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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

x  Annual report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012

OR

o   Transition report under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

for the transition period from                  to                .

Commission file number  0-8707

NATURE’S SUNSHINE PRODUCTS, INC.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

2500 West Executive Parkway, Suite 100

Lehi, Utah 84043

(Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

(801) 341-7900

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: Common Stock, no par value.

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

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

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has (1) 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  x  No  o.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted 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  x  No  o

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.  o

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

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

The aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant on June 30, 2012 was approximately $235,696,000 based on the closing price of $15.10 as quoted by Nasdaq Capital Market on June 30, 2012.

The number of shares of Common Stock, no par value, outstanding on February 28, 2013 is 15,812,859 shares.

EXPLANATORY NOTES

Portions of the registrant’s Definitive Proxy Statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days after the end of the Registrant’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, are incorporated by reference in Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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NATURE’S SUNSHINE PRODUCTS, INC.

FORM 10-K

For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2012

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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain information included or incorporated herein by reference in this report may be deemed to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements relating to our objectives, plans and strategies. All statements (other than statements of historical fact) that address activities, events or developments that we intend, expect, project, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These statements are often characterized by terminology such as “believe,” “hope,” “may,” “anticipate,” “should,” “intend,” “plan,” “will,” “expect,” “estimate,” “project,” “positioned,” “strategy” and similar expressions, and are based on assumptions and assessments made by management in light of their experience and their perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results, developments and business decisions to differ materially from forward-looking statements are described in this report, including the risks set forth under “Risk Factors” in Item 1A.

Throughout this report, we refer to Nature’s Sunshine Products, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, as “we,” “us,” “our Company” or “the Company.”

PART 1

Item 1. Business

The Company

Nature’s Sunshine Products, Inc., founded in 1972 and incorporated in Utah in 1976, together with our subsidiaries, is a natural health and wellness company primarily engaged in the manufacturing and direct selling of nutritional and personal care products. We sell our products worldwide to a sales force of independent Managers and Distributors (as described below) who use the products themselves or resell them to other Managers, Distributors or customers.

Our Company markets its products in Australia, Austria, Belarus, Canada, the Czech Republic, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, the Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, Venezuela and Vietnam. We export our products to several other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Chile, Israel, New Zealand and Norway.

Business Segments

The Company has three business segments. These business segments are components of the Company for which separate information is available that is evaluated regularly by the chief executive officer in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing relative performance. They are divided based on the different characteristics of their Distributor bases, marketing and Distributor compensation plans and product formulations, as well as the internal organization of our officers and their responsibilities and business operations. Two business segments operate under the Nature’s Sunshine Products (“NSP”) brand (NSP Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe; and NSP Russia, Central and Eastern Europe) and one business segment operates under the Synergy WorldWide brand.

Product Categories

Our line of over 700 products includes herbal products, vitamins, mineral and other nutritional supplements, personal care products and other complementary products such as homeopathic products and sales aids. We purchase herbs and other raw materials in bulk and, after quality control testing, we formulate, encapsulate, tablet or concentrate them, and package them for shipment. Most of our products are manufactured at our facility in Spanish Fork, Utah. Contract manufacturers produce some of our vitamins, mineral and other nutritional supplements, personal care products and certain other miscellaneous products in accordance with our specifications and standards. We have implemented stringent quality control procedures to verify that our contract manufacturers have complied with our specifications and standards.

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Presented below are the U.S. dollar amounts and associated revenue percentages from the sale of herbal products, vitamins, mineral and other nutritional supplements, personal care products, and other complementary products for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011, and 2010, by business segment. This table should be read in conjunction with the information presented in the section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” which discusses the factors impacting revenue trends and the costs associated with generating the aggregate revenue presented (in thousands).

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The following table summarizes our product lines by category:

Distribution and Marketing

Our independent Managers and Distributors market our products to customers through direct selling techniques, as well as sponsoring other Managers and Distributors. We seek to motivate and provide incentives to our independent Managers and Distributors by offering high quality products and providing our Managers and Distributors with product support, training seminars, sales conventions, travel programs and financial benefits.

Our products sold in the United States are shipped directly from our manufacturing and warehouse facilities located in Spanish Fork, Utah, as well as from our regional warehouses located in Georgia, Ohio and Texas. Many of our international operations maintain warehouse facilities with inventory to supply their Managers, Distributors and customers.

