the effect of constraints on marketing our products;
• the risk we may not be able to grow our product offerings and dispensary services;
• the effect of risks related to material acquisitions, investments, dispositions and other strategic transactions;
• the effect of risks related to growth management;
• the effect of restricted access to banking and other financial services by cannabis businesses and their clients;
• the risks related to maintaining cash deposits in excess of federally insured limits;
• the effect of restrictions under U.S. border entry laws;
• the effect of heightened scrutiny that we may face in the U.S. and Canada and the effect it could have to further limit the market of our securities for holders in the U.S.;
• our expectation that we will incur significant ongoing costs and obligations related to our infrastructure, growth, regulatory compliance and operations;
• the effect of a limited market for our securities for holders in the U.S.;
• our ability to locate and obtain the rights to operate at preferred locations;
• the effect of taxation on our business in the U.S. and Canada;
• the higher risk of IRS audit;
• the effect of the lack of bankruptcy protections for cannabis businesses;
• the effect of risks related to being a holding company;
• our ability to enforce our contracts;
• the effect of intense competition in the cannabis industry;
• our ability to obtain cannabis licenses or to maintain such licenses;
• the risks our subsidiaries may not be able to obtain their required licenses;
• our ability to accurately forecast operating results and plan our operations;
• the effect of agricultural and environmental risks;
• our ability to adequately protect our intellectual property;
• the effect of risks of civil asset forfeiture of our property;
• our dependency on key personnel;
• the effect of product liability claims;
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• the effect of risks related to our products;
• the effect of unfavorable publicity or consumer perception;
• the effect of product recalls;
• the effect of security risks related to our products and our information technology systems;
• potential criminal prosecution or civil liabilities under RICO;
• the effect of risks related to our significant indebtedness;
• the effect of risks related to key utility services on which we rely;
Risks Related to Owning Subordinate Voting Shares
• the possibility of no positive return on our securities;
• the effect of additional issuances of our securities in the future;
• the effect of sales of substantial amounts of our shares in the public market;
• volatility of the market price and liquidity risks on our shares;
• the lack of sufficient liquidity in the markets for our shares;
Risks Related to Being a Public Company
• the increased costs as a result of being a U.S. reporting company.
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Risks Related to Our Business and Industry
Cannabis is illegal under United States federal law.
In the United States, or the U.S., cannabis is largely regulated at the state level. Each state in which we operate (or are currently proposing to operate) authorizes, as applicable, medical and/or adult-use cannabis production and distribution by licensed or registered entities, and numerous other states have legalized cannabis in some form. However, under U.S. federal law, the possession, use, cultivation, and transfer of cannabis and any related drug paraphernalia is illegal, and any such acts are criminalized under the Controlled Substances Act, as amended, which we refer to as the CSA. Cannabis is a Schedule I controlled substance under the CSA, and is thereby deemed to have a high potential for abuse, no accepted medical use in the United States, and a lack of safety for use under medical supervision. The concepts of “medical cannabis,” “retail cannabis” and “adult-use cannabis” do not exist under U.S. federal law. However, on December 18, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order titled “Increasing Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research.” This Executive Order directed the Attorney General to “take all necessary steps to complete the rulemaking process related to rescheduling marijuana to Schedule III of the CSA in the most expeditious manner in accordance with Federal law.” Although we believe that our business activities are compliant with applicable state and local laws in the United States, strict compliance with state and local cannabis laws would not provide a defense to any federal proceeding which may be brought us. Any such proceedings may result in a material effect on us. We derive substantially all of our revenues from the cannabis industry. The enforcement of applicable U.S. federal laws a significant risk to us.
The regulation of cannabis in the United States is uncertain.
Our activities are subject to regulation by various state and local governmental authorities. Our business objectives are contingent upon, in part, compliance with regulatory requirements enacted by these governmental authorities and obtaining all regulatory approvals necessary for the sale of our products in the jurisdictions in which we operate. Any delays in obtaining or failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals would significantly delay our development of markets and products, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Furthermore, although we believe that our operations are currently carried out in accordance with all applicable state and local rules and regulations, no assurance can be given that new rules and regulations will not be enacted or that existing rules and regulations will not be applied in a manner that could limit or curtail our ability to distribute or produce marijuana. Amendments to current laws and regulations governing the importation, distribution, transportation and/or production of marijuana, or more stringent implementation thereof could have a substantial adverse impact on us.
We may be subject to constraints on and differences in marketing our products under varying state laws.
Certain of the states in which we operate have enacted strict regulations regarding marketing and sales activities on cannabis products. There may be restrictions on sales and marketing activities imposed by government regulatory bodies that could hinder the development of our business and operating results. Restrictions may include regulations that specify what, where and to whom product information and descriptions may appear and/or be advertised. Marketing, advertising, packaging and labeling regulations also vary from state to state, potentially limiting the consistency and scale of consumer branding communication and product education efforts. The regulatory environment in the U.S. limits our ability to compete for market share in a manner similar to other industries. If we are unable to effectively market our products and compete for market share, or if the costs of compliance with government legislation and regulation cannot be absorbed through increased selling prices for our products, our sales and operating results could be adversely affected.
