Spectrum Brands, Inc.

Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.

SB/RH Holdings, LLC

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Table of Contents

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K


x	ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2019



TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from __________ to ___________

Commission File No.

Name of Registrant, State of Incorporation,

Address of Principal Offices, and Telephone No.

IRS Employer Identification No.

1-4219

Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.

(a Delaware corporation)

3001 Deming Way, Middleton, WI 53562

(608) 275-3340

www.spectrumbrands.com

74-1339132

333-192634-03

SB/RH Holdings, LLC

(a Delaware limited liability company)

3001 Deming Way, Middleton, WI 53562

(608) 275-3340

27-2812840

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Registrant	Title of each class	Name of each exchange on which registered
Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.	Common Stock, Par Value $0.01	New York Stock Exchange
SB/RH Holdings, LLC	None	None

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the registrants are well-known seasoned issuers, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.


Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.	Yes	x	No	
SB/RH Holdings, LLC	Yes		No	x

Indicate by check mark if the registrants are not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.

	Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.	Yes		No	x
	SB/RH Holdings, LLC	Yes		No	x

Indicate by check mark whether the registrants (1) have filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.


Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.	Yes	x	No	
SB/RH Holdings, LLC	Yes	x	No	

Indicate by check mark whether the registrants have submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).


Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.	Yes	x	No	
SB/RH Holdings, LLC	Yes	x	No	

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.


	Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.		
	SB/RH Holdings, LLC		

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer”, “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.:

Registrant	Large Accelerated Filer	Accelerated Filer	Non-accelerated Filer	Smaller Reporting Company	Emerging Growth Company
Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.	X
SB/RH Holdings, LLC			X

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).


Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.	Yes		No	x
SB/RH Holdings, LLC	Yes		No	x

The aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. was approximately $2,439 million based upon the closing price on the last business day of the registrant's most recently completed second fiscal quarter (March 31, 2019). For the sole purposes of making this calculation, term “non-affiliate” has been interpreted to exclude directors and executive officers and other affiliates of the registrant. Exclusion of shares held by any person should not be construed as a conclusion by the registrant, or an admission by any such person, or that such person is an “affiliate” of the Company, as defined by applicable securities law.

As of November 12, 2019, there were outstanding 48,824,126 shares of Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.’s Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share.

SB/RH Holdings, LLC meets the conditions set forth in General Instruction I(1)(a) and (b) of Form 10-K and has therefore omitted the information otherwise called for by Items 10 to 13 of Form 10-K as allowed under General Instruction I(2)(c).

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.’s subsequent amendment to the Form 10-K to be filed within 120 days of September 30, 2019 are incorporated by reference in this Annual Report on Form 10-K in response to Part III, Items 10, 11, 12 and 13.

Table of Contents

SPECTRUM BRANDS HOLDINGS, INC.

SB/RH HOLDINGS, LLC

TABLE OF CONTENTS


		Page
PART I
ITEM 1.	BUSINESS	4
ITEM 1A.	RISK FACTORS	10
ITEM 1B.	UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS	23
ITEM 2.	PROPERTIES	24
ITEM 3.	LEGAL PROCEEDINGS	25
ITEM 4.	MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES	25
PART II
ITEM 5.	MARKET FOR THE REGISTRANTS’ COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES	26
ITEM 6.	SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA	28
ITEM 7	MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS	31
ITEM 7A.	QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK	48
ITEM 8.	FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA	48
ITEM 9.	CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE	49
ITEM 9A.	CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES	49
ITEM 9B.	OTHER INFORMATION	50
PART III
ITEM 10	DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE	51
ITEM 11.	EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION	51
ITEM 12.	SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS	52
ITEM 13.	CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE	52
ITEM 14.	PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES	52
PART IV
ITEM 15.	EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SCHEDULES	52
	INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULE	53
	SIGNATURES	115
	EXHIBIT INDEX	117

‎

Table of Contents

Forward-Looking Statements

We have made or implied certain forward-looking statements in this report. All statements, other than statements of historical facts included in this report, including the statements under Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations regarding our business strategy, future operations, financial condition, estimated revenues, projected costs, projected synergies, prospects, plans and objectives of management, as well as information concerning expected actions of third parties, are forward-looking statements. When used in this report, the words anticipate, intend, plan, estimate, believe, expect, project, could, will, should, may and similar expressions are also intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words.

