Item 1. Business.
Our Vision and Purpose
Our vision is to unleash the power of cannabis to improve lives. As one of the first publicly traded, licensed cannabis producers in the world, our vision comes to life by harnessing the power of the plant, building a global cannabis company, and fostering a purpose-driven atmosphere for our employees. We are a collective of dynamic and engaged leaders, united by a passion for cannabis, focused on delighting our consumers and medical cannabis patients while creating value for our stakeholders and one another.
Canopy Growth is a world-leading cannabis company which produces, distributes, and sells a diverse range of cannabis and cannabis-related products. Cannabis products are principally sold for adult-use and medical purposes under a portfolio of distinct brands in Canada pursuant to the Cannabis Act, SC 2018, c 16 (the “Cannabis Act”), and globally pursuant to applicable international legislation, regulations, and permits.
Our core operations are in Canada, Germany and Australia and we hold a significant non-controlling, non-voting interest in Canopy USA, an entity that participates in the sale of cannabis and hemp derived products in the United States. Our branded product portfolio includes multiple cannabis formats, such as high-quality dried flower, pre-rolled joints (“PRJ”), oils, softgel capsules, and edibles including gummies, as well as industry-leading vaporizer devices designed to meet the needs of consumers worldwide.
Our vision is shaped by our principal values, and these values drive our organization through:
•Responsible Corporate Citizenship: We are serious about our responsibility to lead with purpose and show how cannabis can be a force for positive change. This is why we incorporate robust and stringent product safety measures and responsible-use education initiatives designed to create and sustain better places to live and work together.
•Engaged Leadership: We depend on the shared purpose, passion and leadership of world-class talent. We strive to live and lead by example by creating equity in our talent processes and encouraging an inclusive environment for all. Our guiding principles – own it, listen and share, catch people doing things right, grow good together and shatter barriers – keep us connected to each other and to the shared goals that are bigger than ourselves.
Our Company
Canopy Growth was incorporated pursuant to the Canada Business Corporations Act on August 5, 2009 and our common shares are listed and trade on both the TSX and The Nasdaq Global Select Market.
We are driven by an unwavering commitment to providing our consumers with the best possible experiences rooted in our vision of unleashing the power of cannabis to improve lives. From product and process innovation to market execution, we are driven by a commitment to drive the industry forward.
We were among the first companies to be permitted to cultivate and sell legal cannabis in Canada. Today, we supply high-quality medical cannabis products to patients in Canada, Europe, and Australia. We seek to continuously develop initiatives designed to help patients and consumers safely, effectively, and responsibly use cannabis.
We act upon our values by advancing community engagement where we have an active employee presence or operational footprint. This includes:
•Fostering employee volunteerism opportunities through Canopy ‘Days of Giving’ program which provided employees with paid time off to volunteer and giveback in their communities with charity organizations of their choice; and
•Hosting workplace fundraising events throughout the year in support of a range of grass-roots community support organizations.
Today, we are a leader in the medical and adult-use cannabis markets in Canada where we offer a broad portfolio of brands and products and continue to expand our portfolio to include new innovative cannabis products and formats. Our primary medical brand is Spectrum Therapeutics and we have also launched Canopy Medical, a medical cannabis brand in select international markets. Our curated cannabis product formats include dried flower, PRJ, oil, softgel capsules, edibles including gummies and vapes, as well as a wide range of cannabis accessories including our premier herbal vaporizer devices Storz & Bickel® (collectively with Storz & Bickel GmbH, “Storz & Bickel”).
For adult-use cannabis, we maintain agreements to supply all Canadian provinces and territories with our adult-use products for sale through their established retail distribution systems. Using a consumer-driven approach, we provide a portfolio of diverse products that offer experiences for a wide range of occasions that our consumers seek. Our distinct cannabis brands include Tweed® (“Tweed”), 7ACRES, Maitri, HiWay, Twd., Wana®, Claybourne, and Deep Space in the adult-use channel.
Our Strategy and Outlook
We aspire to demonstrate how cannabis can be a force to improve lives and communities, and we have defined a clear strategy to bring this ambition to life. Our overall strategy is anchored in our commitment to building beloved consumer brands within an asset-right operating model, which focuses on driving efficiency for the greatest return on asset investment while owning the core capabilities that are critical to long-term sustainable success. We believe that this will enable us to compete more effectively, and lead, in today’s rapidly evolving market.
To achieve our vision, our strategy consists of five pillars:
•Furthering our Leadership Position with Medical Cannabis Patients Worldwide - We are committed to the high-quality production of medical cannabis products and are equally committed to helping medical professionals confidently prescribe and patients to responsibly use our products. Our unwavering commitment to the safety and effectiveness of our products is a critical strategic imperative which also helps differentiate us in the growing cannabis market. To remain successful, we consistently strive to make significant investments in our operations within Canada and Europe and we are well-positioned to pursue international growth opportunities with our strong medical cannabis brands and distribution networks. We intend to fuel the continued demand for our European Union Good Manufacturing Practices (“EU-GMP”) certified medical grade cannabis internationally with supply from within Europe and from our Canadian EU-GMP certified facility in Kincardine, Ontario. In addition, we will continue to maximize our existing routes to market to further our execution on our international growth plans, while leveraging our cannabis expertise and well-established medical brands.
•Leadership of Global Vaporization through Storz &Bickel - Vaporization is a consumption method that aligns with the desires of several of our medical cannabis patients and adult-use consumers. With an already extensive product portfolio, our focus is to continue to push for more impactful product innovations that allow for the expansion of new product formats. Like our cannabis, these devices are crafted with the same attention to quality, performance and safety and undergo rigorous manufacturing procedures and certification. While already internationally established, Storz & Bickel is focused on addressing consumer needs in the North American market and intends to continue to deliver its award-winning products to a broader audience.
•Focusing on Profitable Scale in Adult-Use Cannabis through our Powerhouse Brands Backed by Exceptional Product Quality - The heart of our business is in North America with our roots in Canada and investments in the U.S. Our brand portfolio includes Tweed, Claybourne, HiWay, 7ACRES, Twd., Wana, and Deep Space in our Canadian adult-use market. As markets continue to evolve, we believe the role of brands will become more prominent in consumers’ desire for trustworthy products that deliver quality and consistency of experience. We are investing in our brands to further our position of leadership in the market and to continually strengthen their relationship with consumers. We understand that the success of our products and brands is only achievable with the support and buy-in of customers. As consumer needs and trends evolve, we are continuing to focus our efforts on product categories with the highest and most tangible profit opportunities that also align to customer needs and consumer desires. At the same time, we are significantly optimizing our wholesale capabilities to ensure that our products have the broadest distribution in our highest profit geographies.
•Leveraging Our Disciplined “Asset-Right” Model and Power Growth - As the cannabis market continues to rapidly evolve, we remain focused on driving efficiency for the greatest return on asset investments. Our objective is to excel at our own internal manufacturing capabilities by making selective investments in assets that will accelerate returns and secure long-term sustainable profitability. This means we will invest where necessary and continue to leverage local and/or regional suppliers for raw materials to complement our owned operations. We continually and consistently seek to optimize our operating footprint in order to achieve profitability and foster growth while retaining a steadfast commitment to the quality of our products and the integrity of our global supply chain.
•Unparalleled exposure to the expanding U.S. cannabis market - Unlike other cannabis businesses, our investment in Canopy USA provides a unique opportunity to maximize the value of our previously-held conditional U.S. THC investments. We have an unconsolidated and non-controlling interest in Canopy USA which is, and is expected to continue to be, accounted for as an equity method (fair value) investment until such time as a Stock Exchange Permissibility Date (as defined below) occurs. Canopy USA’s powerhouse brands, Wana and Jetty, establish a foundation for us to participate in the world’s largest and fastest growing cannabis market and to offer our shareholders unique exposure to this market’s growth.
Canopy USA and certain entities over which Canopy USA exercises control (such entities, the “Canopy USA LPs”) currently hold an ownership interest in the following assets, among others:
oWana – Canopy USA holds 100% of the membership interests of Wana Wellness, LLC, The Cima Group, LLC, and Mountain High Products, LLC (collectively, “Wana”).
oJetty – Canopy USA holds approximately 77% of the shares of Jetty.
oAcreage – Canopy USA holds 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of Acreage.
oTerrAscend – the Canopy USA LPs hold an aggregate of 64,564,487 TerrAscend common shares (the “TerrAscend Common Shares”) on an as-converted basis and 22,474,130 TerrAscend Common Share purchase warrants with a weighted average exercise price of $6.07 per TerrAscend Common Share and expiring on December 31, 2032 (the “TerrAscend Warrants”). Assuming full exercise of the TerrAscend Warrants, the Canopy USA LPs will hold an aggregate of 87,038,617 TerrAscend Common Shares on an as-converted basis assuming conversion of the TerrAscend exchangeable shares (the “TerrAscend Exchangeable Shares”) held by the Canopy USA LPs.
See “Risk Factors – Our expansion plans into the United States rely upon the continued operations and success of Canopy USA and its subsidiaries and the anticipated benefits of the strategy involving Canopy USA is uncertain and may not be realized; and the fair value of our equity method investment in Canopy USA is volatile” under Item 1A of this Form 10-K.
Our Brands and Products
Cannabis Products
We produce and sell a wide range of cannabis products, including dried cannabis flower, PRJ, extracts and concentrates, edibles including gummies and vapes in Canada and other locations where legally permissible to do so. Our cannabis products are sold both in the direct-to-patient markets for medicinal use, as well as in the adult-use market following the enactment of the Cannabis Act in Canada and the amendments thereto which provided for the legalization and regulation of cannabis products beyond cannabis flower and cannabis oils, to include products such as beverages, edibles including gummies and vapes (collectively, “Cannabis 2.0”). Our cannabis products are sold under a variety of brand names described under “Brand Portfolio” below and are intended to position us as a leader in both the medical and adult-use markets.
Our cannabis products include:
•Dried Flower: We pride ourselves on growing high-quality cannabis, which is packaged for sale as dried flower and PRJ. We sell dried flower and PRJ in both the medical and adult-use markets. Dried flower continues to be the core of all cannabis markets globally and accordingly our focus on consistent high quality cultivation is relentless. Further, as the PRJ category gains further momentum based on the convenience of consumption for these products, we will continue to seek an active role in the category’s growth through non-infused and infused PRJ products.
•Extracts and Concentrates: This category includes softgel capsules which offer a convenient, precise, and discrete dosing solution for those interested in consuming their cannabis in pill form and are available in a variety of concentrates, from micro to full doses. In addition to our historic experience in the softgel product category, which we feel is a competitive advantage, this category also represents a precise and low-cost consumption option for consumers while continuing to be attractive from a margin perspective for the Company.
•Cannabis Edibles: This category includes a range of ingestible products including gummies. We are the exclusive Canadian licensees of the Wana gummies, one of North America’s leading cannabis edible brands. Wana prides itself on consistency, quality, and cannabis-free taste in addition to a range of products with accelerated onset. Wana gummies are available in a range of cannabinoid ratios and values, and class-specific terpene formulations. Current products offer a discreet and dosable cannabis experience and are available in a variety of flavors and sizes. We continue to view the edibles category as one of the major long term growth drivers within the cannabis industry and believe we are well positioned to compete for leadership with Wana as our central edibles brand.
•Cannabis Vapes: Our vapes are designed to bring effective and reliable technology to the vaping category. Our “510” vape concentrate cartridges and all-in-one vape devices are available in a variety of Tweed and 7ACRES strains, with a range of THC and CBD levels. Our vapes are tamper-resistant, adhere to Health Canada’s regulations and we are continually reviewing and testing all inputs to ensure the highest quality and reliability of cannabinoids, terpenes and tamper-resistance features. Our vape cartridges are tested to the FDA standard for leachability to ensure the reduction of heavy metals and contaminants leaching into the extract. Our all-in-one vape products are produced using UL 8139 or equivalent Certified Safe Manufacturing standards which evaluate the safety of the integrated systems of a vape device and safety features and mechanisms that protect the user from harm when using the device. All of our vape battery cells are certified to UL 1642 or an equivalent safety standard.
Devices and Delivery Technology
In addition to the vape pens and cartridge products that we offer in the legal cannabis market in Canada, through Storz & Bickel we manufacture and sell medical cannabis vaporizer devices as well as dry herb vaporizers for recreational purposes. Storz & Bickel operates in an internationally certified facility dedicated to manufacturing medical devices. The certified medical vaporizers and dry herb vaporizers are exported to over 100 markets around the world. Storz & Bickel currently holds registrations to sell their medical devices Volcano Medic 2, and Mighty+ Medic in Australia, Canada, the European Union, Israel, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom and meet the country specific requirements including, but not limited to, electrical safety, biocompatibility, usability, as well
as clinical performance and general safety. The Storz & Bickel dry herb vaporizers are crafted with the same attention to performance and safety as their medical devices and they undergo rigorous manufacturing procedures and are either TÜV Süd-certified or UL listed (UL8139).
On October 17, 2023, Storz & Bickel unveiled the Venty, an innovative, portable vaporizer for dry herbs. Its newly designed convection and conduction heater as well as the cutting-edge heating management and cooling technology enhance flavor to produce superior vapor quality on the go. The Venty successfully underwent conformity assessment procedure for CE certification in the European Union and is UL listed (UL 8139).
Brand Portfolio
Our diverse brand portfolio enables us to effectively reach a broad spectrum of consumers for a variety of needs and occasions throughout their day – whether for adult-use or for medical purposes. Our product portfolio consists of Adult-Use Brands, Medical Brands, and Devices - as well as brands that we license from others, referred to as our “Affiliated Brands” below.
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Adult-Use Brands |
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Devices |

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Tweed is our flagship cannabis brand that proudly offers a wide range of easy to enjoy cannabis products across dried flower, pre-rolls, vapes, oils, softgels, and beverages. |
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Storz & Bickel |
Based in Tuttlingen, Germany, Storz & Bickel are designers and manufacturers of medically approved herbal vaporizers, most notably the Volcano Medic 2 and the Mighty+ Medic. |

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7ACRES is a cannabis brand that appeals to the senses through thoughtfully selected aromatic cultivars and experiences. Offerings include flower, pre-rolls, vape, beverages and concentrates. |
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Affiliated Brands |

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Deep Space is a line of bold-flavored cannabis-infused soft drink beverages adding rocket-fuel to your space adventure with the maximum allowed 10mg THC per can. Looking for more fuel? Deep Space Propulsion offers 10mg THC, 10mg CBG and 30mg of naturally occurring caffeine per can. |
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Wana is one of North America's leading edibles brand that prides itself on consistency, quality and seriously great tasting gummies. |

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HiWay is a value brand that offers a variety of products, including dried flower, pre-rolls, and vapes at a convenient price point and level of trusted quality that our consumers rely on. |
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Claybourne is a California-based cannabis brand established in 2017, known for producing high-quality products with a focus on consistent, detail-oriented cultivation and processing. |

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Maitri is a Québec-centric brand focused on expertly-cultivated cannabis strains that are dominant in THC. Designed to bring the natural beauty of the province into your home. |
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Twd. is a simple brand with affordable, high-quality options that make shopping for cannabis easy. Offerings include flower, pre-rolls and oil. |
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Medical Brands |
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Spectrum Therapeutics is our brand of medical cannabis products designed to optimize the therapeutic benefits of medical cannabis as prescribed by a medical practitioner. Branded products include cannabis oils, softgels and dried flower. Spectrum Therapeutics is also an e-commerce, multi-brand platform within the Canadian medical cannabis market. |
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Canopy Medical is a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer for the production, import and release of medical cannabis products in Europe. Canopy Medical is committed to developing and delivering world-class medical cannabis solutions for patients to improve their quality of life through innovative and high-quality products. Current medical cannabis formats sold within the Canopy Medical cannabis brand today include dried flower and oil extracts. |
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Our Operations
Canadian Operations
Medical
Under the Cannabis Act, license holders are able to sell medical cannabis through the mail to registered patients. Through the Spectrum Therapeutics website, patients who have registered with Spectrum Therapeutics are able to purchase products online and have them shipped directly to the address indicated on their registration document.
We have developed several programs to improve access to medical cannabis for authorized patients. First, we provide an income-tested compassionate pricing program whereby eligible low-income patients may obtain a 20% discount on regular prices of medical cannabis. We also have multiple offerings for veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces, including a team of customer care agents dedicated to assisting veterans with registration, ordering and insurance coverage; pre-approval and direct billing of Veterans Affairs Canada (“VAC”) to ensure uninterrupted access to medication as well as full coverage (through VAC) of all cannabis products offered in our online Spectrum Therapeutics medical shop. Veterans do not have to pay out of pocket for any product; and can access special offers on our Storz & Bickel devices. For non-veterans, we also provide support through our customer care team to help patients identify if their medication is covered under the growing number of private health plans that have a medical cannabis component.
In our effort to drive awareness of our products and services, we work closely with patient educators of specialty medical cannabis clinics and continue to hold community events (to the extent allowable within the regulatory environment) to build relationships and education on the offerings from Spectrum Therapeutics.
Adult-Use
Our cannabis cultivation operations are focused in two facilities, our hybrid greenhouse facility in Kincardine, Ontario and the DOJA greenhouse facility in Kelowna, British Columbia. We believe that the capacity in the Kincardine facility and the DOJA facility, as well as externally sourced low cost cannabis flower supply, can meet the current demand for dried flower across our entire house of brands. Further, the receipt of EU-GMP certification at the Kincardine facility enables us to continue exporting certified medical cannabis to medical markets in Europe and Australia.
Our licensed operational capacity in Canada includes advanced manufacturing capability for oil and softgel encapsulation, PRJ (infused and non-infused) and hash production, which is primarily completed at our Smiths Falls, Ontario manufacturing facility. Through our in-house manufacturing capabilities of cannabis products, we can process and package bulk cannabis flower, whether internally or externally sourced, into high-quality cannabis flower products. Our remaining products are manufactured through an adaptive third-party sourcing model for all vapes, edibles and extracts. We are confident that our production and manufacturing capabilities and know-how are sufficient to meet the diverse needs of our adult-use and medical cannabis consumers in Canada.
Global Operations
In recent years, the actions of governments around the world have signaled a significant change in attitudes towards cannabis and have either formally legalized medical cannabis access, or established government efforts to explore the legalization of medical cannabis access. Therefore, opportunities continue to exist for us to operate in jurisdictions where governments have established, or are actively moving towards, a legal framework. To support our continued push toward profitability, and to continue to seize growth opportunities in the global markets, we have reduced investment and concentrated our operational footprint in incubator markets in favor of using our resources to broaden partnerships in markets where we can operate via third parties with local expertise. Our purpose is to grow our global medical cannabis portfolio profitably. Our present market approach remains focused on supporting immediate revenue and establishing us as a leader in these markets, as permitted by local law and regulations.
Europe
Canopy Growth’s production and distribution facility in Europe is in Sankt Leon-Rot, Germany. Our Canopy Medical and Spectrum Therapeutics brands continue to serve this medical market with operations in Germany and Poland. Our European medical cannabis business operates in accordance with the specific regulatory framework in place in the relevant jurisdictions, including supplying EU-GMP as applicable to medical cannabis products.
In addition to medical cannabis, our operations in Europe also include Storz & Bickel, the award-winning manufacturers of vaporizers and related accessories. The corporate offices and production facility of Storz & Bickel are located in Tuttlingen, Germany where we are focused on the production of the CRAFTY®, VENTY®, PLENTY® and MIGHTY+® and the classic VOLCANO®.
United States
We are not considered a U.S. Marijuana Issuer (as defined in the Canadian Securities Administrators Staff Notice 51-352 – Issuers with U.S. Marijuana-Related Activities (the “Staff Notice”) nor do we have material ancillary involvement in the U.S. cannabis industry in accordance with the Staff Notice. While we have an interest in Canopy USA, which is a platform that is intended to enable such U.S.-based companies that may themselves participate in the U.S. cannabis market to operate, the transaction structure was intended to ensure that we do not violate the federal laws of the United States respecting cannabis and do not allow us to participate in cannabis activities in the United States or direct the activities of Canopy USA. Where a non-controlled affiliate has expressed an intent to enter the U.S. cannabis market, we have taken steps to insulate ourselves from all economic and voting interests. See “Business – Our Company – Canopy USA” and “Business – Government Regulation – U.S. Regulatory Framework” for further discussion.
Australia and New Zealand
Early in fiscal 2018, we launched our Australian operations and Spectrum Therapeutics began selling medical cannabis to doctors prescribing its products. Spectrum Therapeutics continues to support Australian medical patients through imported products. Additionally, Storz & Bickel medical devices, notably the MIGHTY+®, is also available to patients in Australia. The MIGHTY+ is listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods since 2019.
For medical devices to be legally supplied in New Zealand, they must be notified to the New Zealand Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority’s Web Assisted Notification of Devices (“WAND”) database. The Storz & Bickel devices have been notified to the WAND database.
Credit Facility
On March 18, 2021, the Company entered into a term loan credit agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) providing for a five-year, first lien senior secured term loan facility in an aggregate principal amount of US$750.0 million (the “Credit Facility”).
The Company had the ability to obtain up to an additional US$500.0 million of incremental senior secured debt pursuant to the Credit Agreement. Pursuant to the balance sheet actions completed in connection with the Reorganization, on October 24, 2022, the Company entered into agreements with certain of its lenders under the Credit Agreement pursuant to which the Company agreed to purchase in the aggregate US$187.5 million of the principal amount outstanding under the Credit Facility at a discounted price of US$930 per US$1,000 or US$174.4 million in the aggregate. The first payment, which was oversubscribed, in the amount of approximately $117.5 million (US$87.9 million) was made on November 10, 2022 to reduce the principal indebtedness under the Credit Facility by approximately $126.3 million (US$94.4 million). The second payment of approximately $116.8 million (US$87.2 million) was made on April 17, 2023 to reduce principal indebtedness under the Credit Facility by approximately $125.6 million (US$93.8 million). Additionally, on October 24, 2022, the Company and certain of its lenders agreed to make certain amendments to the Credit Agreement which, among other things, resulted in: (i) a reduction to the minimum liquidity covenant to no less than US$100.0 million following completion of the second principal repurchase on April 17, 2023; (ii) certain changes to the application of net proceeds from asset sales; (iii) the establishment of a new committed delayed draw term credit facility in an aggregate principal amount of US$100.0 million; and (iv) the elimination of the additional US$500.0 million incremental term loan facility.
On July 13, 2023, as part of the Company's balance sheet deleveraging initiatives, the Company entered into agreements with certain of its lenders under the Credit Agreement pursuant to which certain additional amendments were made to the Credit Agreement (the Credit Agreement, as amended as of July 13, 2023, is referred to herein as the "Amended Credit Agreement"). The Amended Credit Agreement required the Company to prepay or repurchase principal indebtedness under the Credit Facility in an amount equal to the US dollar equivalent of $93.0 million at a discounted price of US$930 per US$1,000 (the "July 2023 Paydown"). In addition, the Amended Credit Agreement requires the Company to apply certain net proceeds from asset sales to prepay or repurchase principal indebtedness under the Credit Facility and receive principal reductions at, in certain circumstances, a discounted price of US$950 per US$1,000. The Amended Credit Agreement also includes, among other things, amendments to the minimum liquidity covenant such that the US$100.0 million minimum liquidity covenant ceased to apply concurrently with the July 2023 Paydown. The Company made the July 2023 Paydown on July 21, 2023.
On each of August 11, 2023 and September 14, 2023, pursuant to the terms of the Amended Credit Agreement, the Company repurchased additional outstanding principal amounts under the Credit Facility using certain net proceeds from completed asset sales (the "Second Quarter 2024 Paydowns"). The Second Quarter 2024 Paydowns resulted in an aggregate principal reduction of $73.3 million (US$54.5 million) for a cash payment of $69.6 million (US$51.8 million).
On each of November 28, 2023 and December 27, 2023, pursuant to the terms of the Amended Credit Agreement, the Company repurchased and repaid, as applicable, additional outstanding principal amounts under the Credit Facility using certain net proceeds from completed asset sales (the "Third Quarter 2024 Paydowns"). The Third Quarter 2024 Paydowns resulted in an aggregate principal reduction of $65.4 million (US$48.5 million) for a cash payment of $63.2 million (US$46.9 million).
On February 21, 2024, the Company repurchased additional outstanding principal amounts under the Credit Facility (the "Fourth Quarter 2024 Paydown"). The Fourth Quarter 2024 Paydown resulted in an aggregate principal reduction of $31.1 million (US$23.0 million) for a cash payment of $28.0 million (US$20.7 million).
On April 29, 2024 and June 28, 2024, the Company repurchased additional outstanding principal amounts under the Credit Facility (the “First Quarter 2025 Paydowns”). The First Quarter 2025 Paydowns resulted in an aggregate principal reduction of $11.2 million (US$8.2 million) for a cash payment of $11.2 million (US$8.2 million)
On August 8, 2024, the Company entered into an amendment (the “Amending Agreement”) with all of the lenders to the Credit Facility under the Credit Agreement dated March 18, 2021, as amended on October 24, 2022 and July 13, 2023, among the Company and 11065220 Canada Inc., as borrowers, the lenders party thereto and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as administrative and collateral agent. Pursuant to the terms of the Amending Agreement, the maturity date of the Credit Facility was extended to December 18, 2026 and a mandatory US$97.5 million prepayment of the Credit Facility at 97.5% of par thereby reducing the outstanding amount of the Credit Facility by US$100.0 million was required to be made by December 31, 2024. In addition, the Amending Agreement provided for a further extension to the maturity date of the Credit Facility to September 18, 2027 if an optional prepayment on the same terms was made on or before March 31, 2025 (the “Optional Prepayment”). The Amending Agreement also includes changes to certain negative covenants, repayment provisions in the event of divestitures and events of default.
Through August 8, 2024, the Credit Facility matured on March 18, 2026 and through December 26, 2023, had an interest rate of LIBOR + 8.50%. After August 8, 2024, the Credit Facility matured on December 18, 2026, and after December 26, 2023, interest on amounts outstanding under the Credit Facility is calculated at either the applicable prime rate plus 7.50% per annum, subject to a prime rate floor of 2.00%, or adjusted term SOFR plus 8.50% per annum, subject to an adjusted term SOFR floor of 1.00%. The Company’s obligations under the Credit Facility are guaranteed by material wholly-owned Canadian and U.S. subsidiaries of the Company. The Credit Facility is secured by substantially all of the assets of the Company and its material wholly-owned Canadian and U.S. subsidiaries, including material real property. The Amended Credit Agreement contains representations and warranties, and affirmative and negative covenants.
On September 27, 2024, the Company repurchased additional outstanding principal amounts under the Credit Facility (the “Second Quarter 2025 Paydown”). The Second Quarter 2025 Paydown resulted in an aggregate principal reduction of $1.1 million (US$0.9 million) for a cash payment of $1.1 million (US$0.9 million).
On October 16, 2024, the Company made an early prepayment under the Credit Facility in an aggregate principal amount equal to $137.7 million (US$100.0 million) of the principal amount outstanding thereunder at a discounted price of $134.3 million (US$97.5 million) (the “Third Quarter 2025 Paydown”). Pursuant to the Amending Agreement, the US$100.0 million prepayment of the Credit Facility was required to be made by December 31, 2024.
On March 31, 2025, the Company made the Optional Prepayment and, as a result, the maturity date under the Credit Agreement was extended to September 18, 2027. The Optional Prepayment resulted in an aggregate principal reduction of $143.9 million (US$100.0 million) for a cash payment of $140.3 million (US$97.5 million).
ATM Programs
On June 6, 2024, the Company established an at-the-market equity program that allowed it to issue and sell up to US$250 million of Canopy Shares to the public from time to time at the Company’s discretion (the “June 2024 ATM Program”) pursuant to an equity distribution agreement (the “2024 Equity Distribution Agreement”) entered into among the Company and BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., as Canadian agent, and BMO Capital Markets Corp., as U.S. agent (together, the “Agents”).
On February 28, 2025, the Company established a new at-the-market equity program that allows it to issue and sell up to US$200 million of Canopy Shares to the public from time to time at the Company’s discretion (the “February 2025 ATM Program”, and together with the June 2024 ATM Program, the “ATM Programs”) pursuant to an equity distribution agreement (the “2025 Equity Distribution Agreement) entered into among the Company and the Agents. The February 2025 ATM Program will be effective until the earlier of (i) the issuance and sale of all of the Canopy Shares issuable pursuant to the February 2025 ATM Program; (ii) the date on which the Company receives notice from a securities regulatory authority that the Company’s Canadian short form base shelf prospectus dated June 5, 2024 and/or the Company’s registration statement filed with the SEC has ceased to be effective; and (iii) July
5, 2026, unless terminated earlier in accordance with the terms of the 2025 Equity Distribution Agreement. The 2025 Equity Distribution Agreement replaced the 2024 Equity Distribution Agreement.
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, the Company sold 71,044,862 Canopy Shares for gross proceeds of $347.1 million (US$250 million) under the June 2024 ATM Program and 23,169,358 Canopy Shares for gross proceeds of $38.3 million (US$26.7 million) under the February 2025 ATM Program.