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Our ability to grow our medical and adult-use cannabis product offerings and dispensary services may be limited.
As we introduce or expand our medical and adult-use cannabis product offerings and dispensary services, we may incur losses or otherwise fail to enter certain markets successfully. Our expansion into new markets may place us in competitive and regulatory environments with which we are unfamiliar and involve various risks, including the need to invest significant resources and the possibility that returns on those investments will not be achieved for several years, if at all. In attempting to establish new product offerings or dispensary services, we may incur significant expenses and face various other challenges, such as expanding our work force and management personnel to cover these markets and complying with complicated cannabis regulations that apply to these markets. In addition, we may not successfully demonstrate the value of these product offerings and dispensary services to consumers, and failure to do so would compromise our ability to successfully expand these additional revenue streams.
We may acquire other companies or technologies.
Our success will depend, in part, on our ability to grow our business in response to the demands of consumers and other constituents within the cannabis industry as well as competitive pressures. In some circumstances, we may determine to do so through the acquisition of complementary businesses rather than through internal development. The identification of suitable acquisition candidates can be difficult, time-consuming, and costly, and we may not be able to successfully complete identified acquisitions. In addition, we may not realize the expected benefits from completed acquisitions. The risks we face in connection with acquisitions include:
• Diversion of management time and focus from operating our business to addressing acquisition integration challenges;
• Coordination of research and development and sales and marketing functions;
• Retention of employees from the acquired company;
• Cultural challenges associated with integrating employees from the acquired company into our organization;
• Integration of the acquired company's accounting, management information, human resources, and other administrative systems;
• The need to implement or improve controls, procedures, and policies at a business that prior to the acquisition may have lacked effective controls, procedures, and policies;
• Potential write-offs of intangible assets or other assets acquired in transactions that may have an adverse effect on our operating results in a given period;
• Liability for activities of the acquired company before the acquisition, including patent and trademark infringement claims, violations of laws, commercial disputes, tax liabilities, and other known and unknown liabilities; and
• Litigation or other claims in connection with the acquired company, including claims from terminated employees, consumers, former shareholders, or other third parties.
Our failure to address these risks or other problems encountered in connection with any future acquisitions or investments could cause us to fail to realize the anticipated benefits of these acquisitions or investments, cause us to incur unanticipated liabilities, and harm our business generally. Future acquisitions could also result in the incurrence of debt, contingent liabilities, amortization expenses, or the impairment of goodwill, any of which could harm our financial condition.
We may issue additional Subordinate Voting Shares in connection with such transactions, which would dilute our other shareholders’ interests in us. The presence of one or more material liabilities of an acquired company that are unknown to us at the time of acquisition could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, prospects and financial condition. A strategic transaction may result in a significant change in the nature of our business, operations and strategy. In addition, we may encounter unforeseen obstacles or costs in implementing a strategic transaction or integrating any acquired business into our operations.
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If we cannot manage our growth, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may be subject to growth-related risks, including capacity constraints and pressure on our internal systems and controls. Our ability to manage growth effectively will require us to continue to implement and improve our operational and financial systems and to expand, train and manage our employee base. Our inability to successfully manage our growth may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects.
Anti-Money Laundering Laws in the United States may limit access to funds from banks and other financial institutions.
In February 2014, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN, bureau of the United States Treasury Department issued guidance (which is not law) with respect to financial institutions providing banking services to cannabis businesses, including burdensome due diligence expectations and reporting requirements. While the guidance advised prosecutors not to focus their enforcement efforts on banks and other financial institutions that serve marijuana-related businesses, so long as they meet certain conditions, this guidance does not provide any safe harbors or legal defenses from examination or regulatory or criminal enforcement actions by the United States Department of Justice, or DOJ, FinCEN or other federal regulators. Because of this and the fact that the guidance may be amended or revoked at any time, most banks and other financial institutions have not been willing to provide banking services to cannabis-related businesses. In addition to the foregoing, banks may refuse to process debit card payments and credit card companies generally refuse to process credit card payments for cannabis-related businesses. As a result, we may have limited or no access to banking or other financial services in the United States and may have to operate our United States business on an all-cash basis. If we are or limited in our ability to open or maintain bank accounts, obtain other banking services or accept credit card and debit card payments, it may be for us to operate and conduct our business as planned. Although, we are actively pursuing alternatives that ensure our operations will continue to be compliant with the FinCEN guidance (including requirements related to disclosures about cash management and U.S. federal tax reporting), we may not be to meet all applicable requirements.