Since these forward-looking statements are based upon our current expectations of future events and projections and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control and some of which may change rapidly, actual results or outcomes may differ materially from those expressed or implied herein, and you should not place undue reliance on these statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied herein include, without limitation:

the impact of our indebtedness on our business, financial condition and results of operations;

the impact of restrictions in our debt instruments on our ability to operate our business, finance our capital needs or pursue or expand business strategies;

any failure to comply with financial covenants and other provisions and restrictions of our debt instruments;

the effect of the general economic conditions, including the impact of, and changes to tariffs and trade policies, inflation, recession or fears of a recession, depression or fears of a depression, labor costs and stock market volatility or monetary or fiscal policies in the countries where we do business;

the impact of fluctuations in commodity prices, costs or availability of raw materials or terms and conditions available from suppliers, including suppliers’ willingness to advance credit;

interest rate and exchange rate fluctuations;

the loss of, significant reduction in, or dependence upon, sales to any significant retail customer(s);

competitive promotional activity or spending by competitors, or price reductions by competitors;

the introduction of new product features or technological developments by competitors and/or the development of new competitors or competitive brands;

the impact of actions taken by significant stockholders;

changes in consumer spending preferences and demand for our products;

our ability to develop and successfully introduce new products, protect our intellectual property and avoid infringing the intellectual property of third parties;

our ability to successfully identify, implement, achieve and sustain productivity improvements (including our Global Productivity Plan), cost efficiencies (including at our manufacturing and distribution operations), and cost savings;

the seasonal nature of sales of certain of our products;

the effects of climate change and unusual weather activity;

the cost and effect of unanticipated legal, tax or regulatory proceedings or new laws or regulations (including environmental, public health and consumer protection regulations);

public perception regarding the safety of products that we manufacture and sell, including the potential for environmental liabilities, product liability claims, litigation and other claims related to products manufactured by us and third parties;

the impact of existing, pending or threatened litigation, regulation or other requirements or operating standards applicable to our business;

the impact of cybersecurity breaches or our actual or perceived failure to protect company and personal data;

changes in accounting policies applicable to our business;

our ability to utilize our net operating loss carry-forwards to offset tax liabilities from future taxable income;

government regulations;

the impact of expenses resulting from the implementation of new business strategies, divestitures or current and proposed restructuring activities;

our inability to successfully integrate and operate new acquisitions at the level of financial performance anticipated;

the unanticipated loss of key members of senior management and the transition of new members of our management teams to their new roles; and

the effects of political or economic conditions, terrorist attacks, acts of war or other unrest in international markets;

Some of the above-mentioned factors are described in further detail in the sections entitled Risk Factors in our annual and quarterly reports (including this report), as applicable. You should assume the information appearing in this report is accurate only as of the end of the period covered by this report, or as otherwise specified, as our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date. Except as required by applicable law, including the securities laws of the United States (“U.S.”) and the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, to reflect actual results or changes in factors or assumptions affecting such forward-looking statements.

Table of Contents

PART I

ITEM 1. BUSINESS

This combined Form 10-K is being filed by Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. (“SBH”) and SB/RH Holdings, LLC (“SB/RH”) (collectively, the “Company”). SB/RH is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SBH and represents substantially all of its assets, liabilities, revenues, expenses and operations. Thus, all information contained in this report relates to, and is filed by, SBH. Information that is specifically identified in this report as relating solely to SBH, such as its financial statements and its common stock, does not relate to and is not filed by SB/RH. SB/RH makes no representation as to that information. The terms “the Company,” “we,” and “our” as used in this report, refer to both SBH and its consolidated subsidiaries and SB/RH and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless otherwise indicated. The terms “SBH” and “SB/RH” refer to Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. and SB/RH Holdings, LLC, respectively.