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As of December 31, 2012, we had approximately 333,400 active Distributors and customers worldwide who purchase our products directly from the Company. In addition, our products can be purchased directly from our Distributors. A person who joins our independent sales force begins as a Distributor. An individual can become a Distributor by signing up under the sponsorship of someone who is already a Distributor or by signing up through the Company, where they will then be assigned a sponsor. Many Distributors sell our products on a part-time basis to friends or associates or use the products themselves. A Distributor interested in earning additional income by committing more time and effort to selling our products may earn Manager status, which is contingent upon attaining certain purchase volume levels, recruiting additional Distributors, and demonstrating leadership abilities. Managers resell our products to Distributors within their sales group or directly to customers, or use the products themselves. As of December 31, 2012, we had approximately 16,600 active independent Managers worldwide. In many of our markets, our Managers and Distributors are primarily retailers of our products, including practitioner and nutritional supplement therapists, retail stores and other health and wellness specialists.

In the United States, we generally sell our products on a cash or credit card basis. From time to time, our U.S. operations extend short-term credit associated with product promotions. For certain of our international operations, we use independent distribution centers and offer credit terms that are generally consistent with industry standards within each respective country.

We pay sales commissions, or “volume incentives” to our independent Managers and Distributors based upon the amount of their sales group product purchases. Generally, a portion of these volume incentives are paid to the applicable Manager as a rebate for product purchases made and Distributors and customers as a rebate on their personal purchases and are recorded as a reduction to net sales revenue. The remaining portion of these volume incentives is paid in the form of commissions for purchases made by Distributors in a Manager’s sales group. These volume incentives are recorded as an expense in the year earned. The amounts of volume incentives that we accrued during the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010 are set forth in our Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this report. In addition to the opportunity to receive volume incentives, Managers who attain certain levels of monthly product purchases are eligible for additional incentive programs including automobile allowances, sales convention privileges and travel awards.

Distributor Information

Our revenue is highly dependent upon the number and productivity of our Managers, Distributors and customers.  Growth in sales volume requires an increase in the productivity and/or growth in the total number of Managers, Distributors and customers.

The following table provides information concerning the number of total Managers, Distributors and customers by segment, as of the dates indicated.

Total Managers, Distributors and Customers by Segment as of December 31,

“Total Managers” includes independent Managers under our various compensation plans that have achieved and maintained specified and personal groups sale volumes as of the date indicated. To maintain Manager status, an individual must continue to meet certain purchase volume levels. As such, all Managers are considered to be active Managers.

“Total Distributors and customers” includes our independent Distributors and customers who have purchased products directly from the Company for resale and/or personal consumption during the previous twelve months ended as of the date indicated. This includes Manager, Distributor and customer accounts that may have become inactive since such respective dates.

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The following table provides information concerning the number of active Distributors and customers by segment, as of the dates indicated.

Active Distributors and Customers by Segment as of December 31,

“Active Customers and Distributors” includes our independent Distributors and customers who have purchased products directly from the Company for resale and/or personal consumption during the previous three months ended as of the date indicated. All of our Managers are active.

The following table provides information concerning the number of new Managers, Distributors and customers by segment, as of the dates indicated.

New Managers, Distributors and Customers by Segment for the year ended December 31,

“New Managers” includes independent Managers under our various compensation plans that first achieved the rank of Manager during the previous twelve months ended as of the date indicated.

“New Distributors and customers” include our independent Distributors and customers who have made their initial product purchase directly from us for resale and/or personal consumption during the previous twelve months ended as of the date indicated.

Source and Availability of Raw Materials

Raw materials used in the manufacture of our products are generally available from a number of suppliers. To date, we have not experienced any major difficulty in obtaining and maintaining adequate sources of raw materials supply. We attempt to ensure the availability of many of our raw materials by contracting, in advance, for our annual requirements. In the past, we have been able to find alternative sources of raw materials when needed. Although there can be no assurance that we will be successful in locating such sources of supply in the future, we believe that we will be able to do so.

Trademarks and Trade Names

We have obtained trademark registrations for Nature’s Sunshine®, and the landscape logo for all of our Nature’s Sunshine Products product lines. We have also obtained trademark registrations for Synergy® for all of our Synergy WorldWide product lines. We hold trademark registrations in the United States and in many other countries. Our customers’ recognition and association of our brands and trademarks with quality is an important element of our operating strategy.