We are also subject to a variety of laws and regulations in the U.S. that involve money laundering, financial recordkeeping and proceeds of crime, including the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970 (commonly known as the Bank Secrecy Act), as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, or the USA PATRIOT Act, and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by governmental authorities in the U.S.
In the event that any of our operations or related activities in the United States were found to be in violation of money laundering legislation or otherwise, those transactions could be viewed as proceeds of crime under one or more of the statutes noted above or any other applicable legislation. This could restrict or otherwise jeopardize our ability to declare or pay dividends or effect other distributions.
We maintain cash deposits in excess of federally insured limits. Adverse developments affecting financial institutions, including bank failures, could adversely affect our liquidity and financial performance.
We maintain domestic cash deposits in Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insured banks that exceed the FDIC insurance limits. Bank failures, events involving limited liquidity, defaults, non-performance, or other adverse developments that affect financial institutions, or concerns or rumors about such events, may lead to liquidity constraints. There can be no assurance that our deposits in excess of the FDIC or other comparable insurance limits will be backstopped by the United States government, or that any bank or financial institution with which we do business will be able to obtain needed liquidity from other banks, government institutions, or by acquisition in the event of a failure or liquidity crisis.
We may be negatively impacted by disruptions to the United States banking system due to the fact that most banks and other financial institutions have not been willing to provide banking services to cannabis-related businesses. Where available, we tend to rely upon smaller, regional banks and the failure of a bank, or other adverse conditions in the financial or credit markets impacting financial institutions at which we maintain balances, could adversely impact our liquidity and financial performance.
We could be materially adversely impacted due to restrictions under U.S. border entry laws.
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Because cannabis remains illegal under U.S. federal law, those investing in Canadian companies with operations in the U.S. cannabis industry could face detention, denial of entry or lifetime bans from the United States as a result of their business associations with U.S. cannabis businesses. Entry into the United States happens at the sole discretion of United States Customs and Border Patrol, or CBP, officers on duty, and these officers have wide latitude to ask questions to determine the admissibility of a non-U.S. citizen or foreign national. The government of Canada has started warning travelers on its website that previous use of cannabis, or any substance prohibited by U.S. federal law, could mean denial of entry to the United States. Business or financial involvement in the cannabis industry in the United States could also be reason enough for denial of entry into the United States. On September 21, 2018, the CBP released a statement outlining its current position with respect to enforcement of the laws of the United States. It stated that Canada’s legalization of cannabis will not change CBP enforcement of U.S. laws regarding controlled substances. According to the statement, because cannabis continues to be a controlled substance under U.S. law, working in or facilitating the proliferation of the marijuana industry in U.S. states where it is legal under state law may affect admissibility to the United States. On October 9, 2018, the CBP released an additional statement regarding the admissibility of Canadian citizens working in the legal cannabis industry in Canada. CBP stated that a Canadian citizen working in or facilitating the proliferation of the legal cannabis industry in Canada who seeks to come into the United States for reasons unrelated to the cannabis industry will generally be admissible to the United States; however, if such person is found to be coming into the United States for reasons related to the cannabis industry, such person may be deemed inadmissible. As a result, the CBP has affirmed that employees, directors, officers, and managers of and investors in companies involved in business activities related to cannabis in the United States (such as Trulieve), who are not U.S. citizens face the risk of being from entry into the United States for life.
As a cannabis company, we may be subject to heightened scrutiny in Canada and the United States that could materially adversely impact the liquidity of the Subordinate Voting Shares.
Our existing operations in the United States, and any future operations, may become the subject of heightened scrutiny by regulators, stock exchanges and other authorities in the United States and Canada.
Given the heightened risk profile associated with cannabis in the United States, the Canadian Depository for Securities, or CDS, may implement procedures or protocols that would prohibit or significantly impair the ability of CDS to settle trades for companies that have cannabis businesses or assets in the United States.
On February 8, 2018, following discussions with the Canadian Securities Administrators and recognized Canadian securities exchanges, the TMX Group, the parent company of CDS, announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, which we refer to as the TMX MOU, with Aequitas NEO Exchange Inc., the CSE, the Toronto Stock Exchange, and the TSX Venture Exchange. The TMX MOU outlines the parties’ understanding of Canada’s regulatory framework applicable to the rules, procedures, and regulatory oversight of the exchanges and CDS as it relates to issuers with cannabis-related activities in the U.S. The TMX MOU confirms, with respect to the clearing of listed securities, that CDS relies on the exchanges to review the conduct of listed issuers. As a result, there is no CDS ban on the clearing of securities of issuers with cannabis-related activities in the U.S. However, there can be no assurances given that this approach to regulation will continue in the future. If such a ban were to be implemented, it would have a material adverse effect on the ability of holders of the Subordinate Voting Shares to settle trades. In particular, the Subordinate Voting Shares would become highly illiquid until an alternative was implemented, and investors would have no ability to effect a trade of the Subordinate Voting Shares through the facilities of a stock exchange.
