RISK FACTORS

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below, together with all of the other information in this prospectus, including our consolidated financial statements and related notes, before deciding whether to purchase shares of our common stock. Any of the following risks could materially and adversely affect our business, operating results, financial condition, or prospects and cause the value of our common stock to decline, which could cause you to lose all or part of your investment.

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

Competition in our industry is intense, and our failure to compete successfully may adversely affect our revenues and profitability.

We operate in the highly competitive retail food industry. Our competitors include supermarkets, natural food stores, mass or discount retailers, warehouse membership clubs, online retailers, and specialty stores. These retailers compete with us for products, customers and locations. We compete on a combination of factors, primarily product selection and quality, customer service, store format, location and price. Our success depends on our ability to offer products that appeal to our customers’ preferences, and our failure to offer such products could lead to a decrease in our sales. To the extent that our competitors lower prices, our ability to maintain profit margins and sales levels may be negatively impacted. In addition, some competitors are aggressively expanding their number of stores or their product offerings or increasing the space allocated to perishable and specialty foods, including natural and organic foods. Some of these competitors may have been in business longer or may have greater financial or marketing resources than we do and may be able to devote greater resources to sourcing, promoting and selling their products. As competition in certain areas intensifies or competitors open stores within close proximity to our stores, our results of operations may be negatively impacted through a loss of sales, decrease in market share, reduction in margin from competitive price changes or greater operating costs.

Our continued growth depends on new store openings, and our failure to successfully open new stores could negatively impact our business and stock price.

Our continued growth depends, in large part, on our ability to open new stores and to operate those stores successfully. Successful implementation of this strategy depends upon a number of factors, including our ability to effectively find suitable sites for new store locations; negotiate and execute leases on acceptable terms; secure and manage the inventory necessary for the launch and operation of our new stores; hire, train and retain skilled store personnel; promote and market new stores; and address competitive merchandising, distribution and other challenges encountered in connection with expansion into new geographic areas and markets. If we are ineffective in performing these activities, then our efforts to open and operate new stores may be unsuccessful or unprofitable, and we may be unable to execute our growth strategy.

Although we believe, based on research conducted for us by a third-party research firm, that the U.S. market can support approximately 1,200 Sprouts Farmers Market stores operating under our current format, we anticipate that it will take years to grow our store count to that number. We cannot assure you that we will grow our store count to approximately 1,200 stores. We have 19 openings planned for 2013 and approximately 20 store openings planned for 2014, and we expect to achieve 12% or more annual new store growth over at least the next five years. However, we cannot assure you that we will achieve this expected level of new store growth. We may not have the level of cash flow or financing necessary to support our growth strategy. Additionally, our proposed expansion will place increased demands on our operational, managerial and administrative resources. These

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increased demands could cause us to operate our existing business less effectively, which in turn could cause deterioration in the financial performance of our existing stores. Further, new store openings in markets where we have existing stores may result in reduced sales volumes at our existing stores in those markets. If we experience a decline in performance, we may slow or discontinue store openings, or we may decide to close stores that we are unable to operate in a profitable manner. If we fail to successfully implement our growth strategy, including by opening new stores, our financial condition and operating results may be adversely affected.

On many of our projects, including build-to-suit and existing repurposed locations, we have received landlord contributions for leasehold improvements and other build-out costs. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to continue to receive landlord contributions at the same levels or at all. Any reductions of landlord contributions could have an adverse impact on our new store cash-on-cash returns and our operating results.

We may be unable to maintain or increase comparable store sales, which could negatively impact our business and stock price.

We may not be able to maintain or improve the levels of comparable store sales that we have experienced in the past. Our comparable store sales growth could be lower than our historical average for many reasons, including:

These factors may cause our comparable store sales results to be materially lower than in recent periods, which could harm our business and result in a decline in the price of our common stock.

Our newly opened stores may negatively impact our financial results in the short-term, and may not achieve sales and operating levels consistent with our more mature stores on a timely basis or at all.

We have actively pursued new store growth and plan to continue doing so in the future. We cannot assure you that our new store openings will be successful or reach the sales and profitability levels of our existing stores. New store openings may negatively impact our financial results in the short-term due to the effect of store opening costs and lower sales and contribution to overall

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profitability during the initial period following opening. New stores build their sales volume and their customer base over time and, as a result, generally have lower margins and higher operating expenses, as a percentage of net sales, than our more mature stores. New stores may not achieve sustained sales and operating levels consistent with our more mature store base on a timely basis or at all. This may have an adverse effect on our financial condition and operating results.

In addition, we may not be able to successfully integrate new stores into our existing store base and those new stores may not be as profitable as our existing stores. Further, we have experienced in the past, and expect to experience in the future, some sales volume transfer from our existing stores to our new stores as some of our existing customers switch to new, closer locations. If our new stores are less profitable than our existing stores, or if we experience sales volume transfer from our existing stores, our financial condition and operating results may be adversely affected.

We may be unable to maintain or improve our operating margins, which could adversely affect our financial condition and ability to grow.

If we are unable to successfully manage the potential difficulties associated with store growth, we may not be able to capture the efficiencies of scale that we expect from expansion. If we are not able to continue to capture efficiencies of scale, improve our systems, continue our cost discipline, and maintain appropriate store labor levels and disciplined product selection, our operating margins may stagnate or decline, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and adversely affect the price of our common stock.

We rely heavily on sales of fresh produce, and product supply disruptions may have an adverse effect on our profitability and operating results.

We have a significant focus on perishable products, including fresh produce. Sales of produce accounted for approximately 25% of our pro forma net sales in fiscal 2012. Although we have not experienced difficulty in maintaining the supply of our produce to date, there is no assurance that quality fresh produce will be available to meet our needs in the future. Produce is vulnerable to adverse weather conditions and natural disasters, such as floods, droughts, frosts, earthquakes, hurricanes and pestilences. Adverse weather conditions and natural disasters can lower crop yields and reduce crop size and quality, which in turn could reduce the available supply of, or increase the price of, fresh produce. In addition, we could suffer significant produce inventory losses in the event of disruption of our distribution network or extended power outages in our distribution centers. If we are unable to maintain produce inventory levels suitable for our business needs, it would materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

If we are unable to successfully identify market trends and react to changing consumer preferences in a timely manner, our sales may decrease.

We believe our success depends, in substantial part, on our ability to:

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Consumer preferences often change rapidly and without warning, moving from one trend to another among many product or retail concepts. Our performance is impacted by trends regarding healthy lifestyles, dietary preferences, natural and organic products, and vitamins and supplements. Consumer preferences towards supplements or natural and organic food products might shift as a result of, among other things, economic conditions, food safety perceptions and the cost of these products. Our store offerings currently include natural and organic products and dietary supplements. A change in consumer preferences away from our offerings would have a material adverse effect on our business. Additionally, negative publicity over the safety of any such items may adversely affect demand for our products, and could result in lower customer traffic, sales and results of operations.

