CCK US Equity☆

cck-20221231

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022

COMMISSION FILE NUMBER 000-50189

CROWN HOLDINGS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 215-698-5100

____________________

SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT:

Title of each class Trading Symbols Name of each exchange on which registered

Common Stock $5.00 Par Value CCK New York Stock Exchange

7 3/8% Debentures Due 2026 CCK26 New York Stock Exchange

7 1/2% Debentures Due 2096 CCK96 New York Stock Exchange

SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT: NONE

(Title of Class)

____________________

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes ☐No☒

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has 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 filings requirements for the past 90 days. Yes☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has 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 such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes☒ 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. ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or 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

Large Accelerated Filer ☒ Accelerated filer ☐

Non-accelerated filer ☐ Smaller reporting company ☐

Emerging growth company ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management's assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒

As of June 30, 2022 121,166,297 shares of the Registrant’s Common Stock, excluding shares held in Treasury, were issued and outstanding, and the aggregate market value of such shares held by non-affiliates of the Registrant on such date was $11,167,897,594 based on the New York Stock Exchange closing price for such shares on that date.

As of February 23, 2023, 120,091,325 shares of the Registrant’s Common Stock were issued and outstanding.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Document Parts Into Which Incorporated

2022 FORM 10-K ANNUAL REPORT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I

Item 1 Business 1

Item 1A Risk Factors 7

Item 1B Unresolved Staff Comments 21

Item 2 Properties 21

Item 3 Legal Proceedings 23

Item 4 Mine Safety Disclosures 23

PART II

Item 6 Reserved 23

Item 7A Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk 40

Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 41

Item 9A Controls and Procedures 86

Item 9B Other Information 87

Item 9C Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections 87

PART III

Item 10 Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance 87

Item 11 Executive Compensation 87

Item 14 Principal Accounting Fees and Services 88

PART IV

Item 15 Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules 89

SIGNATURES 96

Crown Holdings, Inc.

ITEM 1. BUSINESS

Crown Holdings, Inc. (the "Company" or the "Registrant") (where the context requires, the "Company" shall include reference to the Company and its consolidated subsidiary companies) is a Pennsylvania corporation.

The Company, through its subsidiaries, is a leading global supplier of rigid packaging products to consumer marketing companies, as well as transit and protective packaging products, equipment and services to a broad range of end markets. The Company's consumer packaging solutions primarily support the beverage and food industries, along with the personal care and household industries, through the development and sale of aluminum and steel cans. The Company's transit and protective packaging products include steel and plastic consumables and equipment, paper-based protective packaging, and plastic film consumables and equipment, which are sold into the metals, food and beverage, construction, agricultural, corrugated and general industries.

At December 31, 2022, the Company operated 199 plants along with sales and service facilities throughout 40 countries and had approximately 26,000 employees. In 2022, consolidated net sales for the Company were $12.9 billion with 63% derived from operations outside the United States ("U.S.")

The Company's strategy is to deploy capital into its global beverage can operations to expand production capacity to support growing customer demand in alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink categories. Beverage cans are the world’s most sustainable and recycled beverage packaging and continue to gain market share in new beverage product launches. The Company continues to drive brand differentiation by increasing its ability to offer multiple specialty can sizes. Size variations include slim and sleek cans, as well as larger sizes to help customers differentiate their products. It also continues to deliver new printing and decorating capabilities, as well as value-add services that aid customers throughout the entire production cycle, from consultation and development to line implementation and quality assurance

The Company is guided by commitments to its stakeholders and its own goals to foster a resilient business with longevity, which requires an emphasis on both financial performance and environmental, social and governance ("ESG") performance. The Company’s Twentyby30 program, which is a comprehensive sustainability strategy that outlines 20 measurable goals to be achieved by 2030, has accelerated critical initiatives and progress around carbon footprint management and social impact.

The Company continues to leverage the inherent ecofriendly benefits of its primary product, metal packaging, to advance toward its targets. Aluminum cans, which are infinitely recyclable and remain the world’s most recycled beverage packaging, exemplify sustainability and are a strong contributor to the circular economy. The Company is working in conjunction with industry partners to drive higher recycling rates and increase recycled content to ensure infinitely recycled aluminum cans are available for generations of future use.

Approximately 66% of the Company's consolidated net sales were derived from the Company's global beverage can operations. The Company’s beverage can business is built around local, regional and global markets, which has served to develop the Company’s understanding of global customer and consumer expectations. The Company expects to continue to responsibly add beverage can capacity to meet customer needs, as necessary.

REPORTABLE SEGMENTS

The Company's business is generally organized by product line and geography. The reportable segments are: Americas Beverage, European Beverage, Asia Pacific and Transit Packaging. Our operations are set up in a strategic regional spread to cover a broad range of market areas and to best support our customers. While the Company operates in nearly all regions of the world, it consistently monitors and invests in growing markets, including Latin America and Southeast Asia.

AMERICAS BEVERAGE

The Americas Beverage segment manufactures infinitely recyclable aluminum beverage cans and ends, glass bottles, steel crowns and aluminum caps. Manufacturing facilities are located in the U.S., Brazil, Canada, Colombia and Mexico. Americas Beverage had net sales in 2022 of $5.1 billion and segment income (as defined under Note Y to the consolidated financial statements) of $742 million.

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Crown Holdings, Inc.

EUROPEAN BEVERAGE

The European Beverage segment manufactures infinitely recyclable aluminum beverage cans and ends in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. European Beverage had net sales in 2022 of $2.1 billion and segment income (as defined under Note Y to the consolidated financial statements) of $144 million.

ASIA PACIFIC

The Asia Pacific segment primarily consisting of beverage can operations in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam and also includes non-beverage can operations, primarily food cans and specialty packaging.

The Asia Pacific had net sales in 2022 of $1.6 billion and segment income (as defined under Note Y to the consolidated financial statements) of $172 million.

TRANSIT PACKAGING

The Company's Transit Packaging segment includes the Company’s worldwide industrial products, protective solutions, and automation, equipment and tools business. Industrial products include steel strap, plastic strap, industrial film and other related products that are used in a wide range of industries. Protective solutions include transit protection products, such as airbags, edge protectors, and honeycomb products that help prevent movement of, and/or damage to, a wide range of industrial and consumer goods during transport. Automation, equipment and tools includes manual, semi-automatic and automatic equipment and tools, which are primarily used in end-of-line operations to apply consumables such as strap and film.

The Transit Packaging had net sales in 2022 of $2.5 billion and segment income (as defined under Note Y to the consolidated financial statements) of $281 million.

OTHER

The Company's other segments ("Other") include the Company's food can, aerosol can and closures business in North America, and beverage tooling and equipment operations in the U.S. and United Kingdom ("U.K."). The Company manufactures a variety of food and aerosol cans and ends and aerosol cans in assorted shapes and sizes. The Company’s customers include manufacturers of food, personal care, household and industrial products.

Additional financial information concerning the Company’s reportable segments is set forth within “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of this Annual Report and under Note Y to the consolidated financial statements.

SALES AND DISTRIBUTION

Global marketers qualify suppliers on the basis of their ability to provide global service, innovative designs and technologies in a cost-effective manner. With its global reach, the Company primarily markets and sells products to customers through its own sales and marketing staff. In some instances, contracts with customers are centrally negotiated, but products are ordered through and distributed directly by the Company’s local facilities. The Company’s facilities are generally located in proximity to their respective major customers. The Company works closely with customers in order to develop new business and to extend the duration of existing contracts.

Many customers provide the Company with quarterly or annual estimates of product requirements along with related quantities pursuant to which periodic commitments are given. Such estimates assist the Company in managing production and controlling use of working capital. The Company schedules its production to meet customer requirements. Because the production time for the Company’s rigid packaging products is short, any backlog of customer orders in relation to overall sales is not significant. The standard backlog in Transit Packaging’s automation, equipment and tools business, is typically not significant, however, supply chain constraints may increase the backlog from time to time.

COMPETITION

Most of the Company’s packaging products for consumer goods are sold in highly competitive markets, primarily based on price, quality, service and performance. The Company competes with other packaging manufacturers as well as with fillers, food processors and packers, some of whom manufacture containers for their own use and for sale to others. The Company’s

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competitors include, but are not limited to, Ardagh Metal Packaging, Ball Corporation, Mauser Packaging Solutions, Can-Pack S.A., Metal Container Corporation, Silgan Holdings Inc., Sonoco, and Trivium Packaging.

Transit Packaging also faces substantial competition from many regional and local competitors of various sizes in the manufacture, distribution and sale of its products. Transit Packaging differentiates itself from the competition by leveraging its global scale, broad product portfolio and established brand reputation. Transit Packaging products compete, to some extent, with various other packaging materials, including other products made of paper, plastics, wood and various types of metal.

CUSTOMERS

The Company’s largest beverage can customers consist of many of the leading manufacturers and marketers of packaged consumer products in the world, including Anheuser-Busch InBev, Coca-Cola, Heineken, Keurig Dr Pepper, Molson Coors, Pepsi-Cola and Refresco, among others. Consolidation trends among beverage marketers have led to a concentrated customer base. The Company’s top ten global customers represented in the aggregate approximately 49% of its 2022 consolidated net sales.

For the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, two customers each accounted for 12% and 11%, of the Company's consolidated net sales. For the year ended December 31, 2020 the same two customers accounted for 11% and 10%, of the Company's consolidated net sales. These customers are global beverage companies served by the Company's beverage operations in the Americas, Europe and Asia.

Each reportable segment, with the exception of Transit Packaging, has major customers and the loss of one or more of these major customers could have a material adverse effect on an individual segment or the Company as a whole. In addition to sales to Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola, the Company also supplies independent licensees of Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola.

MATERIALS AND SUPPLIERS

The Company uses various raw materials, primarily aluminum and steel, in its manufacturing operations. Transit Packaging also uses materials derived from crude oil and natural gas, such as polyethylene and polypropylene. In general, these raw materials are purchased in highly competitive, price-sensitive markets, which have historically exhibited price and demand cyclicality. These and other materials used in the manufacturing process have historically been available in adequate supply from multiple sources.

The Company has agreements for what it considers adequate supplies of raw materials. However, sufficient quantities may not be available in the future due to, among other things, shortages due to excessive demand, weather or other factors, including disruptions in supply caused by raw material transportation or production delays. From time to time, some of the raw materials have been in short supply but, to date, these shortages have not had a significant impact on the Company’s operations.

In 2022, consumption of aluminum and steel represented 44% and 9%, respectively, of consolidated cost of products sold, excluding depreciation and amortization. Due to the significance of these raw materials to the overall cost of products sold, raw material efficiency is a critical cost component of the products manufactured. Supplier consolidations, changes in ownership, government regulations, political unrest and increased demand for raw materials in the packaging and other industries, among other risk factors, could cause uncertainty as to the availability of and the level of prices at which the Company might be able to source such raw materials in the future. Moreover, the prices of aluminum and steel can be subject to significant volatility. The Company’s raw material supply contracts vary as to terms and duration, with aluminum contracts typically multi-year in duration with fluctuating prices based on aluminum ingot costs and steel contracts typically one year in duration with fixed prices or set repricing dates.

The Company generally attempts to mitigate its aluminum and steel price risk by matching its purchase obligations with its sales agreements; however, there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to fully mitigate that risk. The Company also uses commodity and foreign currency forwards in an attempt to manage its exposure to aluminum price volatility.

There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to fully recover from its customers the impact of aluminum and steel price increases or that the use of derivative instruments will effectively manage the Company’s exposure to price volatility. In addition, if the Company were unable to purchase aluminum and steel for a significant period of time, its operations would be disrupted, and if the Company were unable to fully recover the higher cost of aluminum and steel, its financial results may be adversely affected.

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As a result of continuing global supply and demand pressures, other commodity-related costs affecting the Company’s business may increase as well, including utility and freight-related costs. The Company attempts to increase prices on its products accordingly in order to recover these costs. Certain of the Company's sales contracts contain non-metal pass-through provisions that include annual selling price adjustments based on a producer price index. In certain years the referenced index may be negative, requiring the Company to reduce its selling price while its actual costs may have increased.

In response to the volatility of raw material prices, ongoing productivity and cost reduction efforts in recent years have focused on improving raw material cost management. The Company’s manufacturing facilities are dependent, in varying degrees, upon the availability of water and processed energy, such as natural gas and electricity. Certain of these may become difficult or impossible to obtain on acceptable terms due to external factors, which could increase the Company’s costs or interrupt its business.

In addition to mitigating risks around pricing, the Company maintains its commitment to upholding and evolving standards for ethics and compliance as it sources materials. Regular engagement with suppliers is ongoing to manage materials and the impact on environments and communities. The Company strives to ensure all partners meet standards for responsible supply and adhere to the formal Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. Through the Twentyby30 program, the Company has committed to sourcing standards that by 2030 require 100% of core raw materials and service suppliers, by spend, to be assessed and comply with Crown Responsible and Ethical Sourcing policies and requirements.

SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability remains a core focus of the Company’s business strategy and commitments, as the Company recognizes its critical role in corporate social responsibility and the impact of sustainability performance on economic opportunity and stakeholder relationships, including customers and employees. As a major manufacturer with operations worldwide, the Company can significantly impact industry progress by supporting important environmental and social initiatives and adopting practices that create change both within the organization and within partner relationships.

