The following discussion and analysis is intended to provide a summary of
significant factors relevant to our financial performance and condition. The
discussion and analysis should be read together with our consolidated financial
statements and related notes in "Part II, Item 8. Financial Statements and
Supplementary Data" of this Form 10-K. Results for the fiscal year ended May 31,
2020 are not necessarily indicative of results that may be attained in the
future.



The following generally discusses fiscal 2020 and 2019 items and fiscal year
comparisons between fiscal 2020 and 2019. Discussions of fiscal 2018 items and
fiscal year comparisons between fiscal 2019 and 2018 that are not included in
this Form 10-K can be found in "Part II, Item 7. Management's Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" of our Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 26, 2019, which we filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on July 25, 2019.



The fiscal years for the Consolidated Financial Statements presented consist of a 53-week period for fiscal 2020 and a 52-week period for fiscal 2019.





Overview



Lamb Weston, along with its joint venture partners, is a leading global
producer, distributor, and marketer of value-added frozen potato products. We,
along with our joint venture partners, are the number one supplier of
value-added frozen potato products in North America. We, along with our joint
venture partners, are also a leading supplier of value-added frozen potato
products internationally, with a strong and growing presence in high-growth
emerging markets. We, along with our joint venture partners, offer a broad
product portfolio to a diverse channel and customer base in over 100 countries.
French fries represent the majority of our value-added frozen potato product
portfolio.



On November 9, 2016, we separated from Conagra and became an independent
publicly traded company through the pro rata distribution by Conagra of 100% of
our outstanding common stock to Conagra stockholders. In connection with the
Separation, Conagra transferred substantially all of the assets and liabilities
and operations of the Lamb Weston business to us.



Management's discussion and analysis of our results of operations and financial
condition, which we refer to in this filing as "MD&A," is provided as a
supplement to the consolidated financial statements and related notes included
elsewhere in this Form 10-K to help provide an understanding of our financial
condition, changes in financial condition and results of our operations. Our
MD&A is based on financial data derived from the financial statements prepared
in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") and
certain other financial data (Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA including
unconsolidated joint ventures and Adjusted Diluted EPS) that is prepared using
non-GAAP financial measures. See "Reconciliations of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
to Reported Amounts" below for the definitions of Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted
EBITDA including unconsolidated joint ventures and Adjusted Diluted EPS, and a
reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to net income or diluted
earnings per share.



Executive Summary



On March 11, 2020 (during our fiscal fourth quarter), the World Health
Organization declared that the spread of COVID-19 qualified as a global
pandemic. Local, state, and national governments emphasized the importance of
food supply and asked that food manufacturers and retailers remain open to meet
the needs of their communities. Throughout

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this pandemic, our primary focus and attention has remained directed towards the
health and well-being of our employees, and we have taken numerous steps to keep
our employees safe, including implementing enhanced sanitation protocols and
preventative screenings at all our manufacturing facilities, providing masks and
requiring social distancing for employees across all our facilities, providing
benefits that help support our employees and their families, and implementing
remote work arrangements for functional support areas to comply with
shelter-in-place orders and federal and local government recommendations. If an
employee at one of our manufacturing facilities tests positive for COVID-19, we
have developed plans to temporarily close the facility at which the employee
works in order to sanitize and disinfect the facility before allowing employees
to return to the facility and restart operations.



Lamb Weston delivered solid sales and earnings growth through the first three
quarters of fiscal 2020. However, efforts by governments worldwide to control
the spread of COVID-19 have resulted in significant social and economic
restrictions, which included quarantines, travel bans, shutdowns, closures of
many sit down restaurants, and shelter-in-place or stay-at-home orders. These
restrictions have had, and continue to have, a negative effect on portions of
our business and the U.S. and global economy. As a result, our sales in the
fiscal fourth quarter declined, offsetting most of the growth that we generated
earlier in our fiscal year.



Following the government-imposed restrictions on restaurants and other
foodservice operations and stay-at-home orders, we saw significant changes in
french fry consumption and purchasing patterns. As a result, we experienced
favorable revenue and earnings impacts within our Retail segment, which has
historically contributed approximately 13% of total Lamb Weston sales, but these
favorable impacts were more than offset by the unfavorable impacts within our
food-away-from-home businesses in our Global and Foodservice segments.
Specifically, through the end of fiscal 2020, we observed the following:



In the United States, prior to the pandemic-related government-imposed

restrictions, approximately 65% of all french fries were purchased at quick

service restaurants ("QSRs"), with another approximately 20% purchased at

full-service restaurants. The remaining approximately 15% of french fries were

purchased at retail locations. Of the french fries purchased at QSRs,

approximately two-thirds are purchased by consumers through drive-thru,

carry-out or delivery options, with the remaining one-third consumed while

dining in at restaurants. The availability of a drive-thru option has enabled

QSRs to better weather the impact of government-imposed shelter-in-place

restrictions than restaurants without that option. After pandemic-related

restrictions were adopted, our weekly shipments to QSRs, in aggregate, fell to

approximately 50% of pre-COVID levels in late-March through mid-April, then

gradually recovered to approximately 85% of weekly pre-COVID levels by the end

of May as consumer demand returned and customers restocked inventories as

states began easing restrictions. While many full-service restaurants and other

? foodservice operations, which together represent approximately 80% of our

Foodservice segment's sales, have taken steps to increase take-out and delivery

sales, consumer traffic at these operations, in aggregate, was significantly

more affected. Our weekly shipments to these operations fell to approximately

20% of pre-COVID levels in late-March through mid-April, then gradually

recovered to approximately 70% of weekly pre-COVID levels by the end of May. In

contrast, retail demand for frozen french fries, in aggregate, has

significantly increased as food-at-home consumption rose. Our weekly shipments

to retail customers increased approximately 50% in late-March through

mid-April, and gradually slowed to increasing approximately 30% by the end of

May. During our fiscal fourth quarter for fiscal 2020, we increased production

of our retail products in order to meet this higher demand. While we have

realized improvements in shipments in each of our primary sales channels since

year end, we believe these improvements may become less pronounced, cease or

reverse as the spread of COVID-19 continues and states reinstate or otherwise


   postpone on-premises dining.



In Europe, which is served by our Lamb-Weston/Meijer joint venture, a high

percentage of our sales are to QSRs. Unlike the U.S., most consumption in

Europe is dine-in or carry-out as drive-thru options are more limited. As a

result, the effect of government-imposed restrictions on french fry demand in

? Europe was similar to what we observed for full-service restaurants and other

foodservice operations in the U.S. Lamb-Weston/Meijer's weekly shipments in

April were approximately 35% of pre-COVID levels, and recovered to

approximately 60% by the end of May. This negatively impacted

Lamb-Weston/Meijer's results, and ultimately, our equity method investment


   earnings, in our fiscal fourth quarter.