Government Contracts
In Canada, we sell cannabis and cannabis products to cannabis control authorities in all of the provinces and territories in Canada (other than Saskatchewan which does not have a central cannabis control authority), where each such cannabis control authority is the sole wholesale distributor and in certain provinces, the sole retailer, of cannabis and cannabis products in the relevant province. We sell these products to the various cannabis control authorities under supply agreements that are subject to terms that allow for renegotiation of sale prices and termination at the election of the applicable cannabis control authority. In particular, the cannabis control authorities may in the future choose to stop purchasing our products, may change the prices at which they purchase our products, may require that we provide them with the lowest purchase price in line with what we offer another third-party, may return our products to us and, in certain circumstances, may cancel purchase orders at any time including after products have been shipped. For the year ended March 31, 2025, we had approximately $101.3 million in gross sales to cannabis control authorities and one cannabis control authority accounted for at least 10% of our net consolidated revenue.
Intellectual Property and Product Safety
Intellectual Property
The proprietary nature of, and protection for, our products, technologies and processes are important to our business. We rely on a combination of patents (utility and design), trademarks, and know-how to establish and protect our intellectual property. We have established and will continue to build proprietary positions in all key aspects of our business. The duration of the protection afforded by our registered intellectual property varies by the nature of the registration, but we manage renewals and notices on an on-going basis to ensure that our intellectual property is protected in line with our strategic focus under applicable law in various jurisdictions.
Product Safety and Pharmacovigilance
In the interest of patient safety and good pharmacovigilance practices, we have continued to maintain a unique global pharmacovigilance and product safety program to capture, document and evaluate adverse events reported from the worldwide use of our medical cannabis products and our various Canadian adult-use cannabis brands, as well as products sold by Storz & Bickel.
Pharmacovigilance, also known as drug safety, is the science and activities relating to the detection, assessment, understanding and prevention of adverse effects or any other drug-related problems. Our regulatory affairs team works to ensure that new products are developed with consumer safety in mind.
The global pharmacovigilance program ensures that all employees are trained on how to identify and report adverse events. Data collected from various sources (including, but not limited to, spontaneous reporting, clinical trials, literature and health authorities’ databases) are processed and analyzed in a centralized global safety database by our regulatory affairs team, in compliance with global and local regulatory requirements.
Collected data is then used to perform signal detection activities (routinely, monthly and quarterly) and prepare periodic aggregate safety reports to evaluate the benefit-risk profile of our products.
Government Regulation
Canadian Regulatory Framework
On October 17, 2018, the Cannabis Regulations under the Cannabis Act came into force (the “Cannabis Regulations”). The Cannabis Regulations set out several classes of licenses that authorized activities in relation to cannabis, including:
•a license for cultivation;
•a license for processing;
•a license for analytical testing;
•a license for sale for medical purposes;
•a license for research; and
•a cannabis drug license.
Prior to October 17, 2018, cannabis was governed by the Controlled Drug and Substances Act (Canada) (“CDSA”). Under the CDSA, the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (“ACMPR”) set out a framework to provide individuals with access to cannabis for medical purposes and was the governing legislation in respect of the production, sale and distribution of medical
cannabis and related oil extracts in Canada. Although the ACMPR were repealed, the regulatory framework applicable to cannabis for medical purposes was substantially reproduced within the Cannabis Act with minimal changes.
Pursuant to the transitional provisions outlined in the Cannabis Act, we transitioned all licenses held under the ACMPR regulatory framework to the new Cannabis Act; therefore, all licenses remain active due to the regulatory change that occurred on October 17, 2018.
At the end of each term of their respective licenses, a license holder must submit an application for renewal to Health Canada containing information prescribed by the Cannabis Act.
The Cannabis Act legalized adult-use cannabis use nationwide in Canada. It creates a legal framework for controlling the production, distribution, sale and possession of cannabis across Canada for both medical and adult-use purposes. Subject to provincial or territorial restrictions, adults who are 18 years of age or older are legally able to:
•possess up to 30 grams of legal cannabis, dried or equivalent in non-dried form in public;
•share up to 30 grams of legal cannabis, dried or equivalent in non-dried form with other adults;
•buy dried or fresh cannabis and cannabis oil from a provincially licensed retailer;
•grow, from licensed seed or seedlings, up to four cannabis plants per residence for personal use; and
•make cannabis products, such as food and drinks, at home as long as dangerous organic solvents are not used to create concentrated products.
In the initial stage of the regulated adult-use cannabis market, products available for sale were the same as those permitted in the medical cannabis market (dried flowers, oils and softgels and dried cannabis products). On October 17, 2019, the second phase of adult-use cannabis products, specifically, edible cannabis products, cannabis extracts, and cannabis topical products, were legalized pursuant to certain amendments to the regulations under the Cannabis Act. Edible cannabis products, cannabis extracts, and cannabis topical products, which are now available for sale, are subject to additional regulatory requirements that include supplemental marketing and advertising rules, further restrictions on labelling and packaging, rules relating to ingredients of edible cannabis products and cannabis extracts, limits on THC content, and added production facility requirements.
Further, the current regime for medical cannabis will continue to allow access to cannabis to people who have the authorization of their healthcare provider.
Under the Cannabis Act, license holders are permitted to sell and distribute medical cannabis through the mail to registered patients. The Cannabis Act also provides provincial and municipal governments with the authority to prescribe regulations regarding retail and distribution of adult-use cannabis, as well as the ability to alter some of the existing baseline requirements, such as increasing the minimum age for purchase and consumption. As the distribution and sale of cannabis for adult-use purposes is regulated under the individual authority of each provincial and territorial government, regulatory regimes vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. In each of the provinces and territories, except for Saskatchewan, a provincial distributor is responsible for purchasing cannabis from producers and selling products to its regulated retail distribution channels.
With respect to retail sales of cannabis, other than online sales, the provincial and territorial regulations in Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Quebec allow only for government-run cannabis stores, while the provincial and territorial regulations in Ontario, Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nunavut, Yukon, Saskatchewan and Manitoba leave the retail sale of cannabis, other than online sales, to the private sector. In New Brunswick, British Columbia and Northwest Territories, provincial and territorial regulations allow for a hybrid model in which both public and private stores can operate. In addition, in Ontario, British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Yukon, the provincial body is solely responsible for online sales.
The Cannabis Act also includes several measures to help prevent youth from accessing cannabis, including both age restrictions and restrictions on the promotion of cannabis.
The Cannabis Act discourages youth cannabis use by prohibiting products that are appealing to youth, packaging or labeling cannabis in a way that makes it appealing to youth, selling cannabis through self-service displays or vending machines, or promoting cannabis, except in narrow circumstances, where young people cannot see the promotion. The new legislation also helps protect public health by creating strict safety and quality regulations.
In connection with the framework for regulating cannabis in Canada, the Canadian federal government introduced corresponding penalties under the Criminal Code (Canada), including penalties for the illegal sale of cannabis, possession of cannabis over the prescribed limit, production of cannabis beyond personal cultivation limits, taking cannabis across the Canadian border, giving or selling cannabis to a youth and involving a youth to commit a cannabis-related offense.
Following extensive engagement with stakeholders, universities, researchers, health authorities, cannabis industry associations, cannabis license holders, provinces, territories and the public, the Canadian federal government announced the following amendments to the Cannabis Act and its regulations:
•An increase in the public possession limit for cannabis beverages to a level that is similar to other forms of cannabis, such as solid edible cannabis products (i.e. gummies or chocolate). Adults in Canada are now able to possess up to 17.1 liters (equal to 48 cans of 355 ml each) of cannabis beverages in public for non-medical purposes, which is up from approximately 2.1 liters (equal to five cans of 355 ml each) under the previous rules. Existing controls that mitigate the risks of overconsumption and accidental consumption, such as child-resistant packaging and strict limits on the amount of THC per container, remain in place;
•Changing how the Canadian federal government regulates non-therapeutic cannabis research with human participants, helping make the process of conducting this research easier, while still maintaining appropriate public health and safety controls;
•Allowing for analytical testing license holders and federal and provincial government laboratories to produce, distribute and sell reference standards and test kits, to increase access to cannabis testing materials and thereby support access to a quality-controlled supply of cannabis; and
•Broadening the educational qualifications for the Head of Laboratory, a position that is required for an analytical testing license and is responsible for all cannabis testing activities that occur at the licensed site.
In December 2023, Health Canada released guidance on cannabis products deliberately made with intoxicating cannabinoids other than delta-9-THC. Health Canada defines “intoxicating cannabinoids” as cannabinoids that bind to and activate the CB1 receptor and the guidance includes a list that currently sets out 9 cannabinoids that qualify, however, that list is subject to Health Canada’s discretion to revise this list as new evidence becomes available about any of the current listed cannabinoids or any other potential intoxicating cannabinoids. This guidance recommends that license holders apply the regulatory controls (including limits on the amount of cannabinoids in certain products) currently applicable to delta-9-THC to all other cannabinoids that Health Canada considers to be “intoxicating cannabinoids” in order to minimize the risks of accidental consumption, overconsumption and adverse effects. This guidance comes at a time when various provincial regulators (such as those in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta) are actively evaluating whether to permit the sale of or how to evaluate limits on the levels of certain cannabinoids (such as tetrahydrocannabivarin and cannabinol).
On March 12, 2025, the Regulations amending certain regulations concerning cannabis (streamlining of requirements) and the Order Amending Schedule 2 to the Cannabis Act came into force. These amendments are intended to reduce regulatory burden and support diversity and competition in the legal cannabis market while maintaining the public health and public safety objectives of the Cannabis Act.
The amendments include the following:
•Changes to the scope and presence of security clearance holders with respect to onsite monitoring of activities and destruction of cannabis;
•Creation of new waste categories and simplification of destruction records;
•No longer requiring the distribution of “consumer leaflets” to accompany the sale of adult use cannabis in provinces. However, a package insert or leaflet may be included in the packaging of a product;
•Simplification of the import/export permits and records, the package on dates and the shipment of cannabis both domestically and internationally;
•Permission to have as many alternate Quality Assurance Persons (“QAPs”) that are required to need to support the business, with clear detail denoting the tasks to be personally performed by the QAP;
•Increased capacity thresholds to be eligible for micro cultivation, nursery and micro-processing licenses;
•Simplification of the security measures including introduction detection, secure storage, and motion detection in areas where cannabis is being handled and processed;
•Packaging simplification to the immediate container for all classes of cannabis products except cannabis seeds;
•Removal of the requirement to submit a notice of new cannabis product for dried cannabis products;
•Cultivation license holders may sell pollen to other license holders;
•Health Canada being granted authority to suspend licenses for contravention of the Cannabis Fees Order;
•Derivatives may now be produced, exported, sold and processed from plant parts exempted under the Cannabis Act without a license;
•Pre-rolled dried cannabis no longer has a weight limit (formerly 1g);
•Ethyl alcohol (up to 10mg per activation) may be used in cannabis extracts intended for inhalation and denatured alcohol many now be used in cannabis topicals;
•Several consumer focused changes to packaging and labelling requirements, including:
oDried cannabis equivalency statement no longer required on the label;
oCannabis health warning messages on the label now vary based on the product class and route of ingestion;
oRemoval of the requirement to list the THC and CBD quantities on the label, only total THC and total CBD required;
oCo-packing for cannabis (dried, fresh, extracts, topicals and edibles) permitted with restrictions on properties and weight of cannabis and THC;
oWrapper (if used) on the outer container can now list more than just the THC Symbol;
oDried cannabis products may have transparent packaging or packaging with cut-outs;
oThe container and lid/cap can be a different color;
oPermission to use other images and information on wrappers if require by another act or regulation; and
oPermission to include product counterfeiting measures such as a barcode or quick response (QR) code; and
•Removing the requirements to file the annual reports of promotional expenses and activities and key investor reports for publicly traded entities.
European Union Regulatory Framework
While each country in the European Union (“EU”) has its own laws and regulations, many common practices are being adopted relative to the developing and growing medical cannabis market. For example, to ensure quality and safe products for patients, many EU countries only permit the import and sale of medical cannabis from EU-GMP certified manufacturers.
The EU requires adherence to EU-GMP standards for the manufacture of active substances and medicinal products, including cannabis products for medicinal purposes. Therefore, a system for certification of EU-GMP has been implemented, which allows the local competent Authority under the law of the respective EU member state to conduct inspections of manufacturing sites and, if the strict EU-GMP standards are met, to issue a certificate of EU-GMP compliance that is also accepted in other EU member countries.
As of April 1, 2024, the Law on the Controlled Use of Cannabis (Gesetz zum kontrollierten Umgang mit Cannabis, “Cannabis Law”) has led to the partial legalization of non-medicinal cannabis and a regulatory reform of cannabis for medicinal purposes in Germany. In terms of cannabis for medicinal purposes the Medicinal Cannabis Law (Medizinalcannabis-Gesetz), which is part of the Cannabis Law, works in unison with existing pharmaceutical laws and regulations in Europe. For example, the Medicinal Cannabis Law still requires that all cannabis for medicinal purposes must be EU-GMP certified, sold by EU-GMP certified manufacturers and prescribed by a physician. The Cannabis Law also permits the use of non-medicinal cannabis in Germany to a limited extent and its cultivation at home or together in so-called cannabis social clubs, the details of which are set out in the Recreational Cannabis Law (Konsumcannabis-Gesetz). Import of non-medicinal cannabis is not permitted in Germany. Although cannabis as of April 1, 2024 is no longer classified as a narcotic, regardless of whether for medicinal or non-medicinal purposes, cannabis remains a licensed and controlled use product in Germany.
Australia Regulatory Framework
Medicinal cannabis was federally legalized in Australia in 2016 under the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989. While adult-use cannabis is not currently permissible in Australia, the Australian Capital Territory has decriminalized the adult possession of up to 50 grams of cannabis in public. However, selling, supplying, or sharing cannabis remains illegal without federal licensing. The Office of Drug Control grants licenses for the cultivation, production, and manufacture of medicinal cannabis whereas the Therapeutic Goods Administration (“TGA”) regulates medicinal cannabis products and approvals for patient use pursuant to the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989. In addition, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry manages import and export regulations, including issuing permits for plant materials. We hold the licensing for the registration of our cannabis products as well as the necessary permissions for the import and distribution of sale of medical cannabis in Australia.
With respect to the sale of vaporizers in Australia, the regulations have changed since implementation. On March 1, 2024 the importation of all non-therapeutic vapes or personal importation of all vapes became prohibited by the TGA. Our Storz & Bickel vapes, namely the MEDIC+, is registered as a medical device with the TGA and therefore is not subject to the limitations imposed by the ban.
As therapeutic vapes, the Storz & Bickel devices may still be lawfully supplied by pharmacists and physicians in Australia to patients, provided those vapes continue to meet the relevant applicable regulatory standards set forth by the TGA.
U.S. Regulatory Framework
Thirty-nine states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and Northern Mariana have passed legislation or legalized some form of cannabis use for certain medical purposes. Twenty-four of those states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Northern Mariana, have also legalized cannabis for adults for non-medical purposes (sometimes referred to as adult or recreational use). Eight additional states have legalized forms of low-potency cannabis for select medical conditions. Only three states continue to prohibit cannabis entirely, although one of those states has decriminalized possession of small amounts, leaving only Idaho and Kansas with complete criminalization. Notwithstanding the permissive regulatory environment of cannabis in some states, cannabis other than hemp continues to be categorized as a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act (21
U.S.C. § 811) (the “CSA”), making it illegal under federal law in the U.S. to cultivate, distribute, or possess cannabis. This means that while state law in certain U.S. states may take a permissive approach to medical and/or adult-use use of cannabis, the CSA may still be enforced by U.S. federal law enforcement officials against citizens and businesses of those states for activity that is legal under state law.
As a result of the conflicting views between state legislatures and the U.S. federal government regarding cannabis, the legality of investment in cannabis businesses in the U.S. is not fully settled and there can be no assurances that federal authorities will consider such investments to be compliant with applicable law and regulations.
The response to this inconsistency was first addressed in August 2013 when then Deputy Attorney General James Cole authored a memorandum (the “Cole Memorandum”), noting that in jurisdictions that have enacted laws legalizing cannabis in some form and that have also implemented strong and effective regulatory and enforcement systems to control the cultivation, distribution, sale and possession of cannabis, conduct in compliance with those laws and regulations is less likely to be a priority at the federal level.
In light of limited investigative and prosecutorial resources, the Cole Memorandum concluded that the U.S. Department of Justice (the “DOJ”) should be focused on addressing only the most significant threats related to cannabis. The Cole Memorandum was later rescinded by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions under the Trump Administration. Despite this rescission, the DOJ has not prioritized the enforcement of the CSA’s prohibition on cannabis against cannabis companies complying with the state law and their vendors for over nine years.
On March 11, 2021, Merrick Garland was appointed as U.S. Attorney General. At his confirmation hearing, he said, “It does not seem to me a useful use of limited resources that we have, to be pursuing prosecutions in states that have legalized and that are regulating the use of marijuana, either medically or otherwise.” In April 2022, Attorney General Garland reiterated that prosecuting the possession of cannabis is “not an efficient use” of federal resources, especially “given the ongoing opioid and methamphetamine epidemics” facing the nation. In March 2023, Attorney General Merrick Garland testified in a Congressional hearing that the DOJ was continuing its work on a new memorandum regarding cannabis enforcement. Garland stated that the policy will be “very close to what was done in the Cole memorandum” but was yet to be finalized.
In the 2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act, Congress included a provision, known as the Joyce Amendment (previously the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment) which prohibited the DOJ from spending funds to interfere with the implementation of state medical cannabis laws until September 30, 2024. The amendment, which had been renewed every year since 2015, has not been extended past its 2024 expiration.
In February 2014, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) of the U.S. Treasury Department issued a memorandum on Bank Secrecy Act (“BSA”) Expectations Regarding Marijuana-Related Businesses (the “FinCEN Marijuana-Related Guidance”) providing instructions to banks seeking to provide services to cannabis-related businesses. The FinCEN Marijuana-Related Guidance states that in some circumstances, it is permissible for banks to provide services to cannabis-related businesses without risking prosecution for violation of federal money laundering laws. Despite this guidance, under U.S. federal law it may, under certain circumstances, be a violation of federal money laundering statutes for financial institutions to accept any proceeds from cannabis sales or any other Schedule I controlled substances. Banks and other financial institutions could be prosecuted and possibly convicted of money laundering for providing services to U.S. cannabis businesses. Under U.S. federal law, banks or other financial institutions that provide a cannabis business with a checking account, debit or credit card, small business loan or any other service could be found guilty of money laundering or conspiracy. Due to this uncertainty, many U.S. banks and certain Canadian banks are reluctant to transact business with U.S. cannabis companies. While the federal government has not initiated financial crimes prosecutions against state-law compliant cannabis companies or their vendors, the government theoretically could, at least against companies in the adult-use markets. Further, while the FinCEN Marijuana-Related Guidance is presumptively still in effect, FinCEN could elect to rescind the FinCEN Marijuana-Related Guidance at any time.
FinCEN, along with other federal banking regulators, released an interagency statement on Providing Financial Services to Customers Engaged in Hemp-Related Businesses in December 2019 (“FinCEN Hemp Statement”). In June 2020, FinCEN issued further guidance regarding Due Diligence Requirements under the BSA for Hemp-Related Business Customers (“FinCEN Hemp Guidance”). The FinCEN Hemp Statement and FinCEN Hemp Guidance provided financial institutions with anti-money laundering risk considerations for hemp-related businesses to ultimately enhance the availability of financial services for, and the financial transparency of, hemp-related businesses in compliance with federal law. The FinCEN Hemp Statement and FinCEN Hemp Guidance do not replace or supersede the FinCEN Marijuana-Related Guidance.
In 2022, President Biden signed into law the “Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act,” a bipartisan bill aimed at easing restrictions on cannabis research, and the first standalone cannabis reform bill to pass both the House and Senate. Additionally, on October 6, 2022, President Biden issued a presidential proclamation pardoning federal convictions for simple marijuana possession offenses, encouraging state governors to do the same on the state level where permissible, and requesting that the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Attorney General initiate an administrative process to review cannabis’s Schedule I classification under the CSA. In response to this directive, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (the “HHS”) issued a
letter to the DEA on August 29, 2023, recommending that cannabis be reclassified as a Schedule III drug under the CSA. President Biden issued an additional proclamation on December 22, 2023 further expanding the list of pardoned offenses under federal law related to marijuana possession.
On May 16, 2024, the DEA issued a proposed rule to reclassify marijuana from its current classification as a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug. Schedule III classification represents a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence and reclassification of marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug would thereby loosen DEA restrictions. Nonetheless, the DEA has made clear that if reclassification were to take place, the “regulatory controls applicable to Schedule III controlled substances would apply” which includes controls related to the manufacture, distribution, dispensing, and possession of marijuana. Of note, the proposed rule applies only to marijuana as defined in the CSA, i.e., limited to the plant and derivatives of the plant. The proposed rule does not therefore apply to synthetically derived THC or hemp. The comment period to the proposed rule lasted 60 days from its publication in the Federal Register, which was on May 21, 2024. The comment period ended on July 22, 2024, yet the formal rulemaking process remains ongoing. The DEA will publish a final rule after considering all comments and other inputs received during this period. Additional proceedings were originally scheduled to run from January 21 to March 6, 2025. Proceedings in this matter have been postponed pending resolution on an appeal filed by a party in the proceedings.
Multiple legislative reforms related to cannabis and cannabis-related banking have been proposed by the federal government in the United States. Examples include the States Reform Act; the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act; the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement Act; the Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation (“SAFER”) Banking Act; the Capital Lending and Investment for Marijuana Businesses Act; H.R. 9702 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow deductions and credits relating to expenditures in connection with marijuana sales conducted in compliance with state law. On September 27, 2023, the Senate Finance Committee passed the SAFER Banking Act, which would protect financial institutions and other parties accepting money derived from the state-legal cannabis industry by “creat[ing] protections for financial institutions that provide financial services to [state-legal cannabis companies] and service providers for such businesses,” and also explicitly protects insurers. The provisions of the SAFER Banking Act are now pending a Senate floor vote and, if passed in both the Senate and the House, would impact the legal status of financial transactions involving cannabis or state-legal cannabis companies in the following years.
There can be no assurance administrative review of cannabis will result in rescheduling of cannabis under the CSA, or that any of the above pieces of legislation will ultimately be passed into law in the United States in the 119th Congress.
On December 20, 2018, the 2018 Farm Bill was signed into law in the United States. The 2018 Farm Bill, among other things, defines industrial hemp, removes industrial hemp and its cannabinoids, including CBD derived from industrial hemp but excluding THC, from the CSA and allows for industrial hemp production and sale in the United States. The passage of the 2018 Farm Bill has allowed the Corporation to advance its hemp interests in the United States. The United States FDA has retained authority over the addition of hemp-derived CBD and THC to products that fall within the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. So far, the FDA has stated that (a) to date, it has approved only one cannabis-derived drug product (a prescription drug to treat two forms of epilepsy and seizures associated with tuberous sclerosis) and three cannabis-related drug products (synthetically derived products), (b) it has seen only limited data about CBD safety and the data it has seen points to risks that need to be considered before taking CBD for any reason, (c) some CBD products are being marketed with unproven medical claims and are of unknown quality, and (d) it is currently illegal to market CBD by adding it to a food or labeling it as a dietary supplement and existing regulatory pathways for foods and dietary supplements are not appropriate for CBD. Since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, the FDA has periodically issued warning letters to CBD companies, which have been primarily sent to companies making unfounded medical claims related to major diseases regarding their products.
In light of the FDA’s statements, courts have found that the FDA’s position on CBD amounts to guidance and have stayed cases until FDA issues final regulations. Some states take the position that CBD products are not legally permitted to be sold, but increasingly, more states are allowing CBD foods, beverages, and supplements to be sold in-state and issuing more comprehensive regulations for the testing and labelling of those products.
In 2023, the FDA announced that it would not create a regulated pathway for CBD through traditional food or dietary supplement frameworks, and further legislation will be required. Following that announcement, two U.S. Representatives have introduced the Hemp and Hemp-Derived CBD Consumer Protection and Market Stabilization Act of 2023 and the CBD Product Safety and Standardization Act of 2023 to regulate such products. Neither piece of legislation has received a hearing in Congress, and while a stated priority for key members of Congress, there can be no assurance that any legislation regulating CBD will move or become law this Congress.
With the Trump Administration having taken office in January 2025, one of the most anticipated developments is still the potential rescheduling of cannabis from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug, pending the DEA’s final rule. The Trump Administration has not taken a formal stance on the cannabis issue, though President Trump has indicated support for states’ rights in deciding legalization. The Trump Administration’s pick for U.S. Attorney General, Pam Bondi, has previously opposed cannabis legalization during her time as Florida’s attorney general. Finally, there are several cases pending in the Second, Fourth, and Ninth Circuits challenging state and local cannabis licensure programs as violative of the Dormant Commerce Clause doctrine, which generally restricts states from enforcing policies that impede interstate commerce.
Our objective is to capitalize on the opportunities presented as a result of the changing regulatory environment governing the cannabis industry in the United States. Unless and until the U.S. Congress amends the CSA with respect to medical and/or adult-use cannabis (and as to the timing or scope of any such potential amendments there can be no assurance), there is a risk that federal authorities may enforce current federal law, and the business of these entities may be deemed to be producing, cultivating, extracting, or dispensing cannabis or the Corporation may be considered to be aiding or abetting or otherwise engaging in a conspiracy to commit such acts in violation of the CSA and other federal laws in the United States.
There is a risk that our interpretation of laws, regulations and guidelines, including, but not limited to, the CSA, the associated regulations, various state regulations and applicable stock exchange rules and regulations may differ from those of others, including those of such government authorities, securities regulators and stock exchanges. In addition, we have and will endeavor to cause the entities that we invest in to only conduct business in a state-law compliant manner by including appropriate representations, warranties and covenants in agreements with such entities. Any violation of these terms would result in a breach of the applicable agreement between us and such entity and, accordingly, may have a material adverse effect on our business, operations and financial condition. In particular, we may be required to divest its interest in an entity or risk significant fines, penalties, administrative sanctions, convictions, settlements or delisting from the TSX and/or Nasdaq and there is no assurance that any divestiture will be completed on terms favorable to us or at all.
For these reasons, our interests in the U.S. cannabis market may be subject to heightened scrutiny by regulators, stock exchanges, clearing agencies and other Canadian and U.S. authorities. Please refer to “Risk Factors” under Item 1A of this Form 10-K for further discussion.
We are not considered a U.S. Marijuana Issuer (as defined in the Staff Notice) nor do we have material ancillary involvement in the U.S. cannabis industry in accordance with the Staff Notice. While we have an interest in Canopy USA, which is a platform that is intended to enable such U.S.-based companies that may themselves participate in the U.S. cannabis market to operate, the transaction structure was intended to ensure that we do not violate the federal laws of the United States respecting cannabis and does not allow us to direct the activities of Canopy USA. Where a non-controlled affiliate has expressed an intent to enter the U.S. cannabis market, we have taken steps to insulate ourselves from all economic and voting interests.
Competition
Health Canada issues licenses to cultivate, process and/or sell cannabis under the Cannabis Act. According to the Health Canada website, as of the date of this Form 10-K, 1,032 licenses to cultivate, distribute or sell cannabis have been issued. When considering the competitive landscape for cannabis production, cultivation and sale, each license issued by Health Canada is connected to a specific entity and a specific property, so to commence a new production site, an entity must apply for a new license. Due to the number of licensees in Canada and the limited distribution channels for cannabis products, in the adult-use market, we compete on the basis of quality, price, brand recognition, consistency and variety of cannabis products. We take a similar approach in our strategy towards medical cannabis sales with a distinct focus on physician familiarity to instill confidence in the effectiveness of our medical product portfolio for their patients.
Certain companies in the Canadian cannabis market have elected to enter into contract manufacturing arrangements with license holders pursuant to which the license holder cultivates, processes and sells cannabis under the brand of the contracting company without the contracting company being required to own its own cannabis production assets. This can reduce the barriers to entry for branding companies and increase the number of cannabis products available to consumers; however, such arrangements are contingent on procuring favorable terms under manufacturing arrangements with license holders and are still subject to the ongoing requirements of maintaining cannabis production assets.
In addition, there are unlicensed growers and retailers of cannabis that, while operating illegally, still act as significant competitors by either diverting customers away due to product choice, perceived quality of product, convenience of access or price point.
Internationally, the capacity of cannabis companies to operate is limited to those countries which have legalized aspects of the production, distribution, sale and use of cannabis. To date, only a limited number of international jurisdictions currently allow the sale of medical cannabis to patients and even fewer have permitted non-medicinal use of cannabis.
Storz & Bickel is subject to its own unique competitive considerations but follows more traditional consumer packaged goods (“CPG”) market challenges than those observed within our primary cannabis activities and product portfolio.