We expect to incur significant ongoing costs and obligations related to our investment in infrastructure, growth, regulatory compliance and operations.
We expect to incur significant ongoing costs and obligations related to our investment in infrastructure and growth and for regulatory compliance, which could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. In addition, future changes in regulations, more vigorous enforcement thereof or other unanticipated events could require extensive changes to our operations, increase our compliance costs or give rise to material liabilities, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Our efforts to grow our business may be more costly than expected, and we may not be able to increase our revenue enough to offset these higher operating expenses. We may incur significant losses in the future for a number of reasons, including unforeseen expenses, difficulties, complications and delays, and other unknown events. If we are unable to and sustain , the market price of our securities may significantly decrease.
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The market for the Subordinate Voting Shares may be limited for holders of our securities who live in the United States.
Given the heightened risk profile associated with cannabis in the United States, capital markets participants may be unwilling to assist with the settlement of trades for U.S. resident securityholders of companies with operations in the U.S. cannabis industry, which may prohibit or significantly impair the ability of securityholders in the United States to trade our securities. In the event residents of the United States are unable to settle trades of our securities, this may affect the pricing of such securities in the secondary market, the transparency and availability of trading prices and the liquidity of these securities.
We may not be able to locate and obtain the rights to operate at preferred locations.
In certain markets the local municipality has authority to choose where any cannabis establishment will be located. These authorized areas are frequently removed from other retail operations. Because the cannabis industry remains illegal under U.S. federal law, the disadvantaged tax status of businesses deriving their income from cannabis, and the reluctance of the banking industry to support cannabis businesses, it may be difficult for us to locate and obtain the rights to operate at various preferred locations. Property owners may violate their mortgages by leasing to us, and those property owners that are willing to allow use of their facilities may require payment of above fair market value rents to reflect the scarcity of such locations and the risks and costs of providing such facilities.
We expect to be subject to taxation in both Canada and the United States, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
We are a Canadian corporation, and as a result generally would be classified as a non-United States corporation under the general rules of U.S. federal income taxation. IRC Section 7874, however, contains rules that can cause a non-United States corporation to be taxed as a United States corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Under IRC Section 7874, a corporation created or organized outside of the United States will nevertheless be treated as a United States corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which is referred to as an inversion, if each of the following three conditions are met: (i) the non-United States corporation acquires, directly or indirectly, or is treated as acquiring under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations, substantially all of the assets held, directly or indirectly, by a United States corporation, (ii) after the acquisition, the former shareholders of the acquired United States corporation hold at least 80% (by vote or value) of the shares of the non-United States corporation by reason of holding shares of the acquired United States corporation, and (iii) after the acquisition, the non-United States corporation’s expanded affiliated group does not have substantial business activities in the non-United States corporation’s country of organization or incorporation when compared to the expanded affiliated group’s total business activities.
Pursuant to IRC Section 7874, we are classified as a U.S. corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes and are subject to U.S. federal income tax on our worldwide income. Regardless of any application of IRC Section 7874, however, we expect to be treated as a Canadian resident company for purposes of the Canadian Income Tax Act, as amended. As a result, we are subject to taxation both in Canada and the U.S., which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
We may be at a higher risk of IRS audit .
We believe there is a greater likelihood that the IRS will audit the tax returns of cannabis-related businesses. Any such audit of our tax returns could result in us being required to pay additional tax, interest and penalties, as well as incremental accounting and legal expenses, which could be material.
We may not have access to United States bankruptcy protections available to non-cannabis businesses.
Because cannabis is a Schedule I controlled substance under the CSA, many courts have denied cannabis businesses federal bankruptcy protections, making it difficult for lenders to be made whole on their investments in the cannabis industry in the event of a bankruptcy. If we were to experience a bankruptcy, there is no guarantee that United States federal bankruptcy protections would be available to us, which would have a material adverse effect on us and may make it more difficult for us to obtain debt financing.
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We are a holding company and our ability to pay dividends or make other distributions to shareholders may be limited.
Trulieve Cannabis Corp. is a holding company and essentially all of its assets are the capital stock of its subsidiaries. We currently conduct substantially all of our business through Trulieve US, which currently generates substantially all of our revenues. Consequently, our cash flows and ability to complete current or desirable future growth opportunities are dependent on the earnings of Trulieve US and our other subsidiaries and the distribution of those earnings to Trulieve Cannabis Corp. The ability of our subsidiaries to pay dividends and other distributions will depend on those subsidiaries’ operating results and will be subject to applicable laws and regulations that require that solvency and capital standards be maintained by a subsidiary company and contractual restrictions contained in the instruments governing any current or future indebtedness of our subsidiaries. In the event of a bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization of Trulieve US or another of our subsidiaries, holders of indebtedness and trade creditors of that subsidiary may be entitled to payment of their claims from that subsidiary’s assets before we or our shareholders would be entitled to any payment or residual assets.