In 2020, Crown established its comprehensive Twentyby30 program, setting 20 measurable goals to be reached by 2030 or sooner. These objectives encompass all aspects of sustainability and reflect areas considered material to the Company’s business as well as areas where it can create notable impact. Structured within five core program pillars of Climate Action, Resource Efficiency, Optimum Circularity, Working Together and Never Compromise, these initiatives include efforts such as making operational improvements in energy, water and waste and elevating our focus on material use efficiency, recycling, responsible and ethical sourcing and food contact and safety.

The Company maintains a Corporate Environmental Sustainability Policy; a Human Rights Policy; a Responsible and Ethical Sourcing Policy; a Conflict Minerals Policy; and an Environmental, Health and Safety Policy. These policies serve as guidelines for all employees to adhere to as the Company works to advance its sustainability strategy.

Across Twentyby30program pillars, the Company works toward continuous improvement in product design and manufacturing practices to provide the best outcome for the environment, communities, employees and consumers, both now and in the future.

Aluminum and steel contribute to these improvements as, by nature, they are infinitely recyclable without loss of properties, meaning they can be repeatedly reused to form new consumer packaging with no degradation in performance, quality or safety. Recycling these metals offers significant savings in energy and water consumption, as well as carbon dioxide emissions. As such, the Company is collaborating with industry partners to improve recycling rates and recycled content rates. In addition, the Company is making strides in its energy and water usage on a global level, working to implement more renewable energy sources, minimize wastewater and execute water replenishment programs.

A few key, recent efforts the Company has made to be a more proactive sustainability leader include:

•In 2022, the Company co-hosted the beverage can industry’s first Global Aluminum Can Sustainability Summit, bringing together over 100 global attendees from various parts of the aluminum supply chain and facilitating important discussions aimed at driving actionable progress toward the industry’s sustainability goals.

•The Company committed to The Climate Pledge, targeting to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, a full 10 years ahead of the Paris Agreement goals.

•In 2022, Crown signed on to the United Nations (UN) Global Compact, a voluntary initiative based on CEO commitments to implement universal sustainability principles and take steps to support UN goals.

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Crown Holdings, Inc.

Socially, the Company is continuing to elevate its commitments to community engagement through more volunteer opportunities and by establishing a charitable giving program, which donates to various non-profit organizations across the regions in which it operates. Within its own workforce, the Company is prioritizing employee welfare and striving to more regularly engage its professionals to foster a more connected global team dedicated to individual and collective improvement as an organization.

As a result of its collective efforts, the Company has recently received the following recognition:

•In 2022, ESG ratings provider Sustainalytics ranked the Company as a Low ESG Risk Rating for managing ESG risk within the metal and glass packaging sub-industry.

•The Company was named to the America's Most Responsible Companies 2023 list by Newsweek.

•The Company was ranked in the top 100 companies included in Forbes’ 2021 inaugural “World’s Top Female-Friendly Companies” list.

ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS

The Company’s operations are subject to numerous laws and regulations governing the protection of the environment, disposal of waste, discharges into water, emissions into the atmosphere and the protection of employee health and safety. Future regulations may impose stricter environmental requirements on the packaging industry and may require additional capital investment. Anticipated future restrictions in some jurisdictions on the use of certain coatings may require the Company to employ additional control equipment or process modifications. There can be no assurance that current or future environmental laws or liabilities will not have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial condition, liquidity or results of operations. Discussion of the Company’s environmental matters is contained within “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of this Annual Report under the caption “Environmental Matters,” and under Note P to the consolidated financial statements.

HUMAN CAPITAL

At December 31, 2022, the Company had approximately 26,000 employees worldwide, with approximately 6,000 employed by the Americas Beverage segment, 3,500 employed by the European Beverage segment, 5,000 employed by the Asia Pacific segment, 8,000 employed by the Transit Packaging segment and 3,500 employed by Other.

A significant portion of the Company’s workforce is unionized. Collective bargaining agreements with varying terms and expiration dates cover approximately 11,400 employees. The Company did not experience any significant union-initiated work stoppages during the 2022 fiscal year and believes that its employee relations remain good. The Company does not expect that renegotiation of any collective bargaining agreements expiring in 2023 will have a material adverse effect on its consolidated results of operations, financial position or cash flow.

The Company believes that its employees are key to achieving the Company’s business goals and growth strategy. Attracting, developing and retaining the most skilled and engaged people globally is crucial to all aspects of the Company’s activities. To this end, the Company has cultivated a senior management team with extensive industry experience and highly specialized skills and has consistently re‐invested in necessary resources to effectively staff and efficiently support its businesses. It has also made efforts to fill corporate and plant roles worldwide with individuals who possess material, design and manufacturing expertise and can cultivate lasting customer relationships. To aid retention, the Company aspires to offer market rate competitive salaries for the regions in which it operates and it engages employees with professional development opportunities that both contribute to the Company’s success and maximize their personal potential. It also aims to implement a positive and inclusive work environment that prioritizes employee safety, fosters an inclusive atmosphere and creates a fulfilling career.

The Company supports the well-being of its employees and their families with a variety of physical, mental and social wellness programs. These programs differ by region, but include Company-sponsored or subsidized medical insurance over and above government provisions, annual medical, cancer and audiometry screenings, voluntary health fairs and employee mental health assistance programs to improve health and wellness. The Company has built a total safety culture that provides the framework for all health and safety initiatives across the Company and empowers employees to take a proactive role in their safety and that of their fellow employees. The Company’s focus is on behaviors and attitudes and achieving success in incident, injury and near-miss reductions.

The Company recognizes that a diverse and inclusive workforce is critical to its future business success. It has therefore integrated Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) as a dimension of its Twentyby30 sustainability program, aiming first to embed D&I

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awareness in its organizational culture. The Company believes different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives generate powerful new ideas and foster sound and sustainable decision making. The Company’s approach includes deployment of D&I training initiatives, such as psychological safety and unconscious bias trainings, and improvement of its recruitment and onboarding processes. Recruitment programs to attract diverse talent into the organization include an accelerated manufacturing program, first focused on engineering skills, which includes assignments in various businesses and countries to encourage broader thinking and a flexible mindset. This program provides an opportunity for diverse candidates to progress more quickly to higher functions within the organization. The Company continues to focus on improving gender equality and cultural diversity in the organization, including developing and empowering minorities and women through greater career opportunity and recognition.

The Company places a high value on skills management and lifelong learning opportunities that benefit both the individual employee and the whole Company. The Company provides a variety of educational opportunities, including a mix of mandatory and voluntary training programs that occur in classrooms, online or on the job. The Company also recognizes the importance of multifunctional teams and as such, management training includes international exposure and cross-divisional activity to develop common approaches and values. Talent development programs vary by region, but include leadership programs designed to support operations leadership, lean manufacturing operations and employee performance management.

The Company maintains a written Code of Business Conduct and Ethics which describes its policies with respect to, among other things, anti-corruption, protection of confidential information, and environmental, health and safety matters, as well as the Company’s commitment to ensuring that all employees are treated with respect and dignity and are able to work in an environment free from all forms of unlawful employment discrimination. The Company’s compliance teams are responsible for implementing these policies. The Company's compliance program includes a mechanism for employees to report suspected violations of Company policies on a confidential basis, including anonymous reporting where permitted by local law.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

The Company's global Research, Development & Engineering ("RD&E") Center for packaging products for consumer goods is located in Wantage, U.K. The Company utilizes its centralized corporate RD&E capabilities to advance and deliver technologies for the Company's worldwide packaging activities that (1) promote development of value-added metal packaging systems for its customers, (2) design cost-efficient manufacturing processes, systems and materials and material-efficient container designs that further the sustainability of metal packaging, (3) provide continuous quality and/or production efficiency improvements in its manufacturing facilities, (4) advance customer and supplier relationships, and (5) provide value-added engineering services and technical support. These capabilities facilitate (1) the identification of new and/or expanded market opportunities by working directly with customers to develop new packaging products or enhance existing packaging products through the application of new technologies that better differentiate customers' products in the retail environment (for example, the creation of new packaging shapes, novel decoration methods, or the addition of digital content through unique codes) and/or the incorporation of consumer-valued features (for example, improved openability and/or ease of use) and (2) the reduction of manufacturing costs by reducing the material content of the Company's products (while retaining necessary performance characteristics), reducing spoilage, and increasing operating efficiencies in manufacturing facilities. The corporate RD&E Center is also applying technical expertise to advance product design and manufacturing capabilities for the Company's Transit Packaging segment, supplementing the group's existing product developments.

The Company maintains a substantial portfolio of patents and other intellectual property ("IP") in the field of metal packaging systems and seeks strategic partnerships to extend its IP in existing and emerging markets. As a result, the Company has licensed IP in geographic regions where the Company has a limited market presence today. Existing technologies such as SuperEnd® beverage ends, 360 EndTM beverage ends, Easy-FlowTM beverage ends and can shaping have been licensed in Europe, Australia, Japan, and Africa to provide customers with global access to Crown's brand building innovations. In addition to package components, the Company maintains a legacy of innovation that features numerous industry-firsts, including launching new interactive inks, decorative and shaping techniques, new package sizes and styles and new canmaking technologies. Recent examples include the Company’s AccentsTM variable printing technology, which facilitates up to 24 different beverage can designs in a single run, and its QuantumTM debossing technology, which implements a unique golf-ball texture on food cans to prevent counterfeiting and reduce material usage by almost 13%.

Transit Packaging is also well known throughout its markets for its ability to drive product innovation and leadership in new technologies. Transit Packaging focuses on market driven innovation and has a long history of creating product and service solutions that solve problems and create value for its customers. Transit Packaging has grown its global patent portfolio to over 360 U.S. issued patents or pending patent applications and over 1,000 foreign issued patents or pending patent applications. The portfolio broadly covers about 340 customized technologies and spans diverse business platforms, as well as the different countries in which it operates.

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The Company spent $34 million in 2022, $47 million in 2021, and $48 million in 2020 in its RD&E activities. Certain of these activities are expected to improve and expand the Company's product lines in the future. These expenditures include projects to improve manufacturing efficiencies, reduce unit costs, and develop new and improved value-added packaging systems.

WORKING CAPITAL

The Company generally uses cash during the first nine months of the year to finance seasonal working capital needs. Beverage products are generally consumed in greater amounts during the warmer months and the food packaging business is somewhat seasonal with the first quarter tending to be the slowest period as the autumn packaging period in the Northern Hemisphere has ended and new crops are not yet planted. The Company’s working capital requirements are funded by cash flows from operations, revolving credit facilities and receivables securitization and factoring programs.

Further information relating to the Company’s liquidity and capital resources is set forth within “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of this Annual Report under the caption “Liquidity” and under Note M to the consolidated financial statements.

AVAILABLE INFORMATION

The Company’s website address is www.crowncork.com. Information on the Company’s website is not incorporated by reference in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and all amendments to those reports filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to sections 13(a) and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, are accessible free of charge through the Company’s website as soon as reasonably practicable after the documents are filed with, or otherwise furnished to, the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers, including the Company, that file electronically with the SEC. The public can obtain any documents that the Company files with the SEC at http://www.sec.gov.

The Company’s Sustainability Report, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, its Corporate Governance Guidelines, and the charters of its Audit, Compensation and Nominating and Corporate Governance committees are available on the Company’s website. These documents are also available in print to any shareholder who requests them. Amendments to and waivers of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics requiring disclosure under applicable SEC rules will be disclosed on the Company's website.

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

In addition to factors discussed elsewhere in this Annual Report and in "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," the following are some of the important factors that could materially and adversely affect the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.

Risks Relating to the Company's Business and Industry

The Company's profits will decline if the price of raw materials or energy rises and it cannot increase the price of its products, and the Company's financial results could be adversely affected if the Company was not able to obtain sufficient quantities of raw materials.

The Company uses various raw materials, such as aluminum, steel, tin, water, natural gas, electricity and other processed energy, as well as materials derived from crude oil and natural gas, such as polyethylene and polypropylene resins, in its manufacturing operations. Sufficient quantities of these raw materials may not be available in the future or may be available only at increased prices. In 2022, consumption of aluminum and steel represented 44% and 9% of the Company's consolidated cost of products sold, excluding depreciation and amortization. The Company's raw material supply contracts vary as to terms and duration, with aluminum contracts typically multi-year in duration with fluctuating prices based on aluminum ingot costs and steel contracts typically one year in duration with fixed prices. The availability of various raw materials and their prices depends on global and local supply and demand forces, governmental regulations (including tariffs and duties), level of production, resource availability, transportation, and other factors, including natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes, and the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, in recent years the consolidation of steel suppliers, shortage of raw materials affecting the production of steel and the increased global demand for steel, have contributed to an overall tighter supply for steel, resulting in increased steel prices and, in some cases, special surcharges and allocated cut backs of products by steel suppliers. In addition, tariffs and potential limits on steel supply in the U.S. from certain foreign countries could further

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negatively impact the Company's ability to obtain sufficient quantities of steel at competitive prices. Moreover, future steel supply contracts may provide for prices that fluctuate or adjust rather than provide a fixed price during a one-year period. As a result of continuing global supply and demand pressures, other commodity-related costs affecting the Company's business may increase as well, including natural gas, electricity and freight-related costs.