If we are unable to anticipate and satisfy consumer preferences in the regions where we operate, our sales may decrease, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Real or perceived quality or food safety concerns could have an adverse effect on our sales and reputation.

We could be materially adversely affected if consumers lose confidence in the safety and quality of products we sell. We are a fresh, natural and organic retailer, and we believe that many customers choose to shop our stores because of their interest in health, nutrition and food safety. As a result, we believe that our customers hold us to a high food safety standard. Concerns regarding the safety of our food products or the safety and quality of our food supply chain could cause shoppers to avoid shopping with us, even if the basis for the concern is outside of our control. In addition, adverse publicity about these concerns, whether or not ultimately based on fact, and whether or not involving products sold at our stores, could discourage consumers from buying products we sell and have an adverse effect on our sales. Any lost confidence on the part of our customers would be difficult and costly to reestablish. Any such adverse effect could be exacerbated by our position in the market as a natural and organic food retailer, and could significantly reduce our brand value. Issues regarding the quality or safety of any food items sold by us, regardless of the cause, could have a substantial and adverse effect on our sales and operating results.

Products we sell could cause unexpected side effects, illness, injury or death that could result in their discontinuance or expose us to lawsuits, either of which could result in unexpected costs and damage to our reputation.

There is increasing governmental scrutiny of and public awareness regarding food safety. Unexpected side effects, illness, injury, or death caused by products we sell could result in the discontinuance of sales of these products or prevent us from achieving market acceptance of the affected products. Such side effects, illnesses, injuries and death could also expose us to product liability or negligence lawsuits. Any claims brought against us may exceed our existing or future insurance policy coverage or limits. Any judgment against us that is in excess of our policy limits would have to be paid from our cash reserves, which would reduce our capital resources. Further, we may not have sufficient capital resources to pay a judgment, in which case our creditors could levy against our assets. The real or perceived sale of contaminated or harmful products would cause negative publicity regarding our company, brand, or products, which could in turn harm our reputation and net sales, and could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition.

If we fail to maintain our reputation and the value of our brand, our sales may decline.

We believe our continued success depends on our ability to maintain and grow the value of the Sprouts brand. Maintaining, promoting and positioning our brand and reputation will depend largely on

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the success of our marketing and merchandising efforts and our ability to provide a consistent, high- quality customer experience. Brand value is based in large part on perceptions of subjective qualities, and even isolated incidents can erode trust and confidence, particularly if they result in adverse publicity, governmental investigations or litigation. Our brand could be adversely affected if we fail to achieve these objectives, or if our public image or reputation were to be tarnished by negative publicity. Our reputation could also suffer from real or perceived issues involving the labeling or marketing of products we sell as “natural.”

Although the Food and Drug Administration (referred to as the “FDA”) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (referred to as the “USDA”) have each issued statements regarding the appropriate use of the word “natural,” there is no single, U.S. government-regulated definition of the term “natural” for use in the food industry. The resulting uncertainty has led to consumer confusion, distrust and legal challenges. Plaintiffs have commenced legal actions against a number of food companies that market “natural” products, asserting false, misleading and deceptive advertising and labeling claims, including claims related to genetically modified ingredients. In limited circumstances, the FDA has taken regulatory action against products labeled “natural” that nonetheless contain synthetic ingredients or components. Should we become subject to similar claims, consumers may avoid purchasing products from us or seek alternatives, even if the basis for the claim is unfounded. Adverse publicity about these matters may discourage consumers from buying our products. The cost of defending against any such claims could be significant. Any loss of confidence on the part of consumers in the truthfulness of our labeling or ingredient claims would be difficult and costly to overcome and may significantly reduce our brand value. Any of these events could adversely affect our reputation and brand and decrease our sales, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The current geographic concentration of our stores creates an exposure to local or regional downturns or catastrophic occurrences.

As of December 30, 2012, we operated 68 stores in California, making California our largest market representing 46% of our total stores and 45% of our pro forma net sales in fiscal 2012. We also have store concentration in Arizona, Colorado and Texas, operating 23, 21 and 23 stores in those states, respectively, and representing 46% in the aggregate of our pro forma net sales in fiscal 2012. In addition, we source a large portion of our produce from California, ranging from approximately 40% to approximately 70% depending on the time of year. As a result, our business is currently more susceptible to regional conditions than the operations of more geographically diversified competitors, and we are vulnerable to economic downturns in those regions. Any unforeseen events or circumstances that negatively affect these areas in which we have stores or from which we obtain products could materially adversely affect our revenues and profitability. These factors include, among other things, changes in demographics, population and employee bases, wage increases, changes in economic conditions, severe weather conditions and other catastrophic occurrences. Such conditions may result in reduced customer traffic and spending in our stores, physical damage to our stores, loss of inventory, closure of one or more of our stores, inadequate work force in our markets, temporary disruption in the supply of products, delays in the delivery of goods to our stores and a reduction in the availability of products in our stores. Any of these factors may disrupt our business and materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Disruption of significant supplier relationships could negatively affect our business.

Nature’s Best, Inc. (referred to as “NB”) is our primary supplier of dry grocery and frozen food products, accounting for approximately 17% of our total purchases in fiscal 2012. We also have commitments in place with NB to order certain amounts of our distribution-sourced organic and natural produce from NB, and to maintain certain minimum average annual store purchase volumes, including

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for any new stores we open. Our current contractual relationship with NB continues through April 2018. Due to this concentration of purchases from a single third-party supplier, the cancellation of our distribution arrangement or the disruption, delay or inability of NB to deliver product to our stores may materially and adversely affect our operating results while we establish alternative distribution channels. Another 4% of our total purchases in fiscal 2012 were made through our secondary supplier, United Natural Foods Inc. (referred to as “UNFI”). Our current contractual relationship with UNFI continues through December 2, 2014 (subject to automatic renewal for successive one-year periods unless either we or UNFI elect not to renew). There is no assurance UNFI or other distributors will be able to fulfill our needs on favorable terms or at all. In addition, if NB, UNFI or any of our other suppliers fail to comply with food safety or other laws and regulations, or face allegations of non-compliance, their operations may be disrupted. We cannot assure you that we would be able to find replacement suppliers on commercially reasonable terms, which would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Any significant interruption in the operations of our distribution centers could disrupt our ability to deliver our produce in a timely manner.

