UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549-1004

FORM 10-K

☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024

or

☐ Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

for the transition period from ___________ to ___________

Commission File No. 1-13146

THE GREENBRIER COMPANIES, INC.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

One Centerpointe Drive, Suite 200, Lake Oswego, OR 97035

(Address of principal executive offices)

(503) 684-7000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

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 15 (d) of the 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 filing 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 for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

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

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant 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. ☒

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive- based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐

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

Aggregate market value of the registrant’s Common Stock held by non-affiliates as of February 28, 2024 (based on the closing price of such shares on such date) was $1,578,052,391.

The number of shares outstanding of the registrant’s Common Stock on October 18, 2024 was 31,339,993 without par value.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

THE GREENBRIER COMPANIES, INC.

FORM 10-K

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Forward-Looking Statements

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

Many of these risks and other factors are beyond our ability to control or predict. Words such as "ability," “allow,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “committed,” “can,” “continue,” “could,” “designed,” “estimate,” “expect,” “foreseeable”, “future,” “goal,” "impact," “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “periodically,” “plan,” “potential,” “provide,” “result,” “seek,” “should,” “strategy,” "target," “will,” “would,” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. In addition, statements regarding expectations of cost savings or our ability to navigate current challenges, or any other statements that explicitly or implicitly draw trends in our performance or the markets in which we operate, or characterize future events or circumstances, are forward-looking statements.

These risks and uncertainties, as well as other risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ significantly from management’s expectations, are described in greater detail in Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” Item 1, “Business – Backlog,” Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and Item 9A. “Controls and Procedures – Inherent Limitations on Effectiveness of Controls.” Forward-looking statements are based on currently available operating, financial and market information and are inherently uncertain. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual future results and trends may differ materially from such forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by law, we do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

PART I

Item 1. BUSINESS

Introduction

We are one of the leading designers, manufacturers and marketers of railroad freight car equipment and services in North America, Europe, and South America and may enter other geographies as opportunities arise. We offer railcar management, regulatory compliance and leasing services to railcar owners or other users of railcars in North America. We are a leading provider of freight railcar wheel services, maintenance and parts in North America. Through unconsolidated affiliates we produce rail and industrial components and have an ownership stake in a railcar manufacturer in Brazil.

We operate an integrated business model in North America that combines freight car manufacturing, wheel services, railcar maintenance, component parts, leasing and fleet management services. Our model is designed to provide customers with a comprehensive set of freight car product and service solutions by utilizing our substantial engineering, mechanical and technical capabilities as well as our experienced commercial personnel. Our integrated model allows us to develop cross-selling opportunities and synergies among our reportable segments thereby enhancing our margins. We believe our integrated model is difficult to duplicate and provides greater value for our customers and investors.

We operate in three reportable segments: Manufacturing; Maintenance Services; and Leasing & Management Services. Financial information about our reportable segments as well as geographic information is located in Note 18 - Segment Information to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

References in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to the “Company,” “Greenbrier,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. and, where appropriate, its subsidiaries. All references to years refer to the fiscal years ended August 31st unless otherwise noted.

The Greenbrier Companies, Inc., is incorporated in Oregon. Our principal executive offices are located at One Centerpointe Drive, Suite 200, Lake Oswego, Oregon 97035. Our telephone number is (503) 684-7000 and our Internet website is located at http://www.gbrx.com. Information contained on our website is not part of or incorporated into this Form 10-K or any other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Products and Services

Manufacturing Segment

North American Railcar Manufacturing - We manufacture most freight railcar types currently in use in the North American market (other than coal cars) and we continue to expand our product features and functionality. We have demonstrated an ability to capture high market shares in many of the car types we produce. The primary products we produce for the North American market are:

Freight Railcars - We produce a variety of covered hopper cars for food grade products, grain, fertilizer, cement, minerals and plastic pellets as well as gondolas and open top hoppers for steel, metals, scrap and aggregates. We also produce a wide range of boxcars, which are used in the transport of paper products, perishables and general merchandise. Our flat car products include center partition cars for the forest products industry and heavy-duty flat cars.

Tank Cars - We produce a variety of tank cars, including general purpose, pressurized, coiled, lined, insulated and stainless steel. These are designed for the transportation of hazardous and non-hazardous commodities such as petroleum products, ethanol, liquefied petroleum gas, petrochemicals, caustic soda, chlorine, fertilizers, vegetable oils, bio-diesel and various other products.

Intermodal Railcars - We manufacture a comprehensive portfolio of intermodal railcars. Our most popular intermodal product is our double-stack railcars called Maxi-Stack® I and Maxi-Stack® IV. The double-stack railcar is designed to

transport containers stacked two-high on a single platform and provides significant operating and capital savings over other types of intermodal railcars.

Automotive - We manufacture a full line of railcar equipment specifically designed for the transportation of light vehicles. Our automotive offerings include the Auto-Max® II, Multi-MaxTM and Multi-Max PlusTM products, which are designed to carry automobiles, CUVs, SUVs, trucks and high sided vans efficiently.

Sustainable ConversionsTM - We are a leading provider of sustainable conversions, which repurposes existing railcars into new equipment service. Our sustainable conversions are an efficient and cost-savings option for railcar owners looking to diversify and optimize their fleets. We rebody or stretch covered hoppers into larger cubic service, re-rack or perform deck conversion on auto racks, and perform tank car retrofits to help customers manage pending regulations.

European Railcar Manufacturing - Our European manufacturing operations produce a variety of freight wagon types, including box, car carrier, covered, flat, hopper, intermodal, steel products and specialty wagons. In addition, our European manufacturing operations produce a comprehensive line of pressurized tank wagons for liquid petroleum, liquefied petroleum gas, chlorine and ammonia and non-pressurized tank cars for light oil, chemicals and other products, and are a leading manufacturer of bogies and other key components. We offer a full range of leasing options for a variety of freight and tank wagons that we produce, along with wagon repair and maintenance services.

Maintenance Services Segment

Wheel Services - We operate a wheel services network in North America. Our wheel shops provide complete wheel services including reconditioning of wheels and axles in addition to new axle machining, finishing and downsizing.

Railcar Maintenance - We operate a railcar maintenance network in North America including shops certified by the Association of American Railroads (AAR). Our shops perform routine railcar maintenance for third parties and for our leased and managed railcar fleets.

Component Parts Manufacturing - Our component parts facilities recondition and manufacture railcar cushioning units, couplers, yokes, side frames, bolsters and various other parts.

In September 2024, the Company combined the Maintenance Services segment within the Manufacturing segment.

Leasing & Management Services Segment

Leasing - We operate a railcar leasing business in North America. Our relationships with financial institutions and operating lessors combined with our ownership of a lease fleet of approximately 15,500 railcars enables us to offer flexible leases to our customers including operating leases of varied intervals and “per diem” leases. The percentage of owned units on lease was 98.5% at August 31, 2024 with an average remaining lease term of 4.0 years and an average age of 6.5 years. We also originate leases of railcars, which are either newly built or refurbished by our operations. These may be held in the fleet or sold with attached leases to financial institutions or other investors, typically with multi-year management services agreements. As an equipment owner and an originator of leases, we participate principally in the operating lease segment of the market. Assets from our owned lease fleet are periodically sold to accommodate customer demand, manage risk and maintain liquidity.

Management Services - Our North American management services business offers a broad array of software and services that include railcar maintenance management, railcar accounting services (such as billing and revenue collection, car hire receivable and payable administration), total fleet management (including railcar tracking using proprietary software), fleet logistics, administration and railcar re-marketing. We currently provide management services for a fleet of railcars for railroads, shippers, carriers, institutional investors and other leasing and transportation companies in North America. In addition, our Regulatory Services Group offers regulatory, engineering, process consulting and advocacy support to the tank car owner and shipper community, among other services. Our management services business is responsible for the maintenance and administration of our fleet of railcars.

Unconsolidated Affiliates

United States (U.S.) Axle Manufacturing - We have a 41.9% interest in Axis, LLC (Axis), a joint venture that manufactures and sells axles to its joint venture partners for use and distribution both domestically and internationally.

Brazilian Railcar Manufacturing - We have a 60% ownership interest in Greenbrier Maxion-Equipamentos e Serviços Ferroviários S.A. (Greenbrier-Maxion), a leading railcar manufacturer in South America, based in Hortolandia, Brazil. Greenbrier-Maxion also assembles bogies and offers a range of aftermarket services including railcar overhaul and refurbishment. We do not consolidate Greenbrier-Maxion for financial reporting purposes and account for our interest under the equity method of accounting as the entity’s governance provisions require that all significant decisions of Greenbrier-Maxion are subject to shared consent of its shareholders.

Brazilian Castings and Component Parts Manufacturing - We have a 29.5% ownership interest in Amsted-Maxion Fundição e Equipamentos Ferroviários S.A. (Amsted-Maxion) based in Cruzeiro, Brazil. Amsted-Maxion is a manufacturer of various castings and wheel components for railcars and other heavy industrial equipment. Amsted-Maxion has a 40% ownership position in Greenbrier-Maxion and is integrated with the operations of our Brazilian railcar manufacturer.

Other Unconsolidated Affiliates - We have other unconsolidated affiliates which primarily include joint ventures that produce rail and industrial components, all of which are presented in Investment in unconsolidated affiliates on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Backlog

The following table depicts our reported railcar backlog subject to third-party sale or lease in number of railcars and estimated future revenue value attributable to such backlog, at the dates shown:

1 Each platform of a railcar is treated as a separate unit.

2 Subject to change based on finalization of product mix.

Approximately 3% of backlog units and estimated value as of August 31, 2024 was associated with our Brazilian railcar manufacturing operations, which are accounted for under the equity method.

Based on current production schedules, approximately 18,600 units in the August 31, 2024 backlog are scheduled for delivery in 2025. The remaining balance of the production is scheduled for delivery in 2026 and beyond.

Our backlog includes approximately $590 million of railcars intended for syndication which are supported by lease agreements with external customers and may be syndicated to third parties or held in our lease fleet, depending on a variety of factors.

Our backlog of railcar units is not necessarily indicative of future results of operations. Certain orders in backlog are subject to customary documentation and completion of terms. Customers may attempt to cancel or modify orders in backlog. Historically, little variation has been experienced between the quantity ordered and the quantity actually delivered, though the timing of deliveries may be modified from time to time.

Customers

Customers across our reportable segments include railroads, leasing companies, financial institutions, shippers, carriers and transportation companies. We have strong, long-term relationships with many of our customers. We believe that our customers’ preference for high quality products, our technological leadership in developing innovative products, our focus on being highly responsive to our customers' needs and competitive pricing of our railcars have helped us maintain our long-standing relationships with our customers.