There is doubt regarding our ability to enforce contracts.
It is a fundamental principle of law that a contract will not be enforced if it involves a violation of law or public policy. Because cannabis remains illegal at a federal level in the United States, judges in multiple states have on a number of occasions refused to enforce contracts for the repayment of money when the loan was used in connection with activities that violate U.S. federal law, even if there is no violation of state law. There remains doubt and uncertainty that we will be able to legally enforce our contracts. If we are unable to realize the benefits of or otherwise enforce the contracts into which we enter, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We face increasing competition that may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The vast majority of both manufacturing and retail competitors in the cannabis market consists of localized businesses (those doing business in a single state), although there are a few multistate operators with which we compete directly. Aside from this direct competition, out-of-state operators that are capitalized well enough to enter markets through acquisitive growth are also part of the competitive landscape. Similarly, as we execute our growth strategy, operators in our future state markets will inevitably become direct competitors. We are likely to continue to face increasing and intense competition from these companies, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
If the number of users of adult-use and medical marijuana in the United States increases, the demand for products will increase. Consequently, we expect that competition will become more intense as current and future competitors begin to offer an increasing number of diversified products to respond to such increased demand. To remain competitive, we will require a continued investment in research and development, marketing, sales and client support. We may not have sufficient resources to maintain sufficient levels of investment in research and development, marketing, sales and client support efforts to remain competitive, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The cannabis industry is undergoing rapid growth and substantial change, which has resulted in an increase in competitors, consolidation and the formation of strategic relationships. Acquisitions or other consolidating transactions could harm us in a number of ways, including losing customers, revenue and market share, or forcing us to expend greater resources to meet new or additional competitive threats, all of which could harm our operating results. As competitors enter the market and become increasingly sophisticated, competition in our industry may intensify and place downward pressure on retail prices for our products and services, which could negatively impact our profitability.
We are subject to limits on our ability to own the licenses necessary to operate our business, which will adversely affect our ability to grow our business and market share in certain states.
In certain states, the cannabis laws and regulations limit not only the number of cannabis licenses issued, but also the number of cannabis licenses that one person or entity may own in that state. Such limitations on the acquisition of ownership of additional licenses within certain states may limit our ability to grow organically or to increase our market share in affected states.
Our subsidiaries may not be able to obtain or maintain necessary permits and authorizations.
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Our subsidiaries may not be able to obtain or maintain the necessary licenses, permits, certificates, authorizations or accreditations to operate their respective businesses, or may only be able to do so at great cost. In addition, our subsidiaries may not be able to comply fully with the wide variety of laws and regulations applicable to the cannabis industry. Such laws and regulations include requirements to use state mandated information technology reporting systems that may not fully integrate with our information technology systems. Failure to comply with or to obtain the necessary licenses, permits, certificates, authorizations or accreditations could result in restrictions on a subsidiary’s ability to operate in the cannabis industry, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
We may not be able to accurately forecast our operating results and plan our operations due to uncertainties in the cannabis industry.
Because U.S. federal and state laws prevent widespread participation in and otherwise hinder market research in the medical and adult-use cannabis industry, the third-party market data available to us is limited and unreliable. Accordingly, we must rely largely on our own market research to forecast sales as detailed forecasts are not generally obtainable from other sources at this early stage of the cannabis industry. Our market research and projections of estimated total retail sales, demographics, demand, and similar consumer research are based on assumptions from limited and unreliable market data, and generally represent the personal opinions of our management team. A failure in the demand for our products to materialize as a result of competition, technological change or other factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition or prospects.
We are subject to risks related to growing an agricultural product.
Our business involves the growing of cannabis, an agricultural product. Such business is subject to the risks inherent in the agricultural business, such as losses due to infestation by insects or plant diseases and similar agricultural risks. Although much of our growing is expected to be completed indoors, there can be no assurance that natural elements will not have a material adverse effect on our future production.
We may encounter unknown environmental risks.
There can be no assurance that we will not encounter hazardous conditions, such as asbestos or lead, at the sites of the real estate used to operate our businesses, which may delay the development of our businesses. Upon encountering a hazardous condition, work at our facilities may be suspended. If we receive notice of a hazardous condition, we may be required to correct the condition prior to continuing construction. If additional hazardous conditions were present, it would likely delay construction and may require significant expenditure of our resources to correct the conditions. Such conditions could have a material impact on our investment returns.
We may not be able to adequately protect our intellectual property.
As long as cannabis remains illegal under U.S. federal law as a Schedule I controlled substance under the CSA, the benefit of certain federal laws and protections that may be available to most businesses, such as federal trademark and patent protection, may not be available to us. As a result, our intellectual property may never be adequately or sufficiently protected against the use or misappropriation by third parties. In addition, since the regulatory framework of the cannabis industry is in a constant state of flux, we can provide no assurance that we will ever obtain any protection for our intellectual property, whether on a federal, state or local level.