Our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to reports filed pursuant to Sections 13(a) and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), are available free of charge through our website at www.spectrumbrands.com as soon as reasonably practicable after such reports are filed with, or furnished to the SEC. The SEC also maintains a website that contains our reports, proxy statements and other information at www.sec.gov. In addition, copies of our (i) Corporate Governance Guidelines, (ii) charters for the Audit Committee, Compensation Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, (iii) Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and (iv) Code of Ethics for the Principal Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officers are available on our website at www.spectrumbrands.com under “Investor Relations—Corporate Governance.” Copies will also be provided to any stockholder upon written request to the Investor Relations and Corporate Communications, Spectrum Brands, Inc. at 3001 Deming Way, Middleton, Wisconsin 53562 or via electronic mail at investorrelations@spectrumbrands.com, or by contacting the Division Vice President (DVP), Investor Relations & Corporate Communications by telephone at (608) 278-6148.

General Overview

We are a diversified global branded consumer products company. We manage the business in four vertically integrated, product focused segments: (i) Hardware & Home Improvement (“HHI”), (ii) Home and Personal Care (“HPC”), (iii) Global Pet Care (“GPC”), and (iv) Home and Garden (“H&G”). The Company manufactures, markets and/or distributes its products globally in the North America (“NA”); Europe, Middle East & Africa (“EMEA”); Latin America (“LATAM”) and Asia-Pacific (“APAC”) regions through a variety of trade channels, including retailers, wholesalers and distributors, original equipment manufacturers (“OEMs”) and construction companies. We enjoy strong name recognition in our regions under our various brands and patented technologies across multiple product categories. Geographic strategic initiatives and financial objectives are determined at the corporate level. Each segment is responsible for implementing defined strategic initiatives and achieving certain financial objectives and has a president or general manager responsible for sales and marketing initiatives and the financial results for all product lines within that segment. SB/RH is a wholly owned subsidiary of SBH. Spectrum Brands, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SB/RH (“SBI”) incurred certain debt guaranteed by SB/RH and domestic subsidiaries of SBI. The following is an overview of the consolidated business showing the net sales by segment and geographic region sold (based upon destination) as a percentage of consolidated net sales for the year ended September 30, 2019.

Our operating performance is influenced by a number of factors including: general economic conditions; foreign exchange fluctuations; trends in consumer markets; consumer confidence and preferences; our overall product line mix, including pricing and gross margin, which vary by product line and geographic market; pricing of certain raw materials and commodities; energy and fuel prices; and our general competitive position, especially as impacted by our competitors’ advertising and promotional activities and pricing strategies. See Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, included in Item 7 to this Annual Report, for further discussion of the consolidated operating results and segment operating results.

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Hardware and Home Improvement (HHI)

The following is an overview of net sales by product category and geographic region sold (based upon destination) for the year ended September 30, 2019


Product Category	Products	Brands
Security	Residential locksets and door hardware including knobs, levers, deadbolts, handle sets, including electronic and connected locks	Kwikset®, Weiser®, Baldwin®, Tell Manufacturing®, and EZSET®
Plumbing & Accessories	Kitchen and bath faucets and accessories	Pfister®
Builders' Hardware	Hinges, metal shapes, security hardware, track and sliding door hardware, gate hardware	National Hardware®, FANAL®

In some cases, we also supply product to customers who have private label brand offerings. We also have supply and brand licensing arrangements used for some smaller lines of business and brands such as FANAL®. Certain of our residential lockset products incorporate patented SmartKey® technology that provides advanced security and easy rekeying.

