Acquisitions and Investments in Unconsolidated Subsidiaries ANNOUNCEMENT OF PROPOSED MERGER WITH MAPLE PARENT HOLDINGS CORP. On January 29, 2018, DPS entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement") by and among DPS, Maple Parent Holdings Corp. (Maple) and Salt Merger Sub, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of DPS (Merger Sub), whereby Merger Sub will be merged with and into Maple, with Maple surviving the merger as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (the Maple Merger). For financial reporting and accounting purposes, Maple will be the acquirer of DPS upon completion of the Maple Merger. Maple is the indirect parent of Keurig Green Mountain, Inc. ("Keurig"), through which Maple conducts all of its operations. Keurig is a leading producer of specialty coffee and innovative single serve brewing systems. The combined businesses will create Keurig Dr Pepper Inc., a new beverage company of scale with a portfolio of iconic consumer brands and expanded distribution capability to reach virtually every point-of-sale in North America. In consideration for the Maple Merger, each share of common stock of Maple issued and outstanding immediately prior to the closing of the Maple Merger (the Effective Time) shall be converted into the right to receive a number of fully paid and nonassessable shares of common stock of DPS determined pursuant to an exchange ratio set forth in the Merger Agreement (the Acquisition Shares). The Merger Agreement provides that DPS will declare a special cash dividend equal to $103.75 per share, subject to any withholding of taxes required by law, payable to holders of its common stock as of the record date for the special dividend, which shall be the business day immediately prior to the completion of the Maple Merger (such special dividend, together with the Maple Merger, the "Maple Transaction"). As a result of the Maple Transaction, the equityholders of Maple as of immediately prior to the Effective Time will own approximately 87% of DPS' common stock following t