Our property is subject to risk of civil asset forfeiture.
Because the cannabis industry remains illegal under U.S. federal law, any property owned by participants in the cannabis industry that is either used in the course of conducting or comprises the proceeds of a cannabis business could be subject to seizure by law enforcement and subsequent civil asset forfeiture. Even if the owner of the property were never charged with a crime, the property in question could still be seized and subject to an administrative proceeding by which, with minimal process, it could become subject to forfeiture.
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We are highly dependent on certain key personnel.
We depend on key managerial personnel, including Kim Rivers, our Chief Executive Officer, and Kyle Landrum, our Chief Production Officer, for our continued success, and our anticipated growth may require additional expertise and the addition of new qualified personnel. Qualified individuals within the cannabis industry are in high demand and we may incur significant costs to attract and retain qualified management personnel, or be unable to attract or retain personnel necessary to operate or expand our business. The loss of the services of existing personnel or our failure to recruit additional key managerial personnel in a timely manner, or at all, could harm our business development programs and our ability to manage day-to-day operations, attract collaboration partners, attract and retain other employees, and generate revenues, and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We face inherent risks of liability claims related to the use of our products.
As a distributor of products designed to be ingested by humans, we face an inherent risk of exposure to product liability claims, regulatory action and litigation if our products cause or are alleged to have caused significant loss or injury. We may be subject to various product liability claims, including, among others, that our products caused injury or illness, include inadequate instructions for use or include inadequate warnings concerning possible side effects or interactions with other substances. A product liability claim or regulatory action against us, whether or not successful, could result in materially increased costs, adversely affect our reputation with our clients and consumers generally, and have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
We may become party to litigation from time to time in the ordinary course of business which could adversely affect our business. Should any litigation in which we become involved be determined against us, such a decision could adversely affect our ability to continue operating and the market price for the Subordinate Voting Shares. Even if we achieve a successful result in any litigation in which we are involved, the costs of litigation and redirection of our management’s time and attention could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
We face risks related to our products.
We have committed and expect to continue committing significant resources and capital to develop and market existing products and new products and services. These products are relatively untested in the marketplace, and we cannot assure shareholders and investors that we will achieve market acceptance for these products, or other new products and services that we may offer in the future. Moreover, these and other new products and services may be subject to significant competition with offerings by new and existing competitors in the industry. In addition, new products and services may pose a variety of challenges and require us to attract additional qualified employees. The failure to successfully develop, manage and market these new products and services could seriously harm our business, prospects, revenue, results of operation and financial condition.
Our medical marijuana business may be impacted by consumer perception of the cannabis industry, which we cannot control or predict.
We believe that the medical marijuana industry is highly dependent upon consumer perception regarding the safety, efficacy and quality of medical marijuana distributed to those consumers. Consumer perception of our products may be significantly influenced by scientific research or findings, regulatory investigations, litigation, media attention and other publicity regarding the consumption of medical marijuana products. There can be no assurance that future scientific research, findings, regulatory proceedings, litigation, media attention or other research findings or publicity will be favorable to the medical marijuana market or any particular product, or consistent with earlier publicity. Future research reports, findings, regulatory proceedings, litigation, media attention or other publicity that are perceived as less favorable than, or that question, earlier research reports, findings or publicity could have a material adverse effect on the demand for our products and our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Product recalls could result in a material and adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Manufacturers and distributors of products are sometimes subject to the recall or return of their products for a variety of reasons, including product defects, such as contamination, unintended harmful side effects or interactions with other substances, packaging safety and inadequate or inaccurate labelling disclosure. The list includes specified vape products produced in our Pennsylvania operations. If any of our products are recalled due to an alleged product defect or
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for any other reason, we could be required to incur the unexpected expense of the recall and any legal proceedings that might arise in connection with the recall. We may lose a significant amount of sales and may not be able to replace those sales at an acceptable margin or at all. In addition, a product recall may require significant management attention. Although we have detailed procedures in place for testing our products, there can be no assurance that any quality, potency or contamination problems will be detected in time to avoid unforeseen product recalls, regulatory action or lawsuits. Additionally, if one of our significant brands were subject to recall, the image of that brand and our company generally could be harmed. Any recall could lead to decreased demand for our products and could have a material effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Additionally, product may lead to increased of our operations by regulatory agencies, requiring further management attention and potential legal fees and other expenses.
We are subject to security risks related to our products as well as our information and technology systems.
Given the nature of our product and its limited legal availability, we are at significant risk of theft at our facilities. A security breach at one of our facilities could expose us to additional liability and to potentially costly litigation, increase expenses relating to the resolution and future prevention of these breaches and may deter potential customers from choosing our products.