Seasonality

We operate in many regions around the world and, as a result, are affected by seasonal factors and trends such as holidays and cultural traditions and vacation patterns throughout the world.  For instance, in North America and Europe we typically see a decrease in the activity during the third quarter due to the summer vacation season, while we see a decrease in activity in many of our Asia Pacific markets during the first quarter due to cultural events such as the Chinese New Year. As a result, there is some seasonality to our revenues and expense reflected in our reported quarterly results. Generally, reductions in

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one region of the world due to seasonality are offset by increases in another, minimizing the impact on our reported consolidated revenues. Changes in the relative size of our revenues in one region of the world compared to another could cause seasonality to more significantly affect our reported quarterly results.

Inventories

In order to provide a high level of product availability to our independent Managers, Distributors and customers, we maintain a considerable inventory of raw materials in the United States and of finished goods in most countries in which we sell our products. Due to different regulatory requirements across the countries in which we sell our products, our finished goods inventories have product labels and sometimes product formulations specific for each country. Our inventories are subject to obsolescence due to finite shelf lives.

Dependence upon Customers

As a result of our business model, we are not dependent upon a single Manager, Distributor or customer, the loss of which would not have a material adverse effect on our business.

Backlog

We typically ship orders for our products within 24 hours after receipt of payment. As a result, we have not historically experienced significant backlogs due to our high level of product availability as discussed above.

Competition

Our products are sold in competition with other companies, some of which have greater sales volumes and financial resources than we do, and sell brands that are, through advertising and promotions, better known to consumers. We compete in the nutritional and personal care industry against companies that sell through retail stores, as well as against other direct network marketing companies. For example, we compete against manufacturers and retailers of nutritional and personal care products, which are distributed through supermarkets, drug stores, health food stores, vitamin outlets and discount stores including GNC, Whole Foods Market, and mass market retailers, among others. We compete for product sales and independent Managers and Distributors with many other direct marketing companies, including Amway, Herbalife, Pharmanex (NuSkin), Shaklee and USANA, among others. We believe that the principal components of competition in the direct marketing of nutritional and personal care products are distributor expertise and service, product quality, price and brand recognition. In addition, we rely on our independent Managers and Distributors to compete effectively in the direct selling markets, and our ability to attract and retain independent Managers and Distributors depends on various factors, including the recruitment, training, travel and financial incentives for the independent Managers and Distributors.

Research and Development

We conduct research and development activities at our manufacturing facility located in Spanish Fork, Utah. Our principal emphasis in our research and development activities is the development of new products and the enhancement of existing products. The amount, excluding capital expenditures, spent on research and development activities was approximately $1.5 million in 2012, $1.6 million in 2011 and $2.0 million in 2010.

Compliance with Environmental Laws and Regulations

The nature of our business has not required any material capital expenditures to comply with federal, state or local provisions enacted or adopted regulating the discharge of materials into the environment. No material capital expenditures to meet such provisions are anticipated. Such regulatory provisions have not had any material effect upon our results of operations or competitive position.

Regulation

The formulation, manufacturing, packaging, labeling, advertising, distribution and sale of each of our major product groups are subject to regulation by one or more governmental agencies. The most active of these is the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”), which regulates our products under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (“FDCA”) and regulations promulgated thereunder. The FDCA defines the terms “food” and “dietary supplement” and sets forth various conditions that, unless complied with, may constitute adulteration or misbranding of such products. The FDCA has been adjusted several times with respect to dietary supplements, most recently by the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 (the “NLEA”) and the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (the “DSHEA”).

FDA regulations relating specifically to foods and dietary supplements for human use are set forth in Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations. These regulations include basic labeling requirements for both foods and dietary supplements.

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Additionally, FDA regulations require us to meet relevant good manufacturing practice regulations for the preparation, packaging and storage of our food and dietary supplements.

Our business practices and products are also regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”), the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) and the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”). Our activities, including our direct selling distribution activities, are also regulated by various agencies of the states, localities and foreign countries in which our products are sold.