Reportable Segments
We report our financial results for the following four reportable segments:
•Canada cannabis - includes the production, distribution and sale of a diverse range of cannabis, hemp and cannabis-related products in Canada pursuant to the Cannabis Act and cannabis-related areas such as merchandise and clinics;
•International markets cannabis - includes the production, distribution and sale of a diverse range of cannabis and hemp products internationally pursuant to applicable international legislation, regulations and permits. Priority markets include medical cannabis in Australia and Europe where the Company offers branded high-quality flower, oil and extract products under our recognized Spectrum Therapeutics and Canopy Medical brands, as well as the Company's Storz & Bickel line of medically approved vaporizers in Australia;
•Storz & Bickel - includes the production, distribution and sale of vaporizers and accessories; and
•This Works - includes the production, distribution and sale of beauty, skincare, wellness and sleep products, some of which have been blended with hemp-derived CBD isolate. On December 18, 2023, the Company completed the sale of This Works and as of such date, the results of This Works are no longer included in the Company's financial results.
These segments reflect how the Company’s operations are managed, how the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, who is the Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”), allocates resources and evaluates performance, and how the Company’s internal management financial reporting is structured. The Company’s CODM evaluates the performance of these segments, with a focus on (i) segment net revenue, and (ii) segment gross margin as the measure of segment profit or loss. The remainder of the Company’s operations include revenue derived from, and cost of sales associated with, the Company’s non-cannabis extraction activities and other ancillary activities; these are included within "other".
Canada Cannabis
Canadian Medical Cannabis Market
We are committed to science-based development and high-quality production of medical cannabis products and are equally committed to helping medical professionals responsibly authorize, and consumers to responsibly use, our products. Our commitment to addressing the safety and effectiveness of our products is a critical strategic imperative which helps to differentiate us in the growing cannabis market. We listen carefully to consumers and stay in close communication with regulatory agencies, governments and other stakeholders to identify new opportunities to deliver on consumer needs, enhance safety and support the growing industry.
Our Spectrum Therapeutics medical brand is a leader in medical cannabis. Spectrum Therapeutics produces and distributes a diverse portfolio of medical cannabis products to healthcare practitioners and medical customers in Canada. The sale of medical cannabis to patients in Canada is the only sales channel in which we are permitted to sell products directly to our consumer. Accordingly, we continue to invest in patient education, medical practitioner support and our broader medical cannabis network, solidifying our position as a trusted leader in the Canadian medical cannabis market. We serve the needs of medical patients through a wide range of cannabis products across a variety of brands, formats and strains, distributed through an e-commerce shop.
We also believe that everyone with a legal right to receive medical cannabis should have access to it, regardless of their income. We provide an income-tested compassionate pricing program, whereby eligible low-income patients can obtain a 20% discount on regular prices. Spectrum Therapeutics was the first in our industry to provide a compassionate pricing program, and today, we have several other programs to improve access to medical cannabis for authorized patients. As of March 31, 2025, there were 7,794 Spectrum Therapeutics patients accessing the compassionate pricing program. We offer support for our veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces, including a team of customer care agents dedicated to assisting veterans with registration, ordering and insurance coverage; pre-approval and direct billing of VAC to ensure uninterrupted access to medication as well as full coverage (through VAC) of all cannabis products offered in our online Spectrum Therapeutics medical shop. Veterans do not have to pay out of pocket for any product; and can access special offers on our Storz & Bickel devices. For non-veterans, we also provide support through our customer care team to help patients identify if their medication is covered under the growing number of private health plans that have a medical cannabis component.
Canadian Adult-Use Market
We are focused on leveraging our capabilities and scale in order to optimize our operating footprint and achieve profitability and growth. Our strategy in Canada includes:
•Continuing the launch of our portfolio of innovative, consumer-centric, premium-focused adult-use cannabis products, specifically: inhalable cannabis (whole and pre-rolled flower, vape and concentrates), ingestible cannabis (e.g. edible formats like Wana gummies) and cannabis extracts (predominantly oils, softgels and hash) across Canada.
•Strengthening our connection with consumers by offering brands and products that delight and drive consumer loyalty. Our goal is to educate consumers and normalize the use of cannabis on a variety of occasions, build brand awareness and recognition and establish direct connections with our consumers.
The sale of adult-use cannabis is conducted in accordance with applicable provincial and territorial legislation and through applicable local agencies and distributors.
International Markets Cannabis
European Medical Cannabis Market
Our primary strategy in the European medical cannabis market is to increase access to our medical cannabis products for patients in countries where it is legally permissible to do so, and to position ourselves as a trusted market leader. We provide raw material supply from our facility in Kincardine, Ontario to supply the European market in addition to entering partnerships with third party suppliers within the European Union.
Spectrum Therapeutics and Canopy Medical produces and distributes a diverse portfolio of medical cannabis products to healthcare practitioners and medical patients in Germany and Poland, and opportunistically where it is legally permissible to do so within Europe. Through our Spectrum Therapeutics and Canopy Medical brands, our strategy supports sales through our medical channels in Europe.
Australian Medical Cannabis Market
We provide raw material supply from our facility in Kincardine, Ontario to supply the Australian market. Medical cannabis patients in Australia can access our global portfolio of products, including Spectrum Therapeutics, as well as our Storz & Bickel line of medically approved vaporizers. Our strategy encompasses continuing the medical sales that began in Australia in May 2019 and supporting Australian patients through imports that are compliant with local regulations including an assortment of cannabis products, including oils, soft gels and flower.
Storz & Bickel
Storz & Bickel is widely recognized as the global leader in vaporizer design and manufacturing. From the brand’s home base in Tuttlingen, Germany, Storz & Bickel sets the standard for vaporizer excellence across a range of premium devices including the iconic tabletop Volcano vaporizer as well as a range of portable devices offering the same high-quality experience delivered by the Mighty, Mighty+, Crafty+, and Venty.
As a further testament to the brand’s relentless focus on quality and consistency, the Storz & Bickel Volcano Medic 2, Mighty Medic, and Mighty+ Medic are all certified as medical cannabis vaporizers, and all the brand’s devices for medical as well as home use are produced with the same rigorous quality control processes at the Company’s ISO 13485 certified factory.
Storz & Bickel continues to define the present and future of leading vaporizer technology with a relentless focus on quality and innovation.
Canopy USA
On October 24, 2022, we completed a number of strategic transactions (the “Reorganization”) in connection with the creation of Canopy USA, a U.S.-domiciled holding company wherein, as of October 24, 2022, Canopy USA holds certain U.S. cannabis investments previously held by us.
Following the creation of Canopy USA, the Nasdaq communicated its position to the Company stating that companies that consolidate “the assets and revenues generated from activities in violation under federal law cannot continue to list on Nasdaq”. Since the Company is committed to compliance with the listing requirements of the Nasdaq, the Company and Canopy USA effectuated certain changes to the initial structure of the Company’s interest in Canopy USA that were intended to facilitate the deconsolidation of the financial results of Canopy USA within the Company’s financial statements. These changes included, among other things, modifying the terms of the Protection Agreement (as defined below) between the Company, its wholly-owned subsidiary and Canopy USA as well as the terms of Canopy USA’s limited liability company agreement and amending the terms of certain agreements with third-party investors in Canopy USA to eliminate any rights to guaranteed returns (collectively, the “Reorganization Amendments”). On May 19, 2023, the Company and Canopy USA implemented the Reorganization Amendments, which included, entering into the First A&R Protection Agreement (as defined below) and amending and restating Canopy USA’s limited liability company agreement (the “A&R LLC Agreement”) in order to: (i) eliminate certain negative covenants that were previously granted by Canopy USA in favor of the Company as well as delegating to the managers of the Canopy USA Board (as defined below) not appointed by Canopy Growth the authority to approve the following key decisions (collectively, the “Key Decisions”): (a) the annual business plan of Canopy USA; (b) decisions regarding the executive officers of Canopy USA and any of its subsidiaries; (c) increasing the compensation, bonus levels or other benefits payable to any current, former or future employees or managers of Canopy USA or any of its subsidiaries; (d) any other executive compensation plan matters of Canopy USA or any of its subsidiaries; and (e) the exercise of the Wana Options (as defined below) or the Jetty Options, which for greater certainty means that the Company’s nominee on the Canopy USA Board will not be permitted to vote on any Key Decisions while the Company owns Non-Voting Shares; (ii) reduce the number of managers on the Canopy USA Board from four to three, including, reducing the Company’s nomination right to a single manager; (iii) amend the share capital of Canopy USA to, among other things, (a) create a new class of Canopy USA Class B Shares (as defined below), which may not be issued prior to the conversion of the Non-Voting Shares or the Class A shares of Canopy USA (the “Canopy USA Common Shares”) into Canopy USA Class B Shares; (b) amend the terms of the Non-Voting Shares such that the Non-Voting Shares will be convertible into Canopy USA Class B Shares (as opposed to Canopy USA Common Shares); and (c) amend the terms of the Canopy USA Common
Shares such that upon conversion of all of the Non-Voting Shares into Canopy USA Class B Shares, the Canopy USA Common Shares will, subject to their terms, automatically convert into Canopy USA Class B Shares, provided that the number of Canopy USA Class B Shares to be issued to the former holders of the Canopy USA Common Shares will be equal to no less than 10% of the total issued and outstanding Canopy USA Class B Shares following such issuance. Accordingly, as a result of the Reorganization Amendments, in no circumstances will the Company, at the time of such conversions, own more than 90% of the Canopy USA Class B Shares.
In connection with the Reorganization Amendments, on May 19, 2023, Canopy USA and Huneeus 2017 Irrevocable Trust (the “Trust”) entered into a share purchase agreement (the “Trust SPA”), which sets out the terms of the Trust’s investment in Canopy USA in the aggregate amount of up to US$20 million (the “Trust Transaction”). Agustin Huneeus, Jr. is the trustee of the Trust and is an affiliate of a shareholder of Jetty. Pursuant to the terms of the Trust SPA, the Trust was entitled, subject to certain terms and conditions contained in the Trust SPA, to be issued Canopy USA Common Shares in two tranches with an aggregate value of up to US$10 million along with warrants of Canopy USA to acquire additional Canopy USA Common Shares. In addition, subject to the terms of the Trust SPA, the Trust has also been granted options to acquire additional Voting Shares (as defined in the A&R LLC Agreement) with a value of up to an additional US$10 million and one such additional option includes the issuance of additional warrants of Canopy USA. On April 26, 2024, Canopy USA completed the first tranche closing of the Trust Transaction in accordance with the Trust SPA and pursuant to the Trust SPA, the timeline to complete the second tranche closing has lapsed. As of March 31, 2025, the Trust holds an aggregate 28,571,429 Canopy USA Common Shares and warrants to acquire up to 85,714,284 Voting Shares expiring on April 26, 2031.
In addition, subject to the terms and conditions of the A&R Protection Agreement (as defined below) and the terms of the option agreements to acquire Wana and Jetty, as applicable, Canopy Growth may be required to issue additional common shares in satisfaction of certain deferred and/or option exercise payments to the shareholders of Wana and Jetty. Canopy Growth will receive additional Non-Voting Shares from Canopy USA as consideration for any Company common shares issued in the future to the shareholders of Wana and Jetty.
On November 3, 2023, the Company received a letter from the staff of the SEC (the “Staff”) in which the Staff indicated that, despite the Reorganization Amendments, it would object to the deconsolidation of the financial results of Canopy USA from the Company's financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP once Canopy USA acquires Wana, Jetty or the Fixed Shares (as defined below) of Acreage. The Company subsequently had discussions with the Office of Chief Accountant of the SEC (the “OCA”) and determined to make certain additional amendments to the structure of Canopy USA (the “Additional Reorganization Amendments”) to facilitate the deconsolidation of Canopy USA from the financial results of Canopy Growth in accordance with U.S. GAAP upon Canopy USA’s acquisition of Wana, Jetty or Acreage. In connection with the Additional Reorganization Amendments, Canopy USA and its members entered into a second amended and restated limited liability company agreement (the “Second A&R LLC Agreement”). In accordance with the terms of the Second A&R LLC Agreement, the terms of the Non-Voting Shares have been amended such that the Non-Voting Shares are only convertible into Canopy USA Class B Shares following the date that the NASDAQ Stock Market or The New York Stock Exchange permit the listing of companies that consolidate the financial statements of companies that cultivate, distribute or possess marijuana (as defined in 21 U.S.C 802) in the United States (the “Stock Exchange Permissibility Date”). Based on the Company’s discussions with the OCA, upon effectuating the Additional Reorganization Amendments, the Company believes that the Staff would not object to the deconsolidation of the financial results of Canopy USA from the Company’s financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
Following the Reorganization, Reorganization Amendments and Additional Reorganization Amendments, on May 6, 2024, Canopy USA exercised the options (the “Wana Options”) to acquire Wana, a leading cannabis edibles brand in North America, and subsequently closed the transactions to acquire Wana Wellness, LLC and The Cima Group, LLC. On October 8, 2024, Canopy USA closed the acquisition of Mountain High Products, LLC. In addition, Canopy USA exercised the options (the “Jetty Options”) to acquire Lemurian, Inc. (“Jetty”) a California-based producer of high-quality cannabis extracts and pioneer of clean vape technology and subsequently completed the first tranche closing to acquire Jetty. On June 4, 2024, the option to acquire the issued and outstanding Class E subordinate voting shares (the “Fixed Shares”) of Acreage, a leading vertically-integrated multi-state cannabis operator, with its main operations in densely populated states across the Northeast U.S., including New Jersey and New York (the “Acreage Option”) was exercised and on December 9, 2024, Canopy USA completed the acquisition of all of the issued and outstanding Fixed Shares and Class D subordinate voting shares (the “Floating Shares”) of Acreage (the “Acreage Acquisition”). The Canopy USA LPs also hold direct interests in the capital of TerrAscend Corp. (“TerrAscend”), a leading North American cannabis operator with vertically integrated operations and a presence in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan and California as well as licensed cultivation and processing operations in Maryland.
Canopy USA and the Canopy USA LPs currently hold an ownership interest in the following assets, among others:
•Wana – Canopy USA holds 100% of the membership interests of Wana.
•Jetty – Canopy USA holds approximately 77% of the shares of Jetty.
•Acreage – Canopy USA holds 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of Acreage.
•TerrAscend – the Canopy USA LPs hold an aggregate of 64,564,487 TerrAscend Common Shares on an as-converted basis and 22,474,130 TerrAscend Warrants. Assuming full exercise of the TerrAscend Warrants, the Canopy USA LPs will hold an aggregate of 87,038,617 TerrAscend Common Shares on an as-converted basis assuming conversion of the TerrAscend Exchangeable Shares held by the Canopy USA LPs.
Following the implementation of the Reorganization, Canopy USA was determined to be a variable interest entity pursuant to ASC 810 - Consolidations (“ASC 810”) and prior to the completion of the Reorganization Amendments and the Additional Reorganization Amendments, Canopy Growth was determined to be the primary beneficiary of Canopy USA. As a result of such determination and in accordance with ASC 810, Canopy Growth consolidated the financial results of Canopy USA up to April 30, 2024. As of April 30, 2024, as a result of the series of transactions related to the Additional Reorganization Amendments described above, Canopy Growth has deconsolidated the financial results of Canopy USA and has a non-controlling interest in Canopy USA as of such date.
Ownership of U.S. Cannabis Investments
Following the implementation of the Reorganization, the shares and interests in Acreage, Wana and Jetty are held, directly or indirectly, by Canopy USA and the shares and warrants in TerrAscend are held directly by the Canopy USA LPs, and Canopy Growth no longer holds a direct interest in any shares or interests in such entities. Canopy Growth holds non-voting and non-participating shares (the “Non-Voting Shares”) in the capital of Canopy USA and an interest in the Canopy USA LPs. The Non-Voting Shares do not carry voting rights, rights to receive dividends or other rights upon dissolution of Canopy USA. Following the Reorganization Amendments, the Non-Voting Shares are convertible into Class B shares of Canopy USA (the “Canopy USA Class B Shares”), provided that such conversion shall only be permitted following the Stock Exchange Permissibility Date. The Company also has the right (regardless of the fact that its Non-Voting Shares are non-voting and non-participating) to appoint one member to the Canopy USA board of managers (the “Canopy USA Board”).
On October 24, 2022, Canopy USA and the Company also entered into an agreement with, among others, Nancy Whiteman, the controlling shareholder of Wana, which was amended and restated on May 19, 2023 and on April 30, 2024, whereby subsidiaries of Canopy USA agreed to pay additional consideration in order to acquire the Wana Options and the future payments owed in connection with the exercise of the Wana Options were reduced to US$3.00 in exchange for the issuance of Canopy USA Common Shares and Canopy Shares (the “Wana Amending Agreement”). In accordance with the terms of the Wana Amending Agreement, on April 30, 2024, (i) Canopy USA issued 60,955,929 Canopy USA Common Shares and (ii) Canopy Growth issued 1,086,279 Canopy Shares to the shareholders of Wana. The Canopy USA Common Shares issued to Ms. Whiteman, or entities controlled by Ms. Whiteman, are subject to a repurchase right exercisable at any time after April 30, 2027, being the 36 month anniversary of the closing of the transaction contemplated by the Wana Amending Agreement (the “Wana Repurchase Right”) to repurchase all Canopy USA Common Shares that have been issued at a price per Canopy USA Common Share equal to the fair market value as determined by an appraiser. As part of this agreement, Canopy USA has granted Ms. Whiteman the right to appoint one member to the Canopy USA Board and a put right on the same terms and conditions as the Wana Repurchase Right.
As of March 31, 2025, the Trust holds 28,571,429 Canopy USA Common Shares, the shareholders of Wana collectively hold 60,955,929 Canopy USA Common Shares and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company holds all of the issued and outstanding Non-Voting Shares in the capital of Canopy USA, representing approximately 84.4% of the issued and outstanding shares in Canopy USA on an as-converted basis.
Canopy Growth and Canopy USA are also party to a protection agreement (the “Protection Agreement”) to provide for certain covenants in order to preserve the value of the Non-Voting Shares held by Canopy Growth until such time as the Non-Voting Shares are converted in accordance with their terms, provided that, such conversion shall only be permitted following the Stock Exchange Permissibility Date, but does not provide Canopy Growth with the ability to direct the business, operations or activities of Canopy USA. The Protection Agreement was amended and restated in connection with: (a) the Reorganization Amendments (the “First A&R Protection Agreement”); and (b) the Additional Reorganization Amendments (the “Second A&R Protection Agreement” and together with the First A&R Protection Agreement, the “A&R Protection Agreement”).
Upon Canopy USA completing the Acreage Acquisition on December 9, 2024, Canopy Growth received additional Non-Voting Shares from Canopy USA in consideration for the issuance of (i) Canopy Shares to the former shareholders of Acreage in accordance with the terms of the Existing Acreage Arrangement Agreement (as defined below) and the arrangement agreement among Canopy Growth, Canopy USA and Acreage, as amended (the “Floating Share Arrangement Agreement”); (ii) Canopy Shares to an eligible participant pursuant to the then existing tax receivable bonus plans of High Street Capital Partners, LLC, a subsidiary of Acreage (“HSCP”); (iii) Canopy Shares in connection with Canopy USA’s acquisition of the minority interests of certain subsidiaries of Acreage; (iv) the issuance of Canopy Shares and warrants to certain securityholders of Acreage in order to satisfy an outstanding liability; and (v) Canopy Shares, warrants and other replacement securities in connection with the Acreage Acquisition.
Until such time as Canopy Growth converts its Non-Voting Shares into Canopy USA Class B Shares following the Stock Exchange Permissibility Date, Canopy Growth will have no economic or voting interest in Canopy USA, Wana, Jetty, TerrAscend, or Acreage. Canopy USA, Wana, Jetty, TerrAscend, and Acreage will continue to operate independently of Canopy Growth.
Acreage Agreements
On June 4, 2024, the Acreage Option was exercised in accordance with the terms of the arrangement agreement dated April 18, 2019, as amended on May 15, 2019, September 23, 2020 and November 17, 2020 (the “Existing Acreage Arrangement Agreement”). Concurrently with the closing of the acquisition of the Fixed Shares pursuant to the exercise of the Acreage Option, on December 9, 2024, the Fixed Shares were issued to Canopy USA upon closing of the Acreage Acquisition. Accordingly, Canopy Growth does not hold any Fixed Shares or Floating Shares. The acquisition of the Floating Shares pursuant to the court-approved plan of arrangement (the “Floating Share Arrangement”) occurred immediately prior to the acquisition of the Fixed Shares pursuant to the Existing Acreage Arrangement Agreement such that 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of Acreage are owned by Canopy USA. For additional details, see “Acreage Acquisition” under Item 7 of this Form 10-K.
On June 3, 2024, the Company exercised its option to acquire certain outstanding debt of Acreage (the “Debt Acquisition”) in connection with the option agreement dated November 15, 2022 (the “Option Agreement”) among a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canopy Growth (the “Optionor”) and the lenders (the “Lenders”) party to Acreage’s credit agreement dated as of December 16, 2021, as amended by the first amendment to credit agreement dated as of October 24, 2022 and the second amendment to credit agreement dated as of April 28, 2023.
The Optionor entered into various agreements in connection with the Debt Acquisition in order to acquire approximately US$99.8 million of Acreage’s outstanding debt (the “Acquired Debt”) from certain Lenders in exchange for US$69.8 million in cash and the release of approximately US$30.1 million (the “Option Premium”) that was held in escrow pursuant to the Option Agreement. The Option Premium was not included in Canopy Growth’s cash and cash equivalents as of March 31, 2024.
The Optionor subsequently transferred approximately US$2.2 million of the Acquired Debt to the other Lender (the “Rolling Lender”) and entered into a series of agreements with the Rolling Lender and Acreage, among others, including an amended and restated credit agreement (the “First ARCA”), which provided for, among other things, the Acquired Debt, certain interest payments to be paid-in-kind, revisions to certain financial covenants and, following certain events, an extension to the maturity date thereunder.
On September 13, 2024, the Optionor entered into a series of transactions with, among others, Acreage, the Rolling Lender and an arm’s length third-party lender (the “Other Lender”). Pursuant to such transactions, all of Acreage’s indebtedness held by the Rolling Lender was acquired by the Other Lender. Following the acquisition by the Other Lender, the Optionor, the Other Lender and Acreage, among others, amended and restated the First ARCA pursuant to a second amended and restated credit agreement dated as of September 13, 2024 (the “Second ARCA”). Pursuant to the Second ARCA and an agreement among lenders entered into on September 13, 2024 between, among others, the Optionor and the Other Lender, all interest owing to the Optionor under the Second ARCA is, subject to the consent of the Other Lender, to be paid-in-kind and not in cash. Under the Second ARCA, as of September 13, 2024, the Optionor was owed an aggregate principal amount equal to approximately US$102 million which is subordinate to approximately US$65 million owed to the Other Lender.
As of March 31, 2025, the aggregate principal amount owing to the Optionor was approximately US$110 million and the aggregate principal amount owing to the Other Lender was approximately US$65 million. Acreage is currently in default under the Second ARCA and the Lenders have agreed to forebear exercising any remedies with respect to such default until June 1, 2025 while the parties discuss potential solutions, including a potential debt extension. If an event of default continues to occur under the Second ARCA after June 1, 2025, the portion of the Acquired Debt owing to the Other Lender would rank in priority to the portion of the Acquired Debt owing to the Company. See “Risk Factors – Risks related to Canopy USA – Acreage’s last publicly available financial statements expressed doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern, which could have a negative impact on Canopy USA’s business, financial results and operations and have an adverse impact on the Company’s U.S. strategy, and, ultimately, the Company’s financial results and operations, and, in the event Acreage cannot satisfy its debt obligations as they become due, the Acquired Debt may not be repaid and the Company may lose the entirety of its investment”.
CBI Exchange and Note Exchange
On April 18, 2024, Greenstar Canada Investment Limited Partnership (“Greenstar”) and CBG Holdings LLC (“CBG”), indirect, wholly-owned subsidiaries of Constellation Brands, Inc. (“CBI”, and together with its affiliates, the “CBI Group”), exchanged all 17,149,925 Canopy Shares they collectively held for 17,149,925 Exchangeable Shares for no consideration (the “CBI Exchange”). As a result of the CBI Exchange, the CBI Group no longer holds any Canopy Shares. On April 18, 2024, the Company also entered into an exchange agreement with Greenstar, pursuant to which Greenstar converted approximately $81.2 million of the principal amount of the promissory note issued to Greenstar by the Company in the aggregate amount of $100 million (the “CBI Note”) into 9,111,549 Exchangeable Shares (the “Note Exchange”), calculated based on a price per Exchangeable Share equal to $8.91. All accrued but unpaid interest on the CBI Note together with the remaining principal amount of the CBI Note was cancelled and forgiven for no additional consideration by Greenstar. Following the closing of the Note Exchange, the CBI Note was cancelled.
In connection with the Reorganization, on October 24, 2022, Canopy Growth entered into a consent agreement with CBG and Greenstar (the “Third Consent Agreement”), and pursuant to the terms thereof, following the CBI Exchange, other than Third Consent Agreement, and the termination rights contained therein, all agreements between Canopy Growth and CBI, including the second amended and restated investor rights agreement dated as of April 18, 2019, by and among certain wholly-owned subsidiaries of CBI
and Canopy Growth, were terminated. Pursuant to the terms of the Third Consent Agreement, all nominees of CBI that were sitting on the board of directors of Canopy Growth (the “Board”) immediately prior to the CBI Exchange resigned as directors of Canopy Growth.
As of May 28, 2025, the CBI Group holds, in the aggregate, 26,261,474 Exchangeable Shares. The Exchangeable Shares held by the CBI Group represent approximately 12.4% of the issued and outstanding Canopy Shares on a non-diluted basis (assuming conversion of the Exchangeable Shares and assuming no other changes to the issued and outstanding Canopy Shares or Exchangeable Shares), calculated in accordance with applicable securities laws.
Human Capital Resources
As of March 31, 2025, Canopy Growth had 960 total employees, including 728 employees in Canada, as compared to 1,029 total employees as of March 31, 2024 including 790 employees in Canada. As of March 31, 2025, the Company had 232 employees outside of Canada (principally supporting our international medical cannabis business and Storz & Bickel businesses). Our employee concentration has been adjusted to primarily focus on production, distribution, sales enablement and commercial execution.
Our human resources department strives to make Canopy Growth a first-choice employer within the cannabis industry. In fiscal 2025, we continued to focus on the following priorities: (1) offering a market competitive employee value proposition inclusive of unique rewards that align to our strategy; (2) creating talent density with a focus on employee development and; (3) fostering employee enthusiasm and commitment towards their role and Canopy’s vision of unleashing the power of cannabis to improve lives. The ways in which we are driving these three key priorities are highlighted below.
Our employee value proposition includes rewarding employees competitively, treating our employees fairly, and providing the flexibility needed to cultivate greatness. In fiscal 2025, we continued to execute against our road map of programs designed to attract, motivate, recognize, reward, and retain the talent we need to realize our vision and deliver on our growth expectations, while holistically supporting total employee well-being. We greatly advanced our technical capabilities, making rewards easily accessible to our employees and making data readily available to our leaders
Our talent management strategy included formal succession planning resulting in the development of our internal workforce through skill development classes, leadership education, and talent rotations. We also implemented 360 assessments and leadership coaching for all senior leaders. This has allowed us to access our bench strength and continually adjust our workforce strategy to ensure we are filing talent gaps with high performing and diverse external talent, while also preparing for future challenge that may arise.
Our culture is our key differentiator and what we believe makes us a first-choice employer in the cannabis industry. We also believe that employee engagement is critical to our success and therefore we gather employee feedback on a regular basis through surveys. This allows us to access our employees understanding of business progress, the sentiment around our culture, and to identify areas for improvement. The results of these surveys are incorporated in the development of the human capital priorities as well as the overall company priorities.
We remain committed to our diversity, equity & inclusion (“DEI”) efforts by embedding equity into every part of the organization and creating an inclusive organizational environment. To accomplish this, we continue to build upon the extensive audit of DEI practices, policies and processes that was completed in fiscal year 2022. This includes fostering active participation in our employee resource groups, which help people from historically marginalized groups to build community internally, and we provide learning and development opportunities to support people leaders’ ability to mitigate biases, as well as having established initiatives to support people with disabilities.
We have learned the importance of providing flexibility and well-being resources to our employees. We consistently provide access to wellness webinars, assistance programs, and a variety of supplementary resources. In addition, we continue to support remote work and our focus is on fostering a culture of accountability and connection which is at the core of our engagement with employees. Furthermore, all of our employees complete annual training on applicable corporate policies including our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, Whistleblower Protection Policy, Insider Trading Policy and Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Policy.
Website Access to Reports
We maintain a website at www.canopygrowth.com. We are providing the address to our website solely for the information of investors. The information contained on our website is not a part of, nor is it incorporated by reference into this Form 10-K. Through our website, we make available, free of charge, our annual proxy statement, annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish them to the SEC. The SEC maintains a website that contains these reports at www.sec.gov.
Item 1A. Risk Factors.