The sales force of the HHI business is aligned by brands, customers and geographic regions. We have strong partnerships with a variety of customers including large home improvement centers, wholesale distributors, home builders, plumbers, home automation providers, and commercial contractors. A significant percentage of our sales are attributable to a limited group of retailer customers, including Home Depot and Lowe’s, which are customers with more than 10% of Company sales and represent approximately 40% of segment sales for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2019.

Primary competitors in security include Allegion (Schlage), Assa Abloy (Emtek, Yale) and private label brands such as Defiant. Primary competitors for plumbing include Masco (Delta), Fortune Brands (Moen), Kohler, American Standard and private label brands such as Glacier Bay. Primary competitors for hardware include The Hillman Group, Hampton Products, Koch (Lehigh) and private label brands such as Crown Bolt.

Sales in our HHI segment primarily increase during the spring and summer periods (the Company’s third and fourth fiscal quarters). Segment sales by quarter as a percentage of annual net sales during the years ended September 30, 2019, 2018 and 2017 are as follows:


	2019		2018		2017
First Quarter		23%		24%		23%
Second Quarter		24%		23%		25%
Third Quarter		26%		27%		25%
Fourth Quarter		27%		26%		27%

The principal raw materials used in manufacturing include brass, zinc, and steel that are sourced either on a global or regional basis. The prices of these raw materials are susceptible to fluctuations due to supply and demand trends, energy costs, transportation costs, government regulations and tariffs, changes in currency exchange rates, price controls, general economic conditions and other unforeseen circumstances. We have regularly engaged in forward purchase and hedging derivative transactions in an attempt to effectively manage certain raw material costs we expect to incur over the next 12 to 24 months. Substantially all of our Pfister products are manufactured by third party suppliers that are primarily located in the APAC region. We maintain ownership of most of the tooling used by our suppliers. We continually evaluate our manufacturing facilities’ capacity and related utilization. In general, we believe our existing facilities are adequate for our present and foreseeable needs.

Our research and development strategy is focused on new product development and performance enhancements of our existing products. We plan to continue to use our brand names, customer relationships and research and development efforts to introduce innovative products that offer enhanced value to consumers through new designs and improved functionality.

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Home and Personal Care (HPC)

The following is an overview of net sales by product category and geographic region sold (based upon destination) for the year ended September 30, 2019


Product Category	Products	Brands
Home Appliances	Small kitchen appliances including toaster ovens, coffeemakers, slow cookers, blenders, hand mixers, grills, food processors, juicers, toasters, breadmakers, and irons	Black & Decker®, Russell Hobbs®, George Foreman®, Toastmaster®, Juiceman®, Farberware®, and Breadman®
Personal Care	Hair dryers, flat irons and straighteners, rotary and foil electric shavers, personal groomers, mustache and beard trimmers, body groomers, nose and ear trimmers, women's shavers, haircut kits and intense pulsed light hair removal systems	Remington®, LumaBella®

We license the Black & Decker® brand (“BDC”) in North America, Latin America (excluding Brazil) and the Caribbean for four core categories of household appliances: beverage products, food preparation products, garment care products and cooking products through a trademark license agreement with BDC through December 2021. Under the agreement, we agree to pay BDC royalties based on a percentage of sales, with minimum annual royalty payments of $15.0 million. The agreement also requires us to comply with maximum annual return rates for products. If BDC does not agree to renew the license agreement, we have 18 months to transition out of the brand name with no minimum royalty payments during such transition period and BDC has agreed to not compete in the four categories for five years after the end of the transition period. Upon request, BDC may elect to extend the license to use the Black & Decker® brand to certain additional product categories. BDC has approved several extensions of the license to additional categories and geographies.