In foreign markets, prior to commencing operations and prior to making or permitting sales of our products in the market, we may be required to obtain an approval, license or certification from the country’s ministry of health or comparable agency. Prior to entering a new market in which a formal approval, license or certificate is required, we work extensively with local authorities in order to obtain the requisite approvals.  We must also comply with product labeling and packaging regulations that vary from country to country.  Our failure to comply with these regulations can result in a product being removed from sale in a particular market, either temporarily or permanently.

International Operations

A significant portion of our net sales are generated within the United States, which represented 42.1percent, 43.4 percent and 44.8 percent of net sales in 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Outside of the United States, no one country accounted for 10.0 percent or more of net sales revenue in any year in the last three years. As we continue to grow our international business, our operating results will likely become more sensitive to economic and political conditions in foreign markets, as well as to foreign currency fluctuations.  A breakdown of net sales revenue by region in 2012, 2011 and 2010 is set forth below.

(Dollar amounts in thousands)

Our sales of nutritional and personal care products are established in Australia, Austria, Belarus, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, the Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, Venezuela and Vietnam. We export our products to several other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Chile, Israel, New Zealand and Norway.

Our international operations are conducted in a manner that we believe is comparable with our U.S. operations; however, in order to conform to local variations, economic realities, market customs, consumer habits and regulatory environments, differences often exist in the products that we sell and in our distribution and marketing programs.

Our international operations are subject to many of the same risks faced by our U.S. operations, including competition and the strength of the local economy. In addition, our international operations are subject to certain risks inherent in doing business abroad, including foreign regulatory restrictions, fluctuations in monetary exchange rates, import-export controls and the economic and political policies of foreign governments. The significance of these risks will increase as we grow our international operations.

Approximately 2 percent of our total assets are located in Venezuela.  Information regarding our long-lived assets by region for each of our last two fiscal years is set forth in Note 15 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this report.

Executive Officers

On March 6, 2013, we announced that Michael D. Dean has resigned his positions as the Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Company, effective March 31, 2013, and our Board of Directors has appointed Gregory L. Probert as the Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective April 1, 2013. In 2012, D. Wynne Roberts joined the Company as President and Chief Operating Officer. The Company’s executive officers, as of the date of this report, are as follows:

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As of April 1, 2013, Mr. Probert will be the Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Company in addition to the Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Michael D. Dean.  Mr. Dean is the Chief Executive Officer of our Company and serves as a member of the Company’s Board of Directors.  He has served as a member of our Board since May 2009.  Prior to his appointment as President and Chief Executive Officer in July 2010, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of Mediaur Technologies from 2003.  Previously, he was Executive Vice President of ABC Cable Networks from 2001, Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategic Planning and Development at the Walt Disney Company from 1997 and a strategy consultant with Bain & Company from 1992. Mr. Dean received his B.A. in Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley in 1986 and his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School in 1992.  As a result of these and other professional experiences, Mr. Dean brings to our Board of Directors significant leadership and operational management skills combined with significant experience in global, consumer-oriented businesses.

Gregory L. Probert.  Mr. Probert has served as the Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors since January 2013. On March 6, 2013, he was appointed to serve as our Interim Chief Executive Officer effective April 1, 2013. He served as the Executive Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors from June 2011 to December 2012 and as an independent consultant to the Company from September 2010 to June 2011. Previously, he was Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Penta Water Company from 2008, President and Chief Operating Officer of Herbalife International of America from 2003 to 2008, Chief Executive Officer of DMX Music from 2001 to 2003. Prior to that, he held various senior positions at the Walt Disney Company from 1988. Mr. Probert received his B.A. from the University of Southern California in 1979.  Mr. Probert brings to our Board significant direct selling experience as well as extensive leadership and operational management skills in global consumer-oriented businesses, which strengthens the Board’s aptitude in these key areas.

D. Wynne Roberts.  Mr. Roberts is the President and Chief Operating Officer of our Company. Prior to his appointment in February 2012, he served as Chairman of the Board for LifeCare Corporation, a Romanian direct selling company from May 2010. Previously, he was Senior Vice President, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) at Herbalife International Inc. from 2005, President, International of DMX Music Corporation from 2002, and held senior international executive positions at XE Systems Incorporated (a subsidiary of Xerox Corp.) from 1998 and NCR Corporation from 1984. He is a citizen of the U.K., and received his L.L.B., with honors, from the University of Manchester in 1975.