We self-distribute our produce through our two distribution centers located in Arizona and Texas and a third-party distribution center in California. Any significant interruption in the operation of our distribution center infrastructure, such as disruptions due to fire, severe weather or other catastrophic events, power outages, labor disagreements, or shipping problems, could adversely impact our ability to distribute produce to our stores. Such interruptions could result in lost sales and a loss of customer loyalty to our brand. While we maintain business interruption and property insurance, if the operation of our distribution centers were interrupted for any reason causing delays in shipment of produce to our stores, our insurance may not be sufficient to cover losses we experience, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We, as well as our vendors, are subject to numerous laws and regulations and our compliance with these laws and regulations, as they currently exist or as modified in the future, may increase our costs, limit or eliminate our ability to sell certain products, raise regulatory enforcement risks not present in the past, or otherwise adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

As a retailer of food, vitamins and supplements and a seller of many of our private label products, we are subject to numerous health and safety laws and regulations. Our suppliers and contract manufacturers are also subject to such laws and regulations. These laws and regulations apply to many aspects of our business, including the manufacturing, packaging, labeling, distribution, advertising, sale, quality and safety of products we sell, as well as the health and safety of our team members and the protection of the environment. We are subject to regulation by various government agencies, including the FDA, the USDA, the Federal Trade Commission (referred to as the “FTC”), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as various state and local agencies.

We are also subject to the USDA’s Organic Rule, which facilitates interstate commerce and the marketing of organically produced food, and provides assurance to our customers that such products meet consistent, uniform standards. Compliance with the USDA’s Organic Rule also places a significant burden on some of our suppliers, which may cause a disruption in some of our product offerings. In addition, the USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (referred to as “FSIS”) conducts regular, mandatory on-site inspections of processing and manufacturing facilities. When violations occur, the agency has broad discretion to withhold FSIS inspection services, shut down processing facilities and take civil or criminal actions against violators of applicable statutes and regulations.

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As a retailer of supplements, our sales of vitamins and supplements are regulated under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (referred to as “DSHEA”), a statute which is administered by the FDA as part of its responsibilities under the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (referred to as “FDCA”). DSHEA expressly permits vitamins and supplements to bear statements describing how a product affects the structure, function and/or general well-being of the body. However, no statement may expressly or implicitly represent that a supplement will diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat or prevent a disease.

New or revised government laws and regulations, such as the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (referred to as “FSMA”), passed in January 2011, which grants the FDA greater authority over the safety of the national food supply, as well as increased enforcement by government agencies, could result in additional compliance costs and civil remedies. Specifically, the FSMA requires the FDA to issue regulations mandating that risk-based preventive controls be observed by the majority of food producers. This authority applies to all domestic food facilities and, by way of imported food supplier verification requirements, to all foreign facilities that supply food products. In addition, the FSMA requires the FDA to establish science-based minimum standards for the safe production and harvesting of produce, requires the FDA to identify “high risk” foods and “high risk” facilities and instructs the FDA to set goals for the frequency of FDA inspections of such high risk facilities as well as non-high risk facilities and foreign facilities from which food is imported into the United States.

With respect to both food and dietary supplements, the FSMA meaningfully augments the FDA’s ability to access a producer’s records and a supplier’s records. This increased access could permit the FDA to identify areas of concern it had not previously considered to be problematic either for us or for our suppliers. The FSMA is also likely to result in enhanced tracking and tracing of food requirements and, as a result, added recordkeeping burdens upon our suppliers. In addition, under the FSMA, the FDA has the authority to inspect certifications and therefore evaluate whether foods and ingredients from our suppliers are compliant with the FDA’s regulatory requirements. Such inspections may delay the supply of certain products or result in certain products being unavailable to us for sale in our stores.

DSHEA established that no notification to the FDA is required to market a dietary supplement if it contains only dietary ingredients that were present in the U.S. food supply prior to DSHEA’s enactment. However, for a dietary ingredient not present in the food supply prior to DSHEA’s enactment, the manufacturer is required to provide the FDA with information supporting the conclusion that the ingredient will reasonably be expected to be safe at least 75 days before introducing a new dietary ingredient into interstate commerce. As required by the FSMA, the FDA issued draft guidance in July 2011, which attempts to clarify when an ingredient will be considered a “new dietary ingredient,” the evidence needed to document the safety of a new dietary ingredient, and appropriate methods for establishing the identity of a new dietary ingredient. In particular, the guidance may cause dietary supplement products available in the market before DSHEA to now be classified to include a new dietary ingredient if the dietary supplement product was produced using manufacturing processes different from those used in 1994. Accordingly, the adoption of the draft FDA guidance or similar guidance could materially adversely affect the availability of dietary supplement products.

The FDA has broad authority to enforce the provisions of the FDCA applicable to the safety, labeling, manufacturing and promotion of foods and dietary supplements, including powers to issue a public warning letter to a company, publicize information about illegal products, institute an administrative detention of food, request or order a recall of illegal products from the market, and request the Department of Justice to initiate a seizure action, an injunction action or a criminal prosecution in the U.S. courts. Pursuant to the FSMA, the FDA also has the power to refuse the import of any food or dietary supplement from a foreign supplier that is not appropriately verified as in compliance with all FDA laws and regulations. Moreover, the FDA has the authority to administratively suspend the registration of any facility producing food, including supplements, deemed to present a reasonable probability of causing serious adverse health consequences.

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In connection with the marketing and advertisement of products we sell, we could be the target of claims relating to false or deceptive advertising, including under the auspices of the FTC and the consumer protection statutes of some states. Furthermore, in recent years, the FDA has been aggressive in enforcing its regulations with respect to nutrient content claims (e.g., “low fat,” “good source of,” “calorie free,” etc.), unauthorized “health claims” (claims that characterize the relationship between a food or food ingredient and a disease or health condition), and other claims that impermissibly suggest therapeutic benefits for certain foods or food components. These events could interrupt the marketing and sales of products in our stores, including our private label products, severely damage our brand reputation and public image, increase the cost of products in our stores, result in product recalls or litigation, and impede our ability to deliver merchandise in sufficient quantities or quality to our stores, which could result in a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are also subject to laws and regulations more generally applicable to retailers, including labor and employment, taxation, zoning and land use, environmental protection, workplace safety, public health, community right-to-know and alcoholic beverage sales. Our stores are subject to unscheduled inspections on a regular basis, which, if violations are found, could result in the assessment of fines, suspension of one or more needed licenses and, in the case of repeated “critical” violations, closure of the store until a re-inspection demonstrates that we have remediated the problem. Further, our new store openings could be delayed or prevented or our existing stores could be impacted by difficulties or failures in our ability to obtain or maintain required approvals or licenses. In addition, we are subject to environmental laws pursuant to which we could be held responsible for all of the costs relating to any contamination at our or our predecessors’ past or present facilities and at third-party waste disposal sites, regardless of our knowledge of, or responsibility for, such contamination.