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In China, after the government placed severe social and movement restrictions

that significantly reduced restaurant traffic, our monthly shipments declined

? approximately 50% in February, and recovered to approximately 70% of pre-COVID

levels by the end of March. By the end of May, our monthly shipments recovered


   to approximately 80% of pre-COVID levels.



In Australia, Mexico and other key markets in Asia, such as Japan, South Korea,

? Taiwan, and Singapore, french fry demand trends were mixed, with our shipments

largely 70%-80% of pre-COVID levels through late April. Our shipments began to


   soften at the end of May in certain markets due to inventory destocking.



For the full fiscal year, our earnings declined, largely due to lower sales and higher costs related to the pandemic.

Our fiscal 2020 financial results include the benefit of an additional week ("53rd week") of sales, earnings and cash flow versus fiscal 2019. Compared with fiscal 2019:

? Net sales increased 1% to $3,792.4 million

? Income from operations declined 17% to $556.9 million

? Net income attributable to Lamb Weston declined 24% to $365.9 million

? Diluted earnings per share declined 22% to $2.49, while Adjusted Diluted EPS

declined 22% to $2.50

Income from operations and Adjusted EBITDA including unconsolidated joint

? ventures included approximately $74 million of net costs related to the

pandemic's impact on our operations, as described below

? Adjusted EBITDA including unconsolidated joint ventures declined 12% to $799.8

million

? Net cash provided by operating activities declined 16% to $574.0 million






Comparing performance with fiscal 2019, the increase in net sales was driven by
improved price/mix, largely due to pricing actions in our Foodservice and Retail
segments. Volume was flat, as declines in our Foodservice segment, which was
disproportionately affected by the government-imposed restrictions on
restaurants and other foodservice operations, offset growth in our Retail and
Global segments. Volume in both our Global and Foodservice segments was also
negatively affected by customers destocking inventories as they adjusted to the
abrupt change in the operating environment during our fiscal fourth quarter.
Income from operations declined, largely due to costs related to the pandemic's
impact on our operations, and higher manufacturing costs due to input cost
inflation, inefficiencies, higher depreciation expense and unfavorable mix. The
effect of higher SG&A expenses was modest relative to the decline in gross
profit.



In fiscal 2020, we and our unconsolidated joint ventures incurred approximately
$74 million of costs, net of employee retention credits provided by the CARES
Act and other labor incentives, related to the pandemic's impact on operations
as follows:


Approximately $25 million of factory utilization-related production costs and

inefficiencies, such as labor retention costs; costs to shut down, sanitize,

? and restart manufacturing facilities after a production employee was infected

by the virus; costs arising from modifying production schedules and reducing


   run-times; and costs to shift certain manufacturing lines from producing
   foodservice-oriented products to retail-oriented products;

Approximately $22 million of non-factory utilization-related costs, primarily

consisting of expensing crop year 2019 contracts for raw potatoes that could

? not be used due to the pandemic's near-term effect on demand for frozen potato

products, as well as incremental warehousing, transportation and supply chain

costs due to lower product throughput;

Approximately $11 million of incremental selling, general and administrative

("SG&A") and other expenses, largely comprised of costs to adopt and maintain

enhanced employee safety and sanitation protocols, including purchases of

? safety and health screening equipment, costs to retain certain sales employees,

net of CARES Act retention credits and other labor incentives, and expensing

certain capitalized costs for manufacturing facility expansion projects that

were stopped; and

Approximately $16 million of production, raw potato contract, supply chain and

? SG&A costs (including $4 million of costs, net of labor incentives, that were


   factory utilization-related and $12 million that were non-factory
   utilization-related) at our unconsolidated joint ventures.




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We expect that we will continue to incur some of these costs until the COVID-19 pandemic no longer has an impact on our operations.





During the fourth quarter, in response to the significant decrease in demand as
the COVID-19 virus spread throughout the world, we reduced production at our
factories to align with demand, instituted a company-wide hiring freeze, and
delayed non-essential expenditures. We took actions to enhance our liquidity,
including working capital management; significantly reducing our capital
program; raising over $1 billion of liquidity, including borrowing $495.0
million from our previously undrawn revolving credit facility, entering into a
new $325.0 million term loan facility, issuing $500.0 million of senior notes,
and suspending future share repurchases. In addition, at May 31, 2020, we
qualified for and recorded a $9.5 million receivable for employee retention
credits under the CARES Act and other labor incentives. The CARES Act also
allows us to defer payment of the employer portion of social security taxes
through the end of 2020, with 50% of the deferred amount due December 31, 2021,
and the remaining 50% due December 31, 2022. Considering the current
environment, with a significant number of employees working remotely, we
deferred work on the second phase of our new enterprise resource planning
("ERP") system. As a result of these actions, our cash and cash equivalents
balance at May 31, 2020, was $1,364.0 million. See Liquidity and Capital
Resources in this MD&A below for more information.



Outlook



As discussed above, following the government-imposed restrictions on restaurants
and other foodservice operations, which largely began during the fourth quarter
of fiscal 2020, the demand for frozen potato products decreased in North
America, Europe, and most of our key international markets. The outlook for the
spread of COVID-19, as well as governments' efforts to contain the virus,
remains unpredictable, as does its potential impact on the global economy,
restaurant traffic, customer and consumer demand, our supply chain, and
availability of key commodities and other necessary services. Because of
uncertainty around government actions and consumer behaviors related to the
virus, we expect the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumer demand and our
sales volume may be pronounced in fiscal 2021, especially for full-service
restaurants and other operations that have traditionally relied on on-premise
dining traffic, and other non-commercial foodservice operations, such as hotels,
schools and universities, and sporting venues. While governments began easing
restrictions on restaurants, and we realized improvements in our shipments in
each of our primary sales channels through the first seven weeks of the first
quarter of fiscal 2021, we believe these improvements may become less
pronounced, cease or reverse as the spread of COVID-19 continues and government
authorities reinstate or otherwise postpone on-premises dining restrictions.



We have taken actions, and will continue to evaluate various options, to lower
our cost structure and maximize the efficiency of our manufacturing and
commercial operations. As we disclosed in our Form 8-K filed with the SEC on May
7, 2020, we reduced contracting of raw potatoes by approximately 20%-25% for the
2020 crop year, compared with our 2019 crop year purchases. We believe that
there will likely be adequate non-contracted processing potatoes available for
purchase in the event that frozen potato demand exceeds our initial forecast. We
will continue to evaluate various options to adjust our operations, including
temporarily closing facilities and/or modifying production schedules to
rebalance utilization rates across our manufacturing network.