Stephen M. Bunker.  Mr. Bunker is the Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of our Company. Prior to his appointment in March 2006, he served as Vice President of Finance and Treasurer of Geneva Steel Holdings Corporation from 2001. Previously, he was Corporate Controller of Geneva Steel Corporation from 1990. Mr. Bunker is a Certified Public Accountant, and worked for Arthur Andersen for six years. Mr. Bunker received his B.A. in Accounting from Brigham Young University in 1983 and his Masters of Accountancy from Brigham Young University in 1984.

Jamon Jarvis.  Mr. Jarvis is the Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Secretary of our Company. Prior to his appointment in March 2007, he served as General Counsel and Chief Financial Officer of InterNetwork, Inc. from 2004. Previously, he was Executive Vice President Finance, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Spontaneous Technology, Inc. from 2001. Mr. Jarvis received his B.A. in History from Brigham Young University in 1990 and his J.D. from Cornell Law School in 1993.

Employees

We employed 995 individuals as of December 31, 2012. We believe that our relations with our employees are satisfactory.

Available Information

Our principal executive office is located at 2500 West Executive Parkway, Suite 100, Lehi, Utah 84043. Our telephone number is (801) 341-7900 and our Internet website address is www.natr.com. We make available free of charge on our website our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, our Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports, filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) as soon as practicable after we electronically file these documents with, or furnish them to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The SEC also maintains an Internet website that contains reports, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC at www.sec.gov. We also make available free of charge on our website our Code of Conduct Policy and the charters of our Audit Committee, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and Compensation Committee.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

You should carefully consider the following risks in evaluating our Company and our business. The risks described below are the risks that we currently believe are material to our business. However, additional risks not presently known to us, or risks that we currently believe are not material, may also impair our business operations. You should also refer to the other information set forth in this report, including the information set forth in “Business” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” as well as our consolidated financial statements and the related

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notes. Our business prospects, financial condition or results of operations could be adversely affected by any of the following risks. If we are adversely affected by such risks, then the market price of our common stock could decline.

Changes in laws and regulations regarding network marketing may prohibit or restrict our ability to sell our products in some markets.

Network marketing systems are frequently subject to laws and regulations by various government agencies throughout the world. These laws and regulations are generally intended to prevent fraudulent or deceptive practices and to ensure that sales are made to consumers of the products, and that compensation, recognition and advancement within the marketing organization are based upon sales of the products. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations could result in significant penalties. Violations could result from misconduct by an associate, ambiguity in statutes, changes or new laws and regulations affecting our business and court-related decisions. Furthermore, we may be restricted or prohibited from using network marketing plans in some foreign countries. In addition, changes in existing laws or additional regulations could make it difficult to register or sell our products in the countries in which we operate. For example, in Peru, changes in local regulations have restricted our ability to sell a majority of our key products in this market through our traditional direct selling business model. In response to this change in regulations, we are currently selling our products through a wholesale channel.

Our products, business practices and manufacturing activities are subject to extensive government regulations and could be subject to additional laws and regulations.

The formulation, manufacturing, packaging, labeling, advertising, distribution and sales of each of our major product groups are subject to regulation by numerous domestic and foreign governmental agencies and authorities. These include the FDA, the FTC, the CPSC, the EPA, the USDA and state regulatory agencies as well as regulatory agencies in the foreign markets in which we operate. These markets have varied regulations which often require us to reformulate products for specific markets, conform product labeling to market regulations and register or qualify products or obtain necessary approvals with the applicable governmental authorities in order to market our products in these markets. Failure to comply with the regulatory requirements of these various governmental agencies and authorities could result in enforcement actions including: cease and desist orders, injunctions, limits on advertising, consumer redress, divestitures of assets, rescission of contracts, or such other relief as may be deemed necessary. Violation of these orders could result in substantial financial or other penalties. Any action against us could materially affect our ability to successfully market our products.