An investment in us involves a number of risks. In addition to the other information contained in this Form 10-K and in other filings we make, investors should give careful consideration to the following risk factors. Any of the matters highlighted in these risk factors could adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and growth prospects, causing an investor to lose all, or part of, their investment. The risks and uncertainties described below are those we currently believe to be material, but they are not the only ones we face. If any of the following risks, or any other risks and uncertainties that we have not yet identified or that we currently consider not to be material, actually occur or become material risks, our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows and consequently the price of our securities could be materially and adversely affected.
Risks Relating to Our Growth Strategy
We may not be able to achieve or maintain profitability and may continue to incur losses in the future.
We have incurred significant losses in recent periods and have negative operating cash flow for each of our fiscal years since 2019, including the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025. We may not be able to achieve or maintain profitability and may continue to incur significant losses in the future. In addition, we expect to continue to invest in our business and incur operating expenses as we implement initiatives to continue to improve our business. If our revenues do not increase to offset these expenses, we will not be profitable. If our revenue declines or fails to grow at a rate faster than our expenses, and we are unable to secure funding under terms that are favorable or acceptable to us, or at all, we will not be able to achieve and maintain profitability in future periods. As a result, we may continue to generate losses. We may not achieve profitability in the future and, even if we do become profitable, we might not be able to sustain that profitability. There is no assurance that future revenues will be sufficient to generate the funds required to continue operations without external funding.
We are in the early stages of developing global infrastructure in a new industry and therefore we are subject to many risks common in developing companies.
We are in the early stages of developing a global infrastructure to capitalize on the opportunity in the cannabis industry. Accordingly, we are subject to many of the risks common to developing enterprises, including under-capitalization, limitations with respect to personnel, other resources and lack of revenue. Accordingly, investors may find it difficult to evaluate our prospects for success. There is no assurance that we will be successful and our likelihood of success must be considered in light of our stage of operations. Further, we are subject to a variety of business risks generally associated with developing companies. Our ability to manage growth effectively will require us to continue to implement and improve our operational and financial systems and to train and manage our employee base. There can be no assurances that we will be able to manage growth successfully. Our inability to manage growth successfully could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
In the past, we have identified conditions and events that raised substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern and it is possible that we may identify conditions and events in the future that raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.
We have previously identified conditions and events that raised substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. As of the date of the 2024 Annual Report (as defined below), we were able to successfully mitigate the substantial doubt by completing several balance sheet actions, as described in the 2024 Annual Report. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, we experienced recurring losses from operations and required additional capital to fund our operations, which raised substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. However, we also completed additional actions during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, which included: (i) establishing our ATM Programs, pursuant to which an aggregate of 71,044,862 Canopy Shares were issued and sold for gross proceeds of $347.1 million under the June 2024 ATM Program and an aggregate of 23,169,358 Canopy Shares were issued and sold for gross proceeds of $38.3 million under the February 2024 ATM Program; (ii) entering into the Second ARCA as well as making a mandatory US$100.0 million prepayment of the Credit Facility and the Optional Prepayment in connection therewith, which significantly reduced our short-term debt obligation and extended the maturity date of the Credit Facility; (iii) receiving additional proceeds from the liquidation and sale of assets of BioSteel Sports Nutrition Inc. (“BioSteel Canada”); and (iv) completing the Lease Renegotiation (as defined below), which is expected to reduce our potential lease payment obligation. We believe that our existing cash and cash equivalents will enable us to fund our operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements more than one year from the date of this Form 10-K. Consequently, the substantial doubt as to the Company's ability to continue as a going concern has been alleviated. However, we have based this estimate on assumptions that may prove to be wrong, and we could exhaust our available capital resources sooner than we expect. In the future, if we are unable to obtain sufficient funding to support our operations, our financial condition and results of operations will be materially and adversely affected and we may be unable to continue as a going concern. In the future, reports from our independent registered public accounting firm may also contain statements expressing substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. If we seek additional financing to fund our business activities in the future and there remains substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern, investors or other financing sources may be unwilling to provide additional funding to us on commercially reasonable terms or at all.
We have been and may in the future be required to write down intangible assets, including goodwill, due to impairment, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. We are also subject to the risk of defects or impairment charges related to potential write-downs of acquired assets or goodwill in future acquisitions.
We have in the past and may in the future be required to write down acquired assets and intangible assets, including goodwill, due to impairment, which would reduce earnings. We periodically calculate the fair value of our reporting units and intangible assets to test for impairment. This calculation may be affected by several factors, including general economic conditions, regulatory developments, changes in category growth rates as a result of changing adult consumer preferences, success of planned new product introductions, and competitive activity. Certain events can also trigger an immediate review of goodwill and intangible assets. If the carrying value of our reporting unit and other intangible assets exceeds their fair value and the loss in value is other than temporary, the goodwill and other intangible assets are considered impaired, which would result in impairment losses and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. For a discussion of intangible assets and goodwill, see Note 15, “Intangible Assets” and Note 16, “Goodwill” to the consolidated financial statements in Item 8 of this Form 10-K.
In addition, a defect in any business arrangement, including the acquisitions of Acreage, Wana and the majority interest of Jetty by Canopy USA, may arise to defeat or impair our claim to such transaction, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. It is possible that material changes could occur that may adversely affect management’s estimate of the recoverable amount for any agreement we enter into. Impairment estimates, based on applicable key assumptions and sensitivity analysis, will be based on management’s best knowledge of the amounts, events or actions at such time, and the actual future outcomes may differ from any estimates that are provided by us. Any impairment charges on our carrying value of business arrangements could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
As a result of self-reporting the BioSteel Review, the Company is the subject of a regulatory investigation and inquiry in connection with the BioSteel Review, and it cannot predict the timing of developments, and any adverse outcome of these continuing matters could have a material adverse effect on the Company.
The Company is the subject of a regulatory investigation and inquiry which relate to the Company’s accounting policies and related matters. The Company cannot predict when the regulatory investigation and inquiry will be completed or the further timing of any other developments in connection with the regulatory investigation and inquiry. The Company also cannot predict their results or outcomes.
While the Company is fully cooperating with the regulatory investigation and inquiry, it cannot predict when such matters will be completed, the further timing of any other developments in connection with these matters, or the outcome and potential impact. Such matters may be closed without any action taken against the Company, or conversely may ultimately have a material adverse effect on the Company, the trading price of the Canopy Shares, and our ability to raise additional capital, among other consequences. If a civil enforcement proceeding is initiated against the Company for alleged violations of securities laws or regulations, the Company may face a variety of civil sanctions and penalties, including, but not limited to, financial penalties and awards, injunctive relief and compliance conditions, which may have a material adverse effect on the financial condition or results of operations of the Company. As with any regulatory investigation and inquiry, the expense of cooperating and responding and the distraction to management may have a material adverse effect on the Company even if the regulatory investigation and inquiry is ultimately closed or resolved in a manner favorable to the Company.
There can be no assurance that our current and future acquisitions, investments or expansions of scope of existing relationships will have a beneficial impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We have entered into, and may in the future enter into additional acquisitions or investments with third parties that we believe will complement or augment our existing business. Our ability to complete acquisitions or investments is dependent upon, and may be limited by, the availability of suitable candidates and capital. In addition, acquisitions or investments could present unforeseen integration or operational obstacles or costs, may not enhance our business, and/or may involve risks that could adversely affect us, including by diverting significant amounts of management time from operations in order to pursue and complete such transactions or maintain such relationships. Future acquisitions or investments could result in the incurrence of additional debt, costs and contingent liabilities, and there can be no assurance that future acquisitions or investments will achieve, the expected benefits to our business or that we will be able to consummate future acquisitions or investments on satisfactory terms, or at all. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
The success of our acquisitions depends upon our ability to integrate any businesses that we acquire. The integration of acquired business operations could disrupt our business by causing unforeseen operating difficulties, diverting management’s attention from day-to-day operations and requiring significant financial resources that would otherwise be used for the ongoing development of our business. The difficulties of integration could be increased by the necessity of coordinating geographically dispersed organizations, coordinating personnel with disparate business backgrounds, managing different corporate cultures, or discovering
previously unknown liabilities. In addition, we could be unable to retain key employees or customers of the acquired businesses. We could face integration issues, including those related to operations, internal controls, information systems and operational functions of the acquired companies and we also could fail to realize cost efficiencies or synergies that we anticipated when selecting our acquisition candidates or these acquisitions could fail to compete successfully and may not produce the anticipated revenues and profits. Any of these items could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations or growth prospects.
We may not be able to secure adequate or reliable sources of funding required to operate our business.
There is no guarantee that we will be able to achieve our business objectives. Our continued development may require additional financing. The failure to raise such capital could result in a delay or indefinite postponement of our current business objectives or in our inability to continue to operate our business. There can be no assurance that additional capital or other types of financing will be available if needed or that, if available, the terms of such financing will be favorable to us. If additional funds are raised through issuances of equity or convertible debt securities or we exchange outstanding debt for such securities, existing shareholders could suffer significant dilution, and any new equity securities issued could have rights, preferences and privileges superior to those of holders of Canopy Shares. In addition, from time to time, we may enter into transactions to acquire assets or the equity of other companies. These transactions may be financed wholly or partially with debt, which may temporarily increase our debt levels above industry standards. Any debt financing secured in the future could involve restrictive covenants relating to capital raising activities and other financial and operational matters, which may make it more difficult for us to obtain additional capital and to pursue business opportunities, including potential acquisitions or other strategic joint venture opportunities.
Controlled substance and other legislation and treaties may restrict or limit our ability to research, manufacture and develop a commercial market for our products outside of the jurisdictions in which we currently operate and our expansion into additional jurisdictions is subject to risks.
Our ability to expand internationally is also contingent, in part, upon compliance with applicable regulatory requirements enacted by governmental authorities and obtaining all requisite regulatory approvals. We cannot predict the impact of the compliance regime that governmental authorities may implement to regulate the adult-use or medical cannabis industry. Similarly, we cannot predict how long it will take to secure all appropriate regulatory approvals for our products, or the extent of testing and documentation that may be required by governmental authorities.
Approximately 250 substances, including cannabis, are listed in the Schedules annexed to the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (New York, 1961), the Convention on Psychotropic Substances (Vienna, 1971) and the Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (introducing control on precursors) (Vienna, 1988). The purpose of these listings is to control and limit the use of these drugs according to a classification of their therapeutic value, risk of abuse and health dangers, and to minimize the diversion of precursor chemicals to illegal drug manufacturers. The 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, as amended in 1972, classifies cannabis as a Schedule I (substances with addictive properties, presenting a serious risk of abuse) narcotic drug. The 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances classifies tetrahydrocannabinol, which includes delta-9 THC as a Schedule I psychotropic substance (substances presenting a high risk of abuse, posing a particularly serious threat to public health, which are of very little or no therapeutic value). Many countries are parties to these conventions, which govern international trade and domestic control of these substances, including cannabis. They may interpret and implement their obligations in a way that creates legal obstacles to our obtaining manufacturing and/or marketing approval for our products in those countries. These countries may not be willing or able to amend or otherwise modify their laws and regulations to permit our products to be manufactured and/or marketed, and achieving such amendments to the laws and regulations may take a prolonged period of time. There can be no assurance that any market for our products will develop in any jurisdiction in which we do not currently have operations. We may face new or unexpected risks or significantly increase our exposure to one or more existing risk factors, including economic instability, political instability, changes in laws and regulations and the effects of competition. These factors may limit our capability to successfully expand our operations into such jurisdictions and may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
Investments outside of Canada are subject to the risks normally associated with any conduct of business in foreign countries, including varying degrees of political, legal, regulatory and economic risk.
Much of our exposure to markets in jurisdictions outside of Canada is through strategic investments. These investments are subject to the risks normally associated with any conduct of business in foreign and/or emerging countries, including political risks; civil disturbance risks; changes in laws, regulations or policies of particular countries, including those relating to royalties, duties, tariffs, imports, exports and currency; the cancellation or renegotiation of contracts; the imposition of royalties, net profits payments, tax increases or other claims by government entities, including retroactive claims; a disregard for due process and the rule of law by local courts; the risk of expropriation and nationalization; delays in obtaining or the inability to obtain necessary governmental permits or the reimbursement of refundable tax from fiscal authorities.
Threats or instability in a country or region caused by political events, including elections, changes in government, changes in personnel or legislative bodies, foreign relations or military control present serious political and social risk and instability causing interruptions to the flow of business negotiations and influencing relationships with government officials. Changes in policy or law
may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. The risks include increased “unpaid” state participation, higher energy costs, higher taxation levels, higher import and export costs and potential expropriation.
Other risks include the potential for forced labor or child labor, fraud and corruption by suppliers, government officials, or our personnel that may implicate us. Company policies, including the Company’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, Whistleblower Protection Policy, Insider Trading Policy and Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Policy mandate compliance with applicable laws, including but not limited to Canada’s Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”), the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act (Canada), and other anti-bribery laws. However, we cannot provide complete assurance that our policies, procedures, and internal controls will always prevent violations of applicable laws. If we are found liable for violations of applicable laws, we could suffer from a range of criminal or civil penalties or other sanctions. Violations or allegations of violations could have a material adverse effect on our business.
There is also the risk of increased disclosure requirements; currency fluctuations; restrictions on the ability of local operating companies to hold Canadian dollars, U.S. dollars or other foreign currencies in offshore bank accounts; import and export restrictions; increased regulatory requirements and restrictions; increased health-related regulations; limitations on the repatriation of earnings or on our ability to assist in minimizing our expatriate workforce’s exposure to double taxation in both the home and host jurisdictions; and increased financing costs.
These risks may limit or disrupt our investments, restrict the movement of funds, cause us to have to expend more funds than previously expected or required or result in the deprivation of contract rights or the taking of property by nationalization or expropriation without fair compensation, and may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. In addition, the enforcement by us of our legal rights in foreign countries, including rights to exploit our properties or utilize our permits and licenses and contractual rights may not be recognized by the court systems in such foreign countries or enforced in accordance with the rule of law.
It is difficult to predict the future political, social and economic direction of the countries in which we operate, and the impact government decisions may have on our business. Any political or economic instability in the countries in which we operate could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
We are subject to risks relating to our current and future operations in emerging markets.
We have operations in various emerging markets. Such operations expose us to the socio-economic conditions as well as the laws governing the cannabis industry in such countries. Inherent risks with conducting foreign operations include, but are not limited to: high rates of inflation; extreme fluctuations in currency exchange rates, military repression; war or civil war; social and labor unrest; organized crime; hostage taking; terrorism; violent crime; expropriation and nationalization; renegotiation or nullification of existing licenses, approvals, permits and contracts; changes in taxation policies; restrictions on foreign exchange and repatriation; and changing political norms, banking and currency controls and governmental regulations that favor or require us to award contracts in, employ citizens of, or purchase supplies from, the jurisdiction.
Governments in certain foreign jurisdictions intervene in their economies, sometimes frequently, and occasionally make significant changes in policies and regulations. Changes, if any, in cannabis industry policies or shifts in political attitude in the countries in which we operate may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. Operations may be affected in varying degrees by government regulations with respect to, but not limited to, restrictions on production, price controls, export controls, currency remittance, importation of product and supplies, income and other taxes, royalties, the repatriation of profits, expropriation of property, foreign investment, maintenance of licenses, approvals and permits, environmental matters, land use, land claims of local people, water use and workplace safety. Failure to comply strictly with applicable laws, regulations and local practices could result in loss, reduction or expropriation of licenses, or the imposition of additional local or foreign parties as joint venture partners with carried or other interests.
We continue to monitor developments and policies in the emerging markets in which we operate and assess the impact thereof to our operations; however, such developments cannot be accurately predicted and could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
Risks related to Canopy USA
Our expansion plans into the United States rely upon the continued operations and success of Canopy USA and its subsidiaries and the anticipated benefits of the strategy involving Canopy USA is uncertain and may not be realized; and the fair value of our equity method investment in Canopy USA is volatile.
Our expansion plans into the United States primarily rely on the continued operations and success of Canopy USA and its subsidiaries. See “Business – Canopy USA” for additional information regarding Canopy USA and its acquisitions of Acreage, Wana and the majority interest of Jetty, each of which is a subsidiary of Canopy USA.
We cannot provide any assurance that the acquisitions of Acreage and/or Wana, and/or the majority interest of Jetty will be beneficial to Canopy USA or to us in the near term or at all. Furthermore, if Canopy USA fails to realize the intended benefits of any or all such acquisitions, the market price of the Canopy Shares could decline to the extent that the market price reflects those expected benefits.
Achieving the benefits anticipated through Canopy USA depends in part on the ability of Canopy USA to effectively capitalize on its scale, to realize the anticipated capital and operating synergies, to profitably sequence the growth prospects and to maximize the potential of its growth opportunities. The ability to realize these benefits from the acquisitions of Acreage, Wana and the majority interest of Jetty by Canopy USA will depend, in part, on successfully consolidating certain functions and integrating operations, procedures and personnel in a timely and efficient manner, as well as on Canopy USA’s ability to realize the anticipated growth opportunities and synergies. The integration of Acreage, Wana and the majority interest of Jetty by Canopy USA will require the dedication of substantial effort, time and resources on the part of Canopy USA’s management which may divert Canopy USA’s management’s focus and resources from other strategic opportunities available to Canopy USA and from operational matters during this process. In addition, the integration process could result in disruption of existing relationships with suppliers, employees, customers and other constituencies of each entity. There can be no assurance that Canopy USA’s management will be able to integrate the operations of each of the businesses successfully or achieve any of the synergies or other benefits that are anticipated.
Operational and strategic decisions with respect to the integration of Acreage, Wana and the majority interest of Jetty are ongoing and have and may continue to present challenges in the future. It is possible that the integration process could result in the loss of key employees, the disruption of the respective ongoing businesses or inconsistencies in standards, controls, procedures and policies that adversely affect the ability of management to maintain relationships with clients, suppliers, employees or to achieve the anticipated benefits. As a result of these factors, it is possible that certain benefits expected from the formation of Canopy USA may not be realized. Any inability of Canopy USA’s management to successfully integrate the operations could have a material adverse effect on the financial condition and results of operations of Canopy USA and, ultimately, our business.
Through our ownership in the Non-Voting Shares, we own a non-participating and non-voting interest in Canopy USA and we classify such interest in Canopy USA as an equity method investment. The fair value of our equity investment in Canopy USA is subject to certain assumptions and accordingly such valuation is uncertain and highly volatile. For example, from June 30, 2024 to March 31, 2025, the fair value of our equity investments in Canopy USA and the Canopy USA LPs declined by 78%. A significant reduction in the value of Canopy USA could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and future prospects as a result of our equity and loan receivable interests in Canopy USA.
Acreage’s last publicly available financial statements expressed doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern, which could have a negative impact on Canopy USA’s business, financial results and operations and have an adverse impact on the Company’s U.S. strategy, and, ultimately, the Company’s financial results and operations, and, in the event Acreage cannot satisfy its debt obligations as they become due, the Acquired Debt may not be repaid and the Company may lose the entirety of its investment.
Acreage’s last publicly available financial statements as of and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 filed with the SEC on November 14, 2024 (“Acreage’s September 30, 2024 Financial Statements”) expressed doubt about Acreage’s ability to continue as a going concern. In particular, Acreage’s September 30, 2024 Financial Statements state: “[Acreage] had an accumulated deficit as of September 30, 2024, as well as a net loss and negative cash flow from operating activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2024. These factors raise substantial doubt about [Acreage]’s ability to continue as a going concern for at least one year from the issuance of these financial statements.” In the event Acreage is unable to continue as a going concern, this would have a negative impact on Canopy USA’s business, financial results and operations and have an adverse impact on the Company’s U.S. strategy, and, ultimately, the Company’s financial results and operations.
On June 3, 2024, the Company closed the Debt Acquisition pursuant to the credit agreement dated as of December 16, 2021, as amended by the first amendment to credit agreement dated as of on October 24, 2022, and the second amendment to credit agreement dated as of April 28, 2023. The Company entered into various agreements in connection with the Debt Acquisition in order to, among other things, acquire the Acquired Debt in exchange for US$69.8 million in cash and the release of approximately US$30.1 million that was held in escrow pursuant to the Option Agreement
As of March 31, 2025, an aggregate principal amount of approximately US$175 million was outstanding pursuant to the Second ARCA, of which approximately US$110 million is owing to the Company and such amount is subordinate to approximately US$65 million owed to the Other Lender.
In view of the foregoing, Acreage’s continuation as a going concern is dependent upon its continued operations, which in turn is dependent upon, among other things, Acreage’s ability to meet its financial requirements. There is no assurance that Acreage will be successful in its plans to fund its operations and debt obligations as they become due and payable, which for greater certainty includes its debt obligations in favor of the Company in connection with the Acquired Debt. We have recognized a $140 million non-cash fair value adjustment to reduce the fair value of the Acquired Debt to zero as of March 31, 2025. The fair value adjustment was driven by Acreage's current business performance.
In addition, Acreage is currently in default under the Second ARCA and the Lenders have agreed to forebear exercising any remedies with respect to such default until June 1, 2025 while the parties discuss potential solutions, including a potential debt extension. If an event of default continues to occur under the Second ARCA after June 1, 2025, the portion of the Acquired Debt owing to the Other Lender would rank in priority to the portion of the Acquired Debt owing to the Company. Accordingly, in the event Acreage cannot satisfy its debt obligations as they become due, the Acquired Debt may not be repaid and the Company may lose the entirety of its investment. In addition, Acreage may be required to terminate or significantly curtail its operations or enter into arrangements with third parties that may require Acreage to relinquish rights to certain aspects of its business and/or dispose of certain assets, which would have a negative impact on Canopy USA’s business, financial results and operations and have an adverse impact on the Company’s U.S. strategy, and, ultimately, the Company’s financial results and operations.
The Trust’s total ownership interest in Canopy USA is not quantifiable, including whether the Canopy USA warrants issued to the Trust in connection with the first tranche closing of the Trust Transaction are exercised or not, and the Trust may have significant ownership and influence over Canopy USA upon completion of the Trust Transaction.
In connection with the Trust Transaction, the Trust was entitled, subject to the terms and conditions of the Trust SPA, to be issued Canopy USA Common Shares in two tranches with an aggregate value of up to US$10 million along with warrants of Canopy USA to acquire additional Canopy USA Common Shares or Canopy USA Class B Shares. In addition, subject to the terms of the Trust SPA, the Trust has also been granted options to acquire additional Voting Shares (as defined in the Second A&R LLC Agreement) with a value of up to an additional US$10 million and one such additional option includes the issuance of additional warrants of Canopy USA. On April 26, 2024, Canopy USA completed the first tranche closing of the Trust Transaction in accordance with the Trust SPA and pursuant to the Trust SPA, the timeline to complete the second tranche closing has lapsed. As of March 31, 2025, the Trust holds an aggregate of 28,571,429 Canopy USA Common Shares and warrants to acquire up to 85,714,284 Voting Shares expiring on April 26, 2031. The number of additional Voting Shares and/or warrants of Canopy USA that remain issuable to the Trust in accordance with the Trust SPA will be determined by a future fair market valuation and accordingly, the number of such additional shares of Canopy USA to be issued to the Trust pursuant to the terms of the Trust SPA is currently not known and is not quantifiable as of the date hereof. Upon completion of the Trust Transaction, including the issuance of additional Voting Shares and/or additional Canopy USA warrants upon exercise of the options granted pursuant to the Trust SPA, the Trust may hold a significant ownership interest in Canopy USA and as a result, shareholders of Canopy USA, including Canopy Growth, may be significantly diluted following the completion of the Trust Transaction. Further, if the Trust holds a significant ownership interest in Canopy USA, the Trust will be in a position to exercise significant influence over matters requiring Canopy USA shareholder approval, subject to the terms of the Second A&R Protection Agreement. In addition, pursuant to the Second A&R LLC Agreement, (i) the Trust has designated one individual (the “Trust Nominee”) to the Canopy USA Board and the Trust will continue to hold such nomination right so long as the Trust holds at least 4.4% of the issued and outstanding Canopy USA Common Shares and (ii) the Trust Nominee, together with the individual designated to the Canopy USA Board by Ms. Whiteman, have approval rights over Key Decisions. There can be no assurance that the Trust’s interests will align with the interests of other shareholders of Canopy USA, including our interest.
We are unable to control Canopy USA.
By virtue of the Company holding Non-Voting Shares and the implementation of the Reorganization Amendments and the Additional Reorganization Amendments, we are unable to control Canopy USA. In these circumstances, we will not have the power to control, direct or exercise decisive influence over Canopy USA. There are no guarantees that Canopy USA’s interests will align with the interests of the Company or the interests of our shareholders. As a result, Canopy USA’s board of managers could take actions that are contrary to the interests of the Company or our shareholders, including preventing Canopy USA from entering into transactions that could be beneficial to the Company or our shareholders.
Canopy USA may divert the attention of our management or impact our ability to attract or retain key personnel.
The attention of our management may be diverted from the day-to-day operations of Canopy Growth in connection with the transactions that may be entered into between us and Canopy USA. These disruptions could be exacerbated by delays in completing certain transactions and could result in lost opportunities or negative impacts on performance, which could have a material and adverse effect on our current and future business, operations, financial condition and results of operations or prospects. As a result of the uncertainty, certain of our officers and employees may experience uncertainty about their future roles, which may adversely affect our ability to attract or retain key management and personnel.
Canopy USA may impact our third party business relationships.
Third parties with which we currently have business relationships, including banks, industry partners, customers and suppliers, may experience uncertainty associated with our U.S. strategy, including with respect to maintaining current or future relationships with us. While we believe, based on the advice of our legal advisors, that we currently comply with all applicable laws and regulations and that we will remain in compliance in the event that Canopy USA exercises the right to acquire 19.99% of the membership interests of Cultiv8 Interests, LLC (the “Cultiv8 Option”) or in the event that the Canopy USA LPs convert the TerrAscend Exchangeable Shares into TerrAscend Common Shares, there is a risk that our interpretation of laws, regulations, and guidelines, may
differ from those of others, including those of our banks, industry partners, customers and suppliers. Such uncertainty could have a material and adverse effect on our current and future business, operations, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.
Risks Relating to Our Products
We are subject to risks and uncertainty regarding future product development.
We expect to derive a portion of our future revenues from the sale of new products, including Cannabis 2.0 products, some of which are still being actively developed and put into production. If we fail to adequately meet market demand for such products in a timely fashion, it may adversely affect our profitability.
We may not be successful in maintaining the consumer brand recognition and loyalty of our products.
We compete in a market that relies on innovation and the ability to react to evolving consumer preferences. Consumers in the cannabis market have demonstrated a degree of brand loyalty, but suppliers must continue to adapt their products in order to maintain their status among customers as the market evolves. Our continued success depends in part on our ability and our suppliers’ ability to continue to differentiate the brand names we represent, own or license and maintain similarly high levels of recognition with target consumers. Trends within the cannabis industry change often and our failure to anticipate, identify or react to changes in these trends could, among other things, lead to reduced demand for our products.
Regulations have recently been and are likely to continue to be enacted in the future that would make it more difficult to appeal to consumers or to leverage the brands that we distribute, own or license. For example, the Canadian federal regulatory regime requires plain packaging on cannabis products in order to prohibit testimonials, lifestyle branding and packaging that is appealing to youth. The restriction on the use of logos and brand names on cannabis products could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects, as it may be difficult to establish brand loyalty.
Furthermore, even if we are able to continue to distinguish our products, there can be no assurance that the sales, marketing and distribution efforts of our competitors will not be successful in persuading consumers of our products to switch to their products. Some of our competitors have greater access to resources than we do, which better positions them to conduct market research in relation to branding strategies or costly marketing campaigns. Any loss of consumer brand loyalty to our products or in our ability to effectively brand our products in a recognizable way could have a material adverse effect on our ability to continue to sell our products and maintain our market share, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
Our products have in the past and may in the future be subject to recalls.
Manufacturers and distributors of products are sometimes subject to the recall or return of their products for a variety of reasons, including, among other things, product defects, such as contamination, unintended harmful side effects or interactions with other substances, packaging safety and inadequate or inaccurate labeling disclosure.
While we have not experienced any recalls since 2019, if any of our products are recalled in the future for any 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. All customers who are potentially impacted would be notified, corrective actions would be put in place, and existing product and procedures would be re-tested and examined. We may also lose a significant amount of sales and may not be able to replace those sales at an acceptable margin, or at all. In addition, product recalls have in the past and may in the future require significant management attention. Although we have detailed procedures in place for testing finished 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 or more of our products were subject to recall, our reputation and the reputation of that product could be harmed. A recall of one of our products could lead to decreased demand for that product or our other products and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. Additionally, product recalls may lead to increased scrutiny of our operations by Health Canada or other regulatory agencies, requiring further management attention and potential legal fees and other expenses. Furthermore, any product recall affecting the cannabis or hemp industries more broadly could lead consumers to lose confidence in the safety and security of the products sold by participants in these industries generally, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
There is limited long-term data with respect to the efficacy, side effects and safety of our products, and future clinical research studies on the effects of cannabis, hemp, cannabinoids and cannabis-based products may lead to conclusions that dispute or conflict with our understanding and belief regarding their benefits, commercial viability, safety, efficacy, dosing and social acceptance.