We expect that we will continue to incur costs as a result of the COVID-19
pandemic's impact on our manufacturing, supply chain, commercial and functional
support operations. For example, these may include: costs to adopt and maintain
enhanced employee safety and sanitation protocols, such as purchasing personal
protection and health screening equipment and services; costs to shut down,
sanitize, and restart production facilities after a production employee has been
infected by the virus; production inefficiencies and labor retention costs
arising from modifying production schedules, reducing run-times, and lower
overall factory utilization; incremental warehousing and transportation costs;
and costs to retain sales and functional support employees.



In fiscal 2021, we expect the rate of inflation for many of our commodity and
manufacturing costs in the near term will be similar to what we experienced in
fiscal 2020. While we have implemented a hiring and salary freeze for our U.S.
salaried positions in the near term, we expect overall SG&A may be higher as a
result of the completion of the first phase of our ERP project, as well as for
continued investments in operations and other functional capabilities, which are
designed to drive operating efficiencies and support growth over the long term.



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Results of Operations



We have four reportable segments: Global, Foodservice, Retail, and Other. For
each period presented, we report net sales and product contribution margin by
segment. Net sales and product contribution margin are the primary measures
reported to our chief operating decision maker for purposes of allocating
resources to our segments and assessing their performance. We define product
contribution margin as net sales less cost of sales and advertising and
promotion expenses. Product contribution margin excludes general corporate
expenses and interest expense because management believes these amounts are not
directly associated with segment performance for the period. For additional
information on our reportable segments, see Note 14, Segments, of the Notes to
Consolidated Financial Statements in "Part II, Item 8. Financial Statements and
Supplementary Data" in this Form 10-K.



Fiscal Year Ended May 31, 2020 Compared to Fiscal Year Ended May 26, 2019

Net Sales and Product Contribution Margin (dollars in millions)






                                                   Year Ended
                                        May 31,      May 26,         %
                                         2020         2019       Inc/(Dec)
Segment sales
Global                                 $ 1,973.6    $ 1,961.5       1%
Foodservice                              1,069.1      1,156.1      (8%)
Retail                                     595.5        498.3       20%
Other                                      154.2        140.6       10%
                                       $ 3,792.4    $ 3,756.5       1%

Segment product contribution margin
Global                                 $   374.5    $   446.3      (16%)
Foodservice                                356.0        402.4      (12%)
Retail                                     117.6         98.8       19%
Other                                       24.1         23.6       2%
                                           872.2        971.1      (10%)
Advertising and promotion expenses          23.0         32.4      (29%)
Gross profit                           $   895.2    $ 1,003.5      (11%)




Net Sales


Lamb Weston's net sales for fiscal 2020 increased $35.9 million, or 1%, to
$3,792.4 million, compared with $3,756.5 million in fiscal 2019. Excluding the
benefit of the 53rd week, net sales declined 1%. Price/mix increased 1% due to
pricing actions and favorable mix, largely due to pricing actions in our
Foodservice and Retail segments. Volume was flat, or down 3% excluding the
benefit of the 53rd week, as strong growth through the first three fiscal
quarters was offset by the sharp and abrupt decline in demand for frozen potato
products outside the home during the fiscal fourth quarter as a result of
government-imposed restrictions on restaurants and other foodservice operations
to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, as well as customers destocking
inventories as they adjusted to abrupt change in the business environment.



Global net sales increased $12.1 million, or 1%, to $1,973.6 million, compared
with $1,961.5 million in fiscal 2019. Excluding the benefit of the 53rd week,
net sales declined 1%. Volume increased 1%, or down 1% excluding the benefit of
the 53rd week, driven by growth in sales to strategic customers in the U.S. and
key international markets during the first three quarters of the fiscal year.
Volume growth was partially offset by the sharp decline in demand for frozen
potato products outside the home during the fourth quarter, primarily
attributable to government-imposed restrictions on restaurant and other
foodservice-related operations. Price/mix was flat as positive pricing actions
were offset by unfavorable customer mix.



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Foodservice net sales decreased $87.0 million, or 8%, to $1,069.1 million,
compared with $1,156.1 million in fiscal 2019. Excluding the benefit of the 53rd
week, net sales declined 8%. Price/mix increased 2%, primarily reflecting
pricing actions initiated in the fall of 2019. Volume decreased 10%, or 10%
excluding the benefit of the 53rd week. Volume growth of distributor private
label and Lamb Weston branded products was solid during the first three quarters
of the fiscal year, but fell as demand for frozen potato products outside the
home, especially at full-service restaurants and non-commercial operations
(e.g., hotels, schools and universities, sporting venues) dropped sharply during
the fourth quarter following government-imposed restrictions on restaurant and
other foodservice operations, as well as customers destocking inventories as
they adjusted to the abrupt change in the business environment.



Retail net sales increased $97.2 million, or 20%, to $595.5 million, compared
with $498.3 million in fiscal 2019. Excluding the benefit of the 53rd week, net
sales increased 16%. Volume increased 13%, or 10% excluding the benefit of the
53rd week, due to increased in-home consumption of frozen potato products
following government-imposed stay-at-home orders during the fiscal fourth
quarter. Demand was strong across our premium and mainstream branded offerings,
as well as for our private label products. Price/mix increased 7%, largely
driven by favorable mix from increased sales of branded products, and pricing
actions.


Net sales in our Other segment increased $13.6 million, or 10%, to $154.2 million, compared with $140.6 million in fiscal 2019. The increase primarily reflects higher volume in our vegetable business.





Product Contribution Margin



Lamb Weston's product contribution margin for fiscal 2020 decreased $98.9
million, or 10%, to $872.2 million, compared with $971.1 million in fiscal 2019.
The decline primarily related to lower sales due to the pandemic and
approximately $47 million of pandemic-related costs, net of CARES Act retention
credits and other labor incentives, resulting from lower factory utilization and
production inefficiencies, manufacturing and operational disruptions directly
attributable to the pandemic, expensing of excess crop year 2019 raw potato
purchase contracts, and other supply chain costs discussed above. The remainder
of the decline was driven by higher manufacturing costs due to input cost
inflation, inefficiencies, higher depreciation expense primarily associated with
our new french fry production line in Hermiston, Oregon, and unfavorable mix.



Global product contribution margin decreased $71.8 million, or 16%, to $374.5
million in fiscal 2020. The decline primarily related to lower sales due to the
pandemic and approximately $29 million of pandemic-related costs, net of CARES
Act retention credits and other labor incentives.  The remainder of the decline
was largely driven by an increase in cost of sales, which rose 6% to $1,592.8
million, reflecting unfavorable mix, inefficiencies and input cost inflation, as
well as higher depreciation expense primarily associated with the addition of
the new production line in Hermiston, Oregon. Advertising and promotion spending
was modestly lower in 2020, as compared to fiscal 2019.