In the future, we may be subject to additional laws or regulations administered by the FDA or other federal, state, local or foreign regulatory authorities, the repeal or amendment of laws or regulations which we consider favorable and/or more stringent interpretations of current laws or regulations. We can neither predict the nature of such future laws, regulations, interpretations or applications, nor what effect additional governmental regulations or administrative orders, when and if promulgated, would have on our business. They could, however, require reformulation of certain products to meet new standards, recall or discontinuance of certain products not able to be reformulated, imposition of additional record-keeping requirements, expanded documentation of the properties of certain products, expanded or altered labeling and/or scientific substantiation. Any or all such requirements could increase our costs of operating the business and have a material negative impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

We are subject to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the “FCPA”), which generally prohibits U.S. companies and their intermediaries from making improper payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business, and the anti-bribery laws of other jurisdictions. The Company expends significant resources to monitor FCPA compliance by its employees and representatives.  Nevertheless, a finding of FCPA noncompliance could subject the Company to, among other things, penalties and legal expenses, as well as reputational harm, which could have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition and results of operations.

If we are unable to attract and retain independent Distributors, our business could suffer.

We rely on our independent Distributors to market and sell our products through direct marketing techniques, as well as sponsoring other Distributors. Many Distributors sell our products on a part-time basis to friends or associates or use the products for themselves. Our Distributors may terminate their service at any time, and, like most direct marketing companies, we experience high turnover among Distributors from year to year. As a result, we need to continue to retain existing Distributors and recruit additional Distributors in order to maintain and/or increase sales in the future.

Several factors affect our ability to attract and retain independent Distributors, including:

·                  any adverse publicity regarding us, our products, our distribution channels or our competitors;

·                  on-going motivation of our independent Distributors;

·                  the public’s perceptions about the value and efficacy of our products;

·                  the public’s perceptions and acceptance of network marketing;

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·                  general and economic business conditions;

·                  government regulations;

·                  changes to our compensation arrangements, training and support for our independent Distributors; and

·                  competition in recruiting and retaining independent Distributors and/or market saturation.

We cannot provide any assurance that our independent Distributors will continue to maintain their current levels of productivity, or that we will be able to continue to attract and retain Distributors in sufficient numbers to sustain future growth or to maintain present sales levels.

Changes in the economies of the markets in which we do business may affect consumer demand for our products.

Consumer spending habits, including spending for our products, are affected by, among other things, prevailing economic conditions, levels of employment, fuel prices, salaries and wages, the availability of consumer credit, consumer confidence and consumer perception of economic conditions. Economic slowdowns in the markets in which we do business and an uncertain economic outlook may adversely affect consumer spending habits and customer traffic, which may result in lower net sales of our products in future periods.  A prolonged global or regional economic downturn could have a material negative impact on our financial position, results of operation or cash flows.

Currency exchange rate fluctuations affect our net revenue and net income.

In 2012, we recognized approximately 57.9 percent of our revenue in markets outside the United States, the majority of which was recognized in each market’s respective local currency. We purchase inventory primarily in the United States in U.S. dollars. In preparing our financial statements, we translate revenues and expenses in foreign countries from their local currencies into U.S. dollars using weighted-average exchange rates. Because a majority of our sales are in foreign countries, exchange rate fluctuations may have a significant effect on our sales and earnings. Our reported net earnings have in the past been and are likely to continue to be significantly affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates, with net sales revenue and earnings generally increasing with a weaker U.S. dollar and decreasing with a strengthening U.S. dollar. These fluctuations had a generally negative effect on our revenue in 2012, compared to 2011 and 2010, when we experienced an increase in our global net sales as a result of the U.S. dollar weakening against most major currencies.  As our operations grow in countries where foreign currency transactions are made, our operating results will increasingly be subject to the risks of exchange rate fluctuations, and we may not be able to accurately estimate the impact of these changes on our future results of operations or financial condition.

Some of the markets in which we operate may become highly inflationary.

Inflation is another risk associated with our international operations. For example, in 2010 and 2012, Venezuela and Belarus were designated as highly inflationary economies under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). Accordingly, the U.S. dollar became the functional currency for our subsidiaries in Venezuela and Belarus. All gains and losses resulting from the re-measurement of its financial statements and other transactional foreign exchange gains and losses are reflected in its earnings, which could result in volatility within the Company’s earnings, rather than as a component of comprehensive income within shareholders’ equity.

Some of the markets in which we operate have currency controls in place which may restrict the repatriation of cash.