As is common in our industry, we rely on our suppliers and contract manufacturers to ensure that the products they manufacture and sell to us comply with all applicable regulatory and legislative requirements. In general, we seek certifications of compliance, representations and warranties, indemnification and/or insurance from our suppliers and contract manufacturers. However, even with adequate insurance and indemnification, any claims of non-compliance could significantly damage our reputation and consumer confidence in our products. In order to comply with applicable statutes and regulations, our suppliers and contract manufacturers have from time to time reformulated, eliminated or relabeled certain of their products and we have revised certain provisions of our sales and marketing program.

We cannot predict the nature of future laws, regulations, interpretations or applications, or determine what effect either additional government regulations or administrative orders, when and if promulgated, or disparate federal, state and local regulatory schemes would have on our business in the future. They could, however, increase our costs or require the reformulation of certain products to meet new standards, the recall or discontinuance of certain products not able to be reformulated, additional recordkeeping, expanded documentation of the properties of certain products, expanded or different labeling and/or scientific substantiation. Any or all of such requirements could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results or operation.

Our nutrition-oriented educational activities may be impacted by government regulation or our inability to secure adequate liability insurance.

We provide nutrition-oriented education to our customers, and these activities may be subject to state and federal regulation, and oversight by professional organizations. In the past, the FDA has expressed concerns regarding summarized health and nutrition-related information that (i) does not, in the FDA’s view, accurately present such information, (ii) diverts a consumer’s attention and focus from FDA-required nutrition labeling and information or (iii) impermissibly promotes drug-type disease-related

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benefits. If our team members or third parties we engage to provide this information do not act in accordance with regulatory requirements, we may become subject to penalties that could have a material adverse effect on our business. We believe we are currently in compliance with relevant regulatory requirements, and we maintain professional liability insurance in order to mitigate risks associated with this nutrition-oriented education. However, we cannot predict the nature of future government regulation and oversight, including the potential impact of any such regulation on this activity. Furthermore, the availability of professional liability insurance or the scope of such coverage may change, or our insurance coverage may prove inadequate, which may adversely impact the ability of our customer educators to provide some information to our customers. The occurrence of any such developments could negatively impact the perception of our brand, our sales and our ability to attract new customers.

General economic conditions that impact consumer spending could adversely affect our business.

The retail food business is sensitive to changes in general economic conditions. Recessionary economic cycles, increases in interest rates, higher prices for commodities, fuel and other energy, inflation, high levels of unemployment and consumer debt, depressed home values, high tax rates and other economic factors that affect consumer spending and confidence or buying habits may materially adversely affect the demand for products we sell in our stores. In recent years, the U.S. economy has experienced volatility due to uncertainties related to energy prices, credit availability, difficulties in the banking and financial services sectors, decreases in home values and retirement accounts, high unemployment and falling consumer confidence. As a result, consumers are more cautious and could shift their spending to lower-priced competition, such as warehouse membership clubs, dollar stores or extreme value formats, which could have a material and adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition.

In addition, inflation or deflation can impact our business. Food deflation could reduce sales growth and earnings, while food inflation, combined with reduced consumer spending, could reduce gross profit margins. As a result, our operating results and financial condition could be materially adversely affected.

A widespread health epidemic could materially impact our business.

Our business could be severely impacted by a widespread regional, national or global health epidemic. A widespread health epidemic may cause customers to avoid public gathering places such as our stores or otherwise change their shopping behaviors. Additionally, a widespread health epidemic could also adversely impact our business by disrupting production and delivery of products to our stores and by impacting our ability to appropriately staff our stores.

Increased commodity prices and availability may impact profitability.

Many products we sell include ingredients such as wheat, corn, oils, milk, sugar, cocoa and other commodities. Commodity prices worldwide have been increasing. Any increase in commodity prices may cause our vendors to seek price increases from us. We cannot assure you that we will be able to mitigate vendor efforts to increase our costs, either in whole or in part. In the event we are unable to continue mitigating potential vendor price increases, we may in turn consider raising our prices, and our customers may be deterred by any such price increases. Our profitability may be impacted through increased costs to us which may impact gross margins, or through reduced revenue as a result of a decline in the number and average size of customer transactions.

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Energy costs are an increasingly significant component of our operating expenses and increasing energy costs, unless offset by more efficient usage or other operational responses, may impact our profitability.

We utilize natural gas, water, sewer and electricity in our stores and use gasoline and diesel in trucks that deliver products to our stores. We may also be required to pay certain adjustments or other amounts pursuant to our supply and delivery contracts in connection with increases in fuel prices. Increases in energy costs, whether driven by increased demand, decreased or disrupted supply or an anticipation of any such events will increase the costs of operating our stores. Our shipping costs have also increased recently due to rising fuel and freight prices, and these costs may continue to increase. We may not be able to recover these rising costs through increased prices charged to our customers, and any increased prices may exacerbate the risk of customers choosing lower-cost alternatives. In addition, if we are unsuccessful in attempts to protect against these increases in energy costs through long-term energy contracts, improved energy procurement, improved efficiency and other operational improvements, the overall costs of operating our stores will increase, which would impact our profitability, financial condition and results of operations.

Increases in certain costs affecting our marketing, advertising and promotions may adversely impact our ability to advertise effectively and reduce our profitability.

Postal rate increases, and increasing paper and printing costs affect the cost of our promotional mailings. In response to any future increase in mailing costs, we may consider reducing the number and size of certain promotional pieces. In addition, we rely on discounts from the basic postal rate structure, such as discounts for bulk mailings and sorting by zip code and carrier routes. We are not party to any long-term contracts for the supply of paper. Future increases in costs affecting our marketing, advertising and promotions could adversely impact our ability to advertise effectively and our profitability.

Disruptions to, or security breaches involving, our information technology systems could harm our ability to run our business.

We rely extensively on information technology systems for point of sale processing in our stores, supply chain, financial reporting, human resources and various other processes and transactions. Our information technology systems are subject to damage or interruption from power outages, computer and telecommunications failures, computer viruses, security breaches, including breaches of our transaction processing or other systems that could result in the compromise of confidential customer data, catastrophic events, and usage errors by our team members. In January 2013, we discovered sophisticated malware installed on certain credit card “pin pads” in a limited number of our stores designed to illegally access our customers’ credit card information. We discovered the malware shortly after it was planted and promptly shut down its access to our systems, but it is possible that our customers’ credit card information was compromised. We have implemented numerous additional security protocols since the attack in order to further tighten security, but there can be no assurance similar breaches will not occur in the future. Our information technology systems may also fail to perform as we anticipate, and we may encounter difficulties in adapting these systems to changing technologies or expanding them to meet the future needs of our business. If our systems are breached, damaged or cease to function properly, we may have to make significant investments to fix or replace them, suffer interruptions in our operations, incur liability to our customers and others, face costly litigation, and our reputation with our customers may be harmed. Various third parties, such as our suppliers and payment processors, also rely heavily on information technology systems, and any failure of these systems could also cause significant interruptions to our business. Any material interruption in the information technology systems we rely on may have a material adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition.