In 2024, revenue from one customer accounted for approximately 10% of Consolidated Revenue which represented 11% of Manufacturing Revenue, 6% of Leasing & Management Services Revenue and 1% of Maintenance Services Revenue. No other customers accounted for greater than 10% of Consolidated Revenue.

Raw Materials and Components

Our products require a supply of materials including steel and specialty components such as brakes, wheels and axles. Specialty components purchased from third parties represent a significant amount of the cost of most freight cars. Our customers often specify particular components and suppliers of such components. Although the number of alternative suppliers of certain specialty components has declined in recent years, there are at least two available suppliers for substantially all of our components.

Certain materials and components are periodically in short supply which could potentially impact production at our facilities. In an effort to mitigate shortages and reduce supply chain costs, we have entered into strategic alliances and multi-year arrangements for the global sourcing of certain materials and components. We operate a replacement parts business which aids in our vertical integration and we continue to pursue strategic opportunities to protect and enhance our supply chain. We periodically make advance purchases to avoid possible shortages of material due to capacity limitations of component suppliers, shipping and transportation delays and possible price increases.

In 2024, the top ten suppliers for all inventory purchases accounted for approximately 44% of total purchases. The top supplier accounted for 17% of total inventory purchases in 2024. No other suppliers accounted for more than 10% of total inventory purchases. We believe we maintain good relationships with our suppliers.

Competition

We believe we are currently one of the two largest railcar manufacturers in North America. There are also a handful of specialty builders who focus on niche markets. In Europe, we believe we are in the top tier of railcar manufacturers. Through our 60% ownership interest in Greenbrier-Maxion, we are a leading railcar manufacturer in South America. The railcar manufacturing industry is becoming more global as customers are purchasing railcars from manufacturers outside of their geographic region. In all railcar markets that we serve, we compete on the basis of quality, price, timeliness of delivery, innovative product design, reputation and customer service.

Competition in the Maintenance Services businesses is dependent on the type of product or service provided. There are many competitors in these businesses. We compete primarily on the basis of quality, timeliness of delivery, customer service, location of shops, price and engineering expertise.

There are at least twenty institutions in North America that provide railcar leasing and/or services similar to ours. Many of them are also customers that buy new railcars from our manufacturing facilities and used railcars from our lease fleet, as well as utilize our management and maintenance services. We compete primarily on the basis of quality, price, timeliness of delivery, reputation, service offerings and deal structuring and syndication ability. We believe our strong servicing capability and our ability to sell railcars with a lease attached (syndicate railcars), integrated with our manufacturing, maintenance shops, railcar specialization and expertise in particular lease structures provides a strong competitive advantage.

Marketing and Product Development

In North America, we leverage an integrated marketing and sales effort to coordinate relationships in our various segments. We provide our customers with a diverse range of equipment, services and financing alternatives designed to satisfy each customer’s unique needs, whether the customer is buying new equipment, sustainable conversion of existing equipment or seeking to outsource the maintenance or management of equipment. These custom programs may involve a combination of railcar products, leasing, sustainable conversions and remarketing services. In addition, we provide customized maintenance management, equipment management, accounting and compliance services and proprietary software solutions.

In Europe and South America, we maintain relationships with customers through market-specific sales personnel. Our engineering and technical staff works closely with their customer counterparts on the design and certification of railcars. Many European railroads are state-owned and are subject to European Union (EU) regulations covering the

tender of government contracts. In Brazil, the government grants long-term concession contracts to private companies to operate and invest in Brazil’s freight rail network.

Through our research and customer relationships, insights are derived into the potential need for new products and services. Marketing and engineering personnel collaborate to evaluate opportunities and develop new products and services that exceed customers’ expectations. Research and development costs incurred during the years ended August 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 were $5.2 million, $4.0 million and $5.4 million, respectively.

Human Capital

With the oversight of the Board, our Chief Executive Officer and senior leadership are thoughtfully invested in our global workforce. We regularly review our priorities and progress in each of the areas highlighted below.

We depend on a highly skilled workforce of approximately 14,200 employees of which approximately half reside in Mexico. Individuals across multiple locations who have technical skills, including experience in welding, engineering, and machine operating, are necessary for us to succeed.

Approximately 7,800 employees are represented by unions, primarily in Mexico and Europe. At our Maintenance Services locations, approximately 50 employees are represented by a union. We believe we have good union relations.

Safety – Employee safety is a top priority and we remain dedicated to continuously improving our safety performance over time. We regularly demonstrate our commitment to maintaining a safe workplace through efforts such as a refreshed safety onboarding and continuous awareness and training process, empowering employees to speak up on safety matters, and enhancing our focus on leading indicators. Our Chief Executive Officer, senior leadership and our Board of Directors monitor our safety performance regularly.

Employee Engagement – Building a successful human capital management strategy requires foresight, commitment and a willingness to embrace change. We are committed to creating a culture of feedback that reinforces our Core Value of Respect for People.

Employee engagement and satisfaction are essential to Greenbrier’s success. We prioritize fostering connections, encouraging collaboration, and creating a culture of open dialogue and feedback. Employee surveys play a critical role in helping us understand the priorities of our workforce. In 2023, we expanded our employee engagement survey to include our Mexico facilities, and in 2024, we further expanded to include Europe. Feedback from our surveys continue to influence our approach to creating a culture of open dialogue and feedback.

We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment that represents the broader communities we serve. We maintain eight Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) sponsored and supported by leadership. Our ERGs aim to instill workplace values that inspire innovation and growth, keep employees engaged, contribute to personal and professional development, and support retention.

Communication and Recognition – In 2024, Greenbrier enhanced GBX RailDepot, the communication platform launched in 2023 by adding GBXcellence. This recognition and rewards program enhances our workplace culture by empowering employees to acknowledge the outstanding contributions of their peers and leaders, while also celebrating milestones together.

Development and Training – We understand that a talented and diverse workforce is essential to our success. That's why we focus on developing our employees through customized learning and training programs designed to enhance talent retention. Our personalized approach offers a range of training formats, equipping our team with the resources they need to grow and thrive professionally at Greenbrier. This empowers employees to take charge of their own learning journeys.

Compensation and Employee Well-Being – To remain competitive globally, we regularly evaluate our compensation programs. This includes reviewing base pay levels for equity both internally and externally and assessing the effectiveness of our short and long-term incentive programs. In addition, we strive to provide competitive health and wellness programs to our employees.

Benefits and Wellness – We believe benefits programs are a key differentiator in attracting and retaining talent. We strive to provide competitive programs that meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. This includes health and wellness as well as financial and income protection benefits.

Our 2024 Sustainability Update report provides additional information regarding our sustainability strategy and targets. It can be found on our website. Information contained on or accessible through our website is not incorporated into and does not constitute a part of this filing.

Patents and Trademarks

We have a proactive program aimed at protecting our intellectual property and the results from our research and development. We have obtained a number of U.S. and non-U.S. patents of varying duration, and pending patent applications, registered trademarks, copyrights and trade names. We believe that manufacturing expertise, the improvement of existing technology and the development of new products are important in addition to patent protection, in establishing and maintaining a competitive advantage in our market.

Environmental Matters

We are subject to national, state and local environmental laws and regulations concerning, among other matters, air emissions, wastewater discharge, solid and hazardous waste disposal and employee health and safety. Prior to acquiring facilities, we conduct investigations to evaluate the environmental condition of subject properties and may negotiate contractual terms for allocation of environmental exposure arising from prior uses. We operate our facilities in a manner designed to maintain compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations. Environmental studies have been conducted on certain of our owned and leased properties that indicate additional investigation and some remediation on certain properties may be necessary.

Portland Harbor Superfund Site

Our former Portland, Oregon manufacturing facility (the Portland Property) is located adjacent to the Willamette River. In December 2000, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classified portions of the Willamette River bed known as the Portland Harbor, including the portion fronting the Portland Property, as a federal "National Priority List" or "Superfund" site due to sediment contamination (the Portland Harbor Site). Our company and more than 140 other parties have received a "General Notice" of potential liability from the EPA relating to the Portland Harbor Site. The letter advised us that we may be liable for the costs of investigation and remediation (which liability may be joint and several with other potentially responsible parties) as well as for natural resource damages resulting from releases of hazardous substances to the site. Ten private and public entities, including our company (the Lower Willamette Group or LWG), signed an Administrative Order on Consent (AOC) to perform a remedial investigation/feasibility study (RI/FS) of the Portland Harbor Site under EPA oversight, and several additional entities did not sign such consent, but nevertheless contributed financially to the effort. The EPA-mandated RI/FS was produced by the LWG and cost over $110 million during a 17-year period. We bore a percentage of the total costs incurred by the LWG in connection with the investigation. Our aggregate expenditure during the 17-year period was not material. Some or all of any such outlay may be recoverable from other responsible parties. The EPA issued its Record of Decision (ROD) for the Portland Harbor Site on January 6, 2017 and accordingly on October 26, 2017, the AOC was terminated.

Separate from the process described above, which focused on the type of remediation to be performed at the Portland Harbor Site and the schedule for such remediation, approximately 100 parties, including the State of Oregon and the federal government, are participating in a non-judicial, mediated allocation process to try to allocate costs associated with remediation of the Portland Harbor Site. We will continue to participate in the allocation process. Approximately 110 additional parties signed tolling agreements related to such allocations. On April 23, 2009, our company and the other AOC signatories filed suit against 69 other parties due to a possible limitations period for some such claims; Arkema Inc. et al v. A & C Foundry Products, Inc. et al, U.S. District Court, District of Oregon, Case #3:09-cv-453-PK. All but 12 of these parties elected to sign tolling agreements and be dismissed without prejudice, and the case has been stayed by the court until January 14, 2025.

The EPA's January 6, 2017 ROD identifies a clean-up remedy that the EPA estimates will take 13 years of active remediation, followed by 30 years of monitoring with an estimated undiscounted cost of $1.7 billion. The EPA typically expects its cost estimates to be accurate within a range of -30% to +50%, but this ROD states that changes in costs are likely to occur. The EPA has identified several work areas within the ROD cleanup area. One of the units, RM9W, includes the nearshore area of the river sediments offshore and downstream of the Portland Property. It also includes a portion of the Portland Property's riverbank. The ROD does not break down total remediation costs by Sediment Decision Unit. The EPA requested that potentially responsible parties enter AOCs during 2019 agreeing to conduct remedial design studies. Some parties have signed AOCs, including one party with respect to RM9W. We have not signed an AOC in connection with remedial design, but we are assisting in funding a portion of the RM9W remedial design.