The possibility that foreign governments may impose currency remittance restrictions is another risk faced by our international operations. Due to the possibility of government restrictions on transfers of cash out of the country and control of exchange rates, we may not be able to repatriate cash at exchange rates beneficial to the Company, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

For example, as of December 31, 2012, we had approximately $1.7 million in cash denominated in Venezuelan bolivar fuertes (“bolivar”). Currency restrictions enacted by the government of Venezuela require approval from the government’s currency control organization for our subsidiary in Venezuela to obtain U.S. dollars at an official exchange rate to pay for imported products or to repatriate dividends back to the Company. On February 12, 2013, the Venezuelan government announced the devaluation of the bolivar, which resulted in an official exchange rate of 6.3.  However, we had been able to receive approval from the government of Venezuela to obtain U.S. dollars at the previous official exchange rate of 5.3. No assurances can be given that we will continue to receive such approval, or that other markets in which we operate will not enact similar restrictions.

Availability and integrity of raw materials could become compromised.

We depend on outside suppliers for raw materials. We acquire all of our raw materials for the manufacture of our products from third-party suppliers. We have many agreements for the supply of materials used in the manufacture of our products in order to hedge against shortages or potential spikes in material costs. We also contract with third-party manufacturers and suppliers for the production of some of our products. In the event we were to lose any significant suppliers and experience any difficulties in finding or transitioning to alternative suppliers, it could result in product shortages or product back orders, which could harm our business. There can be no assurance that suppliers will be able to provide us with the raw materials in the quantities and at the

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appropriate level of quality that we request or at a price that we are willing to pay. We are also subject to the delays caused by any interruption in the production of these materials including weather, crop conditions, climate change, transportation interruptions and natural disasters or other catastrophic events.

Occasionally, our suppliers have experienced production difficulties with respect to our products, including the delivery of materials or products that do not meet our quality control standards. These quality problems have in the past resulted in, and in the future could result in, stock outages or shortages of our products, and could harm our sales and create inventory write-offs for unusable product.

Geopolitical issues and conflicts could adversely affect our business.

Because a substantial portion of our business is conducted outside of the United States, our business is subject to global political issues and conflicts. If these conflicts or issues escalate, it could harm our foreign operations. In addition, changes in and actions by governments in foreign markets could harm our business.

Our business is subject to the effects of adverse publicity and negative public perception.

Our ability to attract and retain Distributors, as well as their ability to maintain or grow sales in the future, can be affected by either adverse publicity or negative public perception with regard to our industry, our competition, our direct marketing model, the quality or efficacy of nutritional product supplements and ingredients, and our business generally. There can be no assurance that we will not be subject to adverse publicity or negative public perception in the future or that it would not have an adverse or material negative impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Taxation and transfer pricing affect our operations.

As a U.S. company doing business in many international markets, we are subject to foreign tax and intercompany pricing laws, including those relating to the flow of funds between our parent Company and our subsidiaries. These pricing laws are designed to ensure that appropriate levels of income and expense are reported by our U.S. and foreign entities, and that they are taxed appropriately. Regulators in the United States and in foreign markets closely monitor our corporate structures, intercompany transactions, and how we effectuate intercompany fund transfers. If regulators challenge our corporate structures, transfer pricing methodologies or intercompany transfers, our operations may be harmed, and our effective tax rate may increase. We are eligible to receive foreign tax credits in the United States for certain foreign taxes actually paid abroad. In the event any audits or assessments are concluded adversely to us, we may not be able to offset the consolidated effect of foreign income tax assessments through the use of U.S. foreign tax credits. Because the laws and regulations governing U.S. foreign tax credits are complex and subject to periodic legislative amendment, we cannot be sure that we would in fact be able to take advantage of any foreign tax credits in the future. The various customs, exchange control and transfer pricing laws are continually changing, and are subject to the interpretation of governmental agencies.

We collect and remit sales tax in states in which we have determined that nexus exists.  Other states may, from time to time, claim we have state-related activities constituting a sufficient nexus to require such collection.

Despite our efforts to be aware of and to comply with such laws and changes to the interpretations thereof, there is a risk that we may not continue to operate in compliance with such laws. We may need to adjust our operating procedures in response to these interpretational changes, and such changes could have a material negative impact on our financial position, results of operation or cash flows.

Our business is subject to intellectual property risks.

