ScottsMiracle-Gro Announces $750 Million Share Repurchase Authorization

MARYSVILLE, Ohio, Feb. 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE: SMG), one of the world’s leading marketers of branded consumer lawn and garden as well as hydroponic and indoor growing products, announced its Board of Directors has authorized a new program to repurchase up to $750 million of the Company’s shares over the next three years.

The timing and number of shares repurchased will depend on numerous factors, including the performance of the business, share price, market conditions and alternative investment opportunities.

“We have made significant improvement in our cash flow generation over the past several years, giving us the flexibility to invest in future growth and return cash to shareholders,” said Randy Coleman, chief financial officer and executive vice president. “While we expect no material acquisition activity in the near future, we continue to explore opportunities in both our U.S. Consumer and Hawthorne segments and would be willing to slow or suspend future share repurchase activity if we believed there were a more beneficial use of cash to deliver shareholder value.”

About ScottsMiracle-Gro
With approximately $3.2 billion in sales, the Company is one of the world’s largest marketers of branded consumer products for lawn and garden care. The Company’s brands are among the most recognized in the industry. The Company’s Scotts®, Miracle-Gro® and Ortho® brands are market-leading in their categories. The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, The Hawthorne Gardening Company, is a leading provider of nutrients, lighting and other materials used in the indoor and hydroponic growing segment. For additional information, visit us at www.scottsmiraclegro.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Statements contained in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, which address activities, events and developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including, but not limited to, information regarding the future economic performance and financial condition of the Company, the plans and objectives of the Company’s management, and the Company’s assumptions regarding such performance and plans are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified as statements that include phrases such as “guidance,” “outlook,” “projected,” “believe,” “target,” “predict,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “strategy,” “may,” “goal,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “foresee,” “likely,” “will,” “should” or other similar words or phrases. Actual results could differ materially from the forward-looking information in this release due to a variety of factors, including, but not limited to:

Compliance with environmental and other public health regulations or changes in such regulations or regulatory enforcement priorities could increase the Company’s costs of doing business or limit the Company’s ability to market all of its products;

Damage to the Company’s reputation or the reputation of its products or products it markets on behalf of third parties could have an adverse effect on its business;

The highly competitive nature of the Company’s markets could adversely affect its ability to maintain or grow revenues;

If the Company is unable to effectively execute its e-commerce business, its reputation and operating results may be harmed;

Because of the concentration of the Company’s sales to a small number of retail customers, the loss of one or more of, or significant reduction in orders from, its top customers could adversely affect the Company’s financial results;

Climate change and unfavorable weather conditions could adversely impact financial results;

Certain of the Company’s products may be purchased for use in new or emerging industries or segments and/or be subject to varying, inconsistent, and rapidly changing laws, regulations, administrative practices, enforcement approaches, judicial interpretations and consumer perceptions;

The Company’s operations may be impaired if its information technology systems fail to perform adequately or if it is the subject of a data breach or cyber-attack;

The Company may not be able to adequately protect its intellectual property and other proprietary rights that are material to the Company’s business;

In the event the Third Restated Marketing Agreement for consumer Roundup products terminates, or Monsanto’s consumer Roundup business materially declines the Company would lose a substantial source of future earnings and overhead expense absorption;

Hagedorn Partnership, L.P. beneficially owns approximately 26% of the Company’s common shares and can significantly influence decisions that require the approval of shareholders;

Acquisitions, other strategic alliances and investments could result in operating difficulties, dilution and other harmful consequences that may adversely impact the Company’s business and results of operations.

Additional detailed information concerning a number of the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information contained in this release is readily available in the Company’s publicly filed quarterly, annual and other reports. The Company disclaims any obligation to update developments of these risk factors or to announce publicly any revision to any of the forward-looking statements contained in this release, or to make corrections to reflect future events or developments.