In addition, we collect and store personal information about our customers and we are responsible for protecting that
information from privacy breaches. We store certain personally identifiable information and other confidential information of our customers on our systems and applications. Though we maintain robust, proprietary security protocols, we may experience attempts by third parties to obtain unauthorized access to the personally identifiable information and other confidential information of our customers. This information could also be otherwise exposed through human error or malfeasance. The unauthorized access or compromise of this personally identifiable information and other confidential information could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
A privacy breach may occur through procedural or process failure, information technology malfunction, or deliberate unauthorized intrusions. Theft of data for competitive purposes, particularly customer lists and preferences, is an ongoing risk whether perpetrated via employee collusion or negligence or through deliberate cyber-attack. Any such theft or privacy breach would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our operations depend and will depend, in part, on how well we protect our networks, equipment, information technology, or IT, systems and software against damage from a number of threats, including, natural disasters, intentional damage and destruction, fire, power loss, hacking, computer viruses, vandalism and theft. Our operations also depend and will continue to depend on the timely maintenance, upgrade and replacement of networks, equipment, IT systems and software, as well as preemptive expenses to mitigate the risks of failures. Any of these and other events could result in information system failures, delays and/or increase in capital expenses. The failure of information systems or a component of information systems could, depending on the nature of any such failure, impact our reputation and results of operations.
We face exposure to fraudulent or illegal activity by employees, contractors, consultants and agents, which may subject us to investigations and actions.
We are exposed to the risk that any of the employees, independent contractors and consultants of our company and our subsidiaries may engage in fraudulent or other illegal activity. Misconduct by these parties could include intentional, reckless and/or negligent conduct or disclosure of unauthorized activities to us that violates, (i) government regulations, (ii) manufacturing standards, (iii) federal and local healthcare fraud and abuse laws and regulations, or (iv) laws that require the true, complete and accurate reporting of financial information or data. It may not always be possible for us to identify and deter misconduct by our employees and other third parties, and the precautions taken by us to detect and prevent this activity may not be effective in controlling unknown or unmanaged risks or or in protecting us from governmental or other actions or lawsuits stemming from a to be in compliance with such laws or regulations. We cannot provide assurance that our internal controls and compliance systems will protect us from acts committed by our employees, agents or business partners in of U.S. federal or state or local laws. If any such actions are instituted us, and we are not in or asserting our rights, those actions could have a material impact on our business, including the imposition of civil, and administrative , , monetary , contractual , reputational , profits and future earnings, and of our operations, any of which could have a material effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects.
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We could be subject to criminal prosecution or civil liabilities under RICO.
The Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”) criminalizes the use of any profits from certain defined “racketeering” activities in interstate commerce. While intended to provide an additional cause of action against organized crime, due to the fact that cannabis is illegal under U.S. federal law, the production and sale of cannabis qualifies cannabis related businesses as “racketeering” as defined by RICO. As such, all officers, managers and owners in a cannabis related business could be subject to criminal prosecution under RICO, which carries substantial criminal penalties.
RICO can create civil liability as well: persons harmed in their business or property by actions which would constitute racketeering under RICO often have a civil cause of action against such “racketeers,” and can claim triple their amount of estimated damages in attendant court proceedings. Trulieve or its subsidiaries, as well as its officers, managers and owners could all be subject to civil claims under RICO.
Our indebtedness may adversely affect our business, financial condition and financial results.
Our ability to make certain payments or advances will be subject to applicable laws and contractual restrictions in the instruments governing our indebtedness. The contractual restrictions in the instruments governing such indebtedness include restrictive covenants that could limit our discretion with respect to certain business matters. Our inability to generate sufficient cash flow to satisfy our debt obligations, or to refinance our indebtedness on commercially reasonable terms or at all, may materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
We rely on key utility services.
Our business is dependent on a number of key inputs and their related costs, including raw materials and supplies related to our growing operations, as well as electricity, water and other local utilities. Our cannabis growing operations consume and will continue to consume considerable energy, which makes us vulnerable to rising energy costs. Accordingly, rising or volatile energy costs may, in the future, adversely impact our business and our ability to operate profitably. Additionally, any significant interruption or negative change in the availability or economics of the supply chain for our key inputs could materially impact our business, financial condition and operating results. If we are unable to secure required supplies and services on satisfactory terms, it could have a materially adverse impact on our business, financial condition and operating results.
Risks Related to Owning Subordinate Voting Shares
A return on our securities is not guaranteed.
There is no guarantee that our Subordinate Voting Shares will earn any positive return in the short term or long term. A holding of Subordinate Voting Shares is speculative and involves a high degree of risk and should be undertaken only by holders whose financial resources are sufficient to enable them to assume such risks and who have no need for immediate liquidity in their investment. A holding of Subordinate Voting Shares is appropriate only for holders who have the capacity to absorb a loss of some or all of their holdings.
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Additional issuances of Multiple Voting Shares or Subordinate Voting Shares may result in further dilution and could have anti-takeover effects.