The prices of certain raw materials used by the Company, such as aluminum, steel and energy, have historically been subject to

volatility. The Company continues to manage the challenges of supply chain disruptions and increasing costs for raw materials and energy in 2022. While certain, but not all, of the Company's contracts pass through raw material costs to customers, the Company may be unable to increase its prices to offset increases in raw material costs without suffering reductions in unit volume, revenue and operating income. The Company also uses commodity forward contracts to manage its exposure to these raw material costs. The ability to mitigate inflationary risks through these measures varies by region and the impact on the results of the Company's segments for the year-ended December 31, 2022 is discussed, as applicable in "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Results of Operations."

In addition, any price increases may take effect after related cost increases, reducing operating income in the near term. Significant increases in raw material costs may increase the Company's working capital requirements, which may increase the Company's average outstanding indebtedness and interest expense and may exceed the amounts available under the Company's senior secured credit facilities and other sources of liquidity. In addition, the Company hedges raw material costs on behalf of certain customers and may suffer losses if such customers are unable to satisfy their purchase obligations.

If the Company is unable to purchase aluminum, steel, resins or other raw materials for a significant period of time, the Company's operations would be disrupted and any such disruption may adversely affect the Company's financial results. If customers believe that the Company's competitors have greater access to raw materials, perceived certainty of supply at the Company's competitors may put the Company at a competitive disadvantage with respect to pricing and product volumes.

The Company's principal markets may be subject to overcapacity and intense competition, which could reduce the Company's net sales and net income.

Beverage and food cans are standardized products, allowing for relatively little differentiation among competitors. This could lead to overcapacity and price competition among beverage and food can producers if capacity growth outpaced the growth in demand for beverage and food cans and overall manufacturing capacity exceeded demand. These market conditions could reduce product prices and contribute to declining revenue and net income. Competitive pricing pressures, overcapacity, the failure to develop new product designs and technologies for products, as well as other factors, such as consolidation among the Company's competitors, could cause the Company to lose existing business or opportunities to generate new business and could result in decreased cash flow and net income.

The Company is subject to competition from substitute products and decreases in demand for its products, which could result in lower profits and reduced cash flows.

The Company is subject to substantial competition from producers of alternative packaging made from glass, paper, flexible materials and plastic. The Company's sales depend heavily on the volumes of sales by the Company's customers in the beverage and food markets. Changes in preferences for products and packaging by consumers of beverage cans and prepackaged food cans significantly influence the Company's sales. Changes in packaging by the Company's customers may require the Company to re-tool manufacturing operations, which could require material expenditures. In addition, a decrease in the costs of, or a further increase in consumer demand for, alternative packaging could result in lower profits and reduced cash flows for the Company. For example, increases in the price of aluminum and steel and decreases in the price of plastic resin, which is a petrochemical product and may fluctuate with prices in the oil and gas market, may increase substitution of plastic food and beverage containers for metal containers, or increases in the price of steel may increase substitution of aluminum packaging for aerosol products. Moreover, due to its high percentage of fixed costs, the Company may be unable to maintain its gross margin at past levels if it is not able to achieve high capacity utilization rates for its production equipment. In periods of low worldwide demand for its products or in situations where industry expansion creates excess capacity, the Company experiences relatively low capacity utilization rates in its operations, which can lead to reduced margins and can have an adverse effect on the Company's business.

The Company's business results depend on its ability to understand its customers' specific preferences and requirements, and to develop, manufacture and market products that meet customer demand.

The Company's ability to develop new product offerings for a diverse group of global customers with differing preferences, while maintaining functionality and spurring innovation, is critical to its success. This requires a thorough understanding of the

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Company's existing and potential customers on a global basis, particularly in developing markets and areas, such as the Middle East, South America, Eastern Europe and Asia. Failure to deliver quality products that meet customer needs ahead of competitors could have a significant adverse effect on the Company's business.

Loss of third-party transportation providers upon whom the Company depends or increases in fuel prices could increase the Company's costs or cause a disruption in the Company's operations.

The Company depends generally upon third-party transportation providers for delivery of products to customers. Strikes, slowdowns, transportation disruptions or other conditions in the transportation industry, including, but not limited to, shortages of truck drivers, disruptions in rail service, decreases in the availability of vessels or increases in fuel prices, could increase the Company's costs and disrupt Company’s operations and its ability to service customers on a timely basis or cost-effective basis.

The Company's business is seasonal and weather conditions could reduce the Company's net sales.

The Company manufactures metal and glass packaging primarily for the beverage and food can market. Its sales can be affected by weather conditions. Due principally to the seasonal nature of the soft drink, brewing, iced tea and other beverage industries, in which demand is stronger during the summer months, sales of the Company's products have historically varied and are expected to continue to vary by quarter and by region. Unseasonably cool weather can reduce consumer demand for certain beverages packaged in the Company's containers. In addition, poor weather conditions that reduce crop yields of packaged foods can decrease customer demand for its food containers.

The Company has a significant amount of goodwill that, if impaired in the future, would result in lower reported net income and a reduction of its net worth.

Impairment of the Company's goodwill would require a write down of goodwill, which would reduce the Company's net income in the period of any such write down. At December 31, 2022, the carrying value of the Company's goodwill was $3.0 billion. The Company is required to evaluate goodwill reflected on its balance sheet at least annually or when circumstances indicate a potential impairment. If it determines that the goodwill is impaired, the Company would be required to write off a portion or all of the goodwill.

A significant portion of the Company's workforce is unionized and labor disruptions could increase the Company's costs and prevent the Company from supplying its customers.

A significant portion of the Company's workforce is unionized, and a prolonged work stoppage or strike at any facility with unionized employees could increase costs and prevent the Company from supplying its customers. In addition, upon the expiration of existing collective bargaining agreements, the Company may not reach new agreements without union or works council action in certain jurisdictions, and any such new agreements may not be on terms satisfactory to the Company. If the Company is unable to negotiate acceptable collective bargaining agreements, it may become subject to union-initiated work stoppages, including strikes. Moreover, additional groups of currently non-unionized employees may seek union or works council representation in the future.

Failure by the Company's joint venture partners to observe their obligations could adversely affect the business and operations of the joint ventures and, in turn, the business and operations of the Company.

A portion of the Company's operations, including certain beverage can operations in Asia, the Middle East and South America, is conducted through joint ventures. The Company participates in these ventures with third parties. In the event that the Company's joint venture partners do not observe their obligations or are unable to commit additional capital to the joint ventures, it is possible that the affected joint venture would not be able to operate in accordance with its business plans or that the Company would have to increase its level of commitment to the joint venture.

The loss of the Company's intellectual property rights may negatively impact its ability to compete.

If the Company is unable to maintain the proprietary nature of its technologies, its competitors may use its technologies to compete with it. The Company has a number of patents covering various aspects of its products, including its SuperEnd® beverage can end, whose primary patent expired in 2016 and IdealTM product line. The Company's patents may not withstand challenge in litigation, and patents do not ensure that competitors will not develop competing products or infringe upon the Company's patents. Moreover, the costs of litigation to defend the Company's patents could be substantial and may outweigh the benefits of enforcing its rights under its patents. The Company markets its products internationally, and the patent laws of foreign countries may offer less protection than the patent laws of the U.S. Not all of the Company's domestic patents have

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been registered in other countries. The Company also relies on trade secrets, know-how and other unpatented proprietary technology, and others may independently develop the same or similar technology or otherwise obtain access to the Company's unpatented technology. In addition, the Company has from time to time received letters from third parties suggesting that it may be infringing on their intellectual property rights, and third parties may bring infringement suits against the Company, which could result in the Company needing to seek licenses from these third parties or refraining altogether from use of the claimed technology.

Risks Relating to the Company's International Operations

The Company's international operations, which generated approximately 63% of its consolidated net sales in 2022, are subject to various risks that may lead to decreases in its financial results, particularly in the case of the Company's operations in emerging markets.

The Company is an international company, and the risks associated with operating in non-U.S. jurisdictions, and with operating and seeking to expand business in a number of different regions and countries generally, exposes the Company to potentially conflicting cultural practices, business practices and legal and regulatory requirements and may have a negative impact on the Company’s liquidity and net income. The Company's international operations generated approximately 63% of its consolidated net sales in the years ended 2022 and 2021 and 64% of its consolidated net sales in the year ended 2020. In addition, the Company’s business strategy includes continued expansion of international activities, including within developing markets and areas, such as the Middle East, South America, Eastern Europe and Asia, that may pose political and economic volatility and instability, greater vulnerability to infrastructure and labor disruptions and differing local customer product preferences and requirements than the Company’s other markets. The Company’s expansion efforts may also use capital and other resources of the Company that could be invested in other areas. Further, if a downturn in economic conditions ultimately leads to a significant devaluation of a foreign currency such as the euro, the value of any financial assets that are denominated in that currency may be reduced when translated to U.S. dollars for financial reporting purposes. Any of these conditions could ultimately harm the Company’s overall business, prospects, operating results, financial condition and cash flows.

Emerging markets are a focus of the Company’s international growth strategy, and the Company’s success in developing market share and operating profitably in these markets is critical to the Company’s growth. The developing nature of these markets and the nature of the Company’s international operations generally are subject to various risks, including:

•foreign governments' restrictive trade policies;

•conflicting regulation (including with respect to product labelling, privacy, data protection and advanced technologies) and policy changes by foreign agencies or governments;

•duties, taxes or government royalties, including the imposition or increase of withholding and other taxes on remittances and other payments by non-U.S. subsidiaries;

•customs, import/export control and other trade compliance regulations;

•foreign exchange rate risks and exchange controls;

•difficulty in collecting international accounts receivable and potentially longer payment cycles;

•increased costs in maintaining international manufacturing and marketing efforts;

•non-tariff barriers and higher duty rates;

•difficulties associated with expatriating or repatriating cash generated or held abroad in a tax-efficient manner;

•changes in tax laws and regulations;

•difficulties in enforcing contractual obligations and intellectual property rights and difficulties in protecting intellectual property or sensitive commercial and operations data or information technology systems generally;

•national and regional labor strikes and work stoppages;

•geographic, language and cultural differences between personnel in different areas of the world;

•high social benefit costs for labor, including costs associated with restructurings;

•civil unrest or political, social, legal and economic instability;

•product boycotts, including with respect to the products of the Company's multi-national customers;

•customer, supplier, and investor concerns regarding operations in areas such as the Middle East;

•taking of property by nationalization or expropriation without fair compensation;

•imposition of limitations on conversions of foreign currencies into dollars or payment of dividends and other payments by non-U.S. subsidiaries;

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Crown Holdings, Inc.

•hyperinflation and currency devaluation in any country where such currency devaluation could affect the amount of cash generated by operations in that country and thereby affect the Company's ability to satisfy its obligations;

•geographical concentration of the Company’s factories and operations and regional shifts in its customer base;

•war (such as the ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine), civil disturbance, global or regional catastrophic events, natural disasters, and acts of terrorism;

•epidemics, pandemics, and other disease outbreaks and health crises (such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic);

•the complexity of managing global operations; and

•compliance with applicable anti-corruption, anti-bribery laws and anti-money laundering laws and sanctions.

As emerging geographic markets become more important to the Company, its competitors are also seeking to expand their production capacities and sales in these same markets, which may lead to industry overcapacity that could adversely affect pricing, volumes and financial results in such markets. Although the Company is taking measures to adapt to these changing circumstances, the Company’s reputation and/or business results could be negatively affected should these efforts prove unsuccessful. Furthermore, the continuing and accelerating globalization of businesses in emerging markets and elsewhere could significantly change the dynamics of the Company’s competition, customer base and product offerings, which could adversely affect the Company’s financial position.

The Company is subject to the effects of fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, which may reduce its net sales and cash flow.

The Company is exposed to fluctuations in foreign currencies as a significant portion of its consolidated net sales, costs, assets and liabilities, are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. The Company's international operations generated approximately 63% of its consolidated net sales in the years ended 2022 and 2021 and 64% of its consolidated net sales in the year ended 2020. Volatility in exchange rates may increase the costs of the Company's products, impair the purchasing power of its customers in different markets, result in significant competitive benefit to certain of its competitors who incur a material part of their costs in other currencies than it does, increase its hedging costs, and limit its ability to hedge exchange rate exposure. In its consolidated financial statements, the Company translates local currency financial results into U.S. dollars based on average exchange rates prevailing during a reporting period. During times of a strengthening U.S. dollar, its reported international revenue and earnings will be reduced because the local currency will translate into fewer U.S. dollars. Conversely, a weakening U.S. dollar will effectively increase the dollar-equivalent of the Company's expenses and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies. See “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations-Liquidity and Capital Resources-Market Risk” and "Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure about Market Risk" in this Annual Report. Although the Company may use financial instruments such as foreign currency forwards from time to time to reduce its exposure to currency exchange rate fluctuations in some cases, it may not elect or have the ability to implement hedges or, if it does implement them, there can be no assurance that such agreements will achieve the desired effect.

For the year-ended December 31, 2022, a 0.10 movement in the average euro rate would have reduced net income by approximately $5 million.

The departure of the U.K. from the European Union could adversely affect the Company.

The U.K. ceased to be a member of the European Union (“E.U.”) on January 31, 2020, and the applicable transition period ended on December 31, 2020 (such departure commonly referred to as “Brexit”). The U.K. is also no longer part of the European Economic Area.