Research in Canada and internationally regarding the benefits, commercial viability, safety, efficacy, dosing and social acceptance of cannabis, hemp or isolated cannabinoids (such as CBD and THC) inhaled in dietary supplements, food or cosmetic products remains in early stages. There have been relatively few clinical trials or other controlled studies on the potential benefits of cannabis, hemp or isolated cannabinoids in dietary supplements, food, or cosmetic products and there is limited long-term data with respect to efficacy, side effects and/or interaction of these substances with human or animal biochemistry. As a result, our products
could have unexpected side effects or safety concerns, the discovery of which could lead to civil litigation, regulatory actions and even possibly criminal enforcement actions. In addition, if the products we sell do not or are not perceived to have the effects intended by the end user, this could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. See also “–We are and may become subject to, or prosecute, litigation in the ordinary course of our manufacturing, marketing, distribution and sale of our products”, “–We may be subject to product liability claims.” and “–Our products have in the past and may in the future be subject to recalls.”
The statements made by us, including in this Form 10-K, concerning the potential benefits of cannabis, hemp and isolated cannabinoids are based on published articles and reports and therefore are subject to the experimental parameters, qualifications and limitations in such studies that have been completed. Although we believe that the existing public scientific literature generally supports our beliefs regarding the benefits, commercial viability, safety, efficacy, dosing and social acceptance of cannabis, hemp and cannabinoids, future research and clinical trials may cast doubt or disprove such beliefs, or could raise or heighten concerns regarding, and perceptions relating to, cannabis, hemp and cannabinoids, which could have a material adverse effect on the demand for our products with the potential to lead to a material adverse effect on business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. Given these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, undue reliance should not be placed on such literature.
The controversy surrounding vapes and vaporizers and vaporizer products and government regulations of vapes and vaporizers and vaporizer products may materially and adversely affect the market for vapes and vaporizer products and expose us to litigation and additional regulation.
There have been a number of highly publicized cases involving lung and other illnesses and deaths that appear to be related to vapes and vaporizer devices and/or products used in such devices (such as vape or vaporizer liquids). During this time, the focus has been on vapes and vaporizer devices, the manner in which the devices were used and the related vape and vaporizer device products - THC, nicotine, other substances in vapes and vaporizer liquids, possibly adulterated products and other illegal unlicensed cannabis vape and vaporizer products. Some provinces, territories and municipalities in Canada have taken steps to prohibit the sale or distribution of vapes and vaporizers, restrict the sale and distribution of such products or impose restrictions on flavors, substances and concentration of substances used, or use of such vapes and vaporizers, however some Canadian provinces have already taken steps to reduce such restrictions.
Cannabis vapes and vaporizers in Canada are regulated under the Cannabis Act, Cannabis Regulations and other laws and regulations of general application. Negative public sentiment may prompt regulators to decide to further limit or defer the industry’s ability to sell cannabis vapes and vaporizer products, and may also diminish consumer demand for such products. For instance, Health Canada enacted regulations that place stricter limits on the advertising and promotion of vaping products and make health warnings on vaping products mandatory, although such regulations explicitly exclude cannabis and cannabis accessories. Health Canada and the province of Quebec are seeking to limit the flavors of inhaled cannabis extracts. The Cannabis Regulations prohibit promoting a cannabis extract or associated cannabis accessories in a manner that could cause a person to believe that it has the flavor of a confectionery, dessert, soft drink or energy drink. These actions, together with potential deterioration in the public’s perception of cannabis containing vaping liquids, may result in a reduced market for our vaping products. There can be no assurance that we will be able to meet any additional compliance requirements or regulatory restrictions, or remain competitive in face of unexpected changes in market conditions.
Litigation pertaining to vapes and vaporizer products for nicotine is ongoing and that litigation could potentially expand to include our products, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, operating results, liquidity, cash flow and operational performance.
Future research may lead to findings that vaporizers, electronic cigarettes and related products are not safe for their intended use.
Vaporizers, electronic cigarettes and related products were recently developed and therefore the scientific or medical communities have had a limited period of time to study the long-term health effects of their use. Currently, there is limited scientific or medical data on the safety of such products for their intended use and the medical community is still studying the health effects of the use of such products, including the long-term health effects. If a consensus were to develop among the scientific or medical community that the use of any or all of these products pose long-term health risks, market demand for these products and their use could materially decline. Such a development could also lead to litigation, reputational harm and significant regulation. Loss of demand for our products, product liability claims and increased regulation stemming from unfavorable scientific studies on vaporizer products could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
In addition, the FDA may assert jurisdiction if a vaporizer is promoted for an “intended use” that involves the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, or treatment of disease. Our vaporizer products may also be subject to additional regulation by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which has in the past overseen recalls of vaporizer devices. We continue to monitor our regulatory obligations and may adjust our product claims and marketing accordingly.
In the United States, our advertising is also subject to regulation by the FTC under the Federal Trade Commission Act. The FTC requires that all advertising, including for vaporizers, be truthful, not misleading, and substantiated by reliable evidence. We continue to be subject to general FTC advertising standards, and depending on the nature of the claims made, vaporizer marketing
could fall within the scope of FTC oversight. If the FTC were to bring administrative proceedings, the Company would be required to incur expenses to defend its labeling and could be required to develop additional supporting evidence or to change its advertising and labeling. To date, we have not received any FTC requests.
Risks Relating to Regulation and Compliance
Cannabis is a controlled substance in the United States and therefore subject to the CSA.
We are indirectly involved in ancillary activities related to the cannabis industry in jurisdictions in the United States where local state law permits such activities and, by virtue of Canopy USA and Canopy USA LPs' holdings of shares and warrants of TerrAscend, we may be indirectly associated with the cultivation, processing or distribution of cannabis in the United States. In the United States, cannabis is regulated at both the federal and state levels. To our knowledge, there are to date a total of 39 states, and the District of Columbia, that have now legalized or passed legislation decriminalizing cannabis in some form, including California, Nevada, New York, New Jersey, Washington and Florida. Although several states allow the sale of cannabis at the state level, cannabis continues to be categorized as a controlled substance under the CSA and, as such, cultivation, distribution, sale and possession of cannabis violates federal law in the United States. The inconsistency between federal and state laws and regulations may result in a loss of the value of our investments and alliances in these businesses.
While state regulation in certain U.S. states may take a permissive approach to medical and/or adult-use of cannabis, the CSA may still be enforced by U.S. federal law enforcement officials against individuals and companies operating in those states for activity that is legal under state law. If the DOJ opted to pursue a policy of aggressively enforcing U.S. federal law against financiers or equity owners of cannabis-related businesses, then Canopy USA, Acreage, TerrAscend, Wana and Jetty, for instance, could face (i) seizure of their cash and other assets used to support or derived from their business activities; and/or (ii) the arrest of its employees, directors, officers, managers and/or investors, who could face charges of ancillary criminal violations of the CSA for aiding and abetting and conspiring to violate the CSA by virtue of providing financial support to state-licensed or permitted cultivators, processors, distributors, and/or retailers of cannabis.
Based on the advice of our legal advisors with respect to the formation of Canopy USA, the transaction structure was intended to (i) permit us to remain able to represent that we comply with U.S. federal criminal law, particularly direct or indirect violations of the CSA (collectively, “Applicable Federal Law”); and (ii) ensure that (a) we do not, directly or indirectly, violate Applicable Federal Law; (b) we will not directly violate U.S. federal law as we do not cultivate, distribute, sell, or possess cannabis in the United States; (c) we do not violate indirect federal law (such as aiding and abetting, conspiracy, or Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act) because we do not control or profit from companies that cultivate, distribute, sell, or possess cannabis in the United States; and (d) we do not violate anti-money laundering laws because no funds will flow from entities that cultivate, distribute, sell, or possess cannabis in the United States to us. While we believe, based on the advice of our legal advisors, that we currently comply, and will continue to comply (in the event that Canopy USA exercises the Cultiv8 Option or in the event that the Canopy USA LPs convert the TerrAscend Exchangeable Shares into TerrAscend Common Shares), with all applicable laws and regulations by virtue of our ownership interest in the Non-Voting Shares of Canopy USA, there is a risk that our interpretation of laws, regulations, and guidelines, may differ from those of others, including those of shareholders, government authorities, securities regulators, and stock exchanges. In the event of an aggressive enforcement policy, the DOJ could allege that we and the Board, and potentially our shareholders, “aided and abetted” violations of U.S. federal law as a result of our ownership interest in the Non-Voting Shares of Canopy USA and the activities of Canopy USA. In these circumstances, we may lose our entire investment and directors, officers and/or our shareholders may be required to defend any criminal charges against them at their own expense and, if convicted, be sent to federal prison.
Violations of any federal laws and regulations could result in significant fines, penalties, administrative sanctions, convictions or settlements arising from civil proceedings initiated by either the federal government or private citizens, or criminal charges, including, but not limited to, disgorgement of profits, cessation of business activities or divestiture. This could have a material adverse effect on us, including our reputation and ability to conduct business, the listing of our securities on the TSX, Nasdaq or other exchanges, our financial position, operating results, profitability or liquidity or the market price of our listed securities. Overall, an investor’s contribution to and involvement in our activities may result in federal civil and/or criminal prosecution, including forfeiture of his or her entire investment.
We operate in highly regulated industries where the regulatory environments are rapidly developing and we may not always succeed in complying fully with applicable regulatory requirements in all jurisdictions where we carry on business.
Our business and activities are heavily regulated in all jurisdictions where we carry on business. Our operations are subject to various laws, regulations and guidelines by governmental authorities (including, in Canada, Health Canada and other federal, provincial, state and local regulatory agencies) relating to, among other things, the cultivation, manufacture, processing, marketing, labeling, packaging, management, transportation, distribution, import, export, storage, sale, pricing and disposal of cannabis, hemp and cannabis-based products, and also including laws, regulations and guidelines relating to health and safety, insurance coverage, the conduct of operations and the protection of the environment (including relating to emissions and discharges to water, air and land, and the handling and disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous materials and wastes). Our operations may also be affected in varying
degrees by government regulations with respect to, among other things, price controls, import or export controls, controls on currency remittance, increased income taxes, restrictions on foreign investment and government policies rewarding contracts to local competitors or requiring domestic producers or vendors to purchase supplies from a particular jurisdiction. Laws, regulations and guidelines, applied generally, grant government agencies and self-regulatory bodies broad administrative discretion over our activities, including the power to limit or restrict business activities as well as impose additional disclosure requirements on our products and services, as well as on our personnel (including management and the Board).
Achievement of our business objectives is contingent, in part, upon compliance with regulatory requirements enacted by these governmental authorities and obtaining all necessary regulatory approvals for the cultivation, production, processing, storage, transportation, distribution, sale, import and export, as applicable, of our products. The cannabis and hemp industries are still new, and in Canada, in particular, the Cannabis Act has no close precedent in Canadian law. Similarly, the regulatory regimes in the jurisdictions in which we and our strategic investments operate outside of Canada are new and are still being developed without close precedent in such jurisdictions. The effect of relevant governmental authorities’ administration, application and enforcement of their respective regulatory regimes and delays in obtaining, or failure to obtain, necessary regulatory approvals may significantly delay or impact the development of markets, products and sales initiatives and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
The regulatory environment for our products is rapidly developing, and the need to build and maintain robust systems to comply with different and changing regulations in multiple jurisdictions increases the possibility that we may violate one or more applicable requirements. While we endeavor to comply with all relevant laws, regulations and guidelines, any failure to comply with the regulatory requirements applicable to our operations could subject us to negative consequences, including, but not limited to, civil and criminal penalties, damages, fines, the curtailment or restructuring of our operations, asset seizures, revocation or imposition of additional conditions on licenses to operate our business, the denial of regulatory applications (including, in the U.S., by other regulatory regimes that rely on the positions of the DEA, FDA and USDA in the application of their respective regimes), the suspension or expulsion from a particular market or jurisdiction or of our key personnel, or the imposition of additional or more stringent inspection, testing and reporting requirements, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. Additionally, scheduled or unscheduled inspections of our facilities or facilities of our strategic investments or third party suppliers by applicable regulatory agencies could result in adverse findings that could require significant remediation efforts and/or temporary or permanent shutdown of our facilities or those of our strategic investments or third party suppliers. The outcome of any regulatory or agency proceedings, investigations, inspections, audits, and other contingencies could harm our reputation, require us to take, or refrain from taking, actions that could harm our operations or require us to pay substantial amounts of money, harming our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. Increasingly, communication and coordination among regulators has led in other industries to coordinated responses to regulatory and licensure applications. To the extent that regulators coordinate responses to license applications and regulatory conditions, limitations or denials of licenses in one jurisdiction may lead to denials in other jurisdictions. There can be no assurance that any pending or future regulatory or agency proceedings, investigations, inspections and audits will not result in substantial costs or a diversion of management’s attention and resources, adversely impact our future growth plans and opportunities or have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
If any part of our business activities are found to be in violation of any of federal, state, provincial or local laws or any other governmental regulations, in addition to the items described above:
•we may be subject to “Warning Letters,” untitled letters, fines, penalties, administrative sanctions, settlements, injunctions, product recalls and/or other enforcement actions arising from civil, administrative or other proceedings initiated that could adversely affect our business, financial condition, operating results, liquidity, cash flow and operational performance;
•the profits or revenues derived therefrom could be subject to anti-money laundering statutes, including the Money Laundering Control Act, which could result in significant disruption to our business operations and involve significant costs, expenses or other penalties; and
•our suppliers, service providers and distributors may elect, at any time, to breach, terminate or otherwise cease to participate in supply, service or distribution agreements, or other relationships, on which our operations rely.
We are reliant on required licenses, authorizations, approvals and permits issued by Canadian and foreign governmental authority for our ability to grow, process, store and sell cannabis, hemp and cannabinoids which are subject to ongoing compliance, reporting and renewal requirements.
We are dependent on our existing licenses from governmental authorities in order to grow, store, process and sell cannabis. These licenses are subject to ongoing compliance and reporting requirements. Failure to comply with the requirements of these licenses or failure to maintain these licenses could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. There can be no guarantee that a license will be extended or renewed or, if extended or renewed, that it will be extended or renewed on terms that are favorable to us or that a governmental authority will not revoke the licenses. Should
we fail to comply with requirements of the licenses, should the applicable governmental authority not extend or renew the licenses, should they be renewed on different terms (including not allowing for anticipated capacity increases) or should the licenses be revoked or suspended, our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects will be materially adversely affected.
In addition, our ability to grow our business may be dependent on securing and maintaining certain new licenses. Failure to comply with the requirements of any license application or failure to obtain and maintain the appropriate licenses with the relevant authorities would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. There can also be no guarantees that regulatory authorities will issue the required licenses to us.
Changes in the laws, regulations and guidelines governing cannabis and hemp may adversely affect our business and that of our investments.
Our current operations are subject to various laws, regulations and guidelines promulgated by governmental authorities relating to the marketing, acquisition, manufacture, packaging/labeling, management, transportation, storage, sale and disposal of cannabis or hemp. We are also subject to laws and regulations relating to health and safety, insurance coverage, the conduct of operations and the protection of the environment (including relating to emissions and discharges to water, air and land, the handling and disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous materials and wastes). Additionally, our growth strategy continues to evolve as regulations governing the cannabis industry in the jurisdictions in which we operate become more fully developed. Interpretation of these laws, rules and regulations and their application to our operations is ongoing. No assurance can be given that new laws, regulations and guidelines will not be enacted or that existing laws, regulations and guidelines will not be amended, repealed or interpreted or applied in a manner which could require extensive changes to our operations, increase compliance costs, give rise to material liabilities or a revocation of our licenses and other permits, restrict the growth opportunities that we currently anticipate or otherwise limit or curtail our operations. Amendments to current laws, regulations and guidelines governing the production, sale and use of cannabis and cannabis-based products, more stringent implementation or enforcement thereof or other unanticipated events, including changes in political conditions and/or regimes or political instability, currency controls, fluctuations in currency exchange rates and rates of inflation, labor unrest, changes in taxation laws, regulations and policies, restrictions on foreign exchange and repatriation, governmental regulations relating to foreign investment and the cannabis business more generally, and changes in attitudes toward cannabis, are beyond our control and could require extensive changes to our operations, which in turn may result in a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
While the production of cannabis in Canada is under the regulatory oversight of the Canadian federal government, the distribution and retail sale of adult-use cannabis in Canada falls within the jurisdiction of the provincial and territorial governments. The impact of the legislation regulating adult-use cannabis passed in such provinces and territories on the cannabis industry and on our business plans and operations is uncertain. Certain Canadian provinces and territories have announced certain restrictions that are more stringent than the federal rules or regulations such as retail sale and marketing restrictions, bans on certain types of cannabis products, raising minimum age of purchase and flavor restrictions. For example, Quebec limits the sale of other high THC non-edible cannabis products. In April 2023, the Supreme Court of Canada affirmed the provinces’ power to enact regulations that are more restrictive than the federal regime. In addition, the distribution and retail channels and applicable rules and regulations in the provinces continue to evolve, and our ability to distribute and retail cannabis products in Canada is dependent on the ability of the provinces and territories of Canada to establish licensed retail networks and outlets. There is no guarantee that the applicable legislation regulating the distribution and sale of cannabis for adult-use purposes will allow for the growth opportunities we currently anticipate and may result in a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In December 2023, Health Canada released guidance on cannabis products deliberately made with intoxicating cannabinoids other than delta-9-THC. Health Canada defines “intoxicating cannabinoids” as cannabinoids that bind to and activate the type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1 receptor) and the guidance includes a list that currently sets out 9 cannabinoids that qualify, however, that list is subject to Health Canada’s discretion to revise this list as new evidence becomes available about any of the current listed cannabinoids or any other potential intoxicating cannabinoids. This guidance recommends that cannabis license holders apply the regulatory controls (including limits on the amount of cannabinoids in certain products) currently applicable to delta-9-THC to all other cannabinoids that Health Canada considers to be “intoxicating cannabinoids” in order to minimize the risks of accidental consumption, overconsumption and adverse effects. This guidance comes at a time when various provincial regulators (such as those in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta) are actively evaluating whether to permit the sale of or how to evaluate limits on the levels of certain cannabinoids (such as tetrahydrocannabivarin and cannabinol). Provincial and territorial distributors may take different positions on the sale and distribution of products with various cannabinoids and may decide to ban, limit or implement new guidance on the types of cannabis products permitted for sale in each of their jurisdictions (including in response to Health Canada’s guidance on intoxicating cannabinoids) which may result in some or all of our products being viewed as non-compliant with applicable law or non-binding policy guidance.
Furthermore, additional countries continue to pass laws that allow for the production and distribution of cannabis in some form or another. We have some subsidiaries, investments and strategic alliances in place outside of Canada, which may be affected if more countries legalize cannabis. Increased international competition and limitations placed on us by Canadian regulations might lower the demand for our products on a global scale. We also face competition in each jurisdiction outside of Canada where we have subsidiaries, investments and strategic alliances with local companies that have more experience, more in-depth knowledge of local markets or applicable laws, regulations and guidelines or longer operating histories in such jurisdictions.
We are subject to certain restrictions of the TSX and Nasdaq, which may constrain our ability to expand our business in the United States.
The Canopy Shares are currently listed on the TSX and Nasdaq, and accordingly, so long as we choose to continue to be listed on these exchanges, we must comply with the TSX and Nasdaq requirements or guidelines when conducting business, especially when pursuing opportunities in the United States.
On October 16, 2017, the TSX provided clarity regarding the application of Sections 306 (Minimum Listing Requirements) and 325 (Management) and Part VII (Halting of Trading, Suspension and Delisting of Securities) of the TSX Company Manual (collectively, the “TSX Requirements”) to TSX-listed issuers with business activities in the cannabis sector. In TSX Staff Notice 2017-0009, the TSX notes that issuers with ongoing business activities that violate U.S. federal law regarding cannabis are not in compliance with the TSX Requirements. The TSX reminded issuers that, among other things, should the TSX find that a listed issuer is engaging in activities contrary to the TSX Requirements, the TSX has the discretion to initiate a delisting review. Although we believe that we currently comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including the TSX Requirements, there is a risk that our interpretation may differ from the TSX and failure to comply with the TSX Requirements could result in a delisting of the Canopy Shares from the TSX or the denial of an application for certain approvals, such as to have additional securities listed on the TSX, which could have a material adverse effect on the trading price of the Canopy Shares and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
While Nasdaq has not issued official rules specific to the cannabis or hemp industry, stock exchanges in the United States, including Nasdaq, have historically refused to list certain cannabis-related businesses, including cannabis retailers, that operate primarily in the United States. In connection with our creation of Canopy USA, Nasdaq Regulation indicated its position that companies that consolidate “the assets and revenues generated from activities in violation under federal law cannot continue to list on Nasdaq.” Canopy USA exercised its options to acquire Wana and Jetty on May 6, 2024. As of April 30, 2024, Canopy Growth has deconsolidated the financial results of Canopy USA and has a non-controlling interest in Canopy USA as of such date, which will be accounted for as an equity method (fair value) investment until such time as a Stock Exchange Permissibility Date occurs. Based on our discussions with the OCA, we continue to believe that the SEC would not object to the deconsolidation of the financial results of Canopy USA from the Company’s financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP now that Canopy USA has acquired Acreage, Wana and the majority interest of Jetty. However, there can be no assurance that the SEC will agree with the Company’s accounting treatment of Canopy USA in the future. Failure to comply with any requirements imposed by Nasdaq could result in the delisting of the Canopy Shares from Nasdaq or denial of any application to have additional securities listed on Nasdaq, which could have a material adverse effect on the trading price of the Canopy Shares.
Federal law in the United States may impose restrictions on our ability to bank with certain institutions, repatriate funds to Canada or pay dividends to shareholders.
The U.S. federal prohibitions on the sale of cannabis may result in us or Canopy USA being restricted from accessing the U.S. banking system, and we or Canopy USA may be unable to deposit funds in federally insured and licensed banking institutions. Banking restrictions could be imposed due to institutions not accepting payments and deposits. We are, and Canopy USA is at risk that any of our and Canopy USA’s bank accounts could be closed at any time. Such risks increase our costs and our ability to handle any revenue received. In addition, activities in the U.S., and any proceeds derived thereof, may be considered proceeds of crime due to the fact that cannabis remains federally illegal in the U.S. This may restrict our ability to declare or pay dividends, effect other distributions or subsequently repatriate such funds back to Canada.
We may be subject to heightened scrutiny by regulatory authorities.
Any future investments, joint ventures or operations in the United States, may become the subject of heightened scrutiny by regulators, stock exchanges and other authorities in Canada and/or the United States. As a result, we may be subject to significant direct and indirect interaction with public officials. There can be no assurance that this heightened scrutiny will not in turn lead to the imposition of certain restrictions on our ability to invest in the United States or any other jurisdiction, in addition to those described herein.
We are constrained by law in our ability to market and advertise our products.
Our marketing and advertising are subject to regulation by various regulatory bodies in the jurisdictions we operate. In Canada, the development of our business and related results of operations may be hindered by applicable regulatory restrictions on sales and marketing activities. For example, the regulatory environment in Canada limits our ability to compete for market share in a manner similar to other industries. Furthermore, the applicable regulatory restrictions on sales and marketing activities are not always clear, may be subject to interpretation and have in the past, and may in the future, be interpreted or applied inconsistently by the applicable Canadian regulatory agencies, which have broad interpretative and enforcement discretion with respect to such activities. This may result in such restrictions on sale and marketing activities being interpreted unfavorably by a regulatory agency against some market participants, including us, but not others. 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 results of operations could be adversely affected. See “Business – Canadian Regulatory Framework.”
We are subject to a number of federal, state, and foreign environmental and safety laws and regulations that may expose us to significant costs and liabilities.
Our operations are subject to environmental and safety laws and regulations concerning, among other things, emissions and discharges to water, air and land, the handling and disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous materials and wastes, and employee health and safety. Accordingly, we will incur ongoing costs and obligations related to compliance with environmental and employee health and safety matters. In addition, changes in environmental, employee health and safety or other laws, more vigorous enforcement thereof or other unanticipated events could require extensive changes to our operations or give rise to material liabilities, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
Further, compliance with EU-GMP requires satisfying additional standards for the conduct of our operations and subjects us to ongoing compliance inspections in respect of these standards in connection with our EU-GMP certified facilities. Compliance with safety, health and environmental laws and regulations can require significant expenditures, and failure to comply with such safety, health and environmental laws and regulations may result in the imposition of fines and penalties, the temporary or permanent suspension of operations, the imposition of clean-up costs resulting from contaminated properties, the imposition of damages and the loss of or refusal of governmental authorities to issue permits or licenses to us or to certify our compliance with EU-GMP standards. Exposure to these liabilities may arise in connection with our existing operations, our historical operations and operations that we may undertake in the future. We could also be held liable for worker exposure to hazardous substances and for accidents causing injury or death. There can be no assurance that we will at all times be in compliance with all safety, health and environmental laws and regulations notwithstanding our attempts to comply with such laws and regulations.
Anti-money laundering and other banking laws and regulations can limit our ability to access financing and hamper our growth.
We are subject to a variety of domestic and international laws and regulations pertaining to money laundering, financial recordkeeping and proceeds of crime, including the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (Canada), as amended and the rules and regulations thereunder, the Criminal Code (Canada) and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by governmental authorities internationally.
In the event that any of our operations or investments, any proceeds thereof, any dividends or distributions therefrom, or any profits or revenues accruing from such operations or investments were found to be in violation of money laundering legislation, such transactions may be viewed as proceeds of crimes 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, effect other distributions or subsequently repatriate such funds back to Canada. Furthermore, while we have no current intention to declare or pay dividends in the foreseeable future, in the event that a determination was made that proceeds obtained by us could reasonably be shown to constitute proceeds of crime, we may decide or be required to suspend declaring or paying dividends without advance notice and for an indefinite period of time.
In February 2014, FinCEN of the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued the FinCEN Marijuana-Related Guidance. The FINCEN Marijuana-Related Guidance states that in some circumstances, it may not be appropriate to prosecute banks that provide services to marijuana-related businesses for violations of federal money laundering laws. It refers to supplementary guidance that then Deputy Attorney General Cole issued to federal prosecutors relating to the prosecution of money laundering offenses predicated on Cannabis-related violations of the CSA. It is unclear at this time whether the current or future administrations will follow the guidelines of the FINCEN Marijuana-Related Guidance.
Following the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, FinCEN, along with other federal banking regulators, released the FinCEN Hemp Statement. In June 2020, FinCEN issued the FinCEN Hemp Guidance. The FinCEN Hemp Statement and FinCEN Hemp Guidance provided financial institutions with anti-money laundering risk considerations for hemp-related businesses to ultimately enhance the availability of financial services for, and the financial transparency of, hemp-related businesses in compliance with federal law. The FinCEN Hemp Statement and FinCEN Hemp Guidance do not replace or supersede the FinCEN Marijuana-Related Guidance.
Under U.S. federal law, banks or other financial institutions that provide a Cannabis-related business with a checking account, debit or credit card, small business loan, or any other service could be found guilty of money laundering, aiding and abetting, or conspiracy. As a result, we may have limited or no access to banking or other financial services in the United States and we may be unable to deposit funds in federally insured and licensed banking institutions. Banking restrictions could be imposed due to institutions not accepting payments and deposits. We are at risk that any of our bank accounts and/or the bank accounts of Canopy USA could be closed at any time. The inability or limitation on our ability to open or maintain bank accounts in the United States, to obtain other banking services and/or accept credit card and debit card payments may make it difficult to operate and conduct our business as planned in the United States. Such risks increase our costs and our ability to handle any revenue received. Although multiple legislative reforms related to cannabis and cannabis-related banking are currently being considered by the federal government in the United States, such as the Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act, there can be no assurance that this or any similar legislation will become law in the United States.
We could be adversely affected by violations of the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act (Canada), the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other similar anti-bribery laws.
Our business is subject to the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act (Canada), the FCPA and other similar laws which generally prohibit companies and employees from engaging in bribery or other prohibited payments to government officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. In addition, we are or will be subject to the anti-bribery laws of any other countries in which we conduct business now or in the future. Our policies mandate compliance with these anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws. Our employees or other agents may, without our knowledge and despite our efforts, engage in conduct prohibited under our policies and procedures and under anti-bribery laws, for which we may be held responsible. There can be no assurance that our internal control policies and procedures will always protect us from recklessness, fraudulent behavior, dishonesty or other inappropriate acts committed by our affiliates, employees, contractors or agents. If our employees or other agents are found to have engaged in such practices, we could suffer severe criminal and/or civil penalties and other consequences that may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
We must rely on local counsel and consultants with respect to laws and regulations in countries outside of Canada.