We may issue additional equity or convertible debt securities in the future, which may dilute an existing shareholder’s holdings. Our articles permit the issuance of an unlimited number of Multiple Voting Shares and Subordinate Voting Shares, and existing shareholders will have no preemptive rights in connection with such further issuances. Our board of directors has discretion to determine the price and the terms of further issuances. The ability of our board of directors to issue additional Multiple Voting Shares and/or Subordinate Voting Shares could also have anti-takeover effects. Moreover, we will issue additional Subordinate Voting Shares on the conversion of the Multiple Voting Shares in accordance with their terms. To the extent holders of our options, warrants or other convertible securities convert or exercise their securities and sell Subordinate Voting Shares they receive, the trading price of the Subordinate Voting Shares may decrease due to the additional amount of Subordinate Voting Shares available in the market. We cannot predict the size or nature of future issuances or the effect that future issuances and sales of Subordinate Voting Shares will have on the market price of the Subordinate Voting Shares. Issuances of a substantial number of additional Subordinate Voting Shares, or the perception that such issuances could occur, may adversely affect prevailing market prices for the Subordinate Voting Shares. With any additional issuance of Subordinate Voting Shares, our investors will suffer dilution to their voting power and economic interest.
Sales of substantial amounts of Subordinate Voting Shares by our existing shareholders in the public market may have an adverse effect on the market price of the Subordinate Voting Shares.
Sales of a substantial number of Subordinate Voting Shares in the public market could occur at any time. These sales, or the perception in the market that holders of a large number of shares intend to sell shares, or the availability of such securities for sale, could adversely affect the prevailing market prices for the Subordinate Voting Shares. If all or a substantial portion of our Multiple Voting Shares are converted into Subordinate Voting Shares, the potential for sales of substantial numbers of Subordinate Voting Shares may increase. A decline in the market prices of the Subordinate Voting Shares could impair our ability to raise additional capital through the sale of securities should we desire to do so.
The market price for the Subordinate Voting Shares has been and is likely to continue to be volatile.
The market price for the Subordinate Voting Shares may be volatile and subject to wide fluctuations in response to numerous factors, many of which will be beyond our control, including, but not limited to, the following: (i) actual or anticipated fluctuations in our quarterly results of operations; (ii) recommendations by securities research analysts; (iii) changes in the economic performance or market valuations of companies in the cannabis industry; (iv) additions or departures of our executive officers and other key personnel; (v) release or expiration of transfer restrictions on our issued and outstanding shares; (vi) regulatory changes affecting the cannabis industry generally and our business and operations; (vii) announcements by us and our competitors of developments and other material events; (viii) fluctuations in the costs of vital production materials and services; (ix) changes in global financial markets and global economies and general market conditions, such as interest rates and pharmaceutical product price volatility, as well as disruptions to health crisis (such as the COVID-19 pandemic), severe weather events, or armed conflicts (such as the conflict between Ukraine and Russia or Israel and Hamas); significant acquisitions or business combinations, strategic partnerships, joint ventures or capital commitments by or involving us or our competitors; (xi) operating and share price performance of other companies that investors deem comparable to us or from a of market comparable companies; (xii) or reports issued by individuals or companies who have taken aggressive short sale positions; and (xiii) news reports relating to trends, , technological or competitive developments, regulatory changes and other related issues in our industry or target markets.
Financial markets have experienced significant price and volume fluctuations that have affected the market prices of equity securities of companies and that have often been unrelated to the operating performance, underlying asset values or prospects of those companies. Accordingly, the market price of the Subordinate Voting Shares may decline even if our operating results, underlying asset values or prospects have not changed.
These factors, as well as other related factors, may cause decreases in asset values that are deemed to be other than temporary, which may result in impairment losses. There can be no assurance that continuing fluctuations in price and volume will not occur. If such increased levels of volatility and market turmoil continue, our operations could be adversely impacted, and the trading price of the Subordinate Voting Shares could be materially adversely affected.
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There may not be sufficient liquidity in the markets for our Subordinate Voting Shares.
Our Subordinate Voting Shares are listed for trading on the CSE under the trading symbol “TRUL” and on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol “TCNNF.” The liquidity of any market for the shares of our Subordinate Voting Shares will depend on a number of factors, including:
• The number of shareholders;
• our operating performance and financial condition;
• the market for similar securities;
• the extent of coverage by securities or industry analysts; and
• the interest of securities dealers in making a market in the shares.
Risks Related to Being a Public Company
We are subject to increased costs as a result of being a U.S. reporting company.
As a public issuer, we are subject to the reporting requirements and rules and regulations under the applicable Canadian securities laws and rules of any stock exchange on which our securities may be listed from time to time. In addition, we became subject to the reporting requirements of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder on February 4, 2021. Additional or new regulatory requirements may be adopted in the future. The requirements of existing and potential future rules and regulations will increase our legal, accounting, and financial compliance costs, make some activities more difficult, time-consuming or costly and may also place undue strain on our personnel, systems and resources, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