We own the right to use the Remington® trademark for electric shavers, shaver accessories, grooming products and personal care products; and Remington Arms Company, Inc. (“Remington Arms”) owns the rights to use the trademark for firearms, sporting goods and products for industrial use, including industrial hand tools. The terms of a 1986 agreement between Remington Products, LLC and Remington Arms provides for the shared rights to use the trademark on products which are not considered “principal products of interest” for either company. We retain the trademark for nearly all products which we believe can benefit from the use of the brand name in our distribution channels. We have patented technology that is used in our i-Light and i-Light Reveal intense pulsed light hair removal product line.

HPC products are sold primarily to large retailers, online retailers, wholesalers, distributors, warehouse clubs, food and drug chains and specialty trade or retail outlets such as consumer electronics stores, department stores, discounters and other specialty stores. International distribution varies by region and is often executed on a country-by-country basis. Our sales generally are made through the use of individual purchase orders. A significant percentage of our sales are attributable to a limited group of retailer customers, including Wal-Mart, which is a customer having more than 10% of Company sales and represent approximately 18% of segment sales for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2019.

Primary competitors for home appliances include Newell Brands (Sunbeam, Mr. Coffee, Crockpot, Oster), De’Longhi America (DeLonghi, Kenwood, Braun), SharkNinja (Shark, Ninja), Hamilton Beach Holding Co. (Hamilton Beach, Proctor Silex), Sensio, Inc. (Bella); SEB S.A.(T-fal, Krups, Rowenta), Whirlpool Corporation (Kitchen Aid), Conair Corporation (Cuisinart, Waring), Koninklijke Philips N.V. (Philips), Glen Dimplex (Morphy Richards) and private label brands for major retailers. Primary competitors in personal care include are Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Norelco), The Procter & Gamble Company (Braun), Conair Corporation, Wahl Clipper Corporation and Helen of Troy Limited.

Sales from electric personal care product categories tend to increase during the December holiday season (the Company’s first fiscal quarter), while small appliances sales increase from July through December primarily due to the increased demand by customers in the late summer for “back-to-school” sales (the Company’s fourth fiscal quarter) and in December for the holiday season. Our sales by quarter as a percentage of annual net sales during the years ended September 30, 2019, 2018 and 2017 are as follows:


	2019		2018		2017
First Quarter		30%		31%		31%
Second Quarter		20%		21%		20%
Third Quarter		23%		23%		23%
Fourth Quarter		27%		25%		26%

Substantially all of our home appliances and personal care products are manufactured by third party suppliers that are primarily located in the APAC region, the prices of which may be susceptible to changes in transportation costs, government regulations and tariffs, and changes in currency exchange rates. We maintain ownership of most of the tooling and molds used by our suppliers.

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Global Pet Care (GPC)

The following is an overview of GPC net sales by product category and geographic region sold (based upon destination) for the year ended September 30, 2019


Product Category	Products	Brands
Companion Animal	Rawhide chews, dog and cat clean-up, training, health and grooming products, small animal food and care products, rawhide-free dog treats, and wet and dry pet food for dogs and cats	8IN1® (8-in-1), Dingo®, Nature's Miracle®, Wild Harvest™, Littermaid®, Jungle®, Excel®, FURminator®, IAMS® (Europe only), Eukanuba® (Europe only), Healthy-Hide®, DreamBone®, SmartBones®, ProSense®, Perfect Coat®, eCOTRITION®, Birdola® and Digest-eeze®.
Aquatics	Consumer and commercial aquarium kits, stand-alone tanks; aquatics equipment such as filtration systems, heaters and pumps; and aquatics consumables such as fish food, water management and care	Tetra®, Marineland®, Whisper® and Instant Ocean®, GloFish®.

We sell primarily to large retailers, pet superstores, online retailers, food and drug chains, warehouse clubs and other specialty retail outlets. International distribution varies by region and is often executed on a country-by-country basis. Our sales generally are made through the use of individual purchase orders. In addition to product sales, we also perform installation and maintenance services on commercial aquariums. Live fish under our GloFish® brand are produced, marketed and sold by independent third-party breeders through a supply and licensing agreement with the Company. A significant percentage of our sales are attributable to a limited group of retailer customers, including Wal-Mart, which is a customer with more than 10% of Company sales and represent approximately 24% of segment sales for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2019.