The ROD does not address responsibility for the costs of clean-up, nor does it allocate such costs among the potentially responsible parties. Responsibility for funding and implementing the EPA's selected cleanup remedy will be determined at an unspecified later date. Based on the investigation to date, we believe that we did not contribute in any material way to contaminants of concern in the river sediments or the damage of natural resources in the Portland Harbor Site and that the damage in the area of the Portland Harbor Site adjacent to the Portland Property precedes our ownership of the Portland Property. Because these environmental investigations are still underway, sufficient information is currently not available to determine our liability, if any, for the cost of any required remediation or restoration of the Portland Harbor Site or to estimate a range of potential loss. Based on the results of the pending investigations and future assessments of natural resource damages, we may be required to incur costs associated with additional phases of investigation or remedial action, and may be liable for damages to natural resources.

On January 30, 2017 the Confederated Tribes and Bands of Yakama Nation sued 33 parties including our company as well as the federal government and the State of Oregon for costs it incurred in assessing alleged natural resource damages to the Columbia River from contaminants deposited in Portland Harbor. Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation v. Air Liquide America Corp., et al., U.S. Court for the District of Oregon Case No. 3i17-CV-00164-SB. The complaint does not specify the amount of damages the plaintiff will seek. The case has been stayed until January 14, 2025.

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Regulation of Portland Manufacturing Operations

We entered into a Voluntary Cleanup Agreement with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in which we agreed to conduct an investigation of whether, and to what extent, past or present operations at the Portland Property may have released hazardous substances into the environment. We have also signed an Order on Consent with the DEQ to finalize the investigation of potential onsite sources of contamination that may have a release pathway to the Willamette River. Our aggregate expenditure has not been material, however we could incur significant expenses for remediation. Some or all of any such outlay may be recoverable from other responsible parties.

Sale of Portland Property

We sold the Portland Property in May 2023, but remain potentially liable with respect to the above matters. Any of these matters could adversely affect our business and Consolidated Financial Statements. However, any contamination or exacerbation of contamination that occurs after the sale of the property will be the liability of the current and future owners and operators of the Portland Property.

Regulation

We must comply with the rules of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), and the administrative agencies it oversees, including the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), in the U.S. and Transport Canada (TC) in Canada, each of which administer and enforce laws and regulations relating to railroad safety. Products sold and leased by us in North America must meet AAR, TC, PHMSA and FRA standards. More specifically, the transportation of hazardous materials by rail is subject to rigorous oversight by FRA, PHMSA, and DHS. Railroads, acting through the AAR, work in partnership with these and other local, state, and federal entities on hazardous materials-related issues, including train routing, security, tank car design and emergency response. Railroads also require compliance with certain industry best practices that sometimes exceed federal requirements for trains carrying hazardous materials. These regulations govern equipment and safety appliance standards for freight cars and other rail equipment used in interstate and international commerce throughout North America. The AAR promulgates rules and regulations governing the safety and design of equipment, relationships among railroads and other railcar owners with respect to railcars in interchange, and other matters. The AAR also certifies railcar builders and component manufacturers that provide equipment for use on North American railroads. These regulations require maintaining certifications with the AAR as a railcar builder and maintenance provider and component manufacturer. In the ensuing months, we expect new regulations related to recently passed laws that prescribe disclosure of the geographic origin of components of new railcars before new railcars are granted access to the rail interchange system in the United States.

Our operations are subject to health and safety regulations by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Secretaria del Trabajo y Prevision Social (STPS) in Mexico. We believe that we employ appropriate precautions to protect our employees and others from workplace injuries and harmful exposure to materials handled and managed at our facilities. However, claims asserted against us for work-related illnesses or injury and the further adoption of occupational safety and health regulations in the U.S. or foreign jurisdictions in which we operate could increase our operating costs. While we do not anticipate having to make material expenditures to remain in substantial compliance with health and safety laws and regulations, we are unable to predict the ultimate cost of compliance.

The regulatory environment in Europe consists of a combination of EU regulations and country-specific regulations, including a harmonized set of Technical Standards for Interoperability of freight wagons throughout the EU. The regulatory environment in Brazil is overseen by the Ministry of Transportation and the National Agency of Ground Transportation. In all other countries, we conform to country-specific regulations where applicable.

Additional Information

We are a public reporting company and file annual, quarterly, current and special reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. Through a link on the Investor Relations section of our website, http://www.gbrx.com, we make available the following filings as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC: our Annual Report on Form 10-K; Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q; Current Reports on Form 8-K; and any amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All such filings are available free of charge. Copies of our Audit Committee Charter, Compensation Committee Charter, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Charter, Corporate Governance Guidelines and Code of Business Conduct and Ethics are also available on our website at http://www.gbrx.com. Information contained on our website is not part of or incorporated into this Form 10-K or any other filings with the SEC. In addition, each of the reports and documents listed above are available free of charge by contacting our Investor Relations Department at The Greenbrier Companies, Inc., One Centerpointe Drive, Suite 200, Lake Oswego, Oregon 97035.

Item 1A. RISK FACTORS

The following risks could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, operating results, liquidity and cash flows, prospects, and stock price. These risks do not identify all risks that we face; other factors, events, or uncertainties currently unknown to us or that we currently do not consider to present significant risks to our business or that emerge in the future could affect us adversely.

Risks Related to Our Business

An economic downturn and economic uncertainty may adversely affect demand for our products and services.

Our customers are often able to delay replacing rail equipment during economic downturns. Factors affecting the level of customer spending for our products and services include general economic conditions, such as inflation, and other factors such as business confidence in future economic conditions, fears of recession, and the availability and cost of efficient capital, among other factors. Worldwide economic conditions remain uncertain. As global economic conditions continue to be volatile or economic uncertainty increases, trends in business spending may become increasingly unpredictable and subject to reductions and fluctuations. Unfavorable economic conditions may lead our customers to delay or reduce purchases of our products and services, result in lower sales volumes, lower prices, lower lease utilization rates, and decreased revenues and profits.

Shortages of skilled labor, increased labor costs, or failure to maintain good relations with our workforce could adversely affect our operations.

We depend on skilled labor in all areas of our business. Some of our facilities are located in areas where demand for skilled labor often exceeds supply. A shortage of some types of skilled labor such as welders and machine operators would restrict our ability to maintain or increase production rates, lead to production inefficiencies and increase our labor costs. Due to the competitive nature of the labor markets in which we operate and the cyclical nature of the railcar industry, the resulting employment cycle increases our risk of not being able to recruit, train and retain the employees we require at efficient costs and on reasonable terms, particularly when competition for such skilled labor increases. If we lose our reputation as a leader in safety among our industry peers, we may become less competitive in our efforts to attract such skilled labor. Further, we are party to collective bargaining agreements with labor unions at some of our operating sites. Disputes with labor unions, could result in, among other things, strikes, work stoppages or other slowdowns which could cause a significant disruption of our operations and increase our ongoing labor costs. We cannot be assured that our relations with our workforce will remain positive. If we are unable to recruit, train and retain adequate numbers of qualified employees and third-party labor providers on a timely basis or at a reasonable cost or on reasonable terms, our business and results of operations could be adversely affected.

Increases in the price of materials and components used in the production of our products could negatively impact our profit margin on the sale of our products.

A significant portion of our business depends on the adequate supply of steel, other raw materials, and energy, as well as numerous specialty parts and components, such as brakes, wheels, side frames, bolsters, and bearings for the railcar business, at cost-effective prices. The cost of steel and all other materials used in the production of our railcars represents more than half of our direct manufacturing costs per railcar. If we are not able to purchase materials and energy at competitive prices, our ability to produce and sell our products on a cost-effective basis could be adversely impacted which, in turn, could adversely affect our revenue and profitability.

Disruptions in the supply of materials and components used in the production of our products could negatively impact our business and results of operations.

Certain materials for our products are currently available from a limited number of suppliers and, as a result, we may have limited control over pricing, availability, and delivery schedules. Additionally, factors beyond our control, including adverse political conditions, trade embargoes, increased tariffs or import duties, inclement weather, natural disasters, pandemics, terrorism and labor disputes may adversely impact our supply chain, particularly if these conditions or disputes result in work slowdowns, lockouts, strikes, facility closures, or related disruptions. The inability to purchase a sufficient quantity of materials on a timely basis could create disruptions in our production and result in delays while we attempt to engage alternative suppliers. Any such disruption or conditions could harm our

business and adversely impact our results of operations. The loss of suppliers or their inability to meet our price, quality, quantity and delivery requirements could have an adverse effect on our ability to manufacture and sell our products on a cost-effective basis.

If we or our joint ventures fail to complete capital expenditure projects on time and within budget, or if these projects, once completed, fail to operate as anticipated, or fail to improve the efficiencies of our operations, or to generate additional revenue as anticipated, such failure could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

From time-to-time, we, or our joint ventures, undertake strategic capital projects in order to enhance, expand and/or upgrade facilities and operational capabilities including by insourcing production of certain components in our manufacturing operations. Our ability, and our joint ventures’ respective abilities, to complete these projects on time and within budget, and for us to realize the anticipated increased revenues or lower costs, as applicable, or otherwise realize acceptable returns on these investments or other strategic capital projects that may be undertaken are subject to a number of risks. Many of these risks are beyond our control, including a variety of market, operational, permitting, and labor related factors. In addition, the cost to implement any given strategic capital project ultimately may prove to be greater than originally anticipated. If we, or our joint ventures, are not able to achieve the anticipated results from the implementation of any of these strategic capital projects, or if unanticipated implementation costs are incurred, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected. In addition, if we are unable to perform insourced functions better than, or at least as well as, our third-party providers, our business may be harmed.

Our business and financial results of operations could be materially and adversely impacted if we fail to adequately manage and respond to events that cause an interruption or interference in our business operations.

Business resiliency is important to our success. Natural and human-made events and circumstances may delay our ability to deliver products and services to our customers, increase our operating costs, decrease our margins, and adversely impact our results of operations. Such events include, but are not limited to, security breaches, disruptions or failures in our information-technology systems, physical damage to our facilities (including fires, structural failures, power outages or other events), the unavailability of labor, actions or non-action by governmental agencies that prevent or hinder us from operating our business, meeting our contractual obligations, and converting backlog to revenue. The impact of such disruptions to our business and results of operations may vary based on the length and severity of the disruption. Our failure to create and implement systems for monitoring, mitigating, managing, and recovering from such events could increase the length and severity of such disruptions, and could subject us to losses including penalties, cancellation of orders, and/or other losses.

We face risks related to cybersecurity threats and incidents that increase our costs and could disrupt our business and operations, damage our reputation, and result in material liabilities.

We face attempts by malicious hackers, state-sponsored organizations, intruders and potential terrorists, as well as by bad actor employees or third-party service providers, to gain unauthorized access into our physical facilities, or introduce malicious software to our network or those of our customers to, among other things: steal proprietary information related to our business, products, employees, and customers; interrupt our systems and services or those of our customers; corrupt the processes used to operate our businesses and to design and manufacture our products; or demand ransom to return control of such systems and services. Such attempts are increasing in number and in technical sophistication, and if successful, would expose us and the affected parties to risk of loss or misuse of proprietary or confidential information, and could significantly disrupt our business operations. Our information technology infrastructure also includes products and services provided by third parties, and these providers can experience breaches of their systems and products that affect the security of our systems and our proprietary or confidential information. Our reliance on information technology increases to the extent working remotely increases among our employees.