Continuing legal, political and economic uncertainty following Brexit may be a source of instability in international markets, create significant currency fluctuations, and adversely affect current trading and supply arrangements. Disruptions in trade as a consequence of Brexit could adversely impact the Company’s UK operations. On December 24, 2020, the U.K. and the E.U. agreed to a trade and cooperation agreement (the “Trade and Cooperation Agreement”), which took effect on January 1, 2021 and provided for, among other things, zero-rate tariffs and zero quotas on the movement of goods between the U.K. and the E.U. The long-term effects of Brexit will depend on the implementation of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and any future agreements (or lack thereof) between the U.K. and the E.U. and, in particular, any potential changes in the arrangements for the U.K. to retain access to E.U. markets. Brexit could result in adverse economic effects across the U.K. and Europe, which could, in turn, adversely affect the Company’s business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

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Crown Holdings, Inc.

Risks Relating to the Company's Indebtedness and Liquidity

The substantial indebtedness of the Company could prevent it from fulfilling its obligations under its debt agreements.

The Company has substantial outstanding indebtedness. As a result of the Company's substantial indebtedness, a significant portion of the Company's cash flow will be required to pay interest and principal on its outstanding indebtedness, and the Company may not generate sufficient cash flow from operations, or have future borrowings available under its senior secured credit facilities, to enable it to repay its indebtedness or to fund other liquidity needs. As of December 31, 2022, the Company and its subsidiaries had approximately $7.0 billion of indebtedness, excluding unamortized discounts and debt issuance costs.

The Company’s current sources of liquidity includes a securitization facility with a program limit up to a maximum of $700 million that expires in July 2023, a securitization facility with a program limit of $200 million that expires in December 2023, and a securitization facility with a program limit of $160 million that expires in November 2025. Additional sources of the Company's liquidity include borrowings under its $1,650 million revolving credit facilities that mature in August 2027.

The Company's indebtedness includes its €600 million ($642 million at December 31, 2022) 2.625% senior notes due in September 2024; its €600 million ($642 million at December 31, 2022) 3.375% senior notes due in May 2025; its $875 million 4.75% senior notes due in February 2026; its €500 million ($536 million at December 31, 2022) 2.875% senior notes due in February 2026; its $400 million 4.25% senior notes due in September 2026; its $350 million 7.375% senior notes due in December 2026; its $500 million 5.25% senior notes due in August 2030; its $40 million 7.5% senior notes due in December 2096; and its $242 million of other indebtedness in various currencies due at various dates through 2027. In addition, the Company’s term loan facilities mature as follows: $30 million in 2023, $60 million in 2024, $89 million in 2025, $119 million in 2026 and $2,080 million in 2027.

The substantial indebtedness of the Company could:

•increase the Company's vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions, including rising interest rates;

•restrict the Company from making strategic acquisitions or exploiting business opportunities, including any planned expansion in emerging markets;

•limit the Company's ability to make capital expenditures both domestically and internationally in order to grow the Company's business or maintain manufacturing plants in good working order and repair;

•limit, along with the financial and other restrictive covenants under the Company's debt agreements, the Company's ability to obtain additional financing, dispose of assets or pay cash dividends;

•require the Company to dedicate a substantial portion of its cash flow from operations to service its indebtedness, thereby reducing the availability of its cash flow to fund future working capital, capital expenditures, research and development expenditures and other general corporate requirements;

•require the Company to sell assets used in its business;

•limit the Company's ability to refinance its existing indebtedness, particularly during periods of adverse credit market conditions when refinancing indebtedness may not be available under interest rates and other terms acceptable to the Company or at all;

•increase the Company's cost of borrowing;

•limit the Company's flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in its business and the industry in which it operates; and

•place the Company at a competitive disadvantage compared to its competitors that have less debt.

If its financial condition, operating results and liquidity deteriorate, the Company's creditors may restrict its ability to obtain future financing and its suppliers could require prepayment or cash on delivery rather than extend credit, which could further diminish the Company's ability to generate cash flows from operations sufficient to service its debt obligations. In addition, the Company's ability to make payments on and refinance its debt and to fund its operations will depend on the Company's ability to generate cash in the future.

Some of the Company's indebtedness is subject to floating interest rates, which would result in the Company's interest expense increasing if interest rates rise.

As of December 31, 2022, approximately $2.8 billion of the Company's $7.0 billion of total indebtedness and other outstanding obligations and $1.3 billion of securitization and factoring programs were subject to floating interest rates. Changes in

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Crown Holdings, Inc.

economic conditions could result in higher interest rates, thereby increasing the Company's interest expense and reducing funds available for operations or other purposes. The Company's annual interest expense was $284 million, $253 million and $290 million for 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Based on the amount of variable rate debt outstanding and securitization and factoring at December 31, 2022, a 0.25% increase in variable interest rates would increase its annual interest expense by approximately $10 million before tax. Accordingly, the Company may experience economic losses and a negative impact on earnings as a result of interest rate fluctuation. The actual effect of a 0.25% increase in these floating interest rates could be more than $10 million as the Company’s average borrowings on its variable rate debt and securitization and factoring may be higher during the year than the amount at December 31, 2022. Although the Company may use interest rate protection agreements from time to time to reduce its exposure to interest rate fluctuations in some cases, it may not elect or have the ability to implement hedges or, if it does implement them, there can be no assurance that such agreements will achieve the desired effect. See “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations-Liquidity and Capital Resources-Market Risk” and “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk” in this Annual Report.

Restrictive covenants in the debt agreements governing the Company's current or future indebtedness could restrict the Company's operating flexibility.

The indentures and agreements governing the Company's senior secured credit facilities and outstanding notes contain affirmative and negative covenants that limit the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries to take certain actions. These restrictions may limit the Company's ability to operate its business and may prohibit or limit its ability to enhance its operations or take advantage of potential business opportunities as they arise. The Company's senior secured credit facilities require the Company to maintain specified financial ratios and satisfy other financial conditions. The agreements or indentures governing the Company's senior secured credit facilities and certain of its outstanding notes restrict, among other things, the ability of the Company and the ability of all or substantially all of its subsidiaries to:

•incur additional debt;

•pay dividends or make other distributions, repurchase capital stock, repurchase subordinated debt and make certain investments or loans;

•create liens and engage in sale and leaseback transactions;

•create restrictions on the payment of dividends and other amounts to the Company from subsidiaries;

•make loans, investments and capital expenditures;

•change accounting treatment and reporting practices;

•enter into agreements restricting the ability of a subsidiary to pay dividends to, make or repay loans to, transfer property to, or guarantee indebtedness of, the Company or any of its subsidiaries;

•sell or acquire assets, enter into leaseback transactions and merge or consolidate with or into other companies; and

•engage in transactions with affiliates.

In addition, the indentures and agreements governing the Company's senior secured credit facilities and certain of its outstanding notes limit, among other things, the ability of the Company to enter into certain transactions, such as mergers, consolidations, joint ventures, asset sales, sale and leaseback transactions and the pledging of assets.

The breach of any of these covenants by the Company or the failure by the Company to maintain any of these ratios or meet any of these conditions could result in a default under any or all of such indebtedness. If a default occurs under any such indebtedness, all of the outstanding obligations thereunder could become immediately due and payable, which could result in a default under the Company's other outstanding debt and could lead to an acceleration of obligations related to the Company's senior secured credit facilities, outstanding notes and other outstanding debt. The ability of the Company to comply with these covenants and the covenants in agreements it may enter into in the future can be affected by events beyond its control and, therefore, it may be unable to satisfy its obligations under its debt agreements.

Notwithstanding the Company's current indebtedness levels and restrictive covenants, the Company may still be able to incur substantial additional debt or make certain restricted payments, which could exacerbate the risks described above.

The Company may be able to incur additional debt in the future, including in connection with acquisitions or joint ventures. Although the Company's senior secured credit facilities and indentures governing certain of its outstanding notes contain restrictions on the Company's ability to incur indebtedness, those restrictions are subject to a number of exceptions, and, under certain circumstances, indebtedness incurred in compliance with these restrictions could be substantial. The Company may also consider investments in joint ventures or acquisitions or increased capital expenditures, which may increase the Company's

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Crown Holdings, Inc.

indebtedness. Moreover, although the Company's senior secured credit facilities and indentures governing certain of its outstanding notes contain restrictions on the Company’s ability to make restricted payments, including the declaration and payment of dividends and the repurchase of the Company’s common stock, the Company is able to make such restricted payments under certain circumstances which may increase indebtedness. Adding new debt to current debt levels or making otherwise restricted payments could intensify the related risks that the Company and its subsidiaries now face.

The Company's senior secured credit facilities provide that certain change of control events constitute an event of default. In the event of a change of control, the Company may not be able to satisfy all of its obligations under the senior secured credit facilities or other indebtedness.

The Company may not have sufficient assets or be able to obtain sufficient third-party financing on favorable terms to satisfy all of its obligations under the Company's senior secured credit facilities or other indebtedness in the event of a change of control. The Company's senior secured credit facilities provide that certain change of control events constitute an event of default under the senior secured credit facilities. Such an event of default entitles the lenders thereunder to, among other things, cause all outstanding debt obligations under the senior secured credit facilities to become due and payable and to proceed against the collateral securing the senior secured credit facilities. Any event of default or acceleration of the senior secured credit facilities will likely also cause a default under the terms of other indebtedness of the Company. In addition, the indentures governing certain of the Company's outstanding notes require that the Company offer to repurchase the notes at an offer price of 101% of principal upon certain change of control repurchase events.

The Company is subject to certain restrictions that may limit its ability to make payments on its debt out of the cash reserves shown on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

The ability of the Company's subsidiaries and joint ventures to pay dividends, make distributions, provide loans or make other payments to the Company may be restricted by applicable state and foreign laws, potentially adverse tax consequences and their agreements, including agreements governing their debt. In addition, the equity interests of the Company's joint venture partners or other shareholders in the Company's non-wholly owned subsidiaries in any dividend or other distribution made by these entities would need to be satisfied on a proportionate basis with the Company. As a result, the Company may not be able to access a portion of its cash flow to service the Company's debt.

The Company has significant pension plan obligations worldwide and significant unfunded postretirement obligations, which could reduce its cash flow and negatively impact its results of operations and its financial condition.

The Company sponsors various pension plans worldwide, with the largest funded plans in the U.S. and Canada. In 2022, 2021 and 2020, the Company contributed $24 million, $236 million, and $27 million to its pension plans. The 2021 contribution included a $216 million contribution to its U.K. pension plan in advance of full settlement of the plan's obligations. Pension expense was $25 million and is expected to be $56 million in 2023, using foreign currency exchange rates in effect at December 31, 2022. A 0.50% change in the 2023 expected rate of return assumptions would change 2023 pension expense by approximately $6 million. A 0.50% change in the discount rates assumptions as of December 31, 2022 would change 2023 pension expense by approximately $3 million. The Company may be required to accelerate the timing of its contributions under its pension plans. The actual impact of any accelerated funding will depend upon the interest rates required for determining the plan liabilities and the investment performance of plan assets. An acceleration in the timing of pension plan contributions could decrease the Company's cash available to pay its outstanding obligations and its net income and increase the Company's outstanding indebtedness.

Based on current assumptions, the Company expects to make pension contributions of $16 million in 2023, $51 million in 2024, $52 million in 2025, $53 million in 2026 and $44 million in 2027. Future changes in the factors used to determine pension contributions, including investment performance of plan assets, could have a significant impact on the Company’s future contributions and its cash flow available for debt reduction, capital expenditures or other purposes.

The difference between pension plan obligations and assets, or the funded status of the plans, significantly affects the net periodic benefit costs of the Company's pension plans and the ongoing funding requirements of those plans. Among other factors, significant volatility in the equity markets and in the value of illiquid alternative investments, changes in discount rates, investment returns and the market value of plan assets can substantially increase the Company's future pension plan funding requirements and could have a negative impact on the Company's results of operations and profitability. See Note R to the Company's audited consolidated financial statements in this Annual Report. As long as the Company continues to maintain its various pension plans, the Company will continue to incur additional pension obligations. The Company's pension plan assets consist primarily of common stocks and fixed income securities and also include alternative investments such as interests in private equity and hedge funds. If the performance of plan assets does not meet the Company's assumptions or discount rates

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decline, the underfunding of the pension plans may increase and the Company may have to contribute additional funds to the pension plans, and the Company's pension expense may increase. In addition, certain of the Company's pension and postretirement plans are unfunded.

The Company's U.S. funded pension plan is subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, or ERISA. Under ERISA, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, or PBGC, has the authority to terminate an underfunded plan under certain circumstances. In the event its U.S. pension plan is terminated for any reason while the plan is underfunded, the Company will incur a liability to the PBGC that may be equal to the entire amount of the underfunding, which under certain circumstances may be senior to the Company's outstanding notes. In addition, as of December 31, 2022 the unfunded accumulated postretirement benefit obligation, as calculated in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, for retiree medical benefits was approximately $108 million, based on assumptions set forth under Note R to the Company's audited consolidated financial statements in this Annual Report.

Risks Relating to Litigation and Regulatory Matters

The Company is subject to litigation risks which could negatively impact its operations and net income.

The Company is subject to various lawsuits and claims with respect to matters such as governmental, environmental and employee benefits laws and regulations, securities, labor, and actions arising out of the normal course of business, in addition to asbestos-related litigation described under the risk factor titled “Pending and future asbestos litigation and payments to settle asbestos-related claims could reduce the Company's cash flow and negatively impact its financial condition.” The Company is currently unable to determine the total expense or possible loss, if any, that may ultimately be incurred in the resolution of such legal proceedings. Regardless of the ultimate outcome of such legal proceedings, they could result in significant diversion of time by the Company's management. The results of the Company's pending legal proceedings, including any potential settlements, are uncertain and the outcome of these disputes may decrease its cash available for operations and investment, restrict its operations or otherwise negatively impact its business, operating results, financial condition and cash flow.