Foodservice product contribution margin decreased $46.4 million, or 12%, to
$356.0 million in fiscal 2020. Lower sales due to the pandemic and approximately
$8 million of pandemic-related costs, net of CARES Act retention credits and
other labor incentives. Cost of sales declined 5% to $705.9 million due to lower
sales volumes, partially offset by inefficiencies and input cost inflation, as
well as higher depreciation expense primarily associated with the addition of
the new production line in Hermiston, Oregon. Advertising and promotion spending
was modestly lower in fiscal 2020, as compared with fiscal 2019.



Retail product contribution margin increased $18.8 million, or 19%, to $117.6
million in fiscal 2020 due to higher sales volumes as consumers modified their
purchasing habits in response to the imposition of stay-at-home orders,
favorable product mix and an $8.3 million decline in advertising and promotional
expenses as we stopped all non-essential expenditures in response to the
pandemic. The increase was partially offset by approximately $10 million of
pandemic-related costs, net of CARES Act retention credits and other labor
incentives. Cost of sales was $468.6 million, or 23% higher in fiscal 2020 as
compared to fiscal 2019, largely due to higher sales volume and input cost
inflation.



Other product contribution margin increased $0.5 million to $24.1 million in
fiscal 2020, as compared to $23.6 million in fiscal 2019. These amounts include
a $0.2 million loss related to unrealized mark-to-market adjustments and
realized settlements associated with commodity hedging contracts in fiscal 2020,
and a $3.3 million loss related to the

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contracts in fiscal 2019. Excluding these adjustments, Other segment product
contribution margin decreased $2.6 million, largely due to unfavorable price/mix
in our vegetable business.


Selling, General and Administrative Expenses





SG&A expenses were $338.3 million, up $3.2 million, or 1%, in fiscal 2020
compared with fiscal 2019. The increase in SG&A was largely driven by
approximately $11 million of net pandemic-related SG&A and other expenses
described above, higher expenses related to our information technology services
and infrastructure (including approximately $8 million of non-recurring
expenses, excluding expenses payable to us by Lamb-Weston/Meijer under the cost
sharing agreement, that primarily relates to consulting expenses associated with
developing and implementing a new ERP system), and investments in our sales,
marketing and operating capabilities. The increase was partially offset by lower
incentive compensation accruals, a $9.5 million reduction in advertising and
promotional expenses, lower travel and meeting expenses, and suspending
contributions to our charitable foundation. For more information related to the
agreement with Lamb-Weston/Meijer to share the costs of a single, global ERP
platform, and related software and services, see Note 6, Investments in Joint
Ventures, of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in "Part II,
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Form 10-K.



Interest Expense, Net



Interest expense, net was $108.0 million in fiscal 2020, an increase of $0.9
million compared with fiscal 2019. The increase in interest expense, net was the
result of higher average total debt versus the prior year. For more information,
see Note 9, Debt and Financing Obligations, of the Notes to Consolidated
Financial Statements in "Part II, Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary
Data" in this Form 10-K.



Income Taxes



Our effective tax rate was 23.5% for fiscal 2020, compared to 21.5% in fiscal
2019. Fiscal 2019 includes a $2.4 million decrease in income tax expense related
to the true-up of the transition tax on previously untaxed foreign earnings
under the Tax Act. Excluding this comparability item, our effective tax rate for
fiscal 2019 was 21.9%. The difference between our effective tax rates in fiscal
2020 and 2019 is primarily due to permanent differences and discrete items. The
effective tax rate varies from the U.S. statutory tax rate of 21% principally
due to the impact of U.S. state taxes, foreign taxes, permanent differences, and
discrete items.



For further information on the Tax Act and its impact, see Note 3, Income Taxes,
of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in "Part II, Item 8. Financial
Statements and Supplementary Data" in this Form 10-K.



Equity Method Investment Earnings





We conduct meaningful business through unconsolidated joint ventures and include
our share of the earnings based on our economic ownership interest in them. Lamb
Weston's share of earnings from its equity method investments was $29.3 million
and $59.5 million for fiscal 2020 and 2019, respectively. Earnings in fiscal
2020 included a $2.6 million loss related to the withdrawal from a multiemployer
pension plan by Lamb Weston RDO. Equity method investment earnings also included
a $6.3 million unrealized loss related to mark-to-market adjustments associated
with currency and commodity hedging contracts in fiscal 2020 and a $2.6 million
loss related to these items in fiscal 2019. Excluding the Lamb Weston RDO
pension-related comparability item and the mark-to-market adjustments, earnings
from equity method investments declined $23.9 million compared to the prior year
period. Pandemic-related costs accounted for approximately $16 million of the
decline, with the remainder largely driven by lower sales as a result of
government-imposed restrictions on restaurant and other foodservice operations.



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Impact of New Lease Standard





The adoption of the new lease standard resulted in the recognition of
approximately $155 million of operating lease assets and short-term and
long-term operating lease obligations recorded on our consolidated balance sheet
related to operating leases. The adoption also resulted in a $26.6 million
($20.5 million, net of tax) cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance
of retained earnings for the elimination of $38.7 million of land and $65.3
million of finance lease obligations related to a sale leaseback. See Note 4,
Leases, of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in "Part II, Item 8.
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" in this Form 10-K.



Acquisitions



On July 2, 2019 and December 21, 2018, we acquired 100% of the outstanding
shares of two different frozen potato processors in Australia for $116.7 million
and $88.6 million, respectively, net of cash acquired. These acquisitions added
approximately 70 million and 50 million pounds of production capacity,
respectively, to our manufacturing network and expanded our geographic reach.
Net sales, income from operations, and total assets from either of these
acquisitions are not material to our consolidated net sales, income from
operations, and total assets. The operating results for the acquisitions are
included in our Global segment.



We allocated the purchase price of the July 2019 and December 2018 acquisitions
to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on estimates of the fair
value at the dates of the acquisitions, of which $106.1 million and $75.1
million, after final working capital adjustments, was allocated to goodwill
(which is not deductible for tax purposes).