The legal and regulatory requirements in the foreign countries in which we operate with respect to the cultivation and sale of cannabis, banking systems and controls, as well as local business culture and practices are different from those in Canada. Our officers and directors must rely, to a great extent, on local legal counsel and consultants in order to keep abreast of material legal, regulatory and governmental developments as they pertain to and affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects, and to assist with governmental relations. We must rely, to some extent, on those members of management and our board of directors who have previous experience working and conducting business in these countries, if any, in order to enhance its understanding of and appreciation for the local business culture and practices. We also rely on the advice of local experts and professionals in connection with current and new regulations that develop in respect of the cultivation and sale of cannabis as well as in respect of banking, financing, labor, litigation and tax matters in these jurisdictions. Any developments or changes in such legal, regulatory or governmental requirements or in local business practices are beyond our control. The impact of any such changes may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
Any rescheduling of U.S. Schedule I cannabis to Schedule III would have an uncertain impact on our business.
In August 2023, the HHS recommended that the DEA move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the CSA and on May 16, 2024, the DEA issued a proposed rule to reclassify marijuana from its current classification as a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug. There can be no assurance that the proposed DEA rule will go into effect in its present form or at all, and the impacts of any such adoption on our business and competitive position are unclear. For example, rescheduling marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III may be accompanied by additional regulatory obligations as prerequisite to participate in the U.S. market, and it may provide a greater benefit to the businesses of our competitors than our business, including by providing favorable tax treatment to their U.S. operations. The rescheduling of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III could result in significant volatility in the market for the Canopy Shares. To the extent that market speculation results in an increase in the price of the Canopy Shares, the price of the Canopy Shares could decline significantly thereafter if the DEA fails to act on the recommendation or investor optimism fades.
Risks Relating to Competition, Performance and Operations
We may not successfully execute our business strategy.
We may be unable to pursue our business strategy in the future at the desired pace or at all. We may be unable to, among other things, identify suitable companies to acquire or invest in; complete acquisitions on satisfactory terms; successfully expand our infrastructure and sales force to support growth; achieve satisfactory returns on acquired companies, particularly in countries where we do not currently operate; or enter into successful business arrangements for technical assistance or management expertise outside of North America.
In addition, the process of integrating acquired businesses, particularly in new markets, may involve unforeseen difficulties, such as loss of key employees, and may require a disproportionate amount of management’s attention and financial and other resources. We can give no assurance that we will ultimately be able to effectively integrate and manage the operations of any acquired business or realize anticipated synergies. The failure to successfully integrate the cultures, operating systems, procedures and information technologies of an acquired business could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
If we succeed in expanding our existing businesses, such expansion may place increased demands on management, operating systems, internal controls and financial and physical resources. If not managed effectively, these increased demands may adversely affect the services provided to customers. In addition, our personnel, systems, procedures and controls may be inadequate to support future operations, particularly with respect to operations in countries outside of North America. Consequently, in order to manage growth effectively, we may be required to increase expenditures to increase our physical resources, expand, train and manage our employee base, improve management, financial and information systems and controls, or make other capital expenditures. Our
business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects could be adversely affected if we encounter difficulties in effectively managing the budgeting, forecasting and other process control issues presented by future growth.
We have been and may in the future be required to write down inventory due to downward pressure on market prices, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
At the end of each reporting period, management performs an assessment of inventory obsolescence, prices and demand to measure inventory at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Net realizable value is defined as the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal and transportation. We also consider factors such as slow-moving or non-marketable products in our determination of obsolescence. As a result of this assessment, inventory write-downs have occurred on a few occasions in the past and may occur from period to period in the future. Continued pricing pressures in the markets in which we operate may result in further inventory write-downs. We have had a series of inventory write-downs due to price compression in the cannabis market. We expect these write-downs to continue as pricing pressures remain elevated. These inventory write-downs have in the past and may in the future have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial position.
We may not be able to supply the provincial purchasers in various provinces and territories of Canada with our products in the quantities or prices anticipated, or at all.
A significant component of our current revenues are dependent upon our supply contracts with the various Canadian provinces and territories. There are many factors which could impact our contractual agreements with the provinces and territories, including but not limited to availability of supply, product selection and the popularity of our products with retail customers. If our supply agreements with certain Canadian provinces are amended, terminated or otherwise altered, our sales and operating results could be adversely affected, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
Our supply arrangements with provincial purchasers, each of which we understand to be substantially similar in all material respects with the supply arrangements entered into with the other license holders in the Canadian cannabis industry, do not contain any binding minimum purchase obligations on the part of the relevant provincial purchaser.
We expect purchase orders to be primarily driven by end-consumer demand for our products and the relevant provincial purchaser supply at the relevant time. Accordingly, we cannot predict the quantities of our products that will be purchased by the provincial purchasers, or if our products will be purchased at all. Provincial purchasers may change the terms of the supply agreements at any time during the supply relationship including on pricing, have broad rights of return of products and are under no obligation to purchase our products or maintain any listings of our products for sale. As a result, provincial purchasers have a significant amount of control over the terms of the supply arrangements.
The adult-use cannabis market in Canada has in the past been and may in the future become oversupplied.
Numerous additional cannabis producers have and may continue to enter the Canadian market. We and such other cannabis producers have in the past produced and may in the future produce more cannabis than is needed to satisfy the collective demand of the Canadian medical and adult-use markets, and we may be unable to export that over-supply into other markets. As a result, the available supply of cannabis could exceed demand, which has in the past, and may in the future, result in significant inventory write downs and downward pressure on wholesale prices of our products.
We must rely largely on our own market research and internal data to forecast sales and market demand and market prices, which may differ from our forecasts.
Given the early stage of the cannabis and hemp industries, we rely largely on our own market research and internal data to forecast industry trends and statistics as detailed forecasts are, with certain exceptions, not generally available from other sources. A failure in the demand for our products to materialize as a result of competition, technological change, change in the regulatory or legal landscape or other factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
We may be unsuccessful in competing in the legal cannabis market in Canada and in international markets.
We face competition from a large number of existing license holders licensed under the Cannabis Act. Certain of these competitors may have significantly greater financial, production, marketing, research and development and technical and human resources than we do. As a result, our competitors may be more successful than us in gaining market penetration and market share in cannabis industry in Canada. Our commercial opportunity in the cannabis market in Canada could be reduced or eliminated if our competitors produce and commercialize products that, are safer, more effective, more convenient or less expensive than the products that we produce, have greater sales, marketing and distribution support than our products, enjoy enhanced timing of market introduction and perceived effectiveness advantages over our products or receive more favorable publicity than our products. If our products do not achieve an adequate level of acceptance by the market, we may not generate sufficient revenue from these products, and our business may not become profitable.
The Cannabis Act allows individuals over the age of 18 to legally cultivate up to four cannabis plants per household provided that each plant meets certain requirements, subject to any restrictions on these activities imposed in certain provinces and territories. If we are unable to effectively compete with other suppliers to the cannabis market, or a significant number of individuals take advantage of the ability to cultivate and use their own cannabis, our business may be adversely affected.
In addition, the Cannabis Act allows for licenses to be granted for outdoor cultivation, which may reduce start-up capital required for new entrants in the cannabis industry. It may also ultimately lower prices, as capital expenditure requirements related to outdoor growing are typically much lower than those associated with indoor growing. Such results may also have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
Similar to the Canada, Germany now allows for limited household cultivation of cannabis and the personal possession of cannabis for medical consumption. As is the potential risk in Canada, if we are unable to effectively compete with other suppliers to the cannabis market in Germany, or a significant number of individuals take advantage of the ability to cultivate and use their own cannabis, our business may be adversely affected.
We face competition from the illegal cannabis market in every market we sell our products.
We face competition from illegal market participants that are unlicensed and unregulated, and that are selling cannabis and cannabis products, including products with higher concentrations of active ingredients, using flavors or other additives or engaging in advertising and promotion activities that we are not permitted to. As these illegal market participants do not comply with the regulations governing the cannabis industry, their operations may also have significantly lower costs and they may be able to sell products with significantly higher cannabinoid potencies or which include ingredients that are prohibited by law. The perpetuation of the illegal market for cannabis may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects, as well as the perception of cannabis use.
Regulatory non-compliance by licensed cannabis competitors may have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
In addition to competition from illegal market participants, we may also face competition from licensed cannabis competitors that fail to comply with the regulations governing the cannabis industry when developing and selling cannabis products. These competitors may be able to produce and sell products with significantly higher cannabinoid potencies or which include ingredients that are prohibited by law. If regulatory authorities are delayed in, or fail to, effectively restrict the sale and distribution of such non-compliant cannabis products by our competitors, there may be a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition, as well as the perception of cannabis use.
The Canadian excise duty framework affects our profitability.
Canada’s excise duty framework imposes an excise duty and various regulatory-like restrictions on cannabis products sold in Canada. We currently hold licenses issued by the Canada Revenue Agency (“CRA”) required to comply with this excise framework. Currently, the excise tax significantly increases the cost of cannabis to consumers in Canada. Any change in the rates or application of excise duty to cannabis products sold by us in Canada, and any restrictive interpretations by the CRA or the courts of the provisions of the Excise Act, 2001 (which may be different than those contained in the Cannabis Act) may affect our profitability and ability to compete in the market.
Failure to establish and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting may result in us not being able to accurately report our financial results, which could result in a loss of investor confidence and adversely affect the market price of the Canopy Shares.
We are responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, which is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. GAAP (as defined below). Our internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. A failure to prevent or detect errors or misstatements may result in a decline in the price of the Canopy Shares and harm our ability to raise capital in the future.
If our management is unable to certify the effectiveness of our internal controls or if material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in our internal controls are identified, we could be subject to regulatory scrutiny and a loss of public confidence, which could harm our business and cause a decline in the price of the Canopy Shares. Although we do not currently have any material weaknesses and ineffectiveness to report of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures, there can be no assurance that we will not identify material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting in the future.
In addition, if we do not maintain adequate financial and management personnel, processes and controls, we may not be able to accurately report our financial performance on a timely basis, which could cause a decline in the price of the Canopy Shares and harm
our ability to raise capital. Failure to accurately report our financial performance on a timely basis could also jeopardize our listing on the TSX and/or Nasdaq. Delisting of the Canopy Shares on any stock exchange would have implications pursuant to our Credit Agreement, including interest rate increases and/or an event of default and reduce the liquidity of the market for the Canopy Shares, which would likely reduce the price of, and increase the volatility of, the price of the Canopy Shares.
We do not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting will prevent all error or fraud. A control system, no matter how well designed and implemented, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the control system’s objectives will be met. Further, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Due to the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues within an organization will be detected. The inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty and that breakdowns can occur because of simple errors or mistakes. Controls can also be circumvented by individual acts of certain persons, by collusion of two or more people or by management override of the controls. Due to the inherent limitations in a cost-effective control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and may not be detected in a timely manner or at all. If we cannot provide reliable financial reports or prevent fraud, our reputation and operating results could be materially adversely affected, which could also cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information, which in turn could result in a reduction in the price of the Canopy Shares.
In addition, acquisitions can pose challenges in implementing the required processes, procedures and controls in the new operations. Companies that are acquired by us may not have disclosure controls and procedures or internal control over financial reporting that are as thorough or effective as those required by the securities laws that currently apply to us.
We rely on third-party manufacturers and distributors to manufacture and distribute certain of our products, and those third parties may not perform their obligations.
We rely on third-party manufacturers, distributors and other courier services, and may in the future rely on other third parties, to manufacture and distribute certain of our products. If these third-parties do not successfully carry out their contractual obligations or terminate or suspend their contractual arrangements with us, if there is a delay or interruption in the manufacture distribution of our products or if these third parties damage our products, it could adversely affect our revenue and may require significant management attention. As we rely more heavily on third-party manufacturing, our success may be contingent on procuring favorable terms under manufacturing arrangements with license holders. In addition, any damage to our products due to acts or omissions of our third-party distributors, such as product spoilage or improper storage or handling, could expose us to potential product liability, damage our reputation and the reputation of our products or brands or otherwise harm our business.
We are vulnerable to third-party transportation risks.
We depend on fast and efficient courier services to distribute our products to our customers. Any prolonged disruption of this courier service could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. Rising costs associated with the courier services that we use to ship our products may also adversely affect our business and our ability to operate profitably.
Due to the nature of our products, security of the product during transportation to and from facilities is of the utmost concern. A breach of security during transport or delivery could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. Any breach of the security measures during transport or delivery, including any failure to comply with applicable recommendations or requirements, could also have an impact on our ability to continue operating under our current licenses or impact the prospects of renewing our licenses.
The inability of our customers or suppliers to meet their financial or contractual obligations to us may result in disruption to our supply chain and operations and could result in financial losses.
We have exposure to several customers who are license holders and, at least some of these customers are experiencing financial difficulties. In addition, we also face exposure to our third-party hemp, cannabis products and non-cannabis product suppliers who may face financial difficulties, which would impact our supply of cannabis products and non-cannabis products. We have in the past, and may in the future, have disruptions in our supply chain and need to take allowances against and need to write off receivables due to the creditworthiness of these customers.
Further, the inability of these customers to purchase our products could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
Our business may be impacted as a result of increased rates of inflation.
Our results of operations could be adversely affected by general conditions in the global economy and in the global financial markets, including changes in inflation, interest rates and overall economic conditions and uncertainties. We have experienced significant inflationary pressures, including, in particular, on wages, and pricing with third-party suppliers and manufacturers. Increased inflation could reduce our purchasing power and result in negative impacts on the ability to obtain goods and services required for the operation of our business or to pass on rising costs to our customers. To the extent that we are unable to offset such
cost inflation through higher prices of our offerings or other cost savings, there could be a negative impact on our business, sales and margin performance, net income, cash flows and the trading price of the Canopy Shares.
Our cannabis cultivation operations are vulnerable to rising energy costs and dependent upon key inputs.
Our cannabis cultivation operations consume considerable energy, making us vulnerable to rising energy costs. Rising or volatile energy costs may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
In addition, 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 utilities. Any significant interruption or negative change in the availability or economics of the supply chain for key inputs could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
We, or the cannabis industry more generally, may receive unfavorable publicity or become subject to negative consumer perception.
We believe that the cannabis industry is highly dependent upon broad social acceptance and consumer perception regarding the safety, efficacy and quality of the cannabis products, as well as consumer views concerning regulatory compliance. Consumer perception of our products can be significantly influenced by scientific research or findings, regulatory inquiries, litigation, media attention, market rumors or speculation and other publicity regarding the consumption or effects thereof of cannabis 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 cannabis markets 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 cannabis industry, and therefore demand for our products and services, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Our dependence upon consumer perceptions means that adverse scientific research reports, findings, regulatory proceedings, litigation, media attention or other publicity, whether or not accurate or with merit, could have a material adverse effect on the demand for our products, and our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Further, adverse publicity, reports or other media attention regarding the safety, efficacy and quality of cannabis or hemp in general, or our products specifically, or associating the consumption or use of cannabis with illness or other negative effects or events, could have such a material adverse effect on us. Such adverse publicity reports or other media attention could arise even if the adverse effects associated with such products resulted from consumers’ failure to consume such products legally, appropriately or as directed.
The increased usage of social media and other web-based tools used to generate, publish and discuss user-generated content and to connect with other users has made it increasingly easier for individuals and groups to communicate and share opinions and views on our operations and activities and the cannabis and hemp industries in general, whether true or not. Social media permits user-generated content to be distributed to a broad audience which can respond or react, in near real time, with comments that are often not filtered or checked for accuracy. In most cases, we do not have the ability to filter such comments or verify their accuracy. Accordingly, the speed with which negative publicity (whether true or not) can be disseminated has increased dramatically with the expansion of social media. The dissemination of negative or inaccurate posts, comments or other user-generated content about us on social media (including those published by third-parties) could damage our brand, image and reputation or how the cannabis industries are perceived generally, which could have a material adverse effect on the market for our products and thus on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
In addition, certain businesses may have strong economic opposition to the cannabis industry. Lobbying by such groups, and any resulting inroads they might make in halting or rolling back the cannabis movements, could affect how the cannabis industry is perceived by others and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
Moreover, the non-cannabis third parties with whom we do business may perceive that they are exposed to reputational risk as a result of our cannabis related business activities. Failure to establish or maintain business relationships could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
Any third-party service provider or supplier could suspend or withdraw its services to us if it perceives that the potential risks exceed the potential benefits to such services. For example, we face challenges making U.S. dollar wire transfers or engaging any third-party service provider or supplier with a substantial presence where cannabis is not federally legal (including the United States). In these circumstances, while we believe that such services can be procured from other institutions, we may in the future have difficulty maintaining existing, or securing new, bank accounts or clearing services, service providers or other suppliers.
Although we take care in protecting our image and reputation, we do not ultimately have control over how we or the cannabis industry is perceived by others. Reputation loss may result in decreased investor confidence, increased challenges in developing and maintaining community relations and an impediment to our overall ability to advance our business strategy and realize on our growth prospects, thereby having a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
The markets that we operate in are increasingly competitive, and we may compete for market share with other companies, both domestically and internationally, that may have longer operating histories and more financial resources, manufacturing and marketing experience than us.
The markets for cannabis and hemp are competitive and evolving and we face intense competition from both existing and emerging companies that offer similar products. Some of our current and potential competitors may have longer operating histories, greater financial, marketing and other resources and larger customer bases than we have. In addition, there is potential that the cannabis industry will undergo consolidation, creating larger companies with financial resources, manufacturing and marketing capabilities and product offerings that are greater than ours. As a result of this competition, we may be unable to maintain our operations or develop them as currently proposed on terms we consider acceptable, or at all. Increased competition by larger, better-financed competitors with geographic advantages could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. For example, we may not be able to enter into supply agreements or negotiate favorable prices. In addition, competitive factors may result in us being unable to enter into desirable arrangements with new partners, to recruit or retain qualified employees or to acquire the capital necessary to fund our capital investments.
Given the rapid changes affecting global, national and regional economies generally, and the cannabis and hemp industries in particular, we may not be able to create and maintain a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Our success will depend on our ability to respond to, among other things, changes in the economy, regulatory conditions, market conditions and competitive pressures. Any failure by us to anticipate or respond adequately to such changes could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, operating results, liquidity, cash flow and operational performance.
In Canada, the number of licenses granted, and the number of license holders ultimately authorized by Health Canada, could also have an impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. We expect to face additional competition from new market entrants that are granted licenses under the Cannabis Act or existing license holders which are not yet active in the industry. If a significant number of new licenses are granted by Health Canada, we may experience increased competition for market share and may experience downward price pressure on our products as new entrants increase production. We also face competition from illegal cannabis dispensaries that are selling cannabis to individuals despite not having a valid license. A significant number of illegal dispensaries are still in operation, providing additional competition.
If the number of users of medical and/or adult-use cannabis increases, the demand for products will increase and we expect that competition will become more intense, as current and future competitors begin to offer an increasing number of diversified products. To remain competitive, we will require a continued high level of investment in research and development, sales and customer support. We may not have sufficient resources to maintain research and development, sales and customer support efforts on a competitive basis, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. Furthermore, the Canadian federal authorization of home cultivation, outdoor grow, and the easing of other barriers to entry into a Canadian adult-use cannabis market, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
Additionally, the legal landscape for medical and adult-use cannabis is changing internationally. More countries have passed laws that allow for the production and distribution of medical cannabis in some form or another, and some of these countries may pass laws allowing for the production and distribution of adult-use cannabis as well. Increased international competition could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
We are subject to liability arising from any fraudulent or illegal activity by our employees, contractors and consultants.
We are exposed to the risk that our employees, independent contractors and consultants may engage in fraudulent or other illegal activity. Misconduct by these parties could include intentional, fraudulent, reckless and/or negligent conduct or unauthorized activity that violates: (i) applicable laws and regulations; (ii) manufacturing standards and healthcare requirements; (iii) federal and provincial healthcare fraud and abuse of federal, state and provincial laws and regulations; or (iv) laws and regulations that require the true, complete and accurate reporting of financial, personal, medical and/or insurance information or data. It is not always 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 losses or in protecting us from governmental investigations or other actions or lawsuits stemming from a failure to comply with such laws, regulations or standards. If any such actions are brought against us, whether or not we are successful in defending us or asserting our rights, those actions could have a material adverse effect on our business, including the imposition of civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, monetary fines, contractual damages, reputational harm, diminished profits and future earnings, and the curtailment of our operations, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. Any allegation of impropriety alone may have a material reputational impact on our business, which could result in a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.
Our production facilities are integral to our operations and any adverse changes or developments affecting our facilities may affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
Our activities and resources are focused on various production and manufacturing facilities. The licenses held by us are specific to individual facilities. Adverse changes or developments affecting any facility, including but not limited to a breach of security, an inability to successfully grow cannabis plants or produce finished goods, unanticipated cost overruns in growing or producing products, an outbreak of a communicable illness or a force majeure event, could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. Any breach of the security measures and other facility requirements, including any failure to comply with recommendations or requirements arising from inspections by regulatory agencies, could also have an impact on our ability to continue operating under our licenses or the prospect of renewing our licenses or could result in a revocation of our licenses.
All facilities continue to operate with routine maintenance. We bear many, if not all, of the costs of maintenance and upkeep at our facilities, including replacement of components over time. Our operations and financial performance may be adversely affected if we and our facilities are unable to keep up with maintenance requirements.
Certain contemplated capital expenditures in Canada, including the upgrade of our physical infrastructure, the maintenance and reassignment of cultivation rooms or cannabis storage areas, may require Health Canada approval. There is no guarantee that Health Canada will approve expansions and/or renovations, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
We are subject to risks inherent in an agricultural business, including the risk of crop failure.
We grow cannabis, which is an agricultural process. As such, our business is subject to the risks inherent in the agricultural business, including risks of crop failure presented by weather, insects, plant diseases and similar agricultural risks. Although we primarily grow our products indoors under climate-controlled conditions, we also have certain outdoor cultivation capacity and there can be no assurance that natural elements, such as insects and plant diseases, will not interrupt our production activities or have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
The majority of our assets are the capital stock of our material subsidiaries; therefore our investors are subject to the risks attributable to our material subsidiaries, which generate substantially all of our revenues.
The majority of our assets are the capital stock of our material subsidiaries. We conduct substantially all of our business through our subsidiaries, which generate substantially all of our revenues. Consequently, our cash flows and ability to complete current or desirable future enhancement opportunities are dependent on the earnings of our subsidiaries and the distribution of those earnings to us. The ability of these entities to pay dividends and other distributions will depend on their operating results and will be subject to applicable laws and regulations which require that solvency and capital standards be maintained by such companies and contractual restrictions contained in the instruments governing their debt. In the event of a bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization of any of our material subsidiaries, holders of indebtedness and trade creditors may be entitled to payment of their claims from the assets of those subsidiaries before us.
We are and may become subject to a variety of privacy and data security laws and contractual obligations, which could increase compliance costs and our failure to comply with them could subject us to potentially significant fines or penalties and otherwise harm our business.
We maintain an array of sensitive information, including confidential business and personal information in connection with our operations, and are subject to laws and regulations governing the privacy and security of such information. The global data protection landscape is rapidly evolving, and we may be affected by or subject to new, amended or existing laws and regulations in the future, including as our operations continue to expand and we operate in foreign jurisdictions. These laws and regulations may be subject to differing interpretations, which adds to the complexity of collecting, using, disclosing and processing personal information. Guidance on implementation and compliance practices are often updated or otherwise revised.
In the United States, there are numerous federal and state privacy and data security laws and regulations governing the collection, use, disclosure and protection of personal information, including federal and state health information privacy laws, state laws addressing sensitive data, such as biometric information, federal and state security breach notification laws and federal and state consumer protection laws. Each of these laws is subject to varying interpretations and constantly evolving. While the United States lacks a nationwide privacy law of general applicability, certain state laws govern the privacy and security of personal information, many of which differ from each other in significant ways and may not have the same effect, thus complicating compliance efforts. Certain U.S. States, including, but not limited to, California, Colorado, Virginia, Connecticut, Indiana, Iowa, Tennessee, Texas and Utah, have adopted state-specific privacy regimes similar to legal regimes in place outside the United States. In addition to state laws, the FTC takes the view that failing to take appropriate steps to keep consumers’ personal information secure may constitute unfair acts or practices in or affecting commerce in violation of Section 5(a) of the Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C § 45(a). The FTC expects a company’s data security measures to be reasonable and appropriate in light of the sensitivity and volume of consumer
information it holds, the size and complexity of its business and the cost of available tools to improve security and reduce vulnerabilities. Individually identifiable health information is considered sensitive data that merits stronger safeguards.
Outside the United States, numerous countries have adopted generally applicable data privacy regimes at the national level. For example, the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council of the European Union adopted a comprehensive General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) in 2016 to replace the then-current European Union Data Protection Directive and related country-specific legislation. The GDPR took effect in May 2018 and governs the processing of personal data of European Union residents. The GDPR, which is wide-ranging in scope, imposes several requirements relating to the lawful bases to rely upon to process personal data, the information provided to the individuals, the security and confidentiality of the personal data, data breach notification, broadened data subject rights, and the use of third-party processors in connection with the processing of the personal data. The GDPR also imposes strict rules on the transfer of personal data out of the European Union, enhances enforcement authority and imposes large penalties for noncompliance, including the potential for fines of up to €20 million or 4% of the annual global revenues of the infringer, whichever is greater. The withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union further complicated European data protection compliance obligations, as we must also comply with data privacy and security laws in effect in the UK that are substantially similar to the GDPR, but may diverge over time.
In Canada, the Personal Information Protection and Electronics Documents Act (Canada) (“PIPEDA”), the Personal Information Protection Act (Alberta), the Personal Information Protection Act (British Columbia), and the Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector (Quebec) govern the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information by private sector organizations. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (“OPC”) has stated that it considers the personal information of cannabis users is to be considered sensitive. Canadian privacy jurisprudence regarding the obligations that private sector organizations have to individual data subjects is constantly evolving. Privacy laws in Canada are also changing at the legislative level in an effort to modernize laws to keep up with technological changes and to align with the international standards such as the GDPR. In Quebec, the passage of Law 25, An Act to modernize legislative provisions as regards the protection of personal information (formerly Bill 64) (“Law 25”), which gradually came into effect between September 2022 and 2024, modernized the obligations incumbent on private sector organizations in relation to the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information within Quebec, including, without limitation, by providing individuals with more significant rights and control over their personal information and imposing more accountability and transparency related obligations (e.g., privacy-by design, data breach notifications) that are in many ways similar to the GDPR. Law 25 enhanced the Commission d’accès à l’information’s powers, including by providing new powers of investigation and the ability to impose administrative monetary penalties (of up to $10 million or the amount corresponding to 2% of worldwide turnover for the preceding fiscal year, whichever is greater) and penal fines (of up to $25 million or the amount corresponding to 4% of worldwide turnover for the preceding fiscal year, whichever is greater). On June 17, 2021, the Province of Ontario commenced a public consultation on modernizing Ontario’s legislative framework focusing on strengthening privacy laws in Ontario. On November 25, 2024, the Government of Ontario passed Bill 194, the Strengthening Cyber Security and Building Trust in the Public Sector Act, 2024 (“Bill 194”), which significantly reformed the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (“FIPPA”). Bill 194 amended FIPPA to, among other things, require certain public sector entities to report certain privacy breaches to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (the “IPC”), require privacy assessments to be conducted before collecting personal information and increase the IPC’s investigative powers. In Alberta, on November 6, 2024, the provincial government introduced legislation to modernize the province’s access to information and public sector privacy regime. Specifically, Alberta’s government is proposing to divide the existing Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act into two acts: the Protection of Privacy Act (“Bill 33”) and the Access to Information Act (“Bill 34”). In December 2024, Alberta’s government passed Bill 33 and Bill 34. The acts and associated regulations will come into force in Spring 2025. While Bill 33, Bill 34 and Bill 194 do not directly impact private sector organizations, the Company plans to continue to monitor developments regarding privacy law amendments and any forthcoming regulations. On the federal level, on June 16, 2022, the Canadian Federal Government introduced Bill C-27, the Digital Charter Implementation Act, 2022 (“Bill C-27”) which would replace PIPEDA with consumer privacy-specific legislation. Additionally, Bill C-27, would have introduced the Artificial Intelligence Data Act. Similar to Quebec’s Law 25, Bill C-27’s consumer privacy-specific legislation significantly enhances penalties and enforcement measures available to the OPC. Bill C-27 died on the order table when the Canadian Parliament was prorogued in January 2025. It is expected that a version of Bill C-27 will be introduced in the new Canadian Parliament, regardless of who the next governing party is.
In addition, with respect to consumer health information, there are a number of federal, state and provincial laws protecting the confidentiality of certain patient health information, including patient records, and restricting the use and disclosure of that protected information. For example, the privacy rules under PIPEDA and other applicable privacy laws protect medical records and other personal health information by limiting their use and disclosure of health information to the minimum level reasonably necessary to accomplish the intended purpose and apply to our operations globally. In Canada, we may also be required to retain certain customer personal information for prescribed periods of time pursuant to the Cannabis Act.