In March 2015, the Bundeskartellamt, or German Federal Cartel Office (“FCO”), conducted unannounced inspections of the premises of several metal packaging manufacturers, including a German subsidiary of the Company. The local court order authorizing the inspection cited FCO suspicions of anti-competitive agreements in the German market for the supply of metal packaging products. The Company conducted an internal investigation into the matter and discovered instances of inappropriate conduct by certain employees of German subsidiaries of the Company. The Company cooperated with the FCO and submitted a leniency application with the FCO which disclosed the findings of its internal investigation to date. In April 2018, the FCO discontinued its national investigation and referred the matter to the European Commission (the “Commission”). Following the referral, Commission officials conducted unannounced inspections of the premises of several metal packaging manufacturers, including Company subsidiaries in Germany, France and the U.K. The Company cooperated with the Commission and submitted a leniency application with the Commission with respect to the findings of its internal investigation in Germany. In July 2022, the Company reached a settlement with the Commission relating to the Commission’s investigation, pursuant to which the Company agreed to pay a fine in the amount of €8 million. Fining decisions based on settlements can be appealed under EU law. The Company is seeking annulment of the Commission’s fining decision on the basis that the referral of the case from the FCO to the Commission was unjustified. There can be no assurance regarding the outcome of such appeal.

On October 7, 2021, the French Autorité de la concurrence (the French Competition Authority or “FCA”) issued a statement of objections to 14 trade associations, one public entity and 101 legal entities from 28 corporate groups, including the Company, certain of its subsidiaries, other leading metal can manufacturers, certain can fillers and certain retailers in France. The FCA alleged violations of Articles 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and L.420-1 of the French Commercial Code. The statement of objections alleges, among other things, anti-competitive behavior in connection with the removal of bisphenol-A from metal packaging in France. The removal of bisphenol-A was mandated by French legislation that went into effect in 2015. If the FCA finds that the Company or its subsidiaries violated competition law, the FCA may levy fines. Proceedings with respect to this matter are ongoing and the Company is unable to predict the ultimate outcome including the amount of fines, if any, that may be levied by the FCA. The Company intends to vigorously defend against the allegations in the statement of objections.

Pending and future asbestos litigation and payments to settle asbestos-related claims could reduce the Company's cash flow and negatively impact its financial condition.

Crown Cork & Seal Company, Inc. (Crown Cork), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, is one of many defendants in a substantial number of lawsuits filed throughout the United States by persons alleging bodily injury as a result of exposure to asbestos. In 1963, Crown Cork acquired a subsidiary that had two operating businesses, one of which is alleged to have

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manufactured asbestos-containing insulation products. Crown Cork believes that the business ceased manufacturing such products in 1963.

As of December 31, 2022, Crown Cork's accrual for pending and future asbestos-related claims and related legal costs was $220 million, including $178 million for unasserted claims. The Company determines its accrual without limitation to a specific time period. Assumptions underlying the accrual include that claims for exposure to asbestos that occurred after the sale of the subsidiary's insulation business in 1964 would not be entitled to settlement payouts and that state statutes described under Note O to the Company's audited consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report, including Texas and Pennsylvania statutes, are expected to have a highly favorable impact on Crown Cork's ability to settle or defend against asbestos-related claims in those states and other states where Pennsylvania law may apply.

During the year ended December 31, 2022, Crown Cork received approximately 1,500 new claims, settled or dismissed approximately 1,000 claims, and had approximately 57,500 claims outstanding at the end of the period. Of the Company's outstanding claims, approximately 17,000 claims relate to claimants alleging first exposure to asbestos after 1964 and approximately 40,500 relate to claimants alleging first exposure to asbestos before or during 1964, of which approximately 13,000 were filed in Texas, 1,500 were filed in Pennsylvania, 6,000 were filed in other states that have enacted asbestos legislation and 20,000 were filed in other states. The outstanding claims at December 31, 2022 also exclude approximately 19,000 inactive claims, as well as claims in Texas filed after June 11, 2003. Due to the passage of time, the Company considers it unlikely that the plaintiffs in these cases will pursue further action. The exclusion of these inactive claims had no effect on the calculation of the Company's accrual as the claims were filed in states where the Company's liability is limited by statute. The Company devotes significant time and expense to defend against these various claims, complaints and proceedings, and there can be no assurance that the expenses or distractions from operating the Company's business arising from these defenses will not increase materially.

Crown Cork made cash payments of $21 million, $19 million and $21 million in 2022, 2021 and 2020 to settle asbestos claims and pay related legal and defense costs. These payments and any such future payments will reduce the cash flow available to Crown Cork for its business operations and debt payments.

Asbestos-related payments including defense costs may be significantly higher than those estimated by Crown Cork because the outcome of this type of litigation (and, therefore, Crown Cork's reserve) is subject to a number of assumptions and uncertainties, such as the number or size of asbestos-related claims or settlements, the number of financially viable responsible parties, the extent to which state statutes relating to asbestos liability are upheld and/or applied by the courts, Crown Cork's ability to obtain resolution without payment of asbestos-related claims by persons alleging first exposure to asbestos after 1964, and the potential impact of any pending or future asbestos-related legislation. Accordingly, Crown Cork may be required to make payments for claims substantially in excess of its accrual, which could reduce the Company's cash flow and impair its ability to satisfy its obligations. Further information regarding Crown's Cork's asbestos-related liabilities is presented within “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” under the headings, “Provision for Asbestos” and “Critical Accounting Policies” and under Note O to the Company's audited consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report.

The Company is subject to costs and liabilities related to stringent environmental and health and safety standards.

Laws and regulations relating to environmental protection and health and safety may increase the Company’s costs of operating and reduce its profitability. The Company’s operations are subject to numerous U.S. federal and state and non-U.S. laws and regulations governing the protection of the environment, including those relating to operating permits, treatment, storage and disposal of waste, the use of chemicals in the Company’s products and manufacturing process, discharges into water, emissions into the atmosphere, remediation of soil and groundwater contamination and protection of employee health and safety. Future regulations may impose stricter environmental or employee safety requirements affecting the Company’s operations or may impose additional requirements regarding consumer health and safety, such as potential restrictions on the use of bisphenol-A, a starting material used to produce internal and external coatings for some food, beverage, and aerosol containers and metal closures. The European Union and Canada have banned the use of bisphenol-A in baby bottles, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") has considered adding bisphenol-A, which it has described as a potential reproductive, developmental, and systemic toxicant, to the chemical concern list and using its Design for the Environment program to encourage reductions in bisphenol-A manufacturing and use. Certain other nations, including Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, Canada and France, have implemented or considered implementing legislation restricting the use of bisphenol-A, including imposing product labeling requirements or restrictions on the importation and placement in the market of packaging and utensils containing bisphenol-A, and the European Food Safety Authority has recommended that the tolerable daily intake of bisphenol-A be lowered. Domestic and international, federal, state, municipal or other regulatory authorities could further restrict or prohibit the use of bisphenol-A in the future. In addition, public reports, litigation and other allegations regarding the

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potential health hazards of bisphenol-A could contribute to a perceived safety risk about the Company’s products and adversely impact sales or otherwise disrupt the Company’s business. While the Company is exploring various alternatives to the use of bisphenol-A and conversion to alternatives is underway in some applications, there can be no assurance the Company will be completely successful in its efforts or that the alternatives will not be more costly to the Company.

Also, for example, future restrictions in some jurisdictions on air emissions of volatile organic compounds and the use of certain paint and lacquering ingredients may require the Company to employ additional control equipment or process modifications. The Company’s operations and properties, both in the U.S. and abroad, must comply with these laws and regulations. In addition, a number of governmental authorities in the U.S. and abroad have introduced or are contemplating enacting legal requirements, including emissions limitations, cap and trade systems or mandated changes in energy consumption, in response to the potential impacts of climate change. Given the wide range of potential future climate change regulations in the jurisdictions in which the Company operates, the potential impact of both climate change and climate change regulation is uncertain.

Climate change and evolving laws, regulations and market trends in response to climate change could adversely affect the business and operations of the Company.

The Company may incur significant costs and experience operational disruptions as a result of increases in the frequency, severity or duration of severe weather events caused by climate change (including thunderstorms, hurricanes, blizzards, wildfires, flooding, typhoons and tornados), and may incur additional costs to prepare for, respond to and mitigate the effects of climate change. Furthermore, in the event that severe weather events, temperature shifts, or coastline changes resulting from climate change adversely impact crop yields for fruits and vegetables, our customers’ demand for our products may be reduced due to customers’ inability to make products that require packaging in the first instance. The Company is not able to accurately predict the materiality of any potential losses or costs associated with the effects of climate change. The impact of climate change may also vary by geographic location and other circumstances, including weather patterns and any impact to natural resources such as water.

A number of governmental authorities both in the U.S. and abroad also have enacted, or are considering, legal requirements relating to environmental conservation and sustainability, energy efficiency deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, climate change and product stewardship, including mandating recycling, the use of recycled materials and/or limitations on certain kinds of packaging materials such as plastics. In addition, some companies with packaging needs have responded to such developments, and/or to perceived environmental concerns of consumers, by using containers made in whole or in part of recycled materials. Such developments may reduce the demand for some of the Company's products, and/or increase its costs.

The Company may experience significant negative effects to its business as a result of new federal, state or local taxes, increases to current taxes or other governmental regulations specifically targeted to decrease the consumption of certain types of beverages.

Public health and government officials have become increasingly concerned about the health consequences associated with over-consumption of certain types of beverages, such as sugar-sweetened beverages and including those sold by certain of the Company's significant customers. Possible new federal, state or local taxes, increases to current taxes or other governmental regulations specifically targeted to decrease the consumption of these beverages may significantly reduce demand for the beverages of the Company's customers, which could in turn affect demand of the Company's customers for the Company's products. For example, taxes on certain sugar-sweetened beverages and/or energy drinks have been enacted in France, the U.K., Poland, Portugal, Hungary, India and Saudi Arabia. Some state and local governments are also considering similar taxes, and several U.S. cities, including in California, Pennsylvania and Colorado, have enacted taxes on certain sugar-sweetened beverages. The imposition of such taxes may decrease the demand for certain soft drinks and beverages that the Company's customers produce, which may cause the Company's customers to respond by decreasing their purchases from the Company. Consumer tax legislation and future attempts to tax sugar-sweetened or energy drinks by other jurisdictions could reduce the demand for the Company's products and materially adversely affect the Company's business and financial results.

Demand for the Company's products could be affected by changes in laws and regulations applicable to food and beverages and changes in consumer preferences.

The Company manufactures and sells metal and glass packaging primarily for the beverage and food can market. As a result, many of the Company's products come into direct contact with beverages and food. Accordingly, the Company's products must comply with various laws and regulations for beverages and food applicable to its customers. Changes in such laws and regulations, such as the sugary-drink taxes discussed above, could negatively impact customers' demand for the Company's products as they comply with such changes and/or require the Company to make changes to its products. Such changes to the

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Company's products could include modifications to the coatings and compounds that the Company uses, possibly resulting in the incurrence of additional costs. Additionally, because many of the Company's products are used to package consumer goods, the Company is subject to a variety of risks that could influence consumer behavior and negatively impact demand for the Company's products, including changes in consumer preferences driven by various health-related concerns and perceptions.

Changes in accounting standards, taxation requirements and other law could negatively affect the Company's financial results.

New accounting standards or pronouncements that may become applicable to the Company from time to time, or changes in the interpretation of existing standards and pronouncements, could have a significant effect on the Company's reported results for the affected periods. The Company is also subject to income tax in the numerous jurisdictions in which the Company operates. Increases in income tax rates or other changes to tax laws could reduce the Company's after-tax income from affected jurisdictions or otherwise affect the Company's tax liability.

In addition, the Company's products are subject to import and excise duties and/or sales or value-added taxes in many jurisdictions in which it operates. Increases in indirect taxes could affect the Company's products' affordability and therefore reduce demand for its products.

General Risk Factors

The loss of a major customer and/or customer consolidation could reduce the Company's net sales and profitability.

Many of the Company's largest customers have acquired companies with similar or complementary product lines. This consolidation has increased the concentration of the Company's business with its largest customers. In many cases, such consolidation has been accompanied by pressure from customers for lower prices, reflecting the increase in the total volume of product purchased or the elimination of a price differential between the acquiring customer and the company acquired. Increased pricing pressures from the Company's customers may reduce the Company's net sales and net income.

The majority of the Company's sales are to companies that have leading market positions in the sale of beverages, packaged food and household products to consumers. The loss of any major customers, a reduction in the purchasing levels of these customers or an adverse change in the terms of supply agreements with these customers could reduce the Company's net sales and net income. A continued consolidation of the Company's customers could exacerbate any such loss. In addition, the Company's relationship with several of its customers, particularly in Transit Packaging, is noncontractual, and as a result its customers may unilaterally reduce their purchases of its products.

The Company may not be able to manage its anticipated growth, and it may experience constraints or inefficiencies caused by unanticipated acceleration and deceleration of customer demand.