Liquidity and Capital Resources





The recent COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our business and operating results.
As a result of the uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we have taken,
and are continuing to take, actions to enhance liquidity including: working
capital management and limiting discretionary expenses across the Company;
implementing a hiring and salary freeze for our U.S. salaried positions;
significantly reducing our capital program; raising over $1 billion of
liquidity, including borrowing $495.0 million from our previously undrawn
revolving credit facility, entering into a new $325.0 million term loan
facility, and issuing $500.0 million of senior notes; and suspending future
share repurchases. In addition, at May 31, 2020, we qualified for and recorded a
$9.5 million receivable for employee retention credits under the CARES Act and
other labor incentives. The CARES Act also allows us to defer payment of the
employer portion of social security taxes through the end of 2020, with 50% of
the deferred amount due December 31, 2021, and the remaining 50% due December
31, 2022. This is expected to provide us with approximately $14 million of
additional liquidity during fiscal 2021. Considering the current environment,
with a significant number of employees working remotely, we have also deferred
the second phase of our new ERP system. As a result of our actions, our cash and
cash equivalents balance at May 31, 2020, was $1,364.0 million.



We believe our cash on hand, cash flows from operations and our current credit
facilities will be sufficient to satisfy our future working capital
requirements, interest payments, capital expenditures, dividends on our common
stock, and other financing requirements for the foreseeable future. We continue
to evaluate and take action, as necessary, to preserve adequate liquidity and
ensure that our business can continue to operate during these uncertain times.
If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flows from operations, or are
otherwise unable to comply with the terms of our credit facilities, we may be
required to seek additional financing alternatives, which may require waivers
under our credit agreement governing our senior secured debt and indentures
governing our senior notes, in order to generate additional cash. There can be
no assurance that we would be able to obtain additional financing or any such
waivers on terms acceptable to us or at all. For additional information on our
debt, see Note 9, Debt, of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in
"Part II. Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" in this Form

10-K."



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Cash Flows



Below is a summary table of our cash flows, followed by a discussion of the
sources and uses of cash through operating, investing, and financing activities
(dollars in millions):




                                                            For the Fiscal Years Ended May
                                                            2020          2019         2018
Net cash flows provided by (used for):
Operating activities                                     $     574.0    $   680.9    $   481.2
Investing activities                                         (346.0)      (423.0)      (306.8)
Financing activities                                         1,125.0      (299.6)      (178.9)
                                                             1,353.0       (41.7)        (4.5)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash
equivalents                                                    (1.2)       

(1.7) 3.0 Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents $ 1,351.8 $ (43.4) $ (1.5)






Operating Activities



Fiscal 2020 Compared with Fiscal 2019





The major components of cash provided by operations are earnings from operations
adjusted for non-cash income and expense items and changes in working capital.
Cash generated from operating activities decreased $106.9 million to $574.0
million in fiscal 2020, compared with $680.9 million in fiscal 2019. Earnings
from continuing operations, adjusted for non-cash income and expenses, decreased
$84.2 million, primarily due to lower sales during the pandemic and
approximately $74 million of pandemic-related costs, net of CARES Act retention
credits and other labor incentives. See Results of Operations in this MD&A for
more information. Changes in operating assets and liabilities used $17.3 million
more cash in fiscal 2020, compared with fiscal 2019. The increase in cash used
for changes in operating assets and liabilities was driven primarily by the
timing of payments for accounts payable, and lower expected payments for
incentive compensation and trade programs. These cash outflows were partially
offset by lower receivables due to fewer sales at the end of fiscal 2020,
compared with the end of fiscal 2019, the timing of payments for income taxes,
and lower finished goods inventory due to declines in demand during the fiscal
fourth quarter as a result of the pandemic-related government-imposed
restrictions.



Investing Activities


Fiscal 2020 Compared with Fiscal 2019





Investing activities used $346.0 million of cash in fiscal 2020, compared with
$423.0 million in fiscal 2019. Fiscal 2020 includes the acquisition of a frozen
potato processor in Australia for $116.7 million. We also acquired a 50%
ownership interest in Lamb Weston Alimentos Modernos S.A., a manufacturer of
frozen potato products in South America, for $27.3 million. We paid $22.6
million in fiscal year 2020 and will pay the remaining $4.7 million, less any
amounts for indemnified losses, in October 2024. In response to the COVID-19
pandemic, we reduced capital expenditures, including information technology,
from a planned level of $300.0 million to $208.4 million.



In order to preserve liquidity throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we deferred
substantially all of our previously planned fiscal 2021 strategic capital
expenditures. We expect capital investments in fiscal 2021 to be approximately
$140 million, excluding acquisitions. These expenditures could increase or
decrease as a result of a number of factors, including our financial results,
future economic conditions, including the impact of COVID-19, and our regulatory
compliance requirements. At May 31, 2020, we had commitments for capital
expenditures of $36.5 million.



Investing activities used $423.0 million of cash in fiscal 2019. These
expenditures included the plant capacity expansions in Hermiston, Oregon in
fiscal 2019. Additionally, in December 2018, we acquired 100% of the outstanding
shares of a frozen potato processor in Australia for $88.6 million, net of

cash
acquired.



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Financing Activities


Fiscal 2020 Compared with Fiscal 2019


During fiscal 2020, cash provided by financing activities totaled $1,125.0
million, compared with cash used for financing activities of $299.6 million in
fiscal 2019. In light of the current uncertainty in the global economy resulting
from the COVID-19 pandemic, in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, we raised over
$1 billion of liquidity including borrowing $495.0 million on our revolving
credit facility, entering into a new $325.0 million term loan facility, and
issuing $500.0 million of senior notes due in 2028. In addition, in June 2019,
we entered into a new $300.0 million term loan facility due in June 2024 and
used the proceeds to repay $300.0 million of the term loan facility that was due
in 2021. Repayments in fiscal 2020 also included $36.3 million of quarterly
installments due under our debt and financing obligations. In July, we paid the
balance on our revolving credit facility and have $495.1 million of available
borrowing under the credit facility, net of $4.9 million of outstanding letters
of credit.



During fiscal 2020, we returned $144.2 million of capital to our shareholders,
including $121.3 million in dividends on our common stock and $22.9 million
related to 287,239 shares we repurchased for a weighted-average price of $79.56
per share. Financing activities also included $5.9 million for the repurchase of
80,673 shares of our common stock for restricted stock tax withholdings.
Economic conditions, changes in cash flows, tax laws and other laws, and the
market price of our common stock can limit or alter the amount and frequency of
our stock repurchases. Given the uncertainty of demand with the COVID-19
pandemic, we temporarily suspended share repurchases to provide us with
additional liquidity. As of May 31, 2020, $195.3 million remained authorized for
repurchase under the program.



During fiscal 2019, financing activities primarily related to the payment of
$113.3 million in dividends on our common stock, $78.2 million to acquire the
noncontrolling interest in Lamb Weston BSW, and $66.7 million of debt payments,
primarily scheduled payments under our term loan facility and the repayment of
the Lamb Weston BSW installment notes. Financing activities during 2019 also
included the repurchase of 522,260 shares of our common stock, including
restricted stock tax withholdings. Repurchases of common stock and payments of
restricted stock withholding taxes totaled $36.4 million, including $31.8
million related to shares repurchased at an average price of $69.40 per share
under our share repurchase program.