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We may be unable to adequately protect our intellectual property rights, which could harm our business.

We rely on a combination of trademark, trade secret, copyright and domain name law and internal procedures and nondisclosure agreements to protect our intellectual property. In particular, we believe our trademarks, including SPROUTS FARMERS MARKET ^® , SPROUTS ^® and HEALTHY LIVING FOR LESS! ^® , and our domain names, including sprouts.com, are valuable assets. However, there can be no assurance that our intellectual property rights will be sufficient to distinguish our products and services from those of our competitors and to provide us with a competitive advantage. From time to time, third parties may use names and logos similar to ours, may apply to register trademarks or domain names similar to ours, and may infringe or otherwise violate our intellectual property rights. There can be no assurance that our intellectual property rights can be successfully asserted against such third parties or will not be invalidated, circumvented or challenged. Asserting or defending our intellectual property rights could be time consuming and costly and could distract management’s attention and resources. If we are unable to prevent our competitors from using names, logos and domain names similar to ours, consumer confusion could result, the perception of our brand and products could be negatively affected, and our sales and profitability could suffer as a result. We also license the SPROUTS FARMERS MARKETS trademark to a third party for use in operating two grocery stores. If the licensee fails to maintain the quality of the goods and services used in connection with this trademark, our rights to, and the value of, this and similar trademarks could potentially be harmed. Negative publicity relating to the licensee could also be incorrectly associated with us, which could harm the business. Failure to protect our proprietary information could also have a material adverse effect on our business.

We may also be subject to claims that our activities or the products we sell infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate the intellectual property rights of others. Any such claims can be time consuming and costly to defend and may distract management’s attention and resources, even if the claims are without merit. Such claims may also require us to enter into costly settlement or license agreements (which could, for example, prevent us from using our trademarks in certain geographies or in connection with certain products and services), pay costly damage awards, and face a temporary or permanent injunction prohibiting us from marketing or providing the affected products and services, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Changes in accounting standards may materially impact reporting of our financial condition and results of operations.

Accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and related accounting pronouncements, implementation guidelines, and interpretations for many aspects of our business, such as accounting for inventories, goodwill and intangible assets, store closures, leases, insurance, income taxes, stock-based compensation and accounting for mergers and acquisitions, are complex and involve subjective judgments. Changes in these rules or their interpretation may significantly change or add significant volatility to our reported earnings without a comparable underlying change in cash flow from operations. As a result, changes in accounting standards may materially impact our reported financial condition and results of operations.

Specifically, proposed changes to financial accounting standards could require such leases to be recognized on our balance sheet. In addition to our indebtedness, we have significant obligations relating to our current operating leases. All of our existing stores are subject to leases, which have average remaining terms of nine years and, as of December 30, 2012, we had undiscounted operating lease commitments of approximately $696.3 million, scheduled through 2032, related primarily to our stores, including stores that are not yet open. These commitments represent the minimum lease payments due under our operating leases, excluding common area maintenance, insurance and taxes related to our operating lease obligations, and do not reflect fair market value rent reset provisions in

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the leases. These leases are classified as operating leases and disclosed in Note 20 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus, but are not reflected as liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets. During fiscal 2012, our rent expense charged under operating leases was approximately $54.2 million.

In August 2010, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (referred to as “FASB”) and the International Accounting Standards Board (referred to as “IASB”) issued a joint discussion paper highlighting proposed changes to financial accounting standards for leases. Currently, Accounting Standards Codification 840 (referred to as “ASC 840”), Leases (formerly Statement of Financial Accounting Standards 13, Accounting for Leases) requires that operating leases are classified as an off-balance sheet transaction and only the current year operating lease expense is accounted for in the income statement. In order to determine the proper classification of our stores as either operating leases or capital leases, we must make certain estimates at the inception of the lease relating to the economic useful life and the fair value of an asset as well as select an appropriate discount rate to be used in discounting future lease payments. These estimates are utilized by management in making computations as required by existing accounting standards that determine whether the lease is classified as an operating lease or a capital lease. A majority of our store leases have been classified as operating leases, which results in rental payments being charged to expense over the terms of the related leases. Additionally, operating leases are not reflected in our consolidated balance sheets, which means that neither a leased asset nor an obligation for future lease payments is reflected in our consolidated balance sheets. The proposed changes to ASC 840 would require that substantially all operating leases be recognized as assets and liabilities on our balance sheet. The right to use the leased property would be capitalized as an asset and the present value of future lease payments would be accounted for as a liability. The proposed changes are currently being reviewed by FASB, IASB and others. The timeline for finalization and effectiveness has not yet been determined, but the standard may require retrospective adoption. While we have not quantified the impact this proposed standard would have on our financial statements, if our current operating leases are instead recognized on the balance sheet, it will result in a significant increase in the liabilities and assets reflected on our balance sheets and in the interest expense and depreciation and amortization expense reflected in our income statement, while reducing the amount of rent expense.

Legal proceedings could materially impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our operations, which are characterized by a high volume of customer traffic and by transactions involving a wide variety of product selections, carry a higher exposure to consumer litigation risk when compared to the operations of companies operating in some other industries. Consequently, we may be a party to individual personal injury, product liability, intellectual property, employment-related and other legal actions in the ordinary course of our business, including litigation arising from food-related illness. The outcome of litigation, particularly class action lawsuits, is difficult to assess or quantify. Plaintiffs in these types of lawsuits may seek recovery of very large or indeterminate amounts, and the magnitude of the potential loss relating to such lawsuits may remain unknown for substantial periods of time. While we maintain insurance, insurance coverage may not be adequate, and the cost to defend against future litigation may be significant. There may also be adverse publicity associated with litigation that may decrease consumer confidence in our business, regardless of whether the allegations are valid or whether we are ultimately found liable. As a result, litigation may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Claims under our insurance plans may differ from our estimates, which could materially impact our results of operations.