The theft, loss, or misuse of third-party data collected, used, stored, or transferred by us to run our business, and our attempts to address cybersecurity threats and incidents, whether or not successful, could result in our incurring significant costs related to, for example, disruptions in our operations, rebuilding internal systems, implementing additional threat protection measures, defending against litigation, responding to regulatory inquiries or actions, paying damages, or taking other remedial steps with respect to third parties, as well as reputational harm. In addition,

these threats are constantly evolving, thereby increasing the difficulty of successfully defending against them or implementing adequate preventative measures. While we seek to detect and investigate unauthorized attempts and attacks against our network, products, and services, and to prevent their recurrence where practicable through changes to our internal processes and tools, we remain potentially vulnerable to additional known or unknown threats. In some instances, we, our customers, and the users of our products and services can be unaware of an incident or its magnitude and effects. These risks can be further complicated by new and evolving government regulations and requirements for cybersecurity incident reporting, which can result in greater scrutiny of and demands on our incident detection, analysis, mitigation and remediation processes and procedures.

In addition, global privacy legislation, enforcement, and policy activity in this area are rapidly expanding and creating a complex regulatory compliance environment. Costs to comply with and implement these privacy-related and data protection measures could be significant, and noncompliance could expose us to significant monetary penalties, damage to our reputation, and even criminal sanctions. Even our inadvertent failure to comply with federal, state, or international privacy-related or data-protection laws and regulations could result in audits, regulatory inquiries, or proceedings against us by governmental entities or other third parties.

A material disruption in the movement of rail traffic could impair our ability to deliver railcars and other products to our customers in a timely manner which could prevent us from meeting customer demand, reduce our sales, and negatively impact our results of operations.

Once a railcar or other product is manufactured in one of our plants, it must be moved by rail to a customer delivery point. In many cases, the manufacturing plant and the delivery point are in different countries. Many different and unrelated factors could cause a delay in our ability to move our goods in a timely manner from the manufacturing plant to the delivery point including physical disruptions such as armed conflict, natural disasters and power outages, strikes, pandemics, labor stoppages or shortages hindering the operation of railroads and related transportation infrastructure, regulatory and bureaucratic inefficiency and unresponsiveness, uncertainty due to inconsistent treatment from regulators, and other causes. In addition, our manufacturing facilities often purchase raw materials from different countries. The same factors affecting the movement of our completed railcars can disrupt the movement of these raw materials to our manufacturing facilities. A material disruption in the movement of our completed cars or raw materials, especially between countries and across borders, could negatively impact our business and results of operations.

Equipment failures, technological failures, costs and inefficiencies associated with changing of production lines, or transfer of production between facilities, could lead to production, delivery, or service curtailments or shutdowns, loss of revenue or higher expenses.

We operate a substantial amount of equipment at our production facilities. An interruption in production capabilities or maintenance and repair capabilities at our facilities, as a result of equipment or technology failure, natural disasters, pandemics, terrorism, costs and inefficiencies associated with changing of production lines or transfer of production between facilities, could reduce or prevent our production, delivery, service, or repair of our products and increase our costs and expenses. A halt of production at any of our manufacturing facilities could severely affect delivery times to our customers. Any significant delay in deliveries not otherwise contractually mitigated could result in cancellation of all or a portion of our orders, the loss of future sales, and negatively affect our reputation and our results of operations.

An inability to successfully manage, maintain, update, and secure our information systems, and utilize these systems to produce, disseminate, and store relevant and reliable data and information pertaining to our business, could adversely affect our business and competitive position in the market.

We rely on information technology infrastructure and architecture, including hardware, network, software, people, processes and other infrastructure to provide useful and confidential information to conduct our business. In the ordinary course of business, we collect and store sensitive data and information, including our proprietary and regulated business information, that of our customers, suppliers and business partners, and personally identifiable information about our employees, as well as internal communications and exchanges with customers, suppliers, legal counsel, governmental agencies, and consultants. We depend on our information systems to successfully manage our

business. We have taken steps to maintain adequate data security by implementing security technologies, internal controls, and network and data center resiliency and recovery processes.

In addition, we continually evaluate and implement upgrades and changes to our information technology systems. We could experience problems in connection with such implementations, including compatibility issues, training requirements, higher than expected implementation costs and other integration challenges and delays. A significant problem with an implementation, integration with other systems or ongoing management and operation of our systems could negatively impact our business by disrupting operations. Such a problem could also have an adverse effect on our ability to generate and interpret accurate management and financial reports and other information on a timely basis, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial reporting system and internal controls and adversely affect our ability to manage our business.

Furthermore, despite our efforts, our information systems and processes, like those of other companies, are susceptible to damage or interruption due to natural disasters, power loss, telecommunications failures, viruses, breaches of security, system upgrades or new system implementations, as well as the inability of these systems or processes to fulfill their intended purpose within our business. Any operational failure or breach of security could lead to the loss or disclosure of both our and our customers’ financial, product and other confidential information, result in regulatory actions and legal proceedings, and/or have an adverse effect on our business and reputation.

Our backlog is not necessarily indicative of the level of our future revenues.

Our manufacturing backlog represents future production for our customers and estimated potential revenue attributable to such production. Our backlog of railcar units is not necessarily indicative of future results of operations. Some orders are subject to customary documentation, conditions, or completion of terms which may not occur. If a customer cancels an order, we may be unable to recover the entire amount we anticipated receiving from the order. The timing of converting backlog to revenue is also materially impacted by our decision whether to lease railcars, sell railcars, syndicate railcars with a lease attached to an investor, or contribute railcars to our lease fleet. Actual revenue may not equal our anticipated revenues based on our backlog.

We operate in highly competitive industries. We may not be able to sustain our market leadership positions, which may impact our financial results.

We face significant competition serving the markets and geographies our customers operate in. We face competition with respect to price, quality, timing, product performance, technological innovation, warranties, reliability of delivery, customer service, and other factors. The effects of this competition could reduce our revenues and operating profits, increase our expenses, limit our ability to grow, and otherwise affect our financial results.

We rely on limited suppliers for certain components and services needed in our production. If we are not able to procure specialty components or services on commercially reasonable terms or on a timely basis, our business, financial condition and results of operations would be adversely affected.

Our manufacturing operations depend in part on our ability to obtain timely deliveries of materials, components and services in acceptable quantities and quality from our suppliers. In 2024, the top ten suppliers for all inventory purchases accounted for approximately 44% of total purchases. The top supplier accounted for approximately 17% of total inventory purchases in 2024. No other suppliers accounted for more than 10% of total inventory purchases. Certain components of our products, particularly specialized components like castings, bolsters, trucks, wheels and axles, and certain services, such as lining capabilities, are currently only available from a limited number of suppliers. If any one or more of our suppliers cease to provide us with sufficient quantities of our components or services in a timely manner or on terms acceptable to us, or cease to provide services or manufacture components of acceptable quality, or go out of business, we could incur disruptions or be limited in our production of our products and may not be able to promptly identify alternative sources for these components or services.

In addition, we are increasing the number of components and services we manufacture or provide ourselves, directly or through joint ventures. If we are not successful at manufacturing such components or providing such services or have production problems after transitioning to self-produced supplies, we may not be able to replace such components or services from third-party suppliers in a timely manner. Any resulting disruption in our supply, or increase in the cost of specialized components and services, could harm our business and adversely affect our results of operations.

The timing of our asset sales and related revenue recognition could cause significant differences in our quarterly results and liquidity.

We may build products in anticipation of a customer order, or lease railcars to a customer with the aim of selling such railcars on lease to a third-party. In such cases, the lag between production and sale results in uneven recognition of revenue and earnings over time. Our production during any given period may be concentrated in relatively few contracts, intensifying the amplitude and irregularity of our revenue streams. The timing of recognizing revenue on a railcar is also materially impacted by our decision whether to lease the railcar to a lessee, sell the railcar, or syndicate the railcar with a lease attached to an investor. In addition, we periodically sell railcars from our own lease fleet and the timing and volume of such sales are difficult to predict. As a result, comparisons of our Manufacturing or Leasing & Management Services revenue, deliveries, quarterly net gain on disposition of equipment, income and liquidity between quarterly periods within one year and between comparable periods in different years may not be meaningful and should not be relied upon as indicators of our future performance.

We depend on our senior management team and other key employees, and significant attrition within our management team or unsuccessful succession planning for members of our senior management team and other key employees, could adversely affect our business.

Our success depends in part on our ability to attract, retain and motivate senior management and other key employees. Achieving this objective may be difficult due to many factors, including fluctuations in global economic and industry conditions, competitors’ hiring practices, cost reduction activities, and the effectiveness of our compensation programs. Competition for qualified personnel can be very intense. We must continue to recruit, retain and motivate senior management and other key employees sufficient to maintain our current business and support our future projects and growth objectives. We are vulnerable to attrition among our current senior management team and other key employees. Some members of our senior management team and other key employees are at or nearing retirement age. If we are unsuccessful in our succession planning efforts, the continuity of our business and results of operations could be adversely affected. A loss of any such personnel, or the inability to recruit and retain qualified personnel in the future, could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We derive a significant amount of our revenue from a limited number of customers, the loss of or reduction of business from one or more of which could have an adverse effect on our business.

A significant portion of our revenue is generated from a few major customers. In 2024, revenue from one customer accounted for approximately 10% of Consolidated Revenue. No other customers accounted for greater than 10% of Consolidated Revenue. Although we have some long-term contractual relationships with our major customers, we cannot be assured that we will continue to have good relations with our customers, or that our customers will continue to purchase or lease our products or services, or will continue to do so at historical levels, or will renew their existing contracts with us. A reduction in the purchasing or leasing of our products, a termination of our services by one or more of our major customers, a decline in the financial condition of a major customer, or our failure to replace expiring customer contracts with new customer contracts on satisfactory terms could result in a loss of business and have an adverse effect on our business and operating results.

Our business may be negatively impacted as a result of war in Ukraine, as well as civil unrest and armed conflict in other geographies.