For more information about our debt, including among other items, interest
rates, maturity dates, and covenants, see Note 9, Debt and Financing
Obligations, of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in "Part II,
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Form 10-K. At May
31, 2020, we were in compliance with the financial covenant ratios and other
covenants contained in our credit agreement.



Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements





We do not have any off-balance sheet arrangements as of May 31, 2020 that are
reasonably likely to have a current or future material effect on our financial
condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, or capital
resources.



Investments in Joint Ventures



We conduct some of our business through three unconsolidated joint ventures and
account for these investments using equity method accounting. For more
information about our investments in joint ventures, see Note 6, Investments in
Joint Ventures, of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in "Part
II, Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Form 10-K.




Obligations and Commitments



As part of our ongoing operations, we enter into arrangements that obligate us
to make future payments under contracts such as lease agreements, debt
agreements, potato supply agreements, and unconditional purchase obligations
(i.e., obligations to transfer funds in the future for fixed or minimum
quantities of goods or services at fixed or minimum

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prices). The unconditional purchase obligation arrangements are entered into in the normal course of business in order to ensure adequate levels of sourced product are available.


A summary of our contractual obligations as of May 31, 2020 are as follows. The
expected timing of payments of the obligations in the table are estimated based
on current information. Timing of payments and actual amounts paid may be
different, depending on the time of receipt of goods or services, or changes to
agreed-upon amounts for some obligations.




                                                                Payments Due by Period (a)
                                                          Less than                                   After 5
Contractual Obligations                       Total        1 Year        1-3 Years     3-5 Years       Years
Short-term borrowings (b)                   $   498.7    $     498.7    $         -    $        -    $       -
Long-term debt, including current
portion, excluding financing obligations
(c)                                           3,056.3           45.9          320.3       1,357.1      1,333.0
Interest on long-term debt (d)                  685.4          120.9       

  232.7         201.2        130.6
Purchase obligations (e)                        827.6           74.5          117.0         106.1        530.0
Capital commitments (f)                          36.5           36.5              -             -            -
Other long-term liabilities reflected on
our Consolidated Balance Sheet (g):
Operating leases (h)                            201.4           32.7           50.9          39.6         78.2
Financing obligations, including current
portion (i)                                      15.8            3.2            4.9           2.0          5.7
Compensation and benefits (j)                    39.0            2.1       

   10.8           6.1         20.0
Other                                            19.6            1.1            3.5           9.9          5.1
Total                                       $ 5,380.3    $     815.6    $     740.1    $  1,722.0    $ 2,102.6

The table assumes amounts included in the "Less than 1 Year" column represent

obligations for our fiscal year 2021. The remaining columns correspond to our (a) fiscal years as follows: "1-3 Years" represents fiscal 2022 and 2023, "3-5

Years" represents fiscal 2024 and 2025, and "After 5 Years" represents fiscal


    2026 and thereafter.



(b) The $495.0 million borrowed under our revolving credit facility was fully


    repaid in July 2020.



The table is based on our long-term debt maturities at May 31, 2020, and (c) includes the current portion of long-term debt. Amounts are reported gross.


    Balances have not been reduced by the $28.2 million of unamortized debt
    issuance costs at May 31, 2020.



Amounts represent estimated future interest payments as of May 31, 2020, (d) assuming our long-term debt and financing obligations are held to maturity


    and using interest rates in effect at May 31, 2020.




    Amounts exclude purchase commitments under potato supply agreements due to

uncertainty of pricing and quantity. Potato supply agreements have maximum

contracted pricing with deductions for certain quality attributes, and (e) quantities purchased are determined by the yields produced on contracted

acres. Total purchases under all our potato supply agreements were $646.5

million, $592.3 million, and $595.8 million in fiscal 2020, 2019, and 2018,


    respectively.



Capital commitments represent commitments for the construction or purchase of (f) property, plant and equipment. They were not recorded as liabilities on our

Consolidated Balance Sheet as of May 31, 2020, as we had not yet received the


    related goods nor taken title to the property.



Deferred income taxes of $152.5 million, uncertain tax positions of $30.5

million, and long-term workers compensation of $8.2 million are excluded from (g) this table, because the timing of their future cash outflows are uncertain.


    This amount also excludes $9.9 million of a deferred gain as the amount is
    non-cash.



We enter into operating leases in the normal course of business. We lease (h) some of our warehouses and operating facilities, as well as other property


    and equipment, under operating leases. This amount includes estimated
    interest costs of $28.4 million.



This table is based on our financing obligation maturities at May 31, 2020,

and assumes our financing obligations are held to maturity, includes the (i) current portion of financing obligations, and includes $2.5 million of


    interest payments associated with financing obligations. Amounts are reported
    gross.




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Amounts consist of our pension, post-retirement benefit obligations, deferred

compensation liabilities, and deferred payments for the employer portion of

social security taxes under the CARES Act. Actuarially determined liabilities

related to pension benefits are recorded based on estimates and assumptions.

Key factors used in developing estimates of these liabilities include

assumptions related to discount rates, expected rate of compensation (j) increases, retirement and mortality rates, and other factors. Changes in

estimates and assumptions related to the measurement of funded status will

impact the amounts reported. In the table above, we allocated our pension

obligations by year based on the future required minimum pension

contributions, as determined by our actuaries. See Note 10, Employee Benefit

Plans and Other Post-Retirement Benefits, of the Notes to the Consolidated


    Financial Statements in "Part II, Item 8. Financial Statements and
    Supplementary Data" of this Form 10-K.




For the majority of restricted stock units ("RSUs") granted, the number of
shares of common stock issued on the date the RSUs vest is net of the minimum
statutory withholding requirements that we pay in cash to the appropriate taxing
authorities on behalf of our employees. The obligation to pay the relevant
taxing authority is excluded from the table above, as the amount is contingent
upon continued employment. In addition, the amount of the obligation is unknown,
as it is based in part on the market price of our common stock when the awards
vest.


Reconciliations of Non-GAAP Financial Measures to Reported Amounts

To supplement the financial information included in this report, we have presented Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA including unconsolidated joint ventures and Adjusted Diluted EPS, each of which is considered a non-GAAP financial measure.