Unanticipated acceleration and deceleration of customer demand for the Company's products may result in constraints or inefficiencies related to the Company's manufacturing, sales force, implementation resources and administrative infrastructure, particularly in emerging markets where the Company is seeking to expand production. Such constraints or inefficiencies may adversely affect the Company as a result of delays, lost potential product sales or loss of current or potential customers due to their dissatisfaction. Similarly, over-expansion, including as a result of overcapacity due to expansion by the Company's competitors, or investments in anticipation of growth that does not materialize, or develops more slowly than the Company expects, could harm the Company's financial results and result in overcapacity.

To manage the Company's anticipated future growth effectively, the Company must continue to enhance its manufacturing capabilities and operations, information technology infrastructure, and financial and accounting systems and controls. Organizational growth and scale-up of operations could strain its existing managerial, operational, financial and other resources. The Company's growth requires significant capital expenditures and may divert financial resources from other projects, such as the development of new products or enhancements of existing products or reduction of the Company's outstanding indebtedness. If the Company's management is unable to effectively manage the Company's growth, its expenses may increase more than expected, its revenue could grow more slowly than expected and it may not be able to achieve its research and development and production goals, any of which could have a material effect on its business, operating results or financial condition.

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Acquisitions, dispositions or investments that the Company is considering, has pursued or may pursue could be unsuccessful, consume significant resources and require the incurrence of additional indebtedness.

The Company has completed and may consider acquisitions and investments that complement its existing business or dispositions of portions of its existing business. The actual or potential acquisitions, dispositions and investments, such as the Company's divestiture of its European Tinplate business in August 2021, involve or may involve significant cash expenditures, debt incurrence (including the incurrence of additional indebtedness under the Company's senior secured revolving credit facilities or other secured or unsecured debt), operating losses and expenses and the diversion of management's attention that could have a material effect on the Company's financial condition and operating results.

In particular, if the Company incurs additional debt in order to finance an acquisition, the Company's liquidity and financial stability could be impaired as a result of using a significant portion of available cash or borrowing capacity. Moreover, the Company may face an increase in interest expense or financial leverage if additional debt is incurred to finance an acquisition, which may, among other things, adversely affect the Company's various financial ratios and the Company's compliance with the conditions of its existing indebtedness. In addition, such additional indebtedness may be incurred under the Company's senior secured credit facilities or otherwise secured by liens on the Company's assets.

Acquisitions and dispositions involve numerous other risks, including:

•diversion of management time and attention;

•failures to identify material problems and liabilities of acquisition targets or to obtain sufficient indemnification rights to fully offset possible liabilities related to the acquired businesses;

•difficulties integrating the operations, technologies and personnel of the acquired businesses;

•inefficiencies and complexities that may arise due to unfamiliarity with new assets, businesses or markets;

•disruptions to the Company's ongoing business;

•inaccurate estimates of fair value made in the accounting for acquisitions and amortization of acquired intangible assets which would reduce future reported earnings;

•the inability to obtain required financing for the new acquisition or investment opportunities and the Company's existing business;

•the need or obligation to divest portions of an acquired business;

•challenges associated with successfully bifurcating operations that involve both remaining and departing personnel in divestiture transactions;

•challenges associated with operating in new geographic regions or discontinued operations in legacy regions;

•difficulties in achieving anticipated cost savings, synergies, business opportunities and growth prospects;

•potential loss of key employees, contractual relationships, suppliers or customers of the acquired businesses or of the Company; and

•inability to obtain required anti-trust and other regulatory approvals.

To the extent the Company pursues an acquisition or disposition that causes it to incur unexpected costs or that fails to generate expected returns, the Company's financial position, results of operations and cash flows may be adversely affected, and the Company's ability to service its indebtedness may be negatively impacted.

If the Company fails to retain key management and personnel, the Company may be unable to implement its business plan.

Members of the Company's senior management have extensive industry experience, and it might be difficult to find new personnel with comparable experience. Because the Company's business is highly specialized, the Company believes that it would also be difficult to replace its key technical personnel. The Company believes that its future success depends, in large part, on its experienced senior management team. Losing the services of key members of its management team could limit the Company's ability to implement its business plan. In addition, under the Company's unfunded Senior Executive Retirement Plan certain members of senior management are entitled to lump sum payments upon retirement or other termination of employment and a lump sum death benefit of five times the annual retirement benefit, which could result in unexpected increased costs to the Company for a particular period.

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The Company relies on its information technology and the failure or disruption of its information technology could disrupt its operations and adversely affect its results of operations.

The Company's business increasingly relies on the successful and uninterrupted functioning of its information technology systems to process, transmit, and store electronic information. A significant portion of the communication between the Company's personnel around the world, customers, and suppliers depends on information technology. As with all large systems, the Company's information technology systems may be susceptible to damage, disruptions or shutdowns due to failures during the process of upgrading or replacing software, databases or components thereof, power outages, hardware failures, computer viruses, attacks by computer hackers, telecommunication failures, user errors or catastrophic events. In addition, security breaches could result in unauthorized disclosure of confidential information.

The concentration of processes in shared services centers means that any disruption could impact a large portion of the Company's business within the operating zones served by the affected service center. If the Company does not allocate, and effectively manage, the resources necessary to build, sustain and protect the proper technology infrastructure, the Company could be subject to transaction errors, processing inefficiencies, loss of customers, business disruptions, the loss of or damage to intellectual or physical property through security breach, and reputational harm, as well as potential civil liability and fines under various states' laws in which the Company does business. While the Company has security measures in place designed to protect the integrity of customer information and prevent data loss, misappropriation, and other security breaches, the Company's information technology systems could nevertheless be penetrated by outside parties intent on extracting information, corrupting information or disrupting business processes (including for purposes of ransom demands or other forms of blackmail), particularly if the Company's information security training and compliance programs prove to be inadequate. In addition, if the Company's information technology systems suffer severe damage, disruption or shutdown and the Company's business continuity plans do not effectively resolve the issues in a timely manner, the Company may lose revenue and profits as a result of its inability to timely manufacture, distribute, invoice and collect payments from its customers, and could experience delays in reporting its financial results, including with respect to the Company's operations in emerging markets. Furthermore, if the Company is unable to prevent security breaches, it may suffer financial and reputational damage because of lost or misappropriated confidential information belonging to the Company or to its customers or suppliers, and it may suffer indirect economic loss if its existing insurance policies and coverage related to information security risks prove to be insufficient. Failure or disruption of the Company's information technology systems, or the back-up systems, for any reason could disrupt the Company's operations and negatively impact the Company's cash flows or financial condition.

Sentiment towards climate change, sustainability and other ESG matters could adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition or results of operations.

The Company has announced sustainability goals for its next phase of Sustainability as part of its Twentyby30 program. Execution of this program and the achievements of the Company’s sustainability goals is subject to risk and uncertainties, many of which are out of the Company’s control. Failure to achieve these sustainability goals within the currently projected costs and expected timeframes could damage the Company’s reputation, customer and investor relationships, or ability to access capital on favorable terms, particularly given investors’ increased focus on ESG matters in recent years, and in turn could adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition or results of operations.

The Company’s business operations and financial position have been and may continue to be adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ongoing global outbreak of COVID-19 has caused and may continue to cause business slowdowns and shutdowns and turmoil in the financial markets both in the U.S. and abroad. The pandemic, as well as the quarantines, travel restrictions, “work from home” orders, mask requirements, and other governmental and non-governmental restrictions which have been imposed throughout the world in an effort to contain, mitigate, or vaccinate against COVID-19 (and the controversies prompted by such restrictions in some regions), has created significant volatility, uncertainty and economic disruption that has adversely affected, and may in the future adversely affect, the Company’s results of operations, cash flows and financial position or the Company’s ability to execute its short- and long-term business strategies and initiatives.

The magnitude of COVID-19’s ultimate impact on the Company will depend on numerous evolving factors, future developments and cascading effects of the coronavirus pandemic that the Company is not able to predict, including the extent and duration of the outbreak’s direct and indirect effect on consumer confidence and spending, customer demand, buying patterns, and work practices and on the Company’s supply chain. The impact of COVID-19 may also exacerbate other risk factors discussed in Item 1A of this Annual Report, any of which could have a material effect on the Company. The extent of the ultimate impact of COVID-19 on the Company’s business is highly uncertain and cannot be reasonably estimated at this time.

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If the Company fails to maintain an effective system of internal control, the Company may not be able to accurately report financial results or prevent fraud.

Effective internal controls are necessary to provide reliable financial reports and to assist in the effective prevention of fraud. Any inability to provide reliable financial reports or prevent fraud could harm the Company's business. The Company must annually evaluate its internal procedures to satisfy the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which requires management and auditors to assess the effectiveness of internal controls. If the Company fails to remedy or maintain the adequacy of its internal controls, as such standards are modified, supplemented or amended from time to time, the Company could be subject to regulatory scrutiny, civil or criminal penalties or shareholder litigation.

ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

There are no unresolved written comments that were received from the SEC staff 180 days or more before the end of the Company’s fiscal year relating to its periodic or current reports under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

ITEM 2. PROPERTIES

As of December 31, 2022, the Company operated 199 facilities in 40 countries. The principal manufacturing facilities at December 31, 2022 are listed below and are grouped by reportable segment. The Company’s manufacturing and support facilities are designed according to the requirements of the products to be manufactured. Therefore, the type of construction may vary from plant to plant. Warehouse space is generally provided at each of the manufacturing locations, although the Company also leases outside warehouses. The Company leased 69 of its manufacturing facilities at December 31, 2022.

Ongoing productivity improvements and cost reduction efforts in recent years have focused on upgrading and modernizing facilities to reduce costs, improve efficiency and productivity. The Company has also opened new facilities to meet increases in market demand for its products. These actions reflect the Company’s continued commitment to align manufacturing facilities to maintain its competitive position in its markets.

Utilization of any particular facility varies based upon product demand. While it is not possible to measure with any degree of certainty or uniformity the productive capacity of these facilities, management believes that, if necessary, production can be increased at several existing facilities through the addition of personnel, capital equipment and, in some facilities, square footage available for production. In addition, the Company may from time to time acquire additional facilities or dispose of existing facilities.

The Company’s Americas, Transit Packaging and Corporate headquarters are in Tampa, Florida. Its European headquarters is in Baar, Switzerland and its Asia Pacific headquarters is in Singapore. The Company maintains a research facility in Wantage, England.

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Americas Beverage European Beverage Asia Pacific Transit Packaging Other

Winchester, VA Sevilla, Spain Ziyang, China LaGrange, GA France Hanover, PA (F)

Uberaba, Brazil Samrong, Thailand (F) Brighton, MI Nairobi, Kenya Wortley, U.K.

Calgary, Canada Songkhla, Thailand (F) Eden, NC Heerlen, Netherlands

Ontario, Canada Danang, Vietnam Salisbury, NC Nuenen, Netherlands

Santafe de Bogota, Dong Nai, Vietnam (2) Newark, NJ Zwijndrecht, Netherlands

Colombia Hanoi, Vietnam Cleveland, OH Kosice, Slovakia

Acayucan, Mexico Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Loveland, OH Burseryd, Sweden

Chihuahua, Mexico Vung Tau, Vietnam West Chester, OH Hjo, Sweden

Ensenada, Mexico Elizabethtown, PA Sandared, Sweden

Guadalajara, Mexico Hazleton, PA Ystad, Sweden

Monterrey, Mexico (2) Imperial, PA Dietikon, Switzerland (2)

Orizaba, Mexico East Providence, RI Merenschwand, Switzerland

Toluca, Mexico Darlington, SC Izmir, Turkey

Greer, SC Kocaeli, Turkey

Latta, SC Dudley, U.K.

Orange, TX Wisbech, U.K. (2)

San Antonio, TX Derrimut, Australia

Danville, VA Kurri Kurri, Australia

Forest, VA Bangalore, India (4)

Martinsville, VA Dahej, India

Rustburg, VA Rudrapur, India

Woodland, WA Rudraram, India

Cabreuva, Brazil Silvassa, India

Halton Hills, Canada Pohang, South Korea

Amatlan de los Reyes, Rayong, Thailand

Mexico Sriracha, Thailand (2)

Cienega de Flores,

Mexico

Toluca, Mexico

All properties above are beverage facilities unless otherwise indicated by the following:

A: Aerosol

F: Food and closure

P: Promotional packaging

S: Specialty packaging

T: Tooling and equipment

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ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

Crown Cork is one of many defendants in a substantial number of lawsuits filed throughout the U.S. by persons alleging bodily injury as a result of exposure to asbestos. These claims arose from the insulation operations of a U.S. company, the majority of whose stock Crown Cork purchased in 1963. Approximately ninety days after the stock purchase, this U.S. company sold its insulation assets and was later merged into Crown Cork. At December 31, 2022, the accrual for pending and future asbestos claims and related legal costs that are probable and estimable was $220 million.

The Company has been identified by the EPA as a potentially responsible party (along with others, in most cases) at a number of sites.

Further information on these matters and other legal proceedings is presented within “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” under the captions “Provision for Asbestos” and “Environmental Matters,” within the risk factor titled "The Company is subject to litigation risks which could negatively impact its operations and net income" and under Note O and Note P to the consolidated financial statements.

ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

INFORMATION ABOUT OUR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Information concerning the principal executive officers of the Company, including their ages and positions, is set forth in “Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance” of this Annual Report.