We use a combination of insurance and self-insurance plans to provide for the potential liabilities for workers’ compensation, general liability (including, in connection with legal proceedings described

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under “—Legal proceedings could materially impact our business, financial condition and results of operations” above), property insurance, director and officers’ liability insurance, vehicle liability and team member health-care benefits. Liabilities associated with the risks that are retained by us are estimated, in part, by considering historical claims experience, demographic factors, severity factors and other actuarial assumptions. Our results could be materially impacted by claims and other expenses related to such plans if future occurrences and claims differ from these assumptions and historical trends.

Our high level of fixed lease obligations could adversely affect our financial performance.

Our high level of fixed lease obligations will require us to use a significant portion of cash generated by our operations to satisfy these obligations, and could adversely impact our ability to obtain future financing to support our growth or other operational investments. We will require substantial cash flows from operations to make our payments under our operating leases, all of which provide for periodic increases in rent. If we are not able to make the required payments under the leases, the lenders or owners of the relevant stores, distribution centers or administrative offices may, among other things, repossess those assets, which could adversely affect our ability to conduct our operations. In addition, our failure to make payments under our operating leases could trigger defaults under other leases or under agreements governing our indebtedness, which could cause the counterparties under those agreements to accelerate the obligations due thereunder.

Our lease obligations may require us to continue paying rent for store locations that we no longer operate.

We are subject to risks associated with our current and future store, distribution center and administrative office real estate leases. We generally cannot cancel our leases, so if we decide to close or relocate a location, we may nonetheless be committed to perform our obligations under the applicable lease, including paying the base rent for the remaining lease term. In addition, as our leases expire, we may fail to negotiate renewals, either on commercially acceptable terms or any terms at all, which could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition.

The loss of key management could negatively affect our business.

We are dependent upon a number of key management and other team members. If we were to lose the services of a significant number of key team members within a short period of time, this could have a material adverse effect on our operations as we may not be able to find suitable individuals to replace them on a timely basis, if at all. In addition, any such departure could be viewed in a negative light by investors and analysts, which may cause our stock price to decline. We do not maintain key person insurance on any team member.

If we are unable to attract, train and retain team members, we may not be able to grow or successfully operate our business.

The food retail industry is labor intensive. Our continued success is dependent upon our ability to attract and retain qualified team members who understand and appreciate our culture and are able to represent our brand effectively and establish credibility with our business partners and consumers. We face intense competition for qualified team members, many of whom are subject to offers from competing employers. Our ability to meet our labor needs, while controlling wage and labor-related costs, is subject to numerous external factors, including the availability of a sufficient number of qualified persons in the work force in the markets in which we are located, unemployment levels within those markets, unionization of the available work force, prevailing wage rates, changing demographics, health and other insurance costs and changes in employment legislation. In the event of increasing

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wage rates, if we fail to increase our wages competitively, the quality of our workforce could decline, causing our customer service to suffer, while increasing our wages could cause our earnings to decrease. If we are unable to hire and retain team members capable of meeting our business needs and expectations, our business and brand image may be impaired. Any failure to meet our staffing needs or any material increase in turnover rates of our team members or team member wages may adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition.

Higher wage and benefit costs could adversely affect our business.

Changes in federal and state minimum wage laws and other laws relating to employee benefits, including the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, could cause us to incur additional wage and benefit costs. Increased labor costs would increase our expenses and have an adverse impact on our profitability.

Union attempts to organize our team members could negatively affect our business.

None of our team members are currently subject to a collective bargaining agreement. As we continue to grow and enter different regions, unions may attempt to organize all or part of our team member base at certain stores or within certain regions. Responding to such organization attempts may distract management and team members and may have a negative financial impact on individual stores, or on our business as a whole.

We may require additional capital to fund the expansion of our business, and our inability to obtain such capital could harm our business.

To support our expanding business, we must have sufficient capital to continue to make significant investments in our new and existing stores and advertising. We cannot assure you that cash generated by our operations will be sufficient to allow us to fund such expansion. If cash flows from operations are not sufficient, we may need additional equity or debt financing to provide the funds required to expand our business. If such financing is not available on satisfactory terms or at all, we may be unable to expand our business or to develop new business at the rate desired and our operating results may suffer. Debt financing increases expenses, may contain covenants that restrict the operation of our business, and must be repaid regardless of operating results. Equity financing, or debt financing that is convertible into equity, could result in additional dilution to our existing stockholders.

Our inability to obtain adequate capital resources, whether in the form of equity or debt, to fund our business and growth strategies may require us to delay, scale back or eliminate some or all of our operations or the expansion of our business, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, financial condition or prospects.

We may be unable to generate sufficient cash flow to satisfy our debt service obligations, which could adversely impact our business.

As of December 30, 2012, on a pro forma basis, after giving effect to the application of the net proceeds of this offering as described in “Use of Proceeds,” we would have had outstanding indebtedness of approximately $         million. We may incur additional indebtedness in the future, including borrowings under our Credit Facility. We will continue to have significant debt service obligations following the completion of this offering. Our indebtedness, or any additional indebtedness we may incur, could require us to divert funds identified for other purposes for debt service and impair our liquidity position. If we cannot generate sufficient cash flow from operations to service our debt, we may need to refinance our debt, dispose of assets or issue equity to obtain necessary funds. We do

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not know whether we will be able to take any of such actions on a timely basis, on terms satisfactory to us or at all.

The fact that a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations could be needed to make payments on this indebtedness could have important consequences, including the following:

Our ability to obtain necessary funds through borrowing will depend on our ability to generate cash flow from operations. Our ability to generate cash is subject to general economic, financial, competitive, legislative, regulatory, and other factors that are beyond our control. If our business does not generate sufficient cash flow from operations or if future borrowings are not available to us under our Credit Facility or otherwise in amounts sufficient to enable us to fund our liquidity needs, our operating results and financial condition may be adversely affected. Our inability to make scheduled payments on our debt obligations in the future would require us to refinance all or a portion of our indebtedness on or before maturity, sell assets, delay capital expenditures, or seek additional equity investment.

Covenants in our debt agreements restrict our operational flexibility.

The agreement governing our Credit Facility contains usual and customary restrictive covenants relating to our management and the operation of our business, including the following:

Our Credit Facility also requires us to maintain a specified financial ratio at the end of any fiscal quarter at any time the Revolving Credit Facility is drawn. Our ability to meet this financial ratio, if applicable, could be affected by events beyond our control. Failure to comply with any of the covenants under our Credit Facility could result in a default under the facility, which could cause our lenders to accelerate the timing of payments and exercise their lien on substantially all of our assets, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, and financial condition.

We will incur increased costs as a result of being a public company.