In February 2022, the Russian Federation commenced a military invasion of Ukraine. We cannot predict the full impact of the ongoing war in Ukraine, the economic sanctions imposed on Russia, and the related economic and geopolitical instability, including instability in the manufacturing and freight rail markets. Some of our operations, particularly in Europe, have experienced higher energy costs, an increase in the price and decrease in the availability of steel and certain other materials and components, disruptions in transportation and supply chains, and higher manufacturing and borrowing costs. Not all of these costs are subject to escalation and related clauses which allow us to pass through costs to our customers, and there is a risk we will not be successful in renegotiating or managing the implementation of existing agreements to allow us to pass through these increased prices of manufacturing. These negative factors may continue to occur along with other risks to our business that may emerge which include, among others, prolonged heightened inflation, macroeconomic interventions in response to inflation, cyber disruptions or attacks, and disruptions in credit markets. These factors and others could disrupt our business directly and could disrupt the business of our customers thereby reducing or delaying orders of our goods and services. Prolonged civil unrest,

political instability or uncertainty, military activities, or broad-based sanctions related to the war in Ukraine or civil unrest or armed conflict in other geographies could have an adverse effect on our operations and business outlook.

Our debt could have negative consequences to our business or results of operations.

We face several risks due to our debt and debt service obligations including: our potential inability to satisfy our financial obligations related to our consolidated indebtedness; potential breach of the covenants in our credit agreements (including our revolving credit facility, asset-backed facilities and other facilities); our ability to borrow additional amounts or refinance existing indebtedness in the future to fund operating needs may be limited or costly; our availability of cash flow may be inadequate because a portion of our cash flow is needed to pay principal and interest on our debt; we may be at a disadvantage relative to our competitors that have greater financial resources than us or more flexible capital structures than us; we face additional exposure to the risk of increased interest rates as certain of our borrowings are at variable rates of interest, which could result in higher interest expense in the event of an increase in interest rates; restrictions under debt agreements may adversely interfere with our financial and operating flexibility; and exposure to the possibility that we may suffer a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition if we are unable to service our debt or obtain additional financing, as needed.

We, our subsidiaries, and our joint ventures may incur additional indebtedness, including secured indebtedness, and other obligations and liabilities that do not constitute indebtedness. This could increase the risks associated with our debt. Some of our credit facilities and existing indebtedness use variable rates which may make the amount of interest we pay on such variable rate indebtedness difficult to predict.

A failure to design or manufacture products or technologies or to achieve timely certification or market acceptance of new products or technologies could have an adverse effect on our profitability.

We continue to introduce new railcar product innovations and technologies as well as develop and offer information-technology-based services. We occasionally accept orders prior to receiving railcar certification or proving our ability to manufacture a quality product that meets customer standards. We could be unable to successfully design or manufacture new railcar product innovations or technologies. Our software products and information-technology-based services may contain design defects, software errors, hardware failures or other computer system failures that are difficult to detect and correct. Our inability to develop and manufacture new products or technologies in a timely and profitable manner, or to obtain timely certification, or to achieve market acceptance, or to avoid quality problems in our new products, could have a material adverse effect on our revenue and results of operations and subject us to losses including penalties, cancellation of orders, rejection of railcars by a customer and/or other losses.

Our product and service warranties could expose us to significant claims.

We offer our customers limited warranties for many of our products and services. Accordingly, we may be subject to significant warranty claims in the future, such as multiple claims based on one defect repeated throughout our production or servicing processes, claims for which the cost of repairing the defective part is highly disproportionate to the original cost of the part, or defects in railcars or services which we discover in the future resulting in increased warranty costs or litigation. Warranty and product support terms may expand beyond those which have traditionally prevailed in the rail supply industry. These types of warranty claims could result in costly product recalls, customers seeking monetary damages, significant repair costs and damage to our reputation. If warranty claims attributable to actions of third-party component manufacturers are not recoverable from such parties due to their poor financial condition or other reasons, we could be liable for warranty claims and other risks for using these materials in our products.

Insurance coverage could be costly, unavailable or inadequate.

The ability to insure our businesses, facilities and rail assets is an important aspect of our ability to manage risk. As there are only limited providers of this insurance to the railcar industry, there is no guarantee that such insurance will be available on a cost-effective basis in the future. In addition, we cannot be assured that our insurance carriers will be able to pay current or future claims. Additionally, the nature of our business subjects us to physical damage, business interruption and product liability claims, especially in connection with the repair and manufacture of products that carry hazardous or volatile materials. Although we maintain liability insurance coverage at commercially reasonable levels compared to similarly sized heavy equipment manufacturers, an unusually large physical damage, business interruption or product liability claim or a series of claims based on a failure repeated throughout our production process could exceed our insurance coverage and/or result in damage to our reputation, which could materially adversely impact our financial condition and results of operations.

If we are unable to protect our intellectual property or if third parties assert that our products or services infringe their intellectual property rights, our ability to compete in the market may be harmed, and our business and financial condition may be adversely affected.

If our intellectual property rights are not adequately protected, we may not be able to commercialize our technologies, products or services and our competitors could commercialize them, which could result in a decrease in our sales and market share and could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Conversely, third parties might assert that our products, services, technologies or other business activities infringe their patents or other intellectual property rights. Infringement and other intellectual property claims and proceedings brought against us, whether successful or not, could result in substantial litigation and judgment costs and harm our reputation.

Our financial performance and market value could cause write-downs of goodwill or intangibles or other long-lived assets in future periods.

We are required to perform an annual impairment test of goodwill and other indefinite lived assets which could result in an impairment charge if it is determined that the carrying value of the asset exceeds its fair value. We perform a goodwill impairment test at the reporting unit level annually or whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying value of these assets may exceed their fair value. In addition, we periodically review our intangible and other long-lived assets for impairment when events or changes in circumstances, such as a divestiture, indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable.

If indicators suggest it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value or that the carrying amount of intangible or long-lived assets may not be recoverable, it may result in an impairment. Impairment charges impact our results of operations in the period in which they are identified. Further, write-downs of goodwill and other assets could affect certain of the financial covenants under debt instruments and could restrict our financial flexibility.

Our business will suffer if we are unsuccessful in making, integrating, and maintaining acquisitions, joint ventures and other strategic investments.

We have acquired businesses and invested in or entered into joint ventures in past periods. We may in the future acquire other businesses or invest in or enter into other joint ventures. Our failure to identify future acquisition or joint venture opportunities, to complete potential acquisitions or joint ventures on favorable terms, or to realize anticipated benefits from such acquisitions or joint ventures, could hinder our ability to grow our business. These transactions create risks to our ongoing business, including loss of management focus on existing operations, the time and effort required to integrate new or acquired businesses into our existing business, and the challenges of coordinating geographically dispersed organizations, as well as risks to the new or acquired business, such as the retention of key personnel and unanticipated expenses. In addition, we might need to issue additional equity securities, spend our cash, or incur debt, contingent liabilities, or amortization expenses related to intangible assets in connection with effecting an acquisition or joint venture, any of which could reduce our profitability and harm our business or only be available on unfavorable terms, if at all.

Risks Related to Market and Economic Factors

Inflation as well as monetary and other policy interventions by governments and central banks in response to inflation, including the increase of interest rates, as well as uncertainly about governmental macroeconomic policies, could negatively impact our business and results of operations.

General inflation in the U.S., Europe and other geographies has risen to levels not experienced in recent decades. General inflation also negatively impacts our business by decreasing the capital our customers have to deploy to purchase our goods and services. Inflation may cause our customers to reduce or delay orders for our goods and services thereby causing a decrease in our sales. The United States Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank, and several other central banks increased benchmark interest rates during 2024. Rising interest rates increases our borrowing costs potentially decreasing our profitability. Additionally, increased borrowing costs faced by our customers could result in decreased demand for our products. Monetary interventions also risk a sustained decline in aggregate demand, either globally or within one or more geographic markets. A decline in demand for our products would have a negative impact on our business and results of operations.

The types of rail equipment we sell and the services we provide significantly impact our revenue and our margin and are dependent on broad economic trends over which we have little or no control.

We manufacture, lease, maintain and refurbish a broad range of railcars and related rail equipment. The demand for specific types of railcars and the mix of repair and refurbishment work varies over time. Changes in the global economy and the industries and geographies that we serve cause shifts in demand for specific products and services. Demand for specific types of railcars increases and decreases with the demand for goods such as grains, metals, construction aggregates, fertilizer, perishables and general merchandise, plastic pellets, oil and gas, bio-fuels, chemicals, and automobiles, among others, which is beyond our control. These shifts in demand could affect our results of operations and could have an adverse effect on our revenue and our profitability.

Cyclical economic downturns in our industry usually result in decreased demand for our products and services and reduced revenue.

The industry in which we operate is subject to periodic economic cycles, and the purchasing trends of customers in our industry have a significant impact on demand for our products and services. As a result, during downturns, the rate at which we convert backlog to revenue usually decreases and we may slow down or halt production at some of our facilities. An economic downturn in our industry would impact the demand for our products and services, and would result in one or more of the following: lower sales volumes, lower prices, lower lease utilization rates and decreased revenues and profits.

Demand for our railcar equipment and services is dependent on the future of rail transportation and the manner in which railroads operate.

Demand for our rail equipment and services may decrease if freight rail decreases as a mode of freight transportation used by customers to ship their products, or if governmental policies favor modes of freight transportation other than rail. If rail freight transportation becomes more efficient or dwell times decrease, demand for our rail equipment and services may decrease. If the rail freight industry becomes oversupplied, prices for our railcars, lease rates, and demand for our products and services may decrease. The industries in which our customers operate are driven by dynamic market forces and trends, which are in turn influenced by economic, regulatory, and political factors. Features and functionality specific to certain railcar types could result in those railcars becoming obsolete as customer requirements for freight delivery change.

Risks related to our operations outside of the U.S. could adversely affect our operating results.

We own, lease, operate or have invested in businesses that have manufacturing facilities in Mexico, Brazil and Europe, and have customers and suppliers located outside the United States. Instability in the macroeconomic, political, military, legal, regulatory, trade, financial, labor or market conditions in or relating to the countries where we, or our customers or suppliers, operate could negatively impact our business activities and operations. Some foreign countries in which we operate or may operate have authorities that regulate railroad safety and rail equipment design and manufacturing. If we do not have appropriate certifications, we could be unable to market and sell our rail equipment

in those markets. Adverse changes in foreign regulations or enforcement practices applicable to us or our customers, such as labor, environment, trade, tax, currency and price regulations, could limit our operations, make the manufacture and distribution of our products difficult, and delay or limit our ability to repatriate income derived from foreign markets.

Our business benefits from free trade agreements between the U.S. and foreign governments, and from various U.S. corporate tax provisions related to international commerce. Any changes in trade or tax policies by the U.S. or foreign governments in jurisdictions in which we do business, as well as any embargoes, quotas or tariffs imposed on our products and services, could adversely and significantly affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Among the political risks we face outside the U.S. are governments nationalizing our business or assets, repudiating or renegotiating contracts with us, our customers or our suppliers, or revising their judicial or other governmental systems in a manner that decreases legal certainty. In our cross-border business activities, we could experience longer customer payment cycles, difficulty in collecting accounts receivable or an inability to protect our intellectual property. We could be adversely affected by violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and similar worldwide anti-corruption laws, which may conflict with local business customs in certain jurisdictions. The failure to comply with laws governing international business may result in substantial penalties and fines and reputational harm. Transactions with non-U.S. entities expose us to business practices, local customs, and legal processes with which we may not be familiar, as well as difficulty enforcing contracts and international political and trade tensions. If we are unable to successfully manage the risks associated with our foreign and cross-border business activities, our results of operations, financial condition, liquidity and cash flows could be negatively impacted.

Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates could lead to increased costs and lower profitability.

Outside of the U.S., we primarily conduct business in Mexico, Europe and Brazil, and our non-U.S. businesses conduct their operations in local currencies. We also source materials worldwide. Fluctuations in exchange rates may affect demand for our products in foreign markets or our cost competitiveness and may adversely affect our profitability. Although we attempt to mitigate a portion of our exposure to changes in currency rates through currency rate hedge contracts and other activities, these efforts cannot fully eliminate the risks associated with foreign currencies. In addition, some of our borrowings are in foreign currencies, giving rise to risk from fluctuations in exchange rates. A material or adverse change in exchange rates could result in significant deterioration of profits or in losses for us.

The deterioration of conditions in the global capital markets, weakening of macroeconomic conditions and changes in the credit markets and the financial services industry could negatively impact our business, results of operations, financial condition or liquidity.

Our leasing subsidiaries' operations relies in large part upon banks and capital markets to fund their operations and contractual commitments and refinance existing debt. These markets can experience high levels of volatility and access to capital can be constrained for extended periods of time. In addition to conditions in the capital markets, a number of other factors could cause us to incur increased borrowing costs and have greater difficulty accessing public and private markets for both secured and unsecured debt. The credit markets and the financial services industry may experience volatility which can result in tighter availability of credit on more restrictive terms and limit our ability to sell railcar assets or to syndicate railcars to investors with leases attached. Our liquidity, financial condition and results of operations could be negatively impacted if our ability to borrow money to finance operations, obtain credit from trade creditors, obtain credit to maintain our hedging programs, offer leasing products to our customers or sell railcar assets were to be impaired. In addition, scarcity of capital could also adversely affect our customers’ ability to purchase, lease, or pay for products from us or adversely affect our suppliers’ ability to provide us with product. Any of these conditions or events could result in reductions in our revenues, increased price competition, or increased operating costs, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We could be unable to lease railcars at satisfactory rates, remarket leased railcars on favorable terms upon lease termination, or realize the expected residual values for end of life railcars due to changes in scrap prices, each of which could reduce our revenue and decrease our overall return or affect our ability to sell leased assets in the future.

The profitability of our railcar leasing business depends on our ability to lease railcars at satisfactory rates, sell railcars with sufficiently profitable leases to investors, and to remarket, sell or scrap railcars we own or manage upon the expiration of leases. The rent we receive during the initial railcar lease term typically covers only a small portion of the railcar acquisition or production costs. Thus, we are exposed to a remarketing risk throughout the life of the railcar because we must obtain lease rates or a sale price sufficient to cover our acquisition or production costs related to the railcar. Our ability to lease or remarket leased railcars profitably is dependent on several factors, including, but not limited to, market and industry conditions, cost of, and demand for, competing used or newer models, availability of credit and the credit-worthiness of potential customers, costs associated with the refurbishment of the railcars, the market demand or governmental mandates for refurbishment, customers not defaulting on their leases, as well as market perceptions of residual values and interest rates. A downturn in the industries in which our lessees operate and decreased demand for railcars could also increase our exposure to remarketing risks because lessees may demand shorter lease terms, requiring us to remarket leased railcars more frequently. Furthermore, the resale market for previously leased railcars has a limited number of potential buyers. Our inability to lease, remarket or sell leased railcars on favorable terms could result in an adverse impact to our operating results or affect our ability to sell leased railcars to investors in the future. Additionally, when the price of scrap steel declines, our revenues and margins in such businesses decrease. Notwithstanding the terms of the leases we enter into, our lessees may misuse, abuse, improperly install components or improperly or inadequately maintain or repair the railcars we have leased to them. These actions could result in a diminution in the value of the railcars, as well as our potential exposure to claims that could increase our costs and weaken our financial condition.

A limited availability of financing or higher interest rates could increase the cost of, or potentially deter, new leasing arrangements with our customers, reduce our ability to syndicate railcars under lease to financial institutions, or impact the sales price we may receive on such syndications, any of which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Some of our competitors are owned or financially supported by foreign governments and may sell products below cost or otherwise compete unfairly.

The markets in which we participate are intensely competitive and we expect them to remain intensely competitive into the foreseeable future. Some of our competitors are owned or financially supported by foreign governments or sovereign wealth funds, and may potentially sell products and services below cost, or otherwise compete unfairly, in order to gain market share. The relative competitiveness of our manufacturing facilities and products affects our performance. A number of competitive factors challenge or affect our ability to compete successfully including the introduction of competitive products and new entrants into our markets, a limited customer base and price pressures from unfair competition and increases in raw materials and labor costs. If we do not compete successfully, our market share, margin and results of operations may be adversely affected.

Fires, natural disasters, pandemics, terrorism, or severe or unusual weather conditions could disrupt our business and result in loss of revenue or higher expenses or decreased demand.

Any serious disruption at any of our facilities due to pandemics, terrorism, fire, hurricane, earthquake, flood, other severe weather events or any other natural disaster could impair our ability to use our facilities and have a material adverse impact on our revenues and increase our costs and expenses. Disruptions can arise from damage to our facilities and operations from such events or from government, regulator or customer actions taken to respond to or mitigate such events. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted businesses globally, including our business, due to changes in consumer behavior, pandemic fears and market downturns, and the extraordinary actions taken by governmental authorities to contain and combat the outbreak and spread of COVID-19 in regions throughout the world. Such events can also materially disrupt the operations of our customers and suppliers. If there is a natural disaster or other serious disruption at any of our facilities, particularly at any of our Mexican or Arkansas facilities, it could impair our ability to adequately supply our customers, cause a significant disruption to our operations, cause us to incur significant costs to relocate or reestablish these functions and negatively impact our operating results. While

we insure against certain business interruption risks, such insurance may not adequately compensate us for any losses incurred as a result of natural or other disasters.

Additionally, seasonal fluctuations in weather conditions may lead to greater variation in our quarterly operating results as unusually mild weather conditions will generally lead to lower demand for our wheel-related products and services. If occurring for prolonged periods, such weather could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. In addition, climate change could result in an increased frequency of severe weather events and/or greater variance in weather conditions, and rising sea levels that could affect operations at our manufacturing facilities, the price of insuring company assets, or other unforeseen disruptions of our operations, systems, property or equipment.

Risks Related to Legal, Compliance and Regulatory Matters

Train derailments or other accidents could subject us to legal claims that adversely impact our business, financial condition and our results of operations.

We provide a number of services which include the manufacture and supply of new railcars, wheels, new and refurbished axles, components and parts and the lease and maintenance of railcars for our customers that transport a variety of commodities, including tank railcars that transport hazardous materials such as crude oil, ethanol, chlorine, anhydrous ammonia and other products. In addition, we have a Regulatory Services Group that offers regulatory, engineering, and process consulting and advocacy support to the tank car and petrochemical rail shipper community, among other services. We could be subject to various legal claims, including claims of negligence, personal injury, physical damage and product or service liability, or in some cases strict liability, as well as potential penalties and liability under environmental laws and regulations, in the event of a derailment or other accident involving railcars, including tank railcars, whether resulting from natural disasters, human error, terrorism, or other causes. If we become subject to any such claims and are unable to successfully resolve them or maintain inadequate insurance for such claims, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected, and may also harm our reputation.

The products we manufacture are designed to work optimally when properly operated, installed, repaired, maintained and used to transport the intended cargo. Our products may be sold to third parties who may misuse, improperly install or improperly or inadequately maintain or repair such products, which may result in us being subjected to claims or litigation associated with product damage, injuries or property damage that could increase our costs and weaken our financial condition.

Risks related to potential misconduct by employees may adversely impact us.

Our employees may engage in misconduct, fraud or other improper activities, including noncompliance with our policies or regulatory standards and requirements, which could subject us to regulatory sanctions and reputational damage and materially harm our business. It is not always possible to deter employee misconduct, and the precautions we take to prevent and detect this activity may not be effective in controlling unknown or unmanaged risks or losses, including risks associated with harassment, as well as whistleblower complaints and litigation. There can be no assurance that we will succeed in preventing misconduct by employees in the future. In addition, the investigation of alleged misconduct disrupts our operations and may harm the public’s perception of our company, which may be costly. Any such events in the future may have a material adverse impact on our financial condition or results of operations.

Changes in, or failure to comply with, applicable regulations may adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our company and the other participants in our industry are subject to regulation by governmental agencies. These authorities establish, interpret, and enforce rules and regulations for the railcar industry. New rules and regulations and shifting enforcement priorities of regulators could increase our operating costs and the operating costs of our

customers. Changes to the process for obtaining regulatory approval in Europe for the operation of new or modified railcars may make it more difficult for us to deliver products timely and to comply with our sales contracts.

We cannot guarantee that we or our suppliers will be in compliance at all times, compliance may prove to be more costly and limiting than we currently anticipate, and compliance requirements could increase in future years. If we or our suppliers fail to comply with applicable requirements and regulations, we could face sanctions and penalties that could negatively affect our financial results.

We have potential exposure to environmental liabilities, which could increase our operating costs or have an adverse effect on our results of operations.

We are subject to extensive governmental regulations concerning, among other things, air emissions, water discharge, solid waste and hazardous substances handling and disposal and employee health and safety. These laws and regulations are complex and frequently change. We could incur unexpected costs, penalties and other civil and criminal liabilities if we, or in certain circumstances others, fail to comply with environmental laws or permits issued pursuant to those laws. We also could incur costs or liabilities related to off-site waste disposal or remediating soil or groundwater contamination at our properties, including as set forth in Item 3, “Legal Proceedings.” In addition, future environmental laws and regulations may require significant capital expenditures or changes to our operations, or may impose liability on us in the future for actions that complied with then applicable laws and regulations when the action was taken.

Business, regulatory, and legal developments regarding climate change may increase our operating costs, and may negatively affect the demand for our products or the ability of our critical suppliers to meet our needs.

Legislation and new rules to regulate emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) have been introduced in numerous state legislatures, the U.S. Congress, and by the EPA, as well as in Europe and other geographies in which we operate. Some of these proposals would require industries to meet stringent new standards that may require substantial reporting of GHGs and other carbon intensive activities in addition to potentially mandating reductions in carbon emissions. While we cannot assess the direct impact of these or other potential regulations, we recognize that new climate change reporting or compliance protocols could increase our operating costs, decrease demand for our products and/or increase the price or decrease the availability of materials, input factors and manufactured components which could reduce our margins.