Most of our products are not protected by patents. Restrictive regulations governing the precise labeling of ingredients and percentages for nutritional supplements, the large number of manufacturers that produce products with many active ingredients in common and the rapid change and frequent reformulation of products make patent protection impractical. As a result, we enter into confidentiality agreements with certain of our employees in our research and development activities, our independent associates, suppliers, directors, officers and consultants to help protect our intellectual property, investment in research and development activities and trade secrets. We have also obtained trademarks for the Nature’s Sunshine Products name and logo as well as the Synergy WorldWide name. There can be no assurance that our efforts to protect our intellectual property and trademarks will be successful, nor can there be any assurance that third parties will not assert claims against us for infringement of intellectual property rights, which could result in our business being required to obtain licenses for such rights, to pay royalties or to terminate our manufacturing of infringing products, all of which could have a material negative impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Product liability claims could harm our business.

As a manufacturer and distributor of products that are ingested, we face an inherent risk of exposure to product liability claims in the event that, among other things, the use of our products results in alleged injury to consumers due to tampering by unauthorized third parties or product contamination and/or other causes. We have historically had a very limited number of product claims or reports from individuals who have asserted that they have suffered adverse consequences as a result of using our

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products. We have established a wholly-owned captive insurance company to provide us with product liability insurance coverage, and have accrued a reserve that we believe is sufficient to cover probable and reasonably estimable liabilities related to product liability claims based upon our history. There can be no assurance that these estimates will prove to be sufficient, nor can there be any assurance that the ultimate outcome of any litigation for product liability will not have a material negative impact on our business prospects, financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Inventory obsolescence due to finite shelf lives could adversely affect our business.

In order to provide a high level of product availability to our independent Distributors and customers, we maintain a considerable inventory of raw materials in the United States and of finished goods in most countries in which we sell our products. Our inventories of both raw materials and finished goods have finite shelf lives. If we overestimate the demand for our products, we could experience significant write-downs of our inventory due to obsolescence. Such write-downs could have a material negative impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

System failures could harm our business.

Like many companies, our business is highly dependent upon our information technology infrastructure (websites, accounting and manufacturing applications, and product and customer information databases) to manage effectively and efficiently our operations, including order entry, customer billing, accurately tracking purchases and volume incentives and managing accounting, finance and manufacturing operations. The occurrences of natural disasters, security breaches or other unanticipated problems could result in interruptions in our day-to-day business that could adversely affect our business. We have a disaster recovery plan in place to mitigate such risk. Nevertheless, there can be no assurance that a long-term failure or impairment of any of our information systems would not adversely affect our ability to conduct our day-to-day business.

The Company could incur obligations relating to the activities of our Distributors.

We sell our products worldwide to a sales force of independent Distributors who use the products themselves or resell them to other independent Distributors or consumers. Independent Distributors are not employees and operate their own business separate and apart from the Company, and we may not be able to control aspects of their activities that may impact our business. In addition, if local laws and regulations or the interpretation of locals laws and regulations change and require us to treat our independent Distributors as employees, or if our Distributors are deemed by local regulatory authorities in one or more of the jurisdictions in which we operate to be our employees rather than independent contractors under existing laws and interpretations, we may be held responsible for a variety of obligations that are imposed upon employers relating to their employees, including employment related taxes and penalties. Our Distributors also operate in jurisdictions where local legislation and governmental agencies require us to collect and remit taxes such as sales tax or value-added taxes. In addition, there is the possibility that some jurisdictions could seek to hold the Company responsible for false product claims or the negligent actions of an independent Distributor. To date, the Company has had no such occurrences.  If the Company were found to be responsible for any of these issues related to our Distributors, it could have a material negative impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Changes in key management could materially adversely affect the Company.

We believe our success depends in part on our ability to retain our executive officers, and to continue to attract additional qualified individuals to our management team. We have entered into employment agreements with each of our named executive officers, which we believe achieves two important goals crucial to our long-term financial success: the long-term retention of our senior executives and their commitment to attain our strategic objectives. However, we cannot guarantee the continued service of our key officers. The loss or limitation of any of our executive officers or the inability to attract additional qualified management personnel could have a material negative impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows. We do not carry key man insurance on the lives of any of our executive officers.

Our business is involved in an industry with intense competition.

Our business operates in an industry with numerous manufacturers, distributors and retailers of nutritional products. The market for our products is intensely competitive. Many of