We will incur significant legal, accounting, and other expenses as a public company, including costs resulting from public company reporting obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,

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as amended (referred to as the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations regarding corporate governance practices, including those under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (referred to as the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010, and the listing requirements of NASDAQ Global Select Market. Our management and other personnel will need to devote a substantial amount of time to ensure that we comply with all of these requirements. The reporting requirements, rules, and regulations will increase our legal and financial compliance costs and will make some activities more time-consuming and costly. Any changes that we make to comply with these obligations may not be sufficient to allow us to satisfy our obligations as a public company on a timely basis, or at all.

Our management has limited experience managing a public company, and our current resources may not be sufficient to fulfill our public company obligations.

Following the completion of this offering, we will be subject to various regulatory requirements, including those of the Securities and Exchange Commission (referred to as the “SEC”) and NASDAQ Global Select Market. These requirements include record keeping, financial reporting and corporate governance rules and regulations. Our management team has limited experience in managing a public company and, historically, has not had the resources typically found in a public company. Our internal infrastructure may not be adequate to support our increased reporting obligations, and we may be unable to hire, train or retain necessary staff and may initially be reliant on engaging outside consultants or professionals to overcome our lack of experience. Our business could be adversely affected if our internal infrastructure is inadequate, we are unable to engage outside consultants, or are otherwise unable to fulfill our public company obligations.

If we are unable to implement and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting in the future, we may fail to prevent or detect material misstatements in our financial statements, in which case investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports and the market price of our common stock may decline.

As a public company, we will be required to maintain internal control over financial reporting and to report any material weaknesses in such internal control. In addition, beginning with our 2014 annual report on Form 10-K to be filed in 2015, we will be required to file a report by management on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We are in the process of designing, implementing, and testing the internal control over financial reporting required to comply with this obligation, which is a time-consuming, costly and complicated process. In addition, our independent registered public accounting firm will be required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting beginning with our 2014 annual report on Form 10-K to be filed in 2015.

In connection with the audit of the financial statements for Sprouts Arizona for fiscal 2010 and our financial statements for fiscal 2011, material weaknesses were identified. We have taken steps to remediate these items by hiring additional finance and accounting personnel and by establishing and formalizing accounting policies and procedures.

In connection with the audit of our financial statements for fiscal 2012, a material weakness related to internal controls with respect to costing of inventories was identified. We previously valued our non-perishable products at the lower of cost or market with costs determined based on replacement costs before discounts. We later determined that replacement costs before discounts was not an acceptable method under GAAP. As a result, we restated our fiscal 2011 financial statements to correct for this error and we changed our inventory method for non-perishable products to the lower of cost or market using weighted-average costs. The correction of this error also resulted in an audit adjustment in fiscal 2012. As a result, it was determined that a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting existed related to our failure to design and maintain effective controls

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with respect to the application of an appropriate GAAP method in determining inventory costs for non-perishable products. We are currently recording our inventory costs for non-perishable inventory using weighted-average costs that include statistical and other estimation methods which we believe provide a reasonable basis to value our non-perishable inventory. We are currently addressing this material weakness in the development of our internal control over financial reporting processes. However we cannot at this time estimate how long it will take to remediate this material weakness.

If we are unsuccessful in our efforts to remediate any material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting, if we identify any additional material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, if we are unable to comply with the requirements of Section 404 in a timely manner or assert that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, or if our independent registered public accounting firm is unable to express an opinion as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting when required, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports and the market price of our common stock could be negatively affected. In addition, we could become subject to investigations by NASDAQ Global Select Market, the SEC, or other regulatory authorities, which could require additional financial and management resources.

If our goodwill becomes impaired, we may be required to record a significant charge to earnings.

We have a significant amount of goodwill. As of December 30, 2012, we had goodwill of approximately $368.1 million, which represented approximately 33% of our total assets as of such date. Goodwill is reviewed for impairment on an annual basis in the fourth fiscal quarter or whenever events occur or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of our reporting unit below its carrying amount. Fair value is determined based on the discounted cash flows and comparable market values of our single reporting unit. If the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying value, the fair value of the implied goodwill is calculated as the difference between the fair value of our reporting unit and the fair value of the underlying assets and liabilities, excluding goodwill. In the event an impairment to goodwill is identified, an immediate charge to earnings in an amount equal to the excess of the carrying value over the implied fair value would be recorded, which would adversely affect our operating results. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Critical Accounting Estimates—Goodwill and Intangible Assets.”

Determining market values using a discounted cash flow method requires that we make significant estimates and assumptions, including long-term projections of cash flows, market conditions and appropriate market rates. Our judgments are based on historical experience, current market trends and other information. In estimating future cash flows, we rely on internally generated forecasts for operating profits and cash flows, including capital expenditures. Based on our annual impairment test during fiscal 2010, 2011 and 2012, no goodwill impairment charge was required to be recorded. Changes in estimates of future cash flows caused by items such as unforeseen events or changes in market conditions could negatively affect our reporting unit’s fair value and result in an impairment charge. Factors that could cause us to change our estimates of future cash flows include a prolonged economic crisis, successful efforts by our competitors to gain market share in our core markets, our inability to compete effectively with other retailers or our inability to maintain price competitiveness. An impairment of a significant portion of our goodwill could materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

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Risks Related to this Offering and Ownership of our Common Stock

Our stock price may be volatile, and you may not be able to resell your shares at or above the offering price or at all.

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock. An active public market for our common stock may not develop or be sustained after this offering. If an active public market does not develop or is not sustained, it may be difficult for you to sell your shares of our common stock at a price that is attractive to you, or at all. The price of our common stock in any such market may be higher or lower than the price that you pay in this offering. If you purchase shares of our common stock in this offering, you will pay a price that was not established in a competitive market. Rather, you will pay the price that we and the selling stockholders negotiated with the representatives of the underwriters, which may not be indicative of prices that will prevail in the trading market.

There is no guarantee that our common stock will appreciate in value or even maintain the price at which our stockholders have purchased their shares. The trading price of our common stock may be volatile and subject to wide price fluctuations in response to various factors, many of which are beyond our control, including the following:

Furthermore, the stock markets have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have affected and continue to affect the market prices of equity securities of many companies. These fluctuations often have been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of those companies. These and other factors may cause the market price and demand for our common stock to fluctuate substantially, which may limit or prevent investors from readily selling their shares of common stock and may otherwise negatively affect the price or liquidity of our common stock. In addition, in the past, when the market price of a stock has been volatile, holders of that stock have sometimes instituted securities class action litigation against the company that issued the stock. If any of our

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stockholders were to bring a lawsuit against us, we could incur substantial costs defending the lawsuit or paying for settlements or damages. Such a lawsuit could also divert the time and attention of our management from our business.

The large number of shares eligible for public sale could depress the market price of our common stock.