Changes in accounting standards, the implementation of new accounting standards, or inaccurate estimates or assumptions in the application of accounting policies, could adversely affect our financial results.

Our accounting policies and methods are fundamental to how we record and report our financial condition and results of operations. Some of these policies require use of estimates and assumptions that may affect the reported value of our assets or liabilities and financial results and are critical because they require management to make difficult, subjective, and complex judgments about matters that are inherently uncertain. Estimates, judgments and assumptions underlying the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements include impairment of long-lived assets, goodwill, income taxes and environmental costs, among others. If our accounting policies, methods, judgments, assumptions, estimates and allocations prove to be incorrect, or if circumstances change, our business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, ability to pay dividends or stock price may be materially adversely affected.

Accounting standard setters and those who interpret the accounting standards (such as the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the SEC, and independent registered public accounting firms) may amend or even reverse their previous interpretations or positions on how these standards should be applied. In some cases, we could be required to apply a new or revised standard retrospectively, resulting in the revision of prior period financial statements. Changes in accounting standards can be hard to predict and can materially impact how we record and report our financial condition and results of operations.

Some of our customers place orders for our products in reliance on their ability to utilize tax benefits or tax credits, any of which benefits or credits could be discontinued thereby reducing incentives for our customers to purchase our rail products.

There is no assurance that tax authorities will reauthorize, modify, or prevent the expiration of tax benefits, tax credits, or other policies aimed to incentivize the purchase of our products. If such incentives are discontinued or diminished, the demand for our products could decrease, thereby creating the potential for a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

Risks Related to our Common Stock

Our stock price has been volatile and may continue to experience large fluctuations.

The price of our common stock has experienced rapid and significant price fluctuations. The price for our common stock is likely to continue to be volatile and subject to price and volume fluctuations in response to market and other factors, including the factors discussed elsewhere in these risk factors. A material decline in the price of our common stock may result in the assertion of certain claims against us, and/or the commencement of inquiries and/or investigations against us. A prolonged decline in the price of our common stock could result in a reduction in the liquidity of our common stock, a reduction in our ability to raise capital, and the inability of investors to obtain a favorable selling price for their shares. Following periods of volatility in the market price of their stock, historically many companies have been the subject of securities class action litigation. If we became involved in securities class action litigation in the future, it could result in substantial costs and diversion of our management’s attention and our resources and could harm our stock price, business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.

Our business and operations could be negatively affected if we become subject to shareholder activism, which could cause us to incur significant expense, hinder execution of our business strategy and impact our stock price.

In recent years, companies with a class of publicly-traded securities commonly face proxy contests, public information campaigns, and other forms of shareholder activism. Shareholder activism could result in substantial costs to the Company, give rise to perceived uncertainties as to our future, adversely affect our relationships with suppliers, customers, and regulators, make it more difficult to attract and retain qualified personnel, and adversely impact our stock price.

Our current shareholders could experience dilution.

We require substantial working capital to fund our business. If additional funds are raised through the issuance of equity securities or convertible securities, the percentage ownership held by our shareholders would be reduced and the equity securities we issue may have rights, preferences or privileges senior to those of our common stock. Additionally, we have the option to settle outstanding convertible notes in cash, although if we opt not to or do not have the ability to settle outstanding convertible notes in cash, the conversion of some or all of our convertible notes may dilute the ownership interests of existing shareholders. Any sales in the public market of the common stock issuable upon the conversion of the notes could adversely affect prevailing market prices of our common stock. In addition, the existence of the notes may encourage short selling by market participants because the conversion of the notes could depress the price of our common stock.

Certain provisions in our charter documents, Oregon law, and our debt instruments could make an acquisition of our company more difficult, limit attempts by our shareholders to replace or remove members of our Board of Directors and may adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

Our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, Oregon law, and contracts and debt instruments to which we are a party, contain certain provisions that could delay, defer or prevent an acquisition proposal that some, or a majority, of our shareholders might believe to be in their best interests or in which shareholders might receive a premium for their common stock over the then-prevailing market price. These provisions could also dissuade shareholders or third parties from contesting director elections and could cause investors to view our securities as less attractive investments and reduce the market price of our common stock. Certain relevant provisions of our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, as well as Oregon law, are described in further detail in “Description of the Registrant’s Securities Under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934” included as Exhibit 4.3 to this Form 10-K.

Payments of cash dividends on our common stock may be made only at the discretion of our Board of Directors and may be restricted by Oregon law.

Any decision to pay dividends will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors and will depend upon our operating results, strategic plans, capital requirements, financial condition, provisions of our borrowing arrangements and other factors our Board of Directors considers relevant. Furthermore, Oregon law imposes restrictions on our ability to pay dividends. Accordingly, we may not be able to continue to pay dividends in any given amount in the future, or at all.

Although our share repurchase program is intended to enhance long-term shareholder value, we cannot provide assurance that this will occur, and this program may be suspended or terminated at any time.

The Board of Directors has authorized our company to repurchase our common stock through a share repurchase program. Our share repurchase program may be modified, suspended or discontinued at any time without prior notice. Although the share repurchase program is intended to enhance long-term shareholder value, we cannot provide assurance that this will occur.

General Risk Factors

Unanticipated changes in our tax provisions or exposure to additional income tax liabilities could affect our financial condition and profitability, and we may take tax positions that the Internal Revenue Service or other tax authorities may contest.

We are subject to income taxes in both the U.S. and foreign jurisdictions. Significant judgments and estimates are required to be made in determining our worldwide provision for income taxes. Changes in estimates of projected future operating results, loss of deductibility of items, recapture of prior deductions (including related to interest on convertible notes), limitations on our ability to utilize tax net operating losses in the future or changes in assumptions regarding our ability to generate future taxable income could result in significant increases to our tax expense and liabilities that could adversely affect our financial condition and profitability.

We have in the past and may in the future take tax positions that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or other U.S. or foreign tax authorities may contest. We are required by an IRS regulation to disclose particular tax positions to the IRS as part of our tax returns for that year and future years. If the IRS or other tax authorities successfully contests a tax position that we take, we may be required to pay additional taxes, interest or fines that may adversely affect our results of operations and financial position. We may face other legal or regulatory actions by U.S. or foreign tax authorities contesting our tax positions that may cause management distraction and require us to incur costs to respond regardless of their outcome.

The use of social and other digital media to disseminate false, misleading and/or unreliable or inaccurate data and information could create unwarranted volatility in our stock price and losses to our shareholders and could adversely affect our reputation, products, business, and operating results.

A substantial number of people are relying on social and other digital media to receive news, data, and information. Social and other digital media can be used by anyone to publish data and information without regard for factual accuracy. The use of social and other digital media to publish inaccurate, offensive, and disparaging data and information coupled with the frequent use of strong language and hostile expression, may influence the public’s inability to distinguish between what is true and what is false and could obstruct an effective and timely response to correct inaccuracies or falsifications. Such use of social and other digital media could result in unexpected and unsubstantiated claims concerning our business in general or our products, our leadership or our reputation among customers and the public at large, thereby making it more difficult for us to compete effectively, and potentially having a material adverse effect on our business, operations, or financial condition.

Item 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

None.

Item 1C. CYBERSECURITY

Cybersecurity represents an important component of our overall approach to risk management. Our information security risk management (ISRM) policies, standards and practices are integrated into our overall enterprise risk management (ERM) approach, and cybersecurity risks are one of the business risks that are subject to oversight by our Board of Directors. Our ISRM policies, standards and practices follow industry trends, which align with frameworks established by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. We approach cybersecurity threats through a cross-functional approach which endeavors to: (i) identify, prevent and mitigate cybersecurity threats to us; (ii) preserve the confidentiality, security and availability of the information that we collect and store to use in our business; (iii) protect our intellectual property; (iv) maintain the confidence of our customers, clients and business partners; and (v) provide appropriate public disclosure of cybersecurity risks and incidents when required.

Risk Management and Strategy

Our cybersecurity program focuses on the following areas:

We manage risks from cybersecurity threats through the assessment and testing of our processes and practices focused on evaluating the effectiveness of our cybersecurity measures. We engage third parties as appropriate to perform assessments of our cybersecurity measures. The results of such assessments and reviews are reported to the Audit Committee and the Board of Directors, and we adjust our cybersecurity policies, standards, processes and practices as necessary based on the information provided by the assessments, audits and reviews. We maintain cyber risk and related insurance policies as a measure of added protection.

Governance

The Board of Directors, in coordination with the Audit Committee, oversees the management of risks from cybersecurity threats, including the policies, standards, processes and practices that management implements to address risks from cybersecurity threats. The Audit Committee reviews cybersecurity on a quarterly basis. The Board of Directors and the Audit Committee each receive regular presentations and reports on cybersecurity risks, which address a wide range of topics including, for example, recent developments, evolving standards, vulnerability assessments, third-party reviews, the threat environment, technological trends and information security considerations arising with respect to our peers. The Board of Directors and the Audit Committee also receive prompt and timely information regarding any cybersecurity incident that meets established reporting thresholds, as well as ongoing updates regarding such incident until it has been addressed. On a regular basis, the Board of Directors and the Audit Committee discuss our approach to cybersecurity risk management with the CISO and other cyber team members, as well as senior leadership.

The CISO is principally responsible for overseeing our cybersecurity risk management program, in partnership with other business leaders across the Company. The CISO works in coordination with senior leadership, which includes our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Information Officer and Chief Legal & Compliance Officer. The CISO has decades of experience in the cybersecurity and information security fields, including experience with both private and public companies and the military, as well as experience in the transportation and rail industry. In addition, the CISO has ISO 27001 Certification and completed W2CCA Cyber Combat Academy.

The CISO, in coordination with senior leadership, works collaboratively across the Company to implement a program designed to protect our information systems from cybersecurity threats and to promptly respond to any cybersecurity incidents. To facilitate the success of this program, multidisciplinary teams throughout the Company are deployed to address cybersecurity threats and to respond to cybersecurity incidents in accordance with our cybersecurity incident response procedure plan. Through the ongoing communications from these teams, the CISO and senior leadership monitor the prevention, detection, mitigation and remediation of cybersecurity incidents in real time, and report such incidents to the Audit Committee when appropriate.

To date, we have not experienced any risks from cybersecurity threats or incidents that have materially affected us or are reasonably likely to materially affect us, our business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition.

Item 2. PROPERTIES

We operate at the following primary facilities as of August 31, 2024:

We believe that our facilities are in good condition and that the facilities, together with anticipated capital improvements and additions, are adequate to meet our operating needs for the foreseeable future. We continually evaluate our facilities in order to remain competitive and to take advantage of market opportunities.