In the United States, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) imposes privacy and security requirements and breach reporting obligations with respect to individually identifiable health information upon “covered entities” (health plans, health care clearinghouses and certain health care providers), and their respective business associates, individuals or entities that create, received, maintain or transmit protected health information in connection with providing a service for or on behalf
of a covered entity. HIPAA mandates the reporting of certain breaches of health information to the HHS, affected individuals and if the breach is large enough, the media. Entities that are found to be in violation of HIPAA as the result of a breach of unsecured protected health information, a complaint about privacy practices or an audit by HHS, may be subject to significant civil, criminal and administrative fines and penalties and/or additional reporting and oversight obligations if required to enter into a resolution agreement and corrective action plan with HHS to settle allegations of HIPAA non-compliance. In addition, provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act require confidential treatment of employee medical records.
If we were found to be in violation of the privacy or security rules under PIPEDA, HIPAA, or other applicable laws protecting the confidentiality of health information in jurisdictions we operate in, we could be subject to sanctions and civil or criminal penalties, which could increase our liabilities, harm our reputation and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
Additional jurisdictions in which we operate or which we may enter also have data privacy and security laws and regulations that govern the collection, use, disclosure, transfer, storage, disposal, and protection of sensitive personal information. Data privacy and security are rapidly developing areas of law, as well, and imposition of new requirements is common. The interpretation and enforcement of such laws and regulations are uncertain and subject to change, and may require substantial costs to monitor and implement compliance. Failure to comply with data protection laws and regulations could result in government enforcement actions (which could include substantial civil and/or criminal penalties), litigation, business disruption, and/or adverse publicity and could negatively affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
We may experience breaches of security at our facilities or fraudulent or unpermitted data access or other cyber-security breaches, which may cause our customers to lose confidence in our security or data protection measures and may expose us to risks related to breaches of applicable privacy and data security laws, regulations and requirements.
Given the nature of our products and our products’ lack of legal availability outside of certain legalized or regulated retail or distribution channels, as well as the concentration of inventory in our facilities, despite meeting or exceeding the applicable security requirements under applicable law, there remains a risk of theft. A security breach at one of our facilities could expose us to liability and to potentially costly litigation, increase expenses and business disruptions relating to the resolution and future prevention of these breaches and may deter potential customers from choosing our products.
Our information systems and any of our third-party service providers and vendors are vulnerable to an increasing threat of continually evolving cybersecurity risks. These risks may take the form of malware, computer viruses, cyber threats, extortion, employee error, malfeasance, system errors or other types of risks, and may occur from inside or outside of the respective organizations. Cybersecurity risk is increasingly difficult to identify and quantify and cannot be fully mitigated because of the rapidly evolving nature of the threats, targets and consequences. Additionally, unauthorized parties may attempt to gain access to these systems through fraud or other means of deceiving third-party service providers, employees or vendors. Our operations depend, in part, on how well networks, equipment, IT systems and software are protected against damage from a number of threats. These operations also depend on the timely maintenance, upgrade and replacement of networks, equipment, IT systems and software, as well as pre-emptive expenses to mitigate the risks of failures. If we are unable or delayed in maintaining, upgrading or replacing IT systems and software, the risk of a cybersecurity incident could materially increase. Any of these and other events could result in information system failures, delays and/or increases in capital expenses. The failure of information systems or a component of information systems could, depending on the nature of any such failure, adversely impact our business reputation and results of operations.
We are dependent upon information technology systems in the conduct of our operations and we collect, store and use certain data, intellectual property, our proprietary business information and certain personal information of our employees and customers on our computer systems. A data security breach may occur in a variety of ways, including, without limitation, a procedural or process failure, information technology malfunction, supply chain vulnerability, computer virus, cybersecurity threat (such as denial-of-service attacks, direct or indirect cyber-attacks or cyber-intrusions over the Internet, hacking, ransomware, phishing and other social engineering attacks), unauthorized access or use, natural disasters, terrorism, war, and telecommunication and electrical failures. In addition, theft of data such as customer lists and preferences and other consumer and employee personal information, for competitive, fraudulent, or other unauthorized purposes, is an ongoing and growing risk. Any such theft, data security breach or other incident may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
Many highly publicized data security incidents and attacks have occurred to other companies over the last several years, and we expect such attacks to continue. We have been, and expect to continue to be, subject to various cyberattacks and phishing schemes. Any fraudulent, malicious or accidental breach of our data security could result in unintentional disclosure of, or unauthorized access to, third-party, customer, vendor, employee or other confidential or sensitive data or information, which could potentially result in business disruptions and additional costs to us, including, without limitation, to repair or replace damaged systems, remediate issues, enhance security or respond to occurrences, lost sales, violations of data privacy and security laws, regulations, and requirements, violations of other laws, penalties, fines, regulatory action or litigation. We also rely on third-party service providers for certain information technology systems, such as payment processing, and any data security breach at a third-party service provider could have similar effects. In addition, media or other reports of perceived security vulnerabilities to our systems or those of our third-party suppliers, even if no breach has been attempted or occurred, could adversely impact our brand and reputation and customers could lose
confidence in our security measures and reliability, which would harm our ability to retain customers and gain new ones. If any of these events were to occur, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
We are and may become subject to, or prosecute, litigation in the ordinary course of our manufacturing, marketing, distribution and sale of our products.
We may from time to time be subject to litigation, claims, other legal and regulatory proceedings and disputes arising in the ordinary course of our manufacturing, marketing, distribution and sale of our products, some of which may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. Should we face class actions filed against us, plaintiffs in such class action lawsuits, as well as in other lawsuits against us, may seek very large or indeterminate amounts, including punitive damages, which may remain unknown for substantial periods of time. Should any litigation in which we become involved be determined against us, such a decision could adversely affect our ability to continue operating, adversely affect the market price for the Canopy Shares and require the use of significant resources.
Even to the extent we ultimately prevail in litigation, litigation can consume and redirect significant resources. Litigation may also create a negative perception of us and our brands, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. Please refer to “Part 1 – Legal Proceedings” under Item 3 of this Form 10-K for further discussion.
We may be subject to product liability claims.
As a manufacturer and distributor of products designed to be topically applied, ingested or inhaled by humans, we face an inherent risk of exposure to product liability claims, regulatory action and litigation if our products are alleged to have caused significant loss, injury, or death. In addition, the manufacture and sale of cannabis products involve the risk of injury to consumers due to tampering by unauthorized third parties or product contamination. Previously unknown adverse reactions resulting from consumption of cannabis products alone or in combination with other medications or substances could occur as described under “ – There is limited long-term data with respect to the efficacy, side effects and safety of our products, and future clinical research studies on the effects of cannabis, hemp, cannabinoids and cannabis-based products may lead to conclusions that dispute or conflict with our understanding and belief regarding their benefits, commercial viability, safety, efficacy, dosing and social acceptance.” We may be subject to various product liability claims, including, among others, that our products caused injury or illness, are incorrectly labeled, 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 could result in increased costs to us, could adversely affect our reputation with our clients and consumers generally, and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. Please refer to “Part 1 – Legal Proceedings” under Item 3 of this Form 10-K for further discussion. There can be no assurances that we will be able to obtain or maintain product liability insurance on acceptable terms or with adequate coverage against potential liabilities. Such insurance is expensive and may not be available in the future on acceptable terms, or at all. The inability to obtain sufficient insurance coverage on reasonable terms or to otherwise protect against potential product liability claims could prevent or inhibit the commercialization of our products.
We rely on third-party testing and analytical methods which are validated but still being standardized.
We are required to test our cannabis products, as well as cannabis accessories, in many of our active markets, with independent third-party testing laboratories for, among other things, cannabinoid levels. However, testing methods and analytical assays for cannabinoid levels of detection vary among different testing laboratories. There is currently no industry consensus on standards for testing methods or compendium of analytical assays or standard levels of detection. The detected and reported cannabinoid content in our cannabis and hemp products therefore can differ depending on the laboratory and testing methods (analytical assays) used. Variations in reported cannabinoid content will likely continue until the relevant regulatory agencies and independent certification bodies (e.g., ISO, USP) collaborate to develop, publish and implement standardized testing approaches for cannabis (including hemp), cannabinoids and their derivative products. Until such standardized analytical assays and levels of detection are developed, the existing differences could cause confusion with our consumers, which could lead to a negative perception of us and our products, increase the risk of litigation and regulatory enforcement action regarding cannabinoid content and could make it more difficult for us to comply with regulatory requirements regarding contents of ingredients and packaging and labeling.
We may decide, or be required, to divest or restructure certain of our interests.
In certain circumstances, we may decide, or be required, to divest certain of our interests. In particular, if any of our interests give rise to a violation of any applicable laws and regulations, including U.S. federal law, we may be required to divest our interest or risk significant fines, penalties, administrative sanctions, convictions, settlements or delisting from the TSX and/or Nasdaq. For instance, if we determine that our operations are not compliant with U.S. laws or the policies of the TSX and Nasdaq, we will use commercially reasonable best efforts to divest our interest in the event that we cannot restructure our holdings. There is no assurance that these divestitures will be completed on terms favorable to us, or at all. Any opportunities resulting from these divestitures, and the
anticipated effects of these divestitures on us, may never be realized or may not be realized to the extent we anticipate. Not all of our interests are liquid, and such interests may be difficult to dispose of and subject to illiquidity discounts on divestiture. Any required divestiture or an actual or perceived violation of applicable laws or regulations by us could have a material adverse effect on us, including on our reputation and ability to conduct business, the listing of the Canopy Shares on the TSX and Nasdaq, our financial position, operating results, profitability or liquidity or the market price of the Canopy Shares. In addition, it is difficult for us to estimate the time or resources that may be required for the investigation of any such matter or its final resolution because, in part, the time and resources that may be needed are dependent on the nature and extent of any information requested by the applicable authorities involved, and such time or resources could be substantial.
If we decide, or are required, to restructure our interests to remain in compliance with laws or stock exchange requirements, such restructuring could result in the write-down of the value of our interests, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
Fluctuations in wholesale and retail prices could result in earnings volatility.
The cannabis industry is a margin-based business in which gross profits depend on the excess of sales prices over costs. Consequently, profitability is sensitive to fluctuations in wholesale, retail and supplier prices caused by changes in supply (which itself depends on other factors such as weather, fuel, equipment and labor costs, shipping costs, economic situation and demand), taxes, government programs and policies for the cannabis industry (including price controls and wholesale price restrictions that may be imposed by government agencies responsible for the sale of cannabis), and other market conditions, all of which are factors beyond our control. Our operating income may be materially adversely affected by a decline in the price of cannabis and will be sensitive to changes in the price of cannabis and the overall condition of the cannabis industry, as our profitability is directly related to the price of cannabis. There is currently not an established market price for cannabis and the price of cannabis is affected by numerous factors beyond our control. Any price decline may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
Our Credit Facility contains restrictive covenants that may limit our operating flexibility.
Our Credit Facility contains various restrictive covenants that limit, among other things, our ability to transfer or dispose of assets, merge with other companies or consummate certain changes of control, acquire other companies, open new offices that contain a material amount of assets, pay dividends, incur additional indebtedness and liens, enter into new businesses and amend, modify or otherwise supplement or restrict certain terms or conditions relating to our interests in Canopy USA. We therefore may not be able to engage in any of the foregoing transactions unless we obtain the consent of the applicable lenders or terminate the Credit Facility, which may limit our operating flexibility. In addition, our Credit Facility is secured by substantially all of our assets, including our intellectual property, and requires us to satisfy certain financial covenants including certain minimum liquidity requirements. There is no guarantee that we will be able to generate sufficient cash flow or sales to meet these financial covenants or pay the principal and interest on any such debt. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that future working capital, borrowings or equity financing will be available to repay or refinance any such debt. Any inability to make scheduled payments or meet the financial covenants on our Credit Facility would adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
We may be unable to attract or retain skilled labor and personnel with experience in our various areas of business, or to obtain adequate equipment, parts and components, and we may be unable to attract, develop and retain additional employees required for our operations and future developments.
We may be unable to attract or retain employees with sufficient experience in our various areas of business, and may prove unable to attract, develop and retain additional employees required for our development and future success.
Our success is currently largely dependent on the performance of our skilled employees. Our future success depends on our continuing ability to attract, develop, motivate and retain highly qualified and skilled employees. Qualified individuals are in high demand, and we may incur significant costs to attract and retain them. There is an inherent risk of attrition amongst those employees who were not directly affected by our previous reductions in headcount, and we may not be successful at retaining such employees or attracting new employees, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
In addition, our ability to compete and grow will be dependent upon having access, at a reasonable cost and in a timely manner, to skilled labor, adequate equipment, parts and components. No assurances can be given that we will be successful in maintaining the required supply of skilled labor, adequate equipment, parts and components. It is also possible that the final costs of the major equipment contemplated by our capital expenditure programs may be significantly greater than anticipated or available, in which circumstance there could be a material adverse effect on our financial results.
We are exposed to counterparty risks and liquidity risks that may impact our ability to obtain loans and other credit facilities on favorable terms.
We are exposed to counterparty risks and liquidity risks, including, but not limited to, through: (i) financial institutions that may hold our cash and cash equivalents; (ii) companies that will have payables to us; (iii) our insurance providers; and (iv) our
lenders, if any. These factors may impact our ability to obtain loans and other credit facilities in the future and, if obtained, on terms favorable to us. If these risks materialize, our operations could be adversely impacted and the price of the Canopy Shares could be adversely affected.
Risks Relating to Our Intellectual Property
We are subject to risks related to the protection and enforcement of our intellectual property rights, and we may be unable to protect or enforce our intellectual property rights.
We currently rely on trade secrets, technical know-how, proprietary information, trademarks, copyrights, designs and certain patent filings to maintain our competitive position. We try to protect our intellectual property by strategically seeking and obtaining registered protection where appropriate, developing and implementing standard operating procedures to protect trade secrets, technical know-how and proprietary information, and entering into agreements with parties that have access to our inventions, trade secrets, technical know-how and proprietary information, such as our partners, collaborators, employees and consultants, to protect confidentiality and ownership. We also seek to preserve the integrity and confidentiality of our inventions, trade secrets, technical know-how and proprietary information by maintaining physical security of our premises and physical and electronic security of our information technology systems, and we seek to protect our trademarks and the goodwill associated therewith by monitoring and enforcing against unauthorized use of our trademarks.
It is possible that we will inadvertently disclose or otherwise fail or be unable to protect our inventions, trade secrets, technical know-how or proprietary information, or will fail to identify our inventions or trademarks as patentable or registrable intellectual property, or fail to obtain patent or registered trademark protection therefor. Any such disclosure or failure could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
Our intellectual property rights may be invalid or unenforceable under applicable laws, and we may be unable to have issued or registered, and unable to enforce, our intellectual property rights.
The laws regarding intellectual property rights relating to cannabis and cannabis-related products, and the positions of intellectual property offices administering such laws, are constantly evolving, and there is uncertainty regarding which countries will permit the filing, prosecution, issuance, registration and enforcement of intellectual property rights relating to cannabis and cannabis-related products.
Specifically, we have sought trademark protection in many countries, including Canada and the European Union. Our ability to obtain registered trademark protection for cannabis and cannabis-related goods and services (including hemp and hemp-related goods and services), may be limited in certain countries outside of Canada and Europe, where laws on the legality of cannabis use are not uniform, and trademarks cannot be obtained for products that are “contrary to public policy or accepted principles of morality.” Accordingly, our ability to obtain intellectual property rights or enforce intellectual property rights against third-party uses of similar trademarks may be limited in certain countries.
Moreover, in any infringement proceeding, some or all of our current or future trademarks, patents or other intellectual property rights or other proprietary know-how, or arrangements or agreements seeking to protect the same for our benefit, may be found invalid, unenforceable, anti-competitive or not infringed. An adverse result in any litigation or defense proceedings could put one or more of our current or future trademarks, patents or other intellectual property rights at risk of being invalidated or interpreted narrowly and could put existing intellectual property applications at risk of not being issued. Any or all of these events could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
We cannot offer any assurances about which patent applications, if any, will issue, the breadth of any such patent or whether any issued patents will be found invalid or unenforceable or which of our products or processes will be found to infringe upon the patents or other proprietary rights of third parties. Any successful opposition to future issued patents could deprive us of rights necessary for the successful commercialization of any new products or processes that we may develop.
In addition, there is no guarantee that any patent or other intellectual property applications that we file will result in registration or any enforceable intellectual property rights or the breadth of such protection. Further, with respect to any patent applications that we file, there is no assurance that we will find all potentially relevant prior art relating to such applications, which may prevent a patent from issuing from such application or invalidate any patent that issues from such application. Even if patents do successfully issue, and cover our products and processes, third parties may challenge their validity, enforceability or scope, which may result in such patents being narrowed, found unenforceable or invalidated. Furthermore, even if they are unchallenged, any patent applications and future patents may not adequately protect our intellectual property rights, provide exclusivity for our products or processes or prevent others from designing around any issued patent claims. Any of these outcomes could impair our ability to prevent competition from third parties, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
We may be subject to allegations that we are in violation of third-party intellectual property rights, and we may be found to infringe third-party intellectual property rights, possibly without the ability to obtain licenses necessary to use such third-party intellectual property rights.
Other parties may claim that our products infringe on their intellectual property rights, including with respect to our operation of our business, including our development, manufacture and sale of our goods and services, may be found to infringe third-party intellectual property rights. There may be third-party patents or patent applications with claims to products or processes related to the manufacture, use or sale of our products and processes. There may be currently pending patent applications, some of which may still be confidential, that may later result in issued patents that our products or processes may infringe. In addition, third parties may obtain patents in the future and claim that use of our inventions, trade secrets, technical know-how and proprietary information, or the manufacture, use or sale of our products infringes upon those patents. Third parties may also claim that our use of our trademarks infringes upon their trademark rights. Such claims, whether or not meritorious, may result in the expenditure of significant financial and managerial resources, legal fees, result in injunctions, temporary restraining orders, other equitable relief, and/or require the payment of damages, any or all of which may have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. In addition, we may need to obtain licenses from third parties who allege that we have infringed on their purported rights, whether or not such allegations have merit. Such licenses may not be available on terms acceptable to us, and we may be unable to obtain any licenses or other necessary or useful rights to such third-party intellectual property.
We receive licenses to use some third-party intellectual property rights, and the failure of the owner of such intellectual property to properly maintain or enforce the intellectual property underlying such licenses, or our inability to obtain or maintain such licenses, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
We are party to licenses granted by third parties, that give us rights to use third-party intellectual property that is necessary or useful to our business. Our success will depend, in part, on the ability of the applicable licensor to maintain and enforce its licensed intellectual property against other third parties, particularly intellectual property rights to which we have secured exclusive rights. Without protection for the intellectual property we have licensed, other companies might be able to offer substantially similar products for sale, or utilize substantially similar processes or publicity and marketing rights, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. Our success will also depend, in part, on our ability to obtain licenses to certain intellectual property that we believe are necessary or useful for our business. Such licenses may not be available on terms acceptable to us, or at all, which could adversely affect our ability to commercialize our products or services, as well as have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
Any of our licensors may allege that we have breached our license agreements with those licensors, whether with or without merit, and accordingly seek to terminate our applicable licenses. If successful, this could result in our loss of the right to use applicable licensed intellectual property, which could adversely affect our ability to commercialize our products or services, as well as have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
Risks Relating to the Canopy Shares and the Exchangeable Shares
The market price for the Canopy Shares has in the past been volatile and may continue to be volatile and subject to significant fluctuation.
The market prices for the securities of cannabis companies, including the Company, have historically been, and may in the future be, subject to large fluctuations. For example, during the period from January 1, 2024 through May 28, 2025, the closing price of the Canopy Shares on Nasdaq ranged from a low of US$0.83 to a high of US$14.88. The market price for the Canopy Shares may be volatile and subject to wide fluctuations in response to many factors, including:
•actual or anticipated fluctuations in our results of operations;
•changes in estimates of our future results of operations by us or securities research analysts;
•changes in the economic performance or market valuations of other companies that investors deem comparable to us;
•additions or departures of our executive officers and other key employees;
•transfer restrictions on outstanding Canopy Shares;
•equity issuances by us (including through the sale of securities convertible into equity securities) or resales of Canopy Shares by our stockholders or the perception in the market that such issuances or resales might occur;
•significant acquisitions or business combinations, strategic partnerships, investments or capital commitments by or involving us, Canopy USA or our competitors;
•increases in speculative trading activity by investors targeting publicly traded cannabis companies, which can further contribute to the volatility of the market price for the Canopy Shares if aggregate short exposure exceeds the number of the Canopy Shares available for purchase;
•news reports relating to trends, concerns or competitive developments, regulatory changes or enforcement actions and other related issues in our industry or target markets;
•the prospect of actual or perceived future changes to the legal and regulatory regimes that govern our products and our industries and/or government actions, rulings or policies;
•changes in financial estimates and recommendations by securities analysts or rating agencies;
•investors’ general perception of us and the public’s reaction to our press releases, our other public announcements and our filings with the SEC and Canadian securities regulators;
•our ability to remediate our material weaknesses and otherwise maintain effective internal control over financial reporting;
•our failure to timely file our public filings with the SEC and Canadian securities regulators;
•our failure to comply with the Nasdaq and TSX rules;
•reports by industry analysts, investor perceptions, and market rumors or speculation;
•general market, economic and political conditions (including rising geopolitical tensions as a result of, among other things, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict);
•negative announcements by our customers, competitors or suppliers regarding their own performance; and
•the realization of any of the other risk factors set forth herein.
For example, reports by industry analysts, investor perceptions, market rumors or speculation could trigger a sell-off in the Canopy Shares. Any sales of substantial numbers of Canopy Shares in the public market or the perception that such sales might occur may cause the market price of the Canopy Shares to decline. In addition, to the extent that other large companies within our industries experience declines in their stock price, the share price of the Canopy Shares may decline as well. Moreover, if the market price of the Canopy Shares drops significantly, shareholders may institute securities class action lawsuits against us. Lawsuits against us could cause us to incur substantial costs and could divert the time and attention of our management and other resources.
Securities markets have a high level of price and volume volatility, and the market price of securities of many companies have experienced wide fluctuations in price which have not necessarily been related to the operating performance, underlying asset values or prospects of such companies. Securities of companies in the cannabis industry have experienced substantial volatility often based on factors unrelated to the financial performance or prospects of the companies involved. These factors include global economic developments and market perceptions of the industry. There can be no assurance that continuing fluctuations in price will not occur. The market price of the Canopy Shares is also likely to be affected by changes in our financial condition or results of operations. In addition, certain institutional investors may base their investment decisions on consideration of our environmental, governance, diversity and social practices and performance against such institutions’ respective investment guidelines and criteria, and failure to meet such criteria may result in limited or no investment in the Canopy Shares by those institutions, which could adversely affect the trading price of the Canopy Shares. 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, the trading price of the Canopy Shares may be adversely affected.
In addition, our shareholders may be unable to sell significant quantities of the Canopy Shares into the public markets without a significant reduction in the price of the Canopy Shares, or at all. There can be no assurance that there will be sufficient liquidity of the Canopy Shares, nor that we will continue to meet the listing requirements of the TSX or Nasdaq or achieve listing on any other recognized stock exchange.
The financial reporting obligations of being a public company and maintaining a dual listing on the TSX and on Nasdaq requires significant company resources and management attention.
We are subject to the public company reporting obligations under the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations regarding corporate governance practices, including those under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Dodd-Frank Act, and the listing requirements of Nasdaq. We incur significant legal, accounting, reporting and other expenses in order to maintain a dual listing on both the TSX and Nasdaq. Moreover, our listing on both the TSX and Nasdaq may increase price volatility due to various factors, including the ability to buy or sell Canopy Shares, different market conditions in different capital markets and different trading volumes. In addition, low trading volume may increase the price volatility of the Canopy Shares.
If we are deemed to be an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as a result of our unconsolidated interest in Canopy USA and certain other financial assets, we would likely either (i) be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and restrict our activities to comply with the 1940 Act, which may make it difficult for us to continue operating our business or (ii) take actions to consolidate the financial results of Canopy USA into our financial statements, which would likely result in the loss of our listing on the Nasdaq.
Under Sections 3(a)(1)(A) and (C) of the 1940 Act, a company generally will be deemed to be an “investment company” for purposes of the 1940 Act if (1) it is, or holds itself out as being, engaged primarily, or proposes to engage primarily, in the business of investing, reinvesting or trading in securities or (2) it is engaged, or proposes to engage, in the business of investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading in securities and owns or proposes to acquire investment securities having a value exceeding 40% of the value of its total assets (exclusive of U.S. government securities and cash items) on an unconsolidated basis, absent the ability to rely on another exclusion under the 1940 Act. Such “investment companies” are required to register and meet other requirements promulgated under the 1940 Act.
As of March 31, 2025, as a result of our unconsolidated interest in Canopy USA and certain other financial assets, we believe we own investment securities having a value of less than 40% of our total assets (exclusive of U.S. government securities and cash items) on an unconsolidated basis. Accordingly, we do not currently believe that we are an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the 1940 Act. However, if, in the future, this percentage exceeds 40%, absent the reliance on another exclusion, which may not be available and would depend on circumstances at that time, or some sort of relief from the SEC, which likely would not be available, we would be deemed to be an “investment company” for purposes of the 1940 Act. If this were to occur, we would likely either (i) be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it difficult for us to continue operating our business or (ii) take actions to consolidate the financial results of Canopy USA into our financial statements, which would likely result in the loss of our listing on the Nasdaq.
If we were deemed to be an “investment company” under the 1940 Act, our future activities may be restricted, including:
•restrictions on the nature of our investments; and
•restrictions on the issuance of securities, each of which may make it difficult for us to conduct our business and raise working capital.
In addition, we may be required to comply with burdensome requirements, including:
•registration as an investment company with the SEC;
•adoption of a specific form of corporate structure different from our current operating structure; and
•limits on borrowing, extensive compliance program requirements, reporting, record keeping, voting, proxy and disclosure requirements and other rules and regulations to which we are currently not subject.
Compliance with these additional regulatory burdens would require additional expenses for which we have not allotted funds and may hinder our ability to operate our business, and make it impractical for us to continue our business as contemplated and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
If we determined to avoid compliance with 1940 Act by taking actions to consolidate the financial results of Canopy USA into our financial statements, we would likely lose our listing on the Nasdaq. As we have previously disclosed, the Nasdaq has advised us that companies that consolidate “the assets and revenues generated from activities in violation under federal law cannot continue to list on Nasdaq”. Because cannabis, other than hemp, continues to be categorized as a Schedule I controlled substance under the CSA, it is illegal under federal law in the United States to cultivate, distribute, or possess cannabis. Accordingly, Canopy USA’s activities violate federal law and, if its financial results were consolidated into our financial results, the Canopy Shares would likely be delisted from the Nasdaq.
It is not anticipated that any dividend will be paid to holders of the Canopy Shares for the foreseeable future.
No dividends on the Canopy Shares have been paid to date. We currently intend to retain future earnings, if any, for future operations and expansion. Our board of directors has the discretion to declare dividends and to prescribe the timing, amount and payment of such dividends. Such decision will depend upon our future earnings, cash flows, acquisition capital requirements and financial condition, and other relevant factors that our board of directors may deem relevant. Further, our Credit Facility and certain other financial arrangements provide for certain restrictions on our ability to pay dividends and there can be no assurance that we will declare a dividend on a quarterly, annual or other basis, or at all. We have no plans to pay any dividends, now or in the near future.
Investors in the United States may have difficulty bringing actions and enforcing judgments against us and others based on securities law civil liability provisions.
We are incorporated under the federal laws of Canada and our head office is located in the Province of Ontario. Some of our directors and officers and some of the experts named in this Form 10-K are residents of Canada or otherwise reside outside of the
United States and a substantial portion of their assets and our assets are located outside the United States. Consequently, it may be difficult for investors in the United States to bring an action against such directors, officers or experts or to enforce against those persons or us a judgment obtained in a U.S. court predicated upon the civil liability provisions of U.S. federal securities laws or other U.S. laws. In addition, while statutory provisions exist in Ontario for derivative actions to be brought in certain circumstances, the circumstances in which a derivative action may be brought, and the procedures and defenses that may be available in respect of any such action, may be different than those of shareholders of a company incorporated in the United States.
There can be no assurance that we will not become a passive foreign investment company for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which could result in adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. investors.
A non-U.S. corporation, like us, will be classified as a “passive foreign investment company” (“PFIC”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes for any tax year in which (a) 75% or more of the corporation’s gross income for such tax year is passive income or (b) 50% or more of the corporation’s gross assets by value either produce passive income or are held for the production of passive income, based on the quarterly average of the fair market value of such assets. We believe that we are not a PFIC for our most recently completed tax year. However, no assurance can be provided that we will not be classified as a PFIC for our current tax year or in the foreseeable future. Whether we are treated as a PFIC is fundamentally a factual determination that is made on an annual basis and depends, in part, on the nature and composition of our income and assets from time to time. Fluctuations in the market price of the Canopy Shares may cause us to be classified as a PFIC for the current or future tax years, because the value of our assets for purposes of the PFIC “asset test” (described below), including the value of our goodwill and other intangibles, may be determined by reference to the market price of the Common Shares, which could be volatile. In particular, declines in the market price of the Canopy Shares, and the manner in which we deploy cash (including cash raised in the Offering), could increase our risk of becoming a PFIC. No opinion of legal counsel or ruling from the IRS concerning our status as a PFIC has been obtained or is currently planned to be requested. PFIC classification is fundamentally factual in nature, generally cannot be determined until the close of the tax year in question and is determined annually. Additionally, the analysis depends, in part, on the application of complex U.S. federal income tax rules, which are subject to differing interpretations. Consequently, there can be no assurance that we will never be, are not, and will not become a PFIC for any tax year during which U.S. investors hold Canopy Shares.