The market price of our common stock could decline as a result of sales of a large number of shares of our common stock in the market after this offering, and the perception that these sales could occur may depress the market price. We will have              shares of common stock outstanding after this offering. Of these shares, the common stock sold in this offering will be freely tradable, except for any shares purchased by our “affiliates” as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (referred to as the “Securities Act”). The holders of substantially all of the remaining shares of common stock will agree with the underwriters, subject to certain exceptions, not to dispose of or hedge any of their common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of common stock during the 180-day period beginning on the date of this prospectus, except with the prior written consent of Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC. The 180-day restricted period referred to in the preceding sentence may be extended under the circumstances described in the “Underwriting” section of this prospectus.

In addition, the Stockholders Agreement to be entered into by our current equity holders in connection with the corporate conversion will limit the ability of current equity holders (other than the Apollo Funds) to sell their shares until January 1, 2015 (subject to a potential extension up to March 31, 2015). However, the Apollo Funds will have the ability to require us to register shares of our common stock held by them for resale (subject to the restrictions during the 180-day restricted period referred to above), and our stockholders party to the Stockholders Agreement will also have the ability to participate in such registered offerings. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Stockholders Agreement.” Subject to the foregoing, after the expiration of the restricted period, these shares may be sold in the public market, subject to prior registration or qualification for an exemption from registration, including, in the case of shares held by affiliates, compliance with the volume restrictions of Rule 144.

We also intend to register all shares of common stock that we may issue under our Incentive Plans. Once we register these shares, they can be freely sold in the public market upon issuance, subject to volume limitations applicable to affiliates and the lock-up arrangement described above.

Sales of common stock as restrictions end may make it more difficult for us to sell equity securities in the future at a time and at a price that we deem appropriate.

You will incur immediate and substantial dilution in your investment because our earlier investors paid substantially less than the initial public offering price when they purchased their shares.

If you purchase shares in this offering, you will incur immediate and substantial dilution of $         in net tangible book value per share, based on an assumed initial public offering price of $         per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, because the price that you pay will be substantially greater than the net tangible book value per share of the shares acquired. This dilution arises because our earlier investors paid substantially less than the initial public offering price when they purchased their shares of our capital stock. Furthermore, there will be options to purchase shares of common stock outstanding upon the closing of this offering that have exercise prices below the initial public offering price. To the extent such options are exercised in the future, there may be further dilution to new investors. See “Dilution.”

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Our principal stockholders will continue to have substantial control over us after this offering and will be able to influence corporate matters.

Upon the closing of this offering, our directors, executive officers, and holders of more than 5% of our common stock, together with their affiliates, will beneficially own, in the aggregate, approximately      % of our outstanding common stock, assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares from the selling stockholders. In particular, the Apollo Funds will beneficially own, in the aggregate, approximately     % of our outstanding common stock. These amounts compare to approximately     % of our outstanding common stock represented by the shares sold in this offering, also assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares from the selling stockholders. As a result, these stockholders, acting together, or the Apollo Funds acting alone, will be able to exercise significant influence over all matters requiring stockholder approval, including the election of directors and approval of significant corporate transactions, such as a merger or other sale of our company or its assets. This concentration of ownership could limit your ability to influence corporate matters and may have the effect of delaying or preventing a third party from acquiring control over us.

Certain underwriters are affiliates of our controlling stockholder and have interests in this offering beyond customary underwriting discounts and commissions.

Apollo Global Securities, LLC, an underwriter of this offering, is an affiliate of Apollo, our controlling stockholder. Since Apollo beneficially owns more than 10% of our outstanding common stock, a “conflict of interest” is deemed to exist under Rule 5121(f)(5)(B) of the Conduct Rules of FINRA. Accordingly, we intend that this offering will be made in compliance with the applicable provisions of Rule 5121. In particular, pursuant to Rule 5121, the appointment of a qualified independent underwriter is not necessary because Apollo Global Securities, LLC is not primarily responsible for managing this offering, and the underwriters that are primarily responsible for managing this offering (Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC) satisfy the criteria required by Rule 5121(f)(12)(E) and do not have a conflict of interest with us. However, in accordance with Rule 5121, Apollo Global Securities, LLC will not sell our common stock to a discretionary account without receiving written approval from the account holder. See “Underwriting—Conflicts of Interest.”

Anti-takeover provisions could impair a takeover attempt and adversely affect existing stockholders.

Certain provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws that will be in effect upon the closing of this offering and applicable provisions of Delaware law may have the effect of rendering more difficult, delaying, or preventing an acquisition of our company, even when this would be in the best interest of our stockholders. Our corporate governance documents will include the following provisions:

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In addition, Delaware law imposes conditions on the voting of “control shares” and on certain business combination transactions with “interested stockholders.”

These provisions, alone or together, could delay or prevent hostile takeovers and changes in control or changes in our management. Any provision of our certificate of incorporation or bylaws or Delaware law that has the effect of delaying or deterring a change in control could limit the opportunity for our stockholders to receive a premium for their shares of our common stock, and could also affect the price that some investors are willing to pay for our common stock.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish or cease publishing research or reports about us, our business, or our market, or if they adversely change their recommendations regarding our stock, our stock price and trading volume could decline.

The trading market for our common stock will be influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts may publish about us, our business, our market or our competitors. If we do not establish and maintain adequate research coverage, or if any of the analysts who may cover us downgrade our stock or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business or provide relatively more favorable recommendations about our competitors, our stock price could decline. If any analyst who may cover us were to cease coverage of our company or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline.

Our management will have broad discretion over the use of the proceeds we receive in this offering and might not apply the proceeds in ways that increase the value of your investment.

Our management will have broad discretion to use the net proceeds from this offering, and you will be relying on the judgment of our management regarding the application of these proceeds. Our management might not apply the net proceeds of this offering to in ways that increase the value of your investment. We expect to use the net proceeds from this offering to pay down indebtedness and for general corporate purposes. We have not allocated these net proceeds for any specific purposes. Our management might not be able to generate a significant return, if any, on any investment of these net proceeds. You will not have the opportunity to influence our decisions on how to use the net proceeds from this offering.

Since we do not expect to pay any cash dividends for the foreseeable future, investors in this offering may be forced to sell their stock in order to obtain a return on their investment.

We do not anticipate declaring or paying in the foreseeable future any cash dividends on our capital stock. Instead, we plan to retain any earnings to finance our operations and growth plans discussed elsewhere in this prospectus. In addition, our Credit Facility contains covenants that would restrict our ability to pay cash dividends. Accordingly, investors must rely on sales of their common stock after price appreciation, which may never occur, as the only way to realize any return on their investment. As a result, investors seeking cash dividends should not purchase our common stock.

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