<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001104659-12-025053.txt : 20120511
<SEC-HEADER>0001104659-12-025053.hdr.sgml : 20120511
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20120412173651
<PRIVATE-TO-PUBLIC>
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001104659-12-025053
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	CORRESP
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20120412

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Monster Beverage Corp
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000865752
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	BOTTLED & CANNED SOFT DRINKS CARBONATED WATERS [2086]
		IRS NUMBER:				391679918
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		CORRESP

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		550 MONICA CIRCLE, SUITE 201
		CITY:			CORONA
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			92880
		BUSINESS PHONE:		909-739-6200

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		550 MONICA CIRCLE, SUITE 201
		CITY:			CORONA
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			92880

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	HANSEN NATURAL CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19930328

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	UNIPAC CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19600201
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>CORRESP
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>filename1.htm
<TEXT>


<html>
<head>

  </head>
<body lang="EN-US">
<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 5.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">April&nbsp;12, 2012</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">VIA EDGAR</font></u></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Division of Corporation Finance</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">100 F Street, N.E.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Washington, D.C. 20549</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Attention:</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Mr.&nbsp;Raj Rajan</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Mr.&nbsp;Brian K. Bhandari</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Ms.&nbsp;Tia Jenkins</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Re:&nbsp;<u>SEC Staff Comment Letter dated April&nbsp;2, 2012 (File No.&nbsp;000-18761)</u></font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Dear Mr.&nbsp;Rajan, Mr.&nbsp;Bhandari and Ms.&nbsp;Jenkins:</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">This letter is being furnished on behalf of Monster Beverage Corporation (the &#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">Company</i></b>&#148;) in response to the additional comments received from the staff of the Division of Corporation Finance (the &#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">Staff</i></b>&#148;) of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the &#147;<b><i style="font-weight:bold;">Commission</i></b>&#148;) by letter dated April&nbsp;2, 2012, regarding the Company&#146;s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011 (File No. 000-18761) that was filed with the Commission on February 29, 2012.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The text of the Staff&#146;s comment has been included in bold and italics for your convenience, and we have numbered the paragraph below to correspond to the number in the Staff&#146;s letter.&#160; For your convenience, we have also set forth the Company&#146;s response immediately below the numbered comment.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;"><b><i><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2011</font></u></i></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;"><b><i><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Critical Accounting Policies</font></u></i></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:1.0in;"><b><i><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Revenue Recognition, page 52</font></u></i></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:1.0in;"><b><i><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">1.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; We reviewed your response to our prior comment 1. We note your disclosure on page 37 that a key area of your focus is to decrease promotional allowances. To enhance an investor&#146;s understanding of your business please provide us with, and confirm that in future Exchange Act filings you will revise to include, a robust description of what these allowances relate to and the underlying terms of arrangements with customers.</font></i></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:1.0in;"><b><i><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Response</font></u></i></b><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">:</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 19.2pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Promotional and other allowances primarily include consideration given to our distributors or retail customers including, but not limited to the following:</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="left"></div>
</div>
<!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='',FILE='C:\JMS\C901040\12-9538-1\task5253415\9538-1-be.htm',USER='C901040',CD='Apr 12 07:16 2012' -->

<br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">
<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 37.2pt;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">1.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Discounts granted off list prices to support price promotions to end-consumers by retailers.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 37.2pt;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 37.2pt;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">2.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Reimbursements given to our distributors for agreed portions of their promotional spend with retailers, including slotting, shelf space allowances and other fees for both new and existing products.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 37.2pt;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 37.2pt;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">3.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Our agreed share of fees given to distributors and/or directly to retailers for advertising, in-store marketing and promotional activities.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 37.2pt;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 37.2pt;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Our agreed share of slotting, shelf space allowances and other fees given directly to retailers.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 37.2pt;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 37.2pt;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">5.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Incentives given to our distributors and/or retailers for achieving or exceeding certain predetermined sales goals.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 37.2pt;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 37.2pt;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">6.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Discounted or free product.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 37.2pt;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 37.2pt;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">7.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Contractual fees given to our distributors related to sales made by us direct to certain customers that fall within our distributors&#146; sales territories.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 37.2pt;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Our promotional allowance programs with our numerous distributors and/or retailers are executed through separate agreements in the ordinary course of business. These agreements generally provide for one or more of the arrangements described above and are of varying durations, ranging from one week to one year.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">In our next 10-K filing and other future filings, if applicable, we will include the above disclosures.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">***</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The Company acknowledges that (i) it is responsible for the adequacy and accuracy of the disclosure in the filing; (ii) Staff comments or changes to disclosure in response to Staff comments do not foreclose the Commission from taking any action with respect to the filing; and (iii) the Company may not assert Staff comments as a defense in any proceedings initiated by the Commission or any person under the federal securities laws of the United States.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We hope that the foregoing has been responsive to the Staff&#146;s comments.&#160; If you have any further questions or need any additional information, please feel free to contact the undersigned at (951) 739-6200 at your convenience.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 3.25in;text-indent:-3.25in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Sincerely,</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
<tr>
<td width="50%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/   Hilton H. Schlosberg</font></p>    </td>
<td width="50%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="50%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Hilton   H. Schlosberg</font></p>    </td>
<td width="50%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="50%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Vice   Chairman of the Board of Directors, <br>   President and Chief Financial Officer</font></p>    </td>
<td width="50%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>  </table>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
<tr>
<td width="4%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:4.42%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">cc:</font></p>    </td>
<td width="95%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:95.58%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Michael   R. Littenberg</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="4%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:4.42%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="95%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:95.58%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Farzad   F. Damania</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
<tr>
<td width="4%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:4.42%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="95%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:95.58%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Schulte   Roth &amp; Zabel LLP</font></p>    </td>   </tr>  </table>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">2<a name="PB_2_065533_7056"></a></font></p>
<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><hr size="3" width="100%" noshade color="#010101" align="left"></div>
</div>
<!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='2',FILE='C:\JMS\C901040\12-9538-1\task5253415\9538-1-be.htm',USER='C901040',CD='Apr 12 07:16 2012' -->

</body>
</html>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