PART II

The Registrant’s common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker symbol CCK. On February 24, 2023 there were 3,480 registered shareholders of the Registrant’s common stock, including 832 participants in the Company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan. The foregoing information regarding the number of registered shareholders of common stock does not include persons holding stock through clearinghouse systems. Details regarding the Company’s policy as to payment of cash dividends and repurchase of shares are set forth under Note T to the consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report. Information with respect to shares of common stock that may be issued under the Company’s equity compensation plans is set forth in “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters,” of this Annual Report.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

There were no purchases of equity securities during the three months ending December 31, 2022.

In December 2021, the Company's Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of an aggregate amount of $3.0 billion of Company common stock through the end of 2024. As of December 31, 2022, the Company could still purchase $2.3 billion of the Company common stock through this program. Share repurchases under the Company's program may be made in the open market or through privately negotiated transactions, and at times and in such amounts as management deems appropriate.

ITEM 6. [RESERVED]

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COMPARATIVE STOCK PERFORMANCE (a)

Comparison of Five-Year Cumulative Total Return (b)

Crown Holdings, S&P 500 Index, Dow Jones U.S. Containers & Packaging Index (c)

(a)The preceding Comparative Stock Performance Graph is not deemed filed with the SEC and shall not be incorporated by reference in any of the Company's filings under the Security Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, whether made before or after the date hereof and irrespective of any general incorporation language in any such filing.

(b)Assumes that the value of the investment in Crown Holdings common stock and each index was $100 on December 31, 2017 and that all dividends were reinvested.

(c) Industry index is weighted by market capitalization and, as of December 31, 2022, was composed of Crown Holdings, Amcor, AptarGroup, Avery Dennison, Ball, Berry Global, Graphic Packaging, International Paper, Packaging Corp. of America, Sealed Air, Silgan, Sonoco and WestRock.

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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

(in millions, except per share, average settlement cost per asbestos claim, employee, shareholder and statistical data)

INTRODUCTION

The following discussion summarizes the significant factors affecting the results of operations and financial condition of Crown Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") as of and during the three-year period ended December 31, 2022. This discussion should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report.

BUSINESS STRATEGY AND TRENDS

The Company's strategy is to deploy capital into its global beverage can operations to expand production capacity to support growing customer demand in alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink categories. Beverage cans are the world’s most sustainable and recycled beverage packaging and continue to gain market share in new beverage product launches. The Company continues to drive brand differentiation by increasing its ability to offer multiple product sizes.

For several years, global industry demand for beverage cans has been growing. In North America, beverage can growth has accelerated in recent years mainly due to the outsized portion of new beverage products being introduced in cans versus other packaging formats. In addition, markets such as Brazil, Europe, Mexico and Southeast Asia have also experienced higher volumes and market expansion.

On August 31, 2021, the Company completed the previously announced sale of its European Tinplate business to KPS Capital Partners, LP. The European Tinplate business comprised the Company's European Food reportable segment and its European Aerosol and Promotional Packaging reporting unit which was previously reported in Other. The Company received pre-tax proceeds of approximately €1.9 billion ($2.3 billion) from the transaction and received a 20% ownership stake in the business.

The Company's capital allocation strategy also focuses on maintaining a strong balance sheet with a target leverage ratio between 3.0x and 3.5x and returning capital to shareholders in the form of dividends and the repurchase of Company shares. In December 2021, the Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of $3.0 billion in Company common stock through the end of 2024.

The Company continues to actively elevate its commitment to sustainability, which is a core value of the Company. In 2020, the Company debuted Twentyby30, a robust program that outlines twenty measurable, science based, environmental, social and governance goals to be completed by 2030 or sooner. In September 2021, the Company joined The Climate Pledge, a commitment to be net-zero carbon across business operations by 2040.

To date the war between Russia and Ukraine has not had a direct material impact on the Company's business, financial condition, or results of operations.

The Company continues to actively manage the challenges of supply chain disruptions, foreign exchange and interest rate fluctuations and inflationary pressures, including increasing costs for raw materials, energy and transportation. The Company generally attempts to mitigate aluminum and steel price risk by matching its purchase obligations with its sales agreements. Additionally, the Company attempts to mitigate inflationary pressures on energy and raw material costs with contractual pass-through provisions that include annual selling price adjustments based on price indexes. The Company also uses commodity forward contracts to manage its exposure to raw material costs. The ability to mitigate inflationary risks through these measures varies by region and the impact on the results of the Company’s segments is discussed, as applicable, under the heading "Results of Operations" below.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The key measure used by the Company in assessing performance is segment income, a non-GAAP measure defined by the Company as income from operations adjusted to exclude intangibles amortization charges, Restructuring and Other and the impact of fair value adjustments to inventory acquired in an acquisition.

The foreign currency translation impacts referred to in the discussion below were primarily due to changes in the Mexican peso and the Canadian dollar in the Company's Americas Beverage segment, the euro and pound sterling in the Company's European

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Beverage segment and the Thai Baht in the Company's Asia Pacific segment. The Company's Transit Packaging segment is a global business.

The foreign currency translation impacts referred to in the discussion below for Transit Packaging are primarily related to the euro, the Swedish krona and the Indian rupee. The Company calculates the impact of foreign currency translation by dividing current year U.S. dollar results by the current year average foreign exchange rates and then multiplying those amounts by the applicable prior year average exchange rates.

NET SALES AND SEGMENT INCOME

Year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021

Net sales increased primarily due to the pass-through of higher raw material costs and 3% higher global beverage can sales unit volumes partially offset by lower volumes in the Transit Packaging segment and unfavorable foreign currency translation of $372.

Year ended December 31, 2021 compared to 2020

Net sales increased primarily due to 9% higher sales unit volumes in the Company's beverage can businesses, higher sales unit volumes in the transit packaging business and the pass-through of higher material costs.

Americas Beverage

The Americas Beverage segment manufactures aluminum beverage cans and ends, steel crowns, glass bottles and aluminum closures and supplies a variety of customers from its operations in the U.S., Brazil, Canada, Colombia and Mexico.

The U.S. and Canadian beverage can markets have experienced recent growth due to the introduction of new beverage products in cans versus other packaging formats. In Brazil and Mexico, the Company's sales unit volumes have increased in recent years primarily due to market growth driven by increased per capita incomes and consumption, combined with an increased preference for cans over other forms of beverage packaging.

To meet volume requirements in these markets, the Company began commercial production of the following:

•Martinsville, Virginia - line one in November 2022

•Monterrey, Mexico - April 2022

•Uberaba, Brazil - line one in May 2022 and line two in October 2022

•Bowling Green, Kentucky - two lines in 2021

•Rio Verde, Brazil - line two in 2021

•Olympia, Washington - line three in 2021

•Nichols, NY - line three in 2020

•Toronto, Ontario - line three in 2020

The Company also expects to commence production on a second line in Martinsville, Virginia and at a new two-line plant in Mesquite, Nevada in 2023.

Net sales and segment income in the Americas Beverage segment were as follows:

Year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021

Net sales increased primarily due to the pass-through of higher raw material costs.

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Crown Holdings, Inc.

Segment income decreased primarily due to start-up costs and $16 of increased depreciation associated with recent capacity expansions, partially offset by contractual pass-through mechanisms put in place to recover inflation.

Year ended December 31, 2021 compared to 2020

Net sales increased primarily due to the pass-through of higher aluminum costs, 8% higher sales unit volumes and $9 from the impact of favorable foreign currency translation.

Segment income increased primarily due to higher sales unit volumes and improved pricing, partially offset by increased depreciation of $15 and start-up costs associated with recent capacity expansion.

European Beverage

The Company's European Beverage segment manufactures aluminum beverage cans and ends and supplies a variety of customers from its operations throughout Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. In recent years, the European beverage can market has been growing due to the introduction of new beverage products in cans versus other packaging formats. To meet volume requirements, two lines in the Seville, Spain plant began commercial production of aluminum cans in 2022. Additionally, in 2023, high speed production lines are being added to plants in Parma, Italy and Agoncillo, Spain, and the Company expects to complete the relocation to a new two-line plant in Peterborough, United Kingdom.

In February 2023, twin earthquakes struck near the Company's Osmaniye, Turkey, plant. There was no significant damage to the physical plant structure, equipment or inventory. The plant resumed production and shipments to customers able to receive deliveries by the end of February. The Company is still evaluating the impact and at this time does not expect this event to have a material impact on the Company's results of operations or cash flows and has property and business interruption insurance policies.

Net sales and segment income in the European Beverage segment were as follows:

Year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021

Net sales increased primarily due to the pass-through of higher raw material costs and 3% higher sales unit volumes, partially offset by unfavorable foreign currency translation of $177.

Segment income decreased primarily due to energy costs in excess of contractual pass-through provisions, a mismatch in contractual aluminum pass-through provisions whereby higher cost inventory was sold at lower prices and $7 from the impact of unfavorable foreign currency translation partially offset by higher sales unit volumes. The aluminum pass-through provisions are impacted by higher than normal inventory levels due to supply chain concerns and lower than expected volumes, and price volatility in the aluminum market.

Year ended December 31, 2021 compared to 2020

Net sales increased primarily due to 12% higher sales unit volumes, the pass-through of higher aluminum costs, and $57 from the impact of favorable foreign currency translation.

Segment income increased primarily due to higher sales unit volumes and $5 from the impact of favorable foreign currency translation, partially offset by other operating costs that were not fully passed through in selling price.

Asia Pacific

The Company's Asia Pacific segment consists of beverage can operations in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam and non-beverage can operations, primarily food cans and specialty packaging. In recent years, the beverage can market in Southeast Asia has been growing driven by increased per capita incomes and consumption, combined with an increased preference for cans over other forms of beverage packaging.

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Crown Holdings, Inc.

To meet volume requirements in Southeast Asia, the Company began commercial production of the following:

•Phnom Penh, Cambodia - third line in August 2022

•Vung Tau, Vietnam - new plant in 2021

•Hanoi, Vietnam - second line in 2021

In June 2022, the Company's Yangon, Myanmar beverage can plant was temporarily idled due to currency restrictions, which resulted in the inability to source U.S. dollars required to procure U.S. dollar raw materials. For the year ended December 31, 2022, the plant had net sales of $19 and segment income of less than $1. Property, plant and equipment as of December 31 2022 was $56, including $25 of land and buildings and $31 of machinery and equipment. The Company will continue to monitor the economic conditions and the impact to its business in Myanmar, including any alternative uses for its machinery and equipment.

Net sales and segment income in the Asia Pacific segment were as follows:

Year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021

Net sales increased primarily due to the pass-through of higher raw material costs and 10% higher sales unit volumes, partially offset by unfavorable foreign currency translation of $42.

Segment income decreased primarily due to a mismatch in contractual aluminum pass-through provisions whereby higher cost inventory was sold at lower prices, partially offset by the impact of higher sales unit volumes. The aluminum pass-through provisions are impacted by higher than normal inventory levels due to supply chain concerns and lower than expected volumes, and price volatility in the aluminum market.

Year ended December 31, 2021 compared to 2020

Net sales increased due to 6% higher sales unit volumes, the pass-through of higher aluminum costs, and $13 from the impact of favorable foreign currency translation.

Segment income increased primarily due to higher sales unit volumes, partially offset by higher operating costs that were not fully passed through in selling price.

Transit Packaging

The Company's Transit Packaging segment includes the Company’s worldwide industrial products, protective solutions, and automation, equipment and tools business. Industrial products include steel strap, plastic strap, industrial film and other related products that are used in a wide range of industries. Protective solutions include transit protection products, such as airbags, edge protectors, and honeycomb products that help prevent movement of, and/or damage to, a wide range of industrial and consumer goods during transport. Automation, equipment and tools includes manual, semi-automatic and automatic equipment and tools, which are primarily used in end-of-line operations to apply consumables such as strap and film.

Net sales and segment income in the Transit Packaging segment were as follows:

Year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021

Net sales increased primarily due to the pass-through of higher raw material prices, partially offset by $139 from the impact of unfavorable foreign currency translation and lower sales unit volumes.

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Crown Holdings, Inc.

Segment income decreased primarily due to lower sales unit volumes, $20 from the impact of unfavorable foreign currency translation and $8 from the divestiture of the segment's Kiwiplan business, partially offset by inflationary price increases in the protective solutions business and costs savings from headcount reductions across the business.

Year ended December 31, 2021 compared to 2020

Net sales increased due to higher sales unit volumes, the pass-through of higher raw material prices and $36 from the impact of favorable foreign currency translation.

Segment income increased primarily due to higher unit volumes and $6 from the impact of favorable foreign currency translation, partially offset by higher operating costs.

Other

Other includes the Company's food can, aerosol can and closures businesses in North America, and beverage tooling and equipment operations in the U.S. and U.K.. In 2021, the Company commenced operations at a new food can plant in Dubuque, Iowa and on a new food can line in its Hanover, Pennsylvania plant. The Company added a third two-piece food can line to its Owatonna, Minnesota plant in 2022 and is expected to add a pet food can line to its Dubuque, Iowa plant in 2023.

Net sales and segment income in Other were as follows:

Year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021

Net sales increased primarily due to the pass-through of higher tinplate costs in the Company's North America food can, aerosol can and closures businesses, partially offset by lower sales unit volumes and $17 from the impact of unfavorable foreign currency translation.