Primary competitors are Mars Corporation, the Hartz Mountain Corporation and Central Garden & Pet Company which all sell a comprehensive line of pet supplies that compete across our product categories. The pet supplies product category is highly fragmented with no competitor holding a substantial market share and consists of small companies with limited product lines.

Sales remain fairly consistent throughout the year with little variation. Our sales by quarter as a percentage of annual net sales during the years ended September 30, 2019, 2018 and 2017 are as follows:


	2019		2018		2017
First Quarter		24%		25%		25%
Second Quarter		25%		25%		24%
Third Quarter		25%		24%		24%
Fourth Quarter		26%		26%		27%

Rawhide products are produced in Cambodia and at third party suppliers in the APAC region. Subsequent to September 30, 2019, the segment closed its operating facilities within the LATAM region and shifted rawhide production to existing third-party suppliers primarily in the APAC region. Alternative rawhide products are manufactured by third party suppliers located in the APAC region and Mexico. Our Companion Animal and Aquatics products are produced in our manufacturing plants located in the U.S., Europe, and at third party suppliers in APAC region. We maintain ownership of most of the tooling and molds used by third party suppliers. We continually evaluate capacity at our manufacturing facilities and related utilization. In general, we believe our existing facilities are adequate for our present and foreseeable operating needs. Product purchased from third-party suppliers, especially those from the APAC regions, are susceptible to fluctuations in transportation costs, government regulations and tariffs, and changes in currency exchange rates.

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Home and Garden (H&G)

The following is an overview of H&G net sales by product category and geographic region sold (based upon destination) for the year ended September 30, 2019


Product Category	Products	Brands
Household	Household pest control solutions such as spider and scorpion killers; ant and roach killers; flying insect killers; insect foggers; wasp and hornet killers; and bedbug, flea and tick control products	Hot Shot®, Black Flag®, Real-Kill®, Ultra Kill®, The Ant Trap® (TAT), and Rid-A-Bug®.
Controls	Outdoor insect and weed control solutions, and animal repellents such as aerosols, granules, and ready-to-use sprays or hose-end ready-to-sprays	Spectracide®, Garden Safe®, Liquid Fence®, and EcoLogic®.
Repellents	Personal use pesticides and insect repellent products, including aerosols, lotions, pump sprays and wipes, yard sprays and citronella candles	Cutter® and Repel®.

Other product category consists of products sold to the Global Auto Care business unit that was divested and sold to Energizer Holdings, Inc. (“Energizer”) on January 28, 2019 and continues to be produced and distributed under a supply agreement with Energizer subsequent to the completion of the sale. See Note 3 – Divestitures, in Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, included elsewhere for additional discussion.

We sell primarily to large retailers, home improvement centers, dollar stores, hardware stores, home and garden distributors, and food and drug retailers. We sell primarily in the U.S. with some distribution in LATAM and the Caribbean. Our sales generally are made through the use of individual purchase orders. A significant percentage of our sales are attributable to a limited group of retailer customers, including Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Lowe’s, which are customers with more than 10% of Company sales and represent approximately 65% segment sales for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2019.

Primary competitors are The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (Scotts, Ortho, Roundup, Miracle-Gro, Tomcat); Central Garden & Pet (AMDRO, Sevin), SBM Company (BioAdvanced), S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. (Raid, OFF!); and Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (Combat).

Sales typically peak during the first six months of the calendar year (the Company’s second and third fiscal quarters) due to customer seasonal purchasing patterns and timing of promotional activities. Our sales by quarter as a percentage of annual net sales during the years ended September 30, 2019, 2018 and 2017 are as follows:


	2019		2018		2017
First Quarter		10%		10%		10%
Second Quarter		27%		25%		27%
Third Quarter		40%		42%		39%
Fourth Quarter		23%		23%