Our management uses Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA including unconsolidated
joint ventures and Adjusted Diluted EPS to evaluate the Company's performance
excluding the impact of certain non-cash charges and other special items in
order to have comparable financial results to analyze changes in our underlying
business between reporting periods. We include these non-GAAP financial measures
because management believes they are useful to investors in that they provide
for greater transparency with respect to supplemental information used by
management in its financial and operational decision making. We believe that the
presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures, when used in conjunction with
GAAP financial measures, is a useful financial analysis tool that can assist
investors in assessing the Company's operating performance and underlying
prospects. These non-GAAP financial measures should be viewed in addition to,
and not as alternatives for, financial measures prepared in accordance with
GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures may differ from similarly titled
non-GAAP financial measures presented by other companies, and other companies
may not define these non-GAAP financial measures the same way. These measures
are not a substitute for their comparable GAAP financial measures, such as net
income (loss) or diluted earnings per share, and there are limitations to using
non-GAAP financial measures.



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The following table reconciles net income to Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA including unconsolidated joint ventures.






                                                                                For the Fiscal Years Ended May
                                                               2020 (a)    

2019 2018 2017 2016 Net income attributable to Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. $ 365.9

$ 478.6 $ 416.8 $ 326.9 $ 285.3 Income attributable to noncontrolling interests

                         -           8.6          16.9          13.3           9.3
Equity method investment earnings                                  (29.3)  

     (59.5)        (83.6)        (53.3)        (71.7)
Interest expense, net                                               108.0         107.1         108.8          61.2           5.9
Income tax expense                                                  112.3         133.6         121.2         170.2         144.5
Income from operations                                              556.9  

668.4 580.1 518.3 373.3 Depreciation and amortization

                                       177.8   

157.7 138.7 106.6 95.9 Items impacting comparability (b) Expenses related to the Separation

                                      -             -           8.7          26.5           5.3
Non-cash gain on assets                                                 -             -             -         (3.1)             -
Expense related to actuarial losses in excess of 10% of
related pension liability                                               -             -             -             -          59.5
Expenses related to SCAE Plan                                           -             -             -             -           0.1
Adjusted EBITDA (b) (c)                                             734.7         826.1         727.5         648.3         534.1

Unconsolidated Joint Ventures

Equity method investment earnings                                    29.3  

59.5 83.6 53.3 71.7 Interest expense, income tax expense, and depreciation and amortization included in equity method investment earnings

           33.2   

29.0 30.3 22.5 18.2 Items impacting comparability Loss on withdrawal from multiemployer pension plan (d)

                2.6             -             -             -             -
Gain related to pension plan settlement (e)                             -             -             -             -        (17.7)
Add: Adjusted EBITDA from unconsolidated joint ventures              65.1  

88.5 113.9 75.8 72.2

Consolidated Joint Ventures
Income attributable to noncontrolling interests                         -  

(8.6) (16.9) (13.3) (9.3) Interest expense, income tax expense, and depreciation and amortization included in equity method investment earnings

              -   

(1.7) (4.1) (3.7) (3.6) Subtract: EBITDA from consolidated joint ventures

                       -   

(10.3) (21.0) (17.0) (12.9)

Adjusted EBITDA including unconsolidated joint ventures $ 799.8

$ 904.3 $ 820.4 $ 707.1 $ 593.4

See Results of Operations in this MD&A for a discussion of the impact of (a) government efforts to control the spread of COVID-19, including restrictions

on restaurants and other foodservice operations and stay-at-home orders, on


    our financial results.




    Fiscal 2018, 2017 and 2016 include $8.7 million, $26.5 million and $5.3

million, respectively, of expenses related to the Separation. In fiscal 2018, (b) the expenses related primarily to professional fees and other


    employee-related costs. In fiscal 2017 and 2016, the expenses related
    primarily to professional fees.



Fiscal 2017 includes a $3.1 million non-cash gain on assets.





Fiscal 2016 includes $59.5 million of charges reflecting Lamb Weston's portion
of actuarial losses in excess of 10% of Conagra's pension liability for Conagra
sponsored plans.



Fiscal 2016 includes $0.1 million related to costs incurred in connection with
Conagra's initiative to improve selling, general and administrative
effectiveness and efficiencies, which is referred to as the Supply Chain and
Administrative Efficiency Plan ("SCAE Plan").



(c) Adjusted EBITDA includes EBITDA from consolidated joint ventures.

(d) Fiscal 2020 includes a $2.6 million loss related to the withdrawal from a


    multiemployer pension plan by Lamb Weston RDO.




(e) Fiscal 2016 includes a $17.7 million non-cash gain related to the settlement


    of a pension plan at our Lamb-Weston/Meijer joint venture.




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The following table reconciles diluted earnings per share to Adjusted Diluted
EPS:




                                                                For the Fiscal Years Ended May
                                                            2020 (a)       2019 (a)       2018 (a)
As reported                                                $     2.49    $       3.18    $     2.82
Items impacting comparability:
Loss on withdrawal from multiemployer pension plan (b)           0.01               -             -
Increase in redemption value of noncontrolling
interests, net of tax benefits (c)                                  -            0.06             -
Expenses related to the Separation (d)                              -               -          0.03
Tax reform (e)                                                      -          (0.02)        (0.19)
Total items impacting comparability                              0.01      

     0.04        (0.16)
Adjusted                                                   $     2.50    $       3.22    $     2.66

Diluted weighted average common shares were 147.1 million, 147.3 million, and (a) 147.0 million for fiscal 2020, 2019, and 2018, respectively.

(b) Fiscal 2020 included a $2.6 million loss related to the withdrawal from a

multiemployer pension plan by Lamb Weston RDO.

Fiscal 2019 included accretion, net of tax benefits, of $9.4 million, or

$0.06 per share, which we recorded to increase the redeemable noncontrolling

interest to the amount we paid to acquire the remaining 50.01% interest in

Lamb Weston BSW. While the accretion, net of tax benefits, reduced net income

available to Lamb Weston common stockholders and earnings per share, it did (c) not impact net income in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings. Net income

includes 100% of Lamb Weston BSW's earnings beginning November 2, 2018. For

more information about our investments in joint ventures, see Note 6,

Investments in Joint Ventures, of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial

Statements in "Part II, Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data"


    of this Form 10-K.



Fiscal 2018 included $8.7 million of pre-tax expenses ($5.7 million after (d) tax) related to the Separation. The expenses related primarily to


    professional fees and other employee-related costs.



In fiscal 2019, we recorded a $2.4 million, or $0.02 per share, benefit from (e) the true-up of the transition tax on previously untaxed foreign earnings

under the Tax Act. We completed our analysis of the one-time impacts of the


    Tax Act in fiscal 2019.




In connection with our initial analysis of the impact of the Tax Act in fiscal
2018, we decreased income tax expense and increased net income $28.4 million, or
$0.19 per share for one-time items, including a $39.9 million net provisional
tax benefit from the estimated impact of remeasuring our net U.S. deferred tax
liabilities with a new lower U.S. federal statutory rate, partially offset by an
$11.5 million transition tax on our previously untaxed foreign earnings.