Segment income increased primarily due to increased profitability in the Company's North America food can, aerosol can and closures businesses due to higher self-made two-piece food can sales unit volumes, inflationary price increases and the benefit of lower cost inventory from prior year-end partially offset by $7 from the impact of unfavorable foreign currency translation. The benefit arising from lower cost inventory from prior year end was $35 for the year-ended December 31, 2022.

Year ended December 31, 2021 compared to 2020

Net sales increased primarily due to higher sales in the Company's beverage can equipment operations and the North America food can business, the pass-through of higher tinplate costs, and $12 from the impact of favorable foreign currency translation.

Segment income increased primarily due to lower tinplate carryover costs in the Company's North America food can business as compared to the year-ended December 31, 2020 and higher sales in the Company's beverage can equipment operations and North America food can business.

Corporate and unallocated

Corporate and unallocated $ (136) $ (159) $ (170)

Corporate and unallocated costs decreased from 2020 to 2021 and from 2021 to 2022 due to lower incentive compensation costs in 2021 and 2022.

Additionally, for the year-ended December 31, 2021, corporate and unallocated expenses included certain corporate costs, including research and development, that were not directly attributable to the Company's European Tinplate business which was sold in August 2021 and as such, could not be allocated to discontinued operations. Subsequent to the sale, the Company's corporate cost structure reflects its ongoing operations.

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Crown Holdings, Inc.

RESTRUCTURING AND OTHER, NET

For the year-ended December 31, 2022, the benefit from restructuring and other, net includes a $113 gain from the sale of the Transit Packaging segment's Kiwiplan business and $29 of charges related to an overhead cost reduction program initiated by the Transit Packaging segment in the second quarter of 2022. The Company expects to reduce headcount by approximately 600 employees and this action to result in annual savings of approximately $60. However, there can be no assurance that any such pre-tax savings will be realized. The Company continues to identify cost reduction initiatives in its businesses and it is possible that the Company may record additional restructuring charges in the future.

OTHER PENSION AND POSTRETIREMENT

Other pension and postretirement for the year ended December 31, 2021 included a $1,511 settlement charge for the Company's U.K. pension plan obligation.

INTEREST EXPENSE

Interest expense increased from $253 in 2021 to $284 in 2022 primarily due to higher interest rates.

Interest expense decreased from $290 in 2020 to $253 in 2021 primarily due to lower outstanding debt balances.

TAXES ON INCOME

The Company's effective income tax rates were as follows:

Provision for / (benefit from) for income taxes 243 (57) 199

Effective income tax rate 23.0 % 13.6 % 27.4 %

The effective tax rate in 2022 was 23% and included an income tax charge of $11 for the sale of the Company's Transit Packaging segment's Kiwiplan business in 2022. The lower effective tax rate in 2021 included a tax benefit of $18 related to a deferred tax valuation allowance release resulting from improved profitability in a Transit Packaging corporate entity. Additionally, the Company also recorded income tax benefits of $8, primarily related to tax law changes in India, Turkey and the U.K.

The effective tax rate in 2021 also included tax charges of $42 in continuing operations for reorganizations and other transactions required to prepare the European Tinplate business for sale. Additionally, the Company recorded an income tax charge of $44 to establish a valuation allowance for deferred tax assets related to tax loss carryforwards in France. The Company believes that it is more likely than not that these tax loss carryforwards will not be utilized after the sale of the European Tinplate business. See Note B for more information regarding the sale of the European Tinplate business.

For additional information regarding income taxes, see Note S to the consolidated financial statements.

EQUITY IN NET EARNINGS OF AFFILIATES

Equity in net earnings of affiliates increased from $3 in 2021 to $42 in 2022 due to the 20% ownership interest received after the sale of the Company's European Tinplate business in August 2021.

NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS

Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest decreased from $148 in 2021 to $128 in 2022 primarily due to lower earnings in the Company's beverage can operations in Brazil and the Middle East.

Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest increased from $108 in 2020 to $148 in 2021 primarily due to higher earnings in the Company's beverage can operations in Brazil, including a favorable court ruling in a lawsuit brought by certain of the Company's Brazilian subsidiaries asserting they were overcharged by local tax authorities for direct and indirect taxes paid in prior years.

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Crown Holdings, Inc.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

OPERATING ACTIVITIES

Cash provided by operating activities decreased from $905 in 2021 to $803 in 2022 primarily due to changes in working capital. Additionally, in 2021 operating activities included $236 of pension contributions, primarily related to the contribution required to fully settle the U.K. pension plan obligation. $77 was received in 2022 for partial reimbursement of the contribution. See Note R for more information regarding the settlement of the U.K. pension plan obligation.

Receivables decreased from $1,889 at December 31, 2021 to $1,843 at December 31, 2022 primarily due to increased securitization and factoring, partially offset by inflation and higher sales unit volumes. Days sales outstanding for trade receivables, excluding the impact of unbilled receivables, decreased from 37 at December 31, 2021 to 33 at December 31, 2022, primarily due to increased securitization and factoring.

Inventories increased from $1,735 at December 31, 2021 to $2,014 at December 31, 2022 primarily due to inventory builds in certain segments and inflation. Inventory turnover increased from 59 days at December 31, 2021 to 63 days at December 31, 2022.

Accounts payable decreased from $2,901 at December 31, 2021 to $2,773 at December 31, 2022 primarily due lower aluminum prices at the end of 2022. Days outstanding for trade payables decreased from 112 days at December 31, 2021 to 90 days at December 31, 2022, as prior year included the payables impact of inventory built in anticipation of market growth.

INVESTING ACTIVITIES

Investing activities provided cash of $1,507 in 2021 and used cash of $642 in 2022 primarily due to the proceeds received from the sale of the European Tinplate business in 2021.

The Company currently expects capital expenditures in 2023 to be approximately $900.

At December 31, 2022, the Company had approximately $173 of capital commitments primarily related to its Americas Beverage segment. The Company expects to fund these commitments primarily through cash generated from operations.

FINANCING ACTIVITIES

Cash used for financing activities decreased from $2,944 in 2021 to $25 in 2022 primarily due to higher net borrowings in 2022 primarily related to the refinancing of the Company's revolving credit and term loan facilities and the issuance of $500 principal amount of 5.250% senior unsecured notes due 2030. See Note M for more information. Additionally, in 2022, the Company repurchased $722 of its shares of common stock and paid dividends to shareholders of $106.

LIQUIDITY

As of December 31, 2022, $491 of the Company's $550 in cash and cash equivalents was located outside the U.S. The Company is not currently aware of any legal restrictions under foreign law that materially impact its access to cash held outside the U.S. The Company funds its cash needs in the U.S. through a combination of cash flows from operations, dividends from certain foreign subsidiaries, borrowings under its revolving credit facility and the acceleration of cash receipts under its receivable securitization and factoring facilities. Of the cash and cash equivalents located outside the U.S., $396 was held by subsidiaries for which earnings are considered indefinitely reinvested.

The Company's revolving credit agreements provide capacity of $1,650. As of December 31, 2022, the Company had available capacity of $1,252 under its revolving credit facilities. The Company could have borrowed this amount at December 31, 2022 and still have been in compliance with its leverage ratio covenants.

The Company's debt agreements contain covenants that limit the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries to, among other things, incur additional debt, pay dividends or repurchase capital stock, make certain other restricted payments, create liens and engage in sale and leaseback transactions. These restrictions are subject to a number of exceptions, however, which allow the Company to incur additional debt, create liens or make otherwise restricted payments provided that the Company is in compliance with applicable financial and other covenants and meets certain liquidity requirements.

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Crown Holdings, Inc.

The Company’s revolving credit facilities and term loan facilities also contain a total leverage ratio covenant. The leverage ratio is calculated as total net debt divided by Consolidated EBITDA (as defined in the credit agreement). Total net debt is defined in the credit agreement as total debt less cash and cash equivalents. Consolidated EBITDA is calculated as the sum of, among other things, net income attributable to Crown Holdings, net income attributable to certain of the Company's subsidiaries, income taxes, interest expense, depreciation and amortization, and certain non-cash charges. The Company’s total net leverage ratio of 3.3 to 1.0 at December 31, 2022 was in compliance with the covenant requiring a ratio no greater than 5.0 to 1.0. The ratio is calculated at the end of each quarter using debt and cash balances as of the end of the quarter and Consolidated EBITDA for the most recent twelve months. Failure to meet the financial covenant could result in the acceleration of any outstanding amounts due under the revolving credit facilities and term loan facilities. The required net total leverage ratio under the agreement reduces to 4.5 to 1.0 at December 31, 2023.

In order to reduce leverage and future interest payments, the Company may from time to time repurchase outstanding notes and debentures with cash or seek to refinance its existing credit facilities and other indebtedness. The Company will evaluate any such transactions in light of any required premiums and then existing market conditions and may determine not to pursue such transactions.

The Company’s current sources of liquidity also include a securitization facility with a program limit up to a maximum of $700 that expires in July 2023, a securitization facility with a program limit of $200 that expires in December 2023, and a securitization facility with a program limit of $160 that expires in November 2025. The Company accounts for transfers under these facilities as sales as further discussed in Note D to the consolidated statements.

The Company utilizes its cash flows from operations, borrowings under its revolving credit facilities and the acceleration of cash receipts under its receivables securitization and factoring programs to primarily fund its operations, capital expenditures and financing obligations.

Cash payments required for purchase obligations and projected pension contributions in effect at December 31, 2022, are summarized in the following table.

Payments Due by Period

All amounts due in foreign currencies are translated at exchange rates as of December 31, 2022.

(1) These purchase commitments specify significant terms, including fixed or minimum quantities to be purchased; fixed, minimum or variable pricing

provisions; and the approximate timing of transactions.

(2) Pension projections require the use of numerous estimates and assumptions such as discount rates, rates of return on plan assets, compensation increases,

health care cost increases, mortality and employee turnover and therefore projected contributions been provided for only five years.

Our long term debt obligations, including fixed and variable rate debt, are further discussed in Note M. The Company currently expects interest payments on long-term debt and securitization and factoring in 2023 to be approximately $400. This estimate is based on projected interest rates as of December 31, 2022, long-term debt balances, average borrowings under the revolving credit facility and securitization and factoring estimates.

The Company also has certain guarantees and indemnification agreements that could require the payment of cash upon the occurrence of certain events. The guarantees and agreements are further discussed under Note P to the consolidated financial statements.

Supplemental Guarantor Financial Information

As disclosed in Note M, the Company and certain of its 100% directly or indirectly owned subsidiaries provide guarantees of senior notes and debentures issued by other 100% directly or indirectly owned subsidiaries. These senior notes and debentures are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Company and substantially all of its subsidiaries in the U.S., except in the case of the Company’s outstanding senior notes issued by Crown Cork & Seal Company, Inc., which are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Crown Holdings, Inc. (Parent). No other subsidiary guarantees the debt and the guarantees are made on a joint and several basis.

The senior notes and guarantees are senior unsecured obligations of the issuers and the guarantors, and are:

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Crown Holdings, Inc.

•effectively subordinated to all existing and future secured indebtedness of the issuers and the guarantors to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness, including any borrowings under the Company’s senior secured credit facilities, to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness;

•structurally subordinated to all indebtedness of the Company’s non-guarantor subsidiaries, which include all of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries and any U.S. subsidiaries that are neither obligors nor guarantors of the Company’s senior secured credit facilities;

•ranked equal in right of payment to any existing or future senior indebtedness of the issuers and the guarantors; and

•ranked senior in right of payment to all existing and future subordinated indebtedness of the issuers and the guarantors.

Each guarantee of a guarantor is limited to an amount not to exceed the maximum amount that can be guaranteed that will not (after giving effect to all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such guarantor and after giving effect to any collections from, rights to receive contribution from or payments made by or on behalf of all other guarantors in respect of the obligations of such other guarantors under their respective guarantees of the guaranteed obligations) render the guarantee, as it relates to such guarantor, voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyances or fraudulent transfers.

A guarantee of a guarantor other than the Parent will be unconditionally released and discharged upon any of the following:

•any transfer (including, without limitation, by way of consolidation or merger) by the Parent or any subsidiary of the Parent to any person or entity that is not the Parent or a subsidiary of the Parent of (1) all of the equity interests of, or all or substantially all of the properties and assets of, such guarantor; or (2) equity interests of such guarantor or any issuance by such guarantor of its equity interests, such that such guarantor ceases to be a subsidiary of the Parent; provided that such guarantor is also released from all of its obligations in respect of indebtedness under the Company’s senior secured credit facilities;

•the release of such guarantor from all obligations of such guarantor in respect of indebtedness under the Company’s senior secured credit facilities, except to the extent such guarantor is otherwise required to provide a guarantee; or

•upon the contemporaneous release or discharge of all guarantees by such guarantor which would have required such guarantor to provide a guarantee under the applicable indenture.

The following tables present summarized financial information related to the senior notes issued by the Company’s subsidiary debt issuers and guarantors on a combined basis for each issuer and its guarantors (together, an “obligor group”) after elimination of (i) intercompany transactions and balances among the Parent and the guarantors and (ii) equity in earnings from and investments in any subsidiary that is a non-guarantor. Crown Cork Obligor group consists of Crown Cork & Seal Company, Inc. and the Parent. Crown Americas Obligor group consists of Crown Americas LLC, Crown Americas Capital Corp. V, Crown Americas Capital Corp. VI, the Parent, and substantially all of the Company’s subsidiaries in the U.S.

Crown Cork Obligor Group

Net sales $ —

Gross Profit —