<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001104659-17-023430.txt : 20170601
<SEC-HEADER>0001104659-17-023430.hdr.sgml : 20170601
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20170413171552
<PRIVATE-TO-PUBLIC>
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001104659-17-023430
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	CORRESP
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20170413

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:				471809393
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		CORRESP

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1 MONSTER WAY
		CITY:			CORONA
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			92879
		BUSINESS PHONE:		909-739-6200

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1 MONSTER WAY
		CITY:			CORONA
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			92879

	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
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<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;">April&nbsp;13, 2017</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>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Attention:</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Mr.&nbsp;Rufus Decker</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Mr.&nbsp;Blaise Rhodes</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Re:</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Monster Beverage   Corporation</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Form&nbsp;10-K For   Fiscal Year Ended December&nbsp;31, 2016</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Filed March&nbsp;1,   2017</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">File No.&nbsp;001-18761</font></p>    </td>
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<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;">Dear Mr.&nbsp;Decker and Mr.&nbsp;Rhodes:</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 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 March&nbsp;31, 2017, regarding the Company&#146;s Annual Report on Form&nbsp;10-K for the fiscal year ended December&nbsp;31, 2016 that was filed with the Commission on March&nbsp;1, 2017 (File No.&nbsp;001-18761).</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;">The text of the Staff&#146;s comments have been included in bold and italics for your convenience, and we have numbered the paragraphs below to correspond to the number in the Staff&#146;s letter.&nbsp; For your convenience, we have also set forth the Company&#146;s response immediately below each numbered comment.</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><i><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements</font></u></i></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;"><b><i><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">1.&#160; Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies</font></u></i></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;"><b><i><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Cost of Sales, page&nbsp;84</font></u></i></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="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><b><i><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">1.</font></i></b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><b><i style="font-weight:bold;">Please disclose, if true, that you allocate a portion of your payroll costs and depreciation and amortization to cost of sales.&#160; If such an allocation is not made, please tell us why not.&#160;&#160; Refer to ASC 330-10-30-1 through 30-8.</i></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="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:.5in;"><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>:</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 .5in;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">In response to the Staff&#146;s comment, the Company advises the Staff that a portion of its payroll costs, depreciation and amortization related to the direct manufacture of certain flavors by American Fruits&nbsp;&amp; Flavors LLC, a subsidiary of the Company, is allocated to cost of sales.</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 .5in;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">In future filings, beginning with the Company&#146;s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March&nbsp;31, 2017, anticipated to be filed with the Commission in May&nbsp;2017, where applicable, the Company will revise the disclosure of significant accounting policies set forth in the notes to the Company&#146;s financial statements.&#160; Below is an example of our proposed revised disclosure:</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="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .55in;"><i><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;">Cost of Sales</font></i> &#151; Cost of sales consists of the costs of concentrates and/or beverage bases, the costs of raw materials utilized in the manufacture of products, co-packing fees, repacking fees, in-bound freight charges, as well as certain internal transfer costs, warehouse expenses incurred prior to the manufacture of the Company&#146;s finished products and certain quality control costs. In addition, the Company includes certain costs such as depreciation, amortization and payroll costs that relate to the direct manufacture by the Company of certain flavors. Raw materials account for the largest portion of the cost of sales.&#160; Raw materials include cans, bottles, other containers, flavors, ingredients and packaging materials.</p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
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<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><i><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Recent Accounting Pronouncements, page&nbsp;87</font></u></i></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="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><b><i><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">2.</font></i></b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><b><i style="font-weight:bold;">You state that you are in the process of evaluating the impact that the amended revenue recognition guidance in Topic 606 will have on your consolidated financial statements.&#160; Please revise to provide qualitative financial statement disclosures of the potential impact that this standard will have on your financial statements when adopted.&#160; In this regard, include a description of the effects of the accounting policies that you expect to apply, if determined, and a comparison to your current revenue recognition policies.&#160; Describe the status of your process to implement the new standard and the significant implementation matters yet to be addressed.&#160; In addition, to the extent that you determine the quantitative impact that adoption of Topic 606 is expected to have on your financial statements, please also disclose such amounts.</i></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="font-size:10.0pt;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>:</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 .5in;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">In response to the Staff&#146;s comment, the Company advises the Staff that it is in the very early stages of evaluating the amended revenue recognition guidance in Topic 606.&#160; The evaluation has yet to progress to a stage where there is sufficient information for a preliminary position of the impact on the Company&#146;s consolidated financial statements.&#160; Therefore, the Company is unable at this time to provide (i)&nbsp;qualitative financial statement disclosures of the potential impact that this standard will have on its financial statements when adopted, (ii)&nbsp;a description of the effects of the accounting policies it expects to apply, (iii)&nbsp;a comparison to its current revenue recognition policies and (iv)&nbsp;a method for adoption.</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 .5in;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">In future filings, beginning with the Company&#146;s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March&nbsp;31, 2017, anticipated to be filed with the Commission in May&nbsp;2017, the Company will continue to update both its progress in evaluating the amended revenue recognition guidance in Topic 606 and, when attained, its preliminary estimate of the impact on the Company&#146;s consolidated financial statements.</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><i><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Exhibit&nbsp;23</font></u></i></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="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.25in;"><b><i><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">3.</font></i></b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><b><i style="font-weight:bold;">Please make arrangements with your auditors to obtain a new consent referencing their March&nbsp;1, 2017 reports appearing in this Form&nbsp;10-K, as opposed to the February&nbsp;29, 2016 reports currently mentioned.&#160; Please file the new consent in a manner that results in its inclusion or incorporation by reference into the filings to which the consent relates.</i></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="font-size:10.0pt;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>:</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 .5in;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">In response to the Staff&#146;s comment, the Company has obtained a revised auditor&#146;s consent that references the current year audit report dated March&nbsp;1, 2017 and has filed a Form&nbsp;10-K/A with the revised Exhibit&nbsp;23.</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:.5in;"><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.&nbsp; 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>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Sincerely,</font></p>    </td>
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<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>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Hilton H. Schlosberg</font></p>    </td>
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<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,</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">President and Chief   Financial Officer</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">cc:</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Farzad F. Damania</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Katten Muchin Rosenman   LLP</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>  </table>
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