Critical Accounting Estimates



Management's discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of
operations are based upon the Company's consolidated financial statements, which
have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. The preparation of these financial
statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported
amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses, and related disclosures
of contingent assets and liabilities. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our
estimates, including those related to our trade promotions, income taxes, and
acquisitions, among others. We base our estimates on historical experiences
combined with management's understanding of current facts and circumstances, the
results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values
of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources.
Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions

or
conditions.



Critical accounting estimates are those that are most important to the portrayal
of our financial condition and operating results. These estimates require
management's most difficult, subjective, or complex judgments. We review the
development, selection, and disclosure of our critical accounting estimates with
the Audit and Finance Committee of our Board of Directors. We believe that of
our significant accounting policies, the following involve a higher degree

of
judgment and/or complexity.



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Sales Incentives and Trade Promotion Allowances

We promote our products with advertising, consumer incentives, and trade promotions. Sales promotions include, but are not limited to, discounts, coupons, rebates, and volume-based incentives. The estimates for sales incentives are based principally on historical sales and redemption rates, influenced by judgments about current market conditions such as competitive activity in specific product categories.





Trade promotion programs include introductory marketing funds such as slotting
fees, cooperative marketing programs, temporary price reductions, and other
activities conducted by our customers to promote our products. The costs of
these programs are recognized as a reduction to revenue with a corresponding
accrued liability. The estimate of trade promotions is inherently difficult due
to information limitations as the products move beyond distributors and through
the supply chain to operators. Estimates made by management in accounting for
these costs are based primarily on our historical experience with marketing
programs, with consideration given to current circumstances and industry trends
and include the following: quantity of customer sales, timing of promotional
activities, current and past trade-promotion spending patterns, the
interpretation of historical spending trends by customer and category, and
forecasted costs for activities within the promotional programs.



The determination of sales incentive and trade promotion costs requires judgment
and may change in the future as a result of changes in customer promotion
participation, particularly for new programs related to the introduction of new
products. Final determination of the total cost of promotion is dependent upon
customers providing information about proof of performance and other information
related to the promotional event. Because of the complexity of some of these
trade promotions, the ultimate resolution may result in payments that are
different from our estimates. As additional information becomes known, we may
change our estimates. At May 31, 2020 and May 26, 2019, we had $42.5 million and
$48.6 million, respectively, of sales incentives and trade promotions payable
recorded in "Accrued liabilities" on our Consolidated Balance Sheets.



Income Taxes



We compute the provision for income taxes using the asset and liability method,
under which deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected
future tax consequences of temporary differences between the financial reporting
and tax bases of assets and liabilities, and for operating losses and tax credit
carryforwards. We measure deferred tax assets and liabilities using the
currently enacted tax rates that apply to taxable income in effect for the years
in which those tax assets are expected to be realized or settled.



Inherent in determining the annual tax rate are judgments regarding business plans, planning opportunities, and expectations about future outcomes. Management judgments are required for the following items:

Management reviews deferred tax assets for realizability. Valuation allowances

? are established when management believes that it is more likely than not that

some portion of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Changes in

valuation allowances from period to period are included in the tax provision.

We establish accruals for unrecognized tax benefits when, despite the belief

that our tax return positions are fully supported, we believe that an uncertain

tax position does not meet the recognition threshold of Accounting Standards

Codification ("ASC") 740, Income Taxes. These contingency accruals are adjusted

in light of changing facts and circumstances, such as the progress of tax

? audits, the expiration of the statute of limitations for the relevant taxing

authority to examine a tax return, case law and emerging legislation. While it

is difficult to predict the final outcome or timing of resolution for any

particular matter, we believe that the accruals for unrecognized tax benefits

at May 31, 2020, reflect the likely outcome of known tax contingencies as of

such date in accordance with accounting for uncertainty in income taxes under


   ASC 740.



We recognize the tax impact of including certain foreign earnings in U.S.

taxable income as a period cost. We have not recognized deferred income taxes

? for local country income and withholding taxes that could be incurred on

distributions of certain non-U.S. earnings or for outside basis differences in

our subsidiaries, because we plan to indefinitely reinvest such earnings and


   basis differences. Remittances of non-U.S. earnings are based on


                                       39

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estimates and judgments of projected cash flow needs, as well as the working

capital and investment requirements of our non-U.S. and U.S. operations.

Material changes in our estimates of cash, working capital, and investment needs

in various jurisdictions could require repatriation of indefinitely reinvested

non-U.S. earnings, which could be subject to applicable non-U.S. income and


  withholding taxes.




While we believe the judgements and estimates discussed above and made by
management are appropriate and reasonable under the circumstances, actual
resolution of these matters may differ from recorded estimated amounts. Further
information on income taxes is provided in Note 3, Income Taxes, of the Notes to
Consolidated Financial Statements in "Part II, Item 8. Financial Statements and
Supplementary Data" of this Form 10-K.



Acquisitions



From time to time, we may enter into business combinations. We allocate the
total purchase price of a business combination to the assets acquired and the
liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair values at the acquisition
date, with the excess purchase price recorded as goodwill. The acquisition
method of accounting requires us to make significant estimates and assumptions
regarding the fair values of the elements of a business combination as of the
date of acquisition, including the fair values (fair value is determined using
the income approach, cost approach and or market approach) of inventory,
property, plant and equipment, identifiable intangible assets, deferred tax
asset valuation allowances, and liabilities related to uncertain tax positions,
among others. This method also requires us to refine these estimates over a
measurement period not to exceed one year to reflect new information obtained
about facts and circumstances that existed as of the acquisition date that, if
known, would have affected the measurement of the amounts recognized as of that
date. If we are required to retroactively adjust provisional amounts that we
have recorded for the fair values of assets and liabilities in connection with
acquisitions, these adjustments could have a material impact on our financial
condition and results of operations. Additionally, we expense any
acquisition-related costs as incurred in connection with each business
combination.



Significant estimates and assumptions in estimating the fair value of brands and
other identifiable intangible assets include future cash flows that we expect to
generate from the acquired assets. If the subsequent actual results and updated
projections of the underlying business activity change compared with the
assumptions and projections used to develop these values, we could record
impairment charges. In addition, we have estimated the economic lives of certain
acquired assets and these lives are used to calculate depreciation and
amortization expense. If our estimates of the economic lives change,
depreciation or amortization expenses could increase or decrease.



New and Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

For a listing of our new and recently adopted accounting standards, see Note 1, Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in "Part II, Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Form 10-K.





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