Item 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

There is hereby incorporated by reference the information disclosed in Note 21 - Commitments and Contingencies to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Item 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

Information About Our Executive Officers

Current information regarding our executive officers is presented below.

Lorie L. Tekorius, 57, is Chief Executive Officer and President and serves on the Board of Directors. Ms. Tekorius has served as President since August 2019 and was promoted to Chief Executive Officer in March 2022. Ms. Tekorius was elected to the Board of Directors in March 2022. Ms. Tekorius has served in various management positions for the Company since 1995, most recently as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and prior to that, as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

Martin R. Baker, 68, is Senior Vice President, a position he has held since joining the Company in May 2008. From 2008 until January 2024, Mr. Baker also served as the Chief Legal & Compliance Officer. Prior to Greenbrier, Mr. Baker served as General Counsel to Lattice Semiconductor Corporation, Altera Corporation and Vitelic Corporation.

Brian J. Comstock, 62, is Executive Vice President and President, The Americas, a position he has held since January 2024. Prior to this role, Mr. Comstock served as Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial and Leasing Officer since January 2021. Mr. Comstock has served in various management positions for the Company since 1998, most recently as Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing.

Michael J. Donfris, 61, is Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and joined the Company in June 2024. Prior to Greenbrier, Mr. Donfris served as Chief Financial Officer for R.J. Corman Railroad Group since November 2020, Vice President Global Finance for Flowserve from 2018 to 2020, Vice President of Finance and Chief Accounting Officer for TrinityRail from 2015 to 2016, and has over 30 years of experience in other finance leadership roles.

Laurie Dornan, 54, is Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer, a position she has held since November 2020. Ms. Dornan has served in various human resources leadership positions since joining the Company in 2014. Prior to Greenbrier, she served in various leadership roles with Lattice Semiconductor Corporation, Nautilus, Inc. and Electro Scientific Industries.

Rick Galvan, 52, is Senior Vice President, Operations, Maintenance Services, a position he has held since January 2024. Prior to this role, Mr. Galvan served as the Senior Vice President of Operations for Greenbrier Rail Services since January 2021. Mr. Galvan has over 30 years of experience in the railroad industry serving in various management functions including positions at Canadian National Railway, Kansas City Southern, and Burlington Northern Santa Fe.

William Glenn, 63, is Senior Vice President and President, Europe, a position he has held since January 2024. Prior to this role, Mr. Glenn served as the Chair of the Management Board of Greenbrier Europe, managing operations in Poland and Romania. Mr. Glenn returned to the company in 2019 after serving as Chief Commercial Officer for Wells Fargo Rail from 2016 to 2019. Earlier Mr. Glenn worked in a range of roles at Greenbrier including sales, marketing and customer support, beginning in 2001.

William Krueger, 59, is Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, The Americas, a position he has held since January 2024. Prior to this role, Mr. Krueger was Senior Vice President, President Greenbrier Manufacturing Operations (GMO) since September 2022 and was Senior Vice President GMO when he joined the Company in 2020. Prior to Greenbrier, Mr. Krueger held a number of operations roles in the automotive industry including positions at General Motors, Toyota, and Nissan.

Christian M. Lucky, 57, is Senior Vice President, Chief Legal & Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary, a position he has held since January 2024. Mr. Lucky has served in various legal and management positions in the Company since 2015.

Matthew J. Meyer, 43, is Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Accounting Officer and joined the Company in February 2023. Prior to Greenbrier, Mr. Meyer was Chief Accounting Officer of Horizon Global Corporation from December 2019 to February 2023, and Corporate Controller from November 2018 to December 2019. Prior to that, Mr. Meyer has held various finance leadership roles.

Executive officers are designated by the Board of Directors. No director or executive officer has a family relationship with any other director or executive officer of the Company.

PART II

Item 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

Our common stock has been traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol GBX since July 14, 1994. There were approximately 191 holders of record of common stock as of October 18, 2024.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

The Board of Directors has authorized the Company to repurchase shares of the Company’s common stock. The share repurchase program has an expiration date of January 31, 2025. The amount remaining for purchase was $45.1 million as of August 31, 2024. There were no share repurchases under this program during the three months ended August 31, 2024.

Performance Graph

The following graph demonstrates a comparison of cumulative total returns for the Company's Common Stock, the Dow Jones U.S. Industrial Transportation Index, the Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500 Index, and the S&P SmallCap 600 Index. The S&P SmallCap 600 is included as it is used in measuring the Company's relative total stockholder return for purposes of determining the performance of certain stock awards granted beginning in 2023. The graph assumes an investment of $100 on August 31, 2019 in each of the Company's Common Stock and the stocks comprising the indices. Each of the indices assumes that all dividends were reinvested and that the investment was maintained to and including August 31, 2024, the end of the Company’s 2024 fiscal year.

The comparisons in this table are required by the SEC, and therefore, are not intended to forecast or be indicative of possible future performance of our Common Stock.

Item 6. RESERVED

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

Executive Summary

The financial results for 2024 reflect a successful year executing on our multi-year strategy outlined last year. The strategy has three basic tenets:

Overall, demand in the marketplace remains steady for our products and services. We delivered strong results during the year, however, supply chain challenges, rail service congestion, inflation, high interest rates, labor shortages and foreign currency fluctuations continued to impact our business for the year ended August 31, 2024. Despite these challenges, we were able to deliver strong results and accomplish the following in 2024:

We believe these results demonstrate the benefit of our continued focus on our strategic plan, and we remain focused on increasing recurring revenue, expanding our aggregate gross margin and raising our return on invested capital. Recurring revenue is defined as Leasing & Management Services revenue excluding the impact of syndication transactions.

Financial Highlights

Despite the challenging operating environment, we accomplished the following in 2024:

Manufacturing Backlog

Our backlog remains strong at August 31, 2024 and includes a diverse portfolio of railcar types, highlighted by the following:

Our backlog includes approximately $590 million of railcars intended for syndication which are supported by lease agreements with external customers and may be syndicated to third parties or held in our lease fleet depending on a variety of factors. Approximately 3% of backlog units and estimated value as of August 31, 2024 was associated with our Brazilian manufacturing operation which is accounted for under the equity method.

Our backlog of railcar units is not necessarily indicative of future results of operations. Certain orders in backlog are subject to customary documentation and completion of terms. Customers may attempt to cancel or modify orders in backlog. Historically, little variation has been experienced between the quantity ordered and the quantity actually delivered, though the timing of deliveries may be modified from time to time.

Financial Overview

Revenue, Cost of revenue, Margin and Earnings from operations (operating profit) presented below exclude intersegment activity that is eliminated in consolidation.

Performance for our reportable segments is evaluated based on operating profit. Corporate includes selling and administrative costs not directly related to goods and services and certain costs that are intertwined among segments due to our integrated business model. Management does not allocate Interest and foreign exchange or Income tax expense for either external or internal reporting purposes.

Consolidated Results

* Not meaningful

Through our integrated business model, we provide a broad range of custom products and services in each of our reportable segments, which have various selling prices and margins. The demand for and mix of products and services delivered changes from period to period, which causes fluctuations in our financial results.

The 10.1% decrease in Revenue for the year ended August 31, 2024 as compared to the prior year was primarily due to a 10.2% decrease in Manufacturing Revenue. The decrease in Manufacturing Revenue was primarily attributed to a 10.4% decrease in deliveries.

The 14.8% decrease in Cost of revenue for the year ended August 31, 2024 as compared to the prior year was primarily due to a 14.1% decrease in Manufacturing Cost of revenue. The decrease in Manufacturing Cost of revenue was primarily attributed to a 10.4% decrease in deliveries during the year ended August 31, 2024.

Margin as a percentage of Revenue was 15.8% and 11.2% for the years ended August 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Margin as a percentage of Revenue was positively impacted by an increase in Manufacturing Margin percentage from 8.2% to 12.1% primarily attributed to operating efficiencies and favorable product mix during the year ended August 31, 2024.

The $97.6 million increase in Net earnings attributable to Greenbrier for the year ended August 31, 2024 as compared to the prior year was primarily due to the following:

These were partially offset by the following:

For discussion related to the results of operations and changes in financial condition for 2023 compared to 2022 refer to Part II, Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in our 2023 Form 10-K, which was filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on October 25, 2023.

Manufacturing Segment

* Not meaningful

Our Manufacturing segment primarily generates revenue from manufacturing a wide range of railcars and from the conversion of existing or in-service railcars through our facilities in North America and Europe.

Manufacturing Revenue decreased $344.1 million or 10.2% for the year ended August 31, 2024 compared to the prior year. The decrease in Revenue was primarily attributed to a 10.4% decrease in deliveries during the year ended August 31, 2024.

Manufacturing Cost of revenue decreased $434.5 million or 14.1% for the year ended August 31, 2024 compared to the prior year. The decrease in Cost of revenue was primarily attributed to a 10.4% decrease in the volume of deliveries and favorable product mix during the year ended August 31, 2024.

Manufacturing Margin as a percentage of Revenue increased 3.9% for the year ended August 31, 2024 compared to the prior year. The increase in Margin percentage was primarily attributed to operating efficiencies and favorable product mix during the year ended August 31, 2024.

Manufacturing Operating profit increased $140.7 million or 99.9% for the year ended August 31, 2024 compared to the prior year. The increase in Operating profit was primarily attributed to an increase in Margin during the year ended August 31, 2024 as well as the prior year including $46.7 million of charges related to the sale and closure of our Gunderson Facility during the year ended August 31, 2023.

Maintenance Services Segment

* Not meaningful

Our Maintenance Services segment primarily generates revenue from railcar component manufacturing and servicing, providing railcar maintenance services and scrapping wheels and other components.

Maintenance Services Revenue decreased $107.6 million or 26.5% for the year ended August 31, 2024 compared to the prior year. The decrease was primarily attributed to 11.6% lower volumes in our wheels business due to lower demand, a change in product mix and a $9.1 million decrease due to lower scrap metal volume and pricing.

Maintenance Services Cost of revenue decreased $99.9 million or 27.4% for the year ended August 31, 2024 compared to the prior year. The decrease was primarily due to operating at lower volumes and a change in product mix during the year ended August 31, 2024.

Maintenance Services Margin as a percentage of Revenue increased 1.2% for the year ended August 31, 2024 compared to the prior year. The increase in Margin percentage was primarily attributed to a favorable change in product mix during the year ended August 31, 2024. This was partially offset by a decrease in scrap metal pricing during the year ended August 31, 2024.

Maintenance Services Operating profit decreased $9.8 million or 26.6% for the year ended August 31, 2024 compared to the prior year. The decrease in Operating profit was primarily attributed to operating at lower volumes and a decrease in scrap metal pricing and volume during the year ended August 31, 2024.