Future sales or issuances of securities could adversely affect the prevailing market price of our securities.
We may issue and sell additional equity securities in subsequent offerings (including through the sale of securities convertible into equity securities and/or in connection with conversions or exchanges to retire outstanding debt). In addition, we are required to issue Canopy Shares pursuant to certain of our agreements. For example, additional Canopy Shares may be issued by us as consideration for the acquisition by Canopy USA of the remaining interests in Jetty, and the number of such additional Canopy Shares is currently not known, is not quantifiable as of the date hereof and may be material. In addition, we may issue additional Canopy Shares to satisfy any deferred payments to the shareholders of Wana, and additional Canopy Shares may be issued under the February 2025 ATM Program from time to time, each of which could result in dilution to our shareholders. We cannot predict the size of future issuances of equity securities or the size and terms of future issuances of debt instruments or other securities convertible into equity securities or the effect, if any, that future issuances and sales of our securities will have on the market price of the Canopy Shares.
Additional issuances of our securities may involve the issuance of a significant number of Canopy Shares at prices less than the current market price for the Canopy Shares. Issuances of a substantial number of Canopy Shares, or the perception that such issuances could occur, may adversely affect prevailing market prices of the Canopy Shares. Any transaction involving the issuance of Canopy Shares, or securities convertible into Canopy Shares, would result in dilution, possibly substantial, to security holders.
Sales of substantial amounts of our securities by our shareholders, including the CBI Group, or the availability of such securities for sale, could adversely affect the prevailing market prices for the securities and dilute investors’ earnings per share.
Exercises of presently outstanding share options or warrants or conversion of Exchangeable Shares may also result in dilution to security holders. For example, as of May 28, 2025, we had outstanding:
•26,261,474 Canopy Shares issuable upon conversion of the issued and outstanding Exchangeable Shares.
•15,483,580 warrants exercisable into 15,483,580 Canopy Shares at an average exercise price of $10.47 per Canopy Share.
•3,542,716 options exercisable into 3,542,716 Canopy Shares at an average exercise price of $31.08 per Canopy Share.
Exercises of these options or warrants or conversion of the Exchangeable Shares into Canopy Shares will result in dilution to our shareholders. In addition, sales of the Canopy Shares underlying these options or warrants could adversely affect the prevailing market price of the Canopy Shares. A decline in the market prices of the Canopy Shares could impair our ability to raise additional capital through the sale of securities should we desire to do so.
The Exchangeable Shares have different rights from the Canopy Shares and there may never be a trading market for the Exchangeable Shares.
Our shareholders now have the option to convert their Canopy Shares into Exchangeable Shares in accordance with their terms. There are important differences between the rights of the Canopy Shares and the Exchangeable Shares. While each Exchangeable Share is convertible into a Canopy Share, the Exchangeable Shares do not carry voting rights, rights to receive dividends or other rights upon dissolution of Canopy Growth. For example, holders of Exchangeable Shares are not able to exercise voting rights at meetings of shareholders and will not receive distributions if dividends are declared by our Board. The differences between the rights of holders of the Exchangeable Shares and Canopy Shares are significant and may materially and adversely affect the market value of your investment.
Presently, there are no plans to list the Exchangeable Shares on a securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market, and there is not expected to be a market for trading of the Exchangeable Shares. Thus, persons holding Exchangeable Shares will likely have no ability to sell their Exchangeable Shares and will likely have to exchange them for Canopy Shares in order to have any liquidity. In addition, any sale of Exchangeable Shares will require the holder thereof to deliver a certification to us that such holder reasonably believes that such transfer is occurring in compliance with the Canadian take-over bid requirements as though the Exchangeable Shares were voting securities or equity securities of the Company (the “Shareholder Certification”).
Future sales of the Canopy Shares and/or Exchangeable Shares by the CBI Group could cause the market price for the Canopy Shares to fall.
The CBI Group holds a significant number of Exchangeable Shares, is not contractually committed to maintaining an equity stake in us nor are they contractually limited from (i) selling their Exchangeable Shares; provided that any sale of their Exchangeable Shares will require the holder of such Exchangeable Shares to deliver the Shareholder Certification or (ii) converting their Exchangeable Shares into Canopy Shares. Subject to compliance with applicable securities laws, the CBI Group may convert some or all of their Exchangeable shares into Canopy Shares at any time and sell some or all of their Canopy Shares underlying such Exchangeable Shares at any time. Such sales, or the market perception of such sales, could significantly reduce the market price of the Canopy Shares. We cannot predict the effect, if any, that future public sales of Canopy Shares beneficially owned by the CBI Group or the availability of these Canopy Shares for sale will have on the market price of the Canopy Shares. If the market price of the Canopy Shares were to drop as a result, this might impede our ability to raise additional capital and might cause a significant decline in the value of the investments of our other shareholders.
The intentions of the CBI Group regarding its long-term economic ownership of Exchangeable Shares and/or Canopy Shares are subject to change as a result of changes in the circumstances of the CBI Group or its affiliates, changes in our management and operation and changes in laws and regulations, market conditions and our financial performance.
The CBI Group, our sole holder of Exchangeable Shares, has the ability to convert its Exchangeable Shares into Canopy Shares and accordingly, may be in a position to exercise significant influence over us.
The CBI Group may have the ability to exercise significant influence over us if they convert their Exchangeable Shares into Canopy Shares and, if they were to do so, as of May 28, 2025, would hold approximately 12.4% of the issued and outstanding Canopy Shares on a non-diluted basis. Accordingly, in light of such beneficial ownership, the CBI Group is in a position to exercise significant influence over us, including matters affecting shareholders or requiring shareholder approval, such as the election of directors, change of control transactions, amendments to our articles and bylaws and the determination of other significant corporate actions. Additionally, upon potential conversion of the Exchangeable Shares held by the CBI Group into Canopy Shares, the CBI Group’s significant voting interest in us may discourage transactions involving a change of control of us, including transactions in which an investor, as a shareholder, might otherwise receive a premium for its Canopy Shares over the then-current market price.
General Risks
We are dependent on our senior management.
Our success is dependent upon the ability, expertise, judgment, discretion and good faith of our senior management. Our future success depends on our continuing ability to attract, develop, motivate and retain key employees. Qualified individuals are in high demand, and we may incur significant costs to attract and retain them. The loss of the services of a member of senior management, or an inability to attract other suitably qualified persons when needed, could have a material adverse effect on our ability to execute our business plan and strategy, and we may be unable to find adequate replacements on a timely basis, or at all. While employment and consulting agreements are customarily used as a primary method of retaining the services of certain employees, these agreements cannot assure the continued services of such individuals and consultants. We do not maintain key-person insurance on the lives of any of our officers or employees.
Further, certain shareholders, directors, officers and employees in our Canadian operations may require security clearance from Health Canada. Under the Cannabis Act, a security clearance cannot be valid for more than five years and must be renewed before the expiry of a current security clearance. There is no assurance that any of our existing personnel who presently or may in the future require a security clearance will be able to obtain or renew such clearances or that new personnel who require a security clearance will
be able to obtain one. A failure by an employee to maintain or renew his or her security clearance may impair our operations. In addition, if an employee with security clearance leaves and we are unable to find a suitable replacement who has a security clearance required by the Cannabis Act in a timely manner, or at all, there could occur a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
We may be negatively impacted by challenging global economic conditions and the evolving regulatory landscape in the United States.
Our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flow may be negatively impacted by challenging global economic conditions.
A global economic slowdown would cause disruptions and extreme volatility in global financial markets, increased rates of default and bankruptcy and declining consumer and business confidence, which can lead to decreased levels of consumer spending. These macroeconomic developments could negatively impact our business, which depends on the general economic environment and levels of consumer spending. As a result, in the event of a global economic slowdown, we may not be able to maintain our existing customers or attract new customers, or we may be forced to reduce the price of our products. We are unable to predict the likelihood of the occurrence, duration or severity of such disruptions in the credit and financial markets or adverse global economic conditions. Any general or market-specific economic downturn could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flow.
Additionally, the U.S. has imposed and may impose additional quotas, duties, tariffs, retaliatory or trade protection measures or other restrictions or regulations and may adversely adjust prevailing quota, duty or tariff levels, which can affect both the materials that we use to package our products and the sale of finished products. For example, the tariffs imposed by the U.S. on goods produced in Europe may impact products that we import from Germany in connection with our Storz & Bickel products sold in the U.S. The imposition of such tariffs, if not suspended or repealed, may increase the cost of our Storz & Bickel products, which could lead to reduced margins and decreased consumer demand. While our core business is more insulated from the effects of tariffs, measures to reduce the impact of tariff increases or trade restrictions, including geographical diversification of our sources of supply, adjustments in packaging design and fabrication or increased prices, could increase our costs, delay our time to market and/or decrease sales. The uncertainty related to whether and when tariffs will be imposed make measures to mitigate the impact of tariffs more costly and difficult to plan. Other governmental action related to tariffs or international trade agreements has the potential to adversely impact demand for our products and our costs, customers, suppliers and global economic conditions and cause higher volatility in financial markets. While we actively review existing and proposed measures to seek to assess the impact of them on our business, changes in tariff rates, import duties and other new or augmented trade restrictions could have a number of negative impacts on our business, including higher consumer prices and reduced demand for our products and higher input costs.
Further, the Trump Administration has established the Department of Government Efficiency, which implemented a federal government hiring freeze and announced certain additional efforts to reduce federal government employee headcount and the size of the federal government. It is unclear how these executive actions or other potential actions by the Trump Administration or other parts of the federal government will impact the DEA or other regulatory authorities. These budgetary pressures may reduce the DEA’s ability to perform its responsibilities. If a significant reduction in the DEA’s workforce occurs, the DEA’s budget is significantly reduced or a prolonged government shutdown occurs, it could significantly impact the ability of the DEA to timely reschedule cannabis from a Schedule I controlled substance under the CSA to a Schedule III controlled substance under the CSA, which could have an adverse impact on the Company’s U.S. strategy, and, ultimately, the Company’s financial results and operations.
Natural disasters, pandemic outbreaks, boycotts and geopolitical events or acts of terrorism could adversely affect our operations and financial results.
The occurrence of one or more natural disasters, such as hurricanes, floods and earthquakes, unusually adverse weather, pandemic or epidemic outbreaks, of highly communicable diseases or viruses, boycotts and geopolitical events, such as civil unrest in countries in which our operations are located and acts of terrorism, or similar disruptions could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. These events could result in physical damage to one or more of our properties, increases in fuel or other energy prices, the temporary or permanent closure of one or more of our facilities, the temporary lack of an adequate workforce in a market, the temporary or long-term disruption in the supply of products from suppliers, the temporary disruption in the transport of goods, delay in the delivery of goods to our facilities, and disruption to our information systems. Such events could also adversely impact consumer sentiment, reduce demand for consumer products like ours and cause general economic slowdown. These factors could otherwise disrupt our operations and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
In February 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the United States and the European Union imposed various economic sanctions against Russia. Such sanctions may result in restrictions on the sale of oil or other energy resources from Russia to other countries and could result in an increase in our global shipping expenses, reduce our sales, or otherwise have an adverse effect on our European operations. Additionally, escalation by Russia beyond Ukraine and into other countries within the region could also reduce our sales and have a negative effect on our European operations.
Moreover, future events could cause global financial conditions to suddenly and rapidly destabilize, and governmental authorities may have limited resources to respond to such future crises. Future crises may be precipitated by any number of causes, including natural disasters, geopolitical instability, changes to energy prices or sovereign defaults. Any sudden or rapid destabilization of global economic conditions could adversely impact our ability to obtain equity or debt financing or make other suitable arrangements to finance our projects and would likely have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, growth prospects and the value of the Canopy Shares.
Our business may be negatively affected by climate change, weather conditions and the availability of natural resources.
There is growing concern that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere may have an adverse impact on global temperatures, water levels, weather patterns, and the frequency and severity of extreme weather and natural disasters. In the event that such climate change has a negative effect on agricultural productivity, we may be subject to decreased availability or less favorable pricing for certain commodities that are necessary for our products. Unfavorable growing conditions can reduce both crop size and crop quality. In addition, there is an increased focus by foreign, federal, state and local regulatory and legislative bodies regarding environmental policies relating to climate change, regulating greenhouse gas emissions, energy policies, and sustainability. Increased compliance costs and expenses due to the impacts of climate change and additional legal or regulatory requirements regarding climate change or designed to reduce or mitigate the effects of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions on the environment may cause disruptions in, or an increase in the costs associated with, the running of our manufacturing facilities and our business, as well as increase distribution and supply chain costs.
Our business is subject to evolving corporate governance and public disclosure regulations and expectations, including with respect to environmental, social and governance matters, which could expose us to numerous risks.
We are subject to changing rules and regulations promulgated by a number of governmental and self-regulatory organizations, including the SEC, Canadian securities regulators, Nasdaq, the TSX and the Financial Accounting Standards Board. These rules and regulations continue to evolve in scope and complexity. In addition, increasingly regulators, customers, investors, employees and other stakeholders are focusing on environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) matters and related disclosures. For example, in Canada, we are required to comply with the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act, which came into force on January 1, 2024. Under the provisions of this legislation, corporate entities that meet certain criteria are required to examine their supply chains and file public reports to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness on measures they have taken to identify, address and reduce the risk that forced labour, prison labour and child labour are used in their supply chains, such report must be submitted before May 31st of each year starting in 2024. Other mandatory ESG-related disclosures include the Conflict Minerals Reporting in U.S. and the Modern Slavery Act in the UK. There are also a number of voluntary reporting schemes that provide a framework to report ESG-related information. Failure to comply with these rules and regulations could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s reputation, business, results of operations and financial condition.
These changing rules, regulations and stakeholder expectations have resulted in, and are likely to continue to result in, increased general and administrative expenses and increased management time and attention spent complying with or meeting such regulations and expectations. We may also communicate certain initiatives and goals, regarding environmental matters, diversity, responsible sourcing and social investments and other ESG related matters, in our SEC filings, Canadian public filings or in other public disclosures. These initiatives and goals within the scope of ESG could be difficult and expensive to implement, the technologies needed to implement them may not be cost effective and may not advance at a sufficient pace, and we could be criticized for the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of the disclosure. Further, statements about our ESG related initiatives and goals, and progress against those goals, may be based on standards for measuring progress that are still developing, internal controls and processes that continue to evolve, and assumptions that are subject to change in the future. In addition, we could be criticized for the scope or nature of such initiatives or goals, or for any revisions to these goals. If our ESG-related data, processes and reporting are incomplete or inaccurate, or if we fail to achieve progress with respect to our initiatives or goals within the scope of ESG on a timely basis, or at all, our reputation, business, financial performance and growth could be adversely affected.
We may be unable to obtain insurance coverage at acceptable rates and there may be coverage limitations and other exclusions which may not be sufficient to cover our potential liabilities.
While we have insurance to protect our assets, operations and employees, such insurance is subject to deductibles, coverage limits and exclusions and may not be available or adequate for the risks and hazards to which we are exposed in our current state of operations. For example, certain wholesalers, distributors, retailers and other service providers may require suppliers of hemp products to provide indemnification in connection with such products, which may not be covered by insurance. No assurance can be given that insurance will be adequate to cover our liabilities or will be generally available in the future or, if available, that premiums and deductibles will be commercially justifiable. If we were to incur substantial liability claims and such damages were not covered by insurance or were in excess of policy limits, or if we were to incur such liability at a time when we are not able to obtain liability insurance, our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects may be adversely affected.
Tax and accounting requirements may change or be interpreted in ways that are unforeseen to us and we may face difficulty or be unable to implement and/or comply with any such changes or interpretations.
We are subject to numerous tax and accounting requirements, and changes in existing accounting or taxation rules or practices, or varying interpretations of current rules or practices, could have a significant adverse effect on our financial results, the manner in which we conduct our business or the marketability of any of our products. In many countries, including the U.S., we are subject to transfer pricing and other tax regulations designed to ensure that appropriate levels of income are reported as earned and are taxed accordingly. Although we believe that we are in substantial compliance with all applicable regulations and restrictions, we are subject to the risk that governmental authorities could audit our transfer pricing and related practices and assert that additional taxes are owed or that various jurisdictions could assert that we should file tax returns in jurisdictions where we do not file and subject us to additional tax. In the future, the geographic scope of our business may expand, and such expansion will require us to comply with the tax laws and regulations of additional jurisdictions. Requirements as to taxation vary substantially among jurisdictions. Complying with the tax laws and regulations of these jurisdictions can be time consuming and expensive and could potentially subject us to penalties and fees in the future if we failed to comply. In the event that we failed to comply with applicable tax laws, regulations and accounting requirements, this could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.
Not applicable.
Item 1C. Cybersecurity
The Company’s Audit Committee is responsible for overseeing the Company’s internal controls including oversight over our risk management program and cybersecurity. Management is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Company’s risk management program and its cybersecurity policies, processes, and practices. The Company’s cybersecurity policies, standards, processes, and practices are based on recognized frameworks established by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the International Organization for Standardization and are standalone from the Company’s overall risk management system and processes. The Company seeks to address all material cybersecurity threats through a company-wide approach that addresses the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the Company’s information systems or the information that the Company collects and stores, by assessing, identifying and managing cybersecurity issues as they occur.
Cybersecurity Risk Management and Strategy
The Company’s cybersecurity risk management strategy focuses on several areas:
•Identification and Reporting: The Company has implemented a comprehensive, cross-functional approach to identifying, and managing material cybersecurity threats and incidents. The Company’s program includes controls and procedures to properly alert, identify, scope, triage, escalate, contain, eradicate mitigate and recover from cybersecurity incidents by providing management visibility and to enable management to take action with respect to reporting of material incidents in a timely manner.
•Technical Safeguards: Our program consists of layered defenses to enhance resiliency within the system to prevent, detect and respond to any incidents. Our perimeter security includes but is not limited to, proactive threat intelligence via our security partners, firewalls, end-point security agents, email security, vulnerability assessments and scans, proactive patching, and privileged access management. Our detection capabilities include event logging and monitoring such as unsuccessful login attempts, escalated privilege attempts, anomaly detection. Our response capabilities are supplemented by a 3rd party breach response process through our insurer’s cyber panel, which includes access to a breach coach and forensic experts under a tripartite agreement to ensure coordinated response and maintain privilege; security playbooks setting forth a tactical guide to respond to cybersecurity events and threats as they occur; and recovery procedures. We have also implemented various technical safeguards that are designed to protect the Company’s information systems from cybersecurity threats, including: firewalls, intrusion prevention and detection systems, anti-malware functionality, and access controls, which are evaluated and improved through vulnerability assessments and cybersecurity threat intelligence, as well as outside audits and certifications.
•Incident Response and Recovery Planning: The Company has established and maintains a comprehensive incident response, business continuity, and disaster recovery plans designed to address the Company’s response to a cybersecurity incident. The Company conducts regular tabletop exercises to test these plans and ensure personnel are familiar with their roles in a response scenario.
•Third-Party Risk Management: The Company maintains a comprehensive, risk-based approach to identifying and overseeing material cybersecurity threats presented by third parties, including vendors, service providers, and other external users of the Company’s systems, as well as the systems of third parties that could adversely impact our business in the event of a material cybersecurity incident affecting those third-party systems.
•Education and Awareness: The Company provides regular, mandatory training for all levels of employees regarding cybersecurity threats as a means to equip the Company’s employees with effective tools to address cybersecurity threats, and to communicate the Company’s evolving information security policies, standards, processes, and practices.
The Company conducts periodic assessment and testing of the Company’s policies, standards, processes, and practices in a manner intended to address cybersecurity threats and events. The results of such assessments, audits, and reviews are published in monthly cybersecurity dashboards that are shared with our CFO. Based on the monthly reports, the CFO, with support from the VP of Information Technology, evaluates and provides a summary report to the Audit Committee on an annual basis. We review and train our employees on our cybersecurity policies, standards, processes, and practices annually or more frequently depending on needs identified within the monthly cybersecurity dashboards.
Governance
The Audit Committee oversees the Company’s risk management program, including the management of cybersecurity threats. The Audit Committee receives prompt and timely information regarding any cybersecurity risk that meets pre-established reporting thresholds, as well as ongoing updates regarding any such risk. On an annual basis, the Audit Committee discusses the Company’s approach to overseeing cybersecurity threats with the Company’s CFO and other members of senior management.
The VP of Information Technology, in coordination with our senior management team, including the CFO, work collaboratively to implement a program designed to protect the Company’s information systems from cybersecurity threats and to promptly respond to any material cybersecurity incidents in accordance with the Company’s incident response and recovery plans. To facilitate the success of the Company’s cybersecurity program, cross-functional teams throughout the Company address cybersecurity threats and respond to cybersecurity incidents. Through ongoing communications with these teams, senior management are informed about and monitor the prevention, detection, mitigation and remediation of cybersecurity threats and incidents in real time, and report such threats and incidents to the Audit Committee when appropriate.
The VP of Information Technology has been with our Company for over six years, previously serving as Director and subsequently Senior Director of Global IT Engineering. Prior to joining our organization, he was the Founder, President, and CEO of RjR Innovations, a recognized North American leader in IT Service Management. Over the course of his 27-year career within the Information Technology industry, he has established himself as a subject matter expert and thought leader, having served as both an ITIL Best Practice Conference and Keynote Speaker at various industry events. Supporting the VP of Information Technology is the Director of Cybersecurity & IT Engineering, a seasoned IT professional with more than 25 years of comprehensive experience spanning infrastructure, cybersecurity, architecture, and operations. He has been with our Company for over five years, during which he has held key roles including Senior Solutions Architect, Global IT Engineering and Network Engineer, Global IT Operations. He has also successfully completed advanced executive programs in cybersecurity leadership, including CISO and CISM certifications.
Material Effects of Cybersecurity Incidents
Risks from cybersecurity threats, have not materially affected and are not reasonably likely to materially impact our operations materially, including our business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition.
Item 2. Properties.
Our corporate headquarters is located in Smiths Falls, Ontario, Canada. Our primary cultivation facilities are located in Ontario and British Columbia. Outside Canada, we maintain a production and distribution facility for the European market in Sankt Leon-Rot, Germany. Further, the corporate offices and production facility of Storz & Bickel are located in Tuttlingen, Germany.
We believe that our facilities, taken as a whole, are in good condition and working order. We also believe we have adequate capacity to meet our current needs for the foreseeable future.
As of March 31, 2025, our material owned or leased properties consisted of the following:
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Facility Location |
Type |
Segment |
Property Owned/Leased |
Utilization (Full or Partial) |
CANADA |
Smiths Falls, Ontario |
Production / processing, manufacturing, distribution, research and development, corporate Licensed for cultivation |
Canada Cannabis |
Owned, subject to mortgage in favor of Wilmington Trust, National Association, in connection with the Credit Facility |
Full |
Kincardine, Ontario |
Cultivation |
Canada Cannabis |
Owned, subject to mortgage in favor of Wilmington Trust, National Association, in connection with the Credit Facility |
Full |
Kelowna, British Columbia |
Micro-cultivation and micro-processing |
Canada Cannabis |
Owned |
Full |
EUROPE |
Tuttlingen, Germany |
Corporate, manufacturing (Storz & Bickel) |
Storz & Bickel |
Owned |
Full |
Sankt Leon-Rot, Germany |
Production, distribution |
European - Medical |
Leased |
Full |
Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
Other than as disclosed below, we are not aware of: (a) any legal proceedings to which we are a party, or to which any of our properties is subject, which would be material to us or of any such proceedings being contemplated, (b) any penalties or sanctions imposed by a court relating to securities legislation, or other penalties or sanctions imposed by a court or regulatory body against us that would likely be considered important to a reasonable investor making an investment decision, and (c) any settlement agreements that we have entered into before a court relating to securities legislation or with a securities regulatory authority.
On June 27, 2023, an ostensible shareholder commenced a putative class action (Dziedziejko v. Canopy Growth Corporation et al., Court File No. CV-23-00701769-00CP) in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice against the Company, two of its officers, and the Company’s auditor on behalf of a putative class of all persons or entities who acquired Canopy Growth’s securities in the secondary market between June 1, 2021 to June 22, 2023 and held some or all of those securities until the close of trading on May 10, 2023 or June 22, 2023. The plaintiff alleges that the Company’s disclosures contained misrepresentations within the meaning of the Securities Act (Ontario), that certain officers authorized, permitted, or acquiesced in the release of the impugned disclosures, that the Company and one of its officers acted in a manner that was oppressive or unfairly prejudicial to the proposed class members by failing to remedy alleged deficiencies in the Company’s internal controls, and that all of the defendants are liable for damages to the putative class. The action seeks an unspecified amount of damages, interest, legal fees, and the costs of administering a plan of distribution of the recovery. The Company was also named in two other putative class proceedings that were commenced between May 2023 and July 2023 in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice alleging that the Company’s disclosures contained misrepresentations. However, on November 10, 2023, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice decided a carriage motion staying those actions (Leonard v. Canopy Growth Corporation et al., Court File No. CV-23-00702281-00CP and Twidale v. Canopy Growth Corporation et al., Court File No. CV-23-00700135-00CP), and allowing Dziedziejko v. Canopy Growth Corporation et al., Court File No. CV-23-00701769-00CP to proceed to a hearing of the plaintiff’s motions for leave to proceed under the Securities Act and class certification.
On June 15, 2023, an ostensible shareholder commenced a putative class action (Asmaro v. Canopy Growth Corporation et al., Court File No. VLC-S-S-234351) against the Company and two of its officers in the Supreme Court of British Columbia on behalf of a putative class of all persons and entities who purchased or otherwise acquired securities of the Company between August 6, 2021 and May 10, 2023. The lawsuit alleges that the Company’s disclosures contained misrepresentations within the meaning of the Securities Act (British Columbia), that certain officers authorized, permitted, or acquiesced in the release of the impugned disclosures, and that all of the defendants are liable for damages to the putative class. The plaintiff seeks an unspecified amount of damages.
In May 2023, in connection with the Company’s internal review of the financial reporting matters related to BioSteel Canada (the “BioSteel Review”), as previously disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024 (the “2024 Annual Report”), the Company voluntarily self-reported to the SEC that the timing and amount of revenue
recognition in the BioSteel Canada segment were under review. As a result of self-reporting the BioSteel Review, the Company is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the SEC. Although the Company is fully cooperating with the SEC and continues to voluntarily respond to requests in connection with this matter, it cannot predict when such matters will be completed or the outcome and potential impact. Any remedial measures, sanctions, fines or penalties, including, but not limited to, financial penalties and awards, injunctive relief and compliance conditions, imposed on the Company in connection with this matter could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. See “Risk Factors – As a result of self-reporting the BioSteel Review, the Company is the subject of a regulatory investigation and inquiry in connection with the BioSteel Review, and it cannot predict the timing of developments, and any adverse outcome of these continuing matters could have a material adverse effect on the Company” under Item 1A of this Form 10-K.
In response to a private arbitration commenced by the Company on or about March 8, 2024, on February 4, 2025, a payment guarantor under a share purchase agreement commenced a counterclaim against the Company within the arbitration seeking general damages of $6,399,700, plus aggravated damages of $1,000,000 and costs arising from alleged breaches of the share purchase agreement.
On April 4, 2025, an ostensible shareholder commenced a putative class action (Baron v. Canopy Growth Corporation et al. Case 1:25-cv-01877) against the Company and two of its officers in the U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Company securities between May 30, 2024 and February 6, 2025, alleging violations of U.S. federal securities laws. The claim alleges that the Company made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) the Company had allegedly incurred significant costs producing Claybourne pre-rolled joints in connection with the Claybourne product launch in Canada; (ii) the foregoing costs, in addition to certain indirect costs that the Company incurred in connection with its Storz & Bickel vaporizer devices, were likely to have a significant negative impact on the Company’s gross margins and overall financial results; and (iii) accordingly, the Company had allegedly overstated the efficacy of its cost reduction measures and the health of its gross margins while downplaying issues with the same. The plaintiff seeks an unspecified amount of damages, attorneys’ fees and costs, and other relief.
The Company denies any alleged misconduct and liability for each of the claims asserted in the above-noted Court and arbitration proceedings, believes that the defendants/respondents have meritorious defenses to the claims, and expects to vigorously defend the claims, although the Company cannot predict when or how they will be resolved or estimate what the potential loss or range of loss would be, if any.
From time to time, we may become involved in legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of our business. We are not currently a party to any other legal proceedings other than described above, the outcome of which, if determined adversely to us, would individually or in the aggregate have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects. Please refer to “Risk Factors” under Item 1A of this Form 10-K for further discussion.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.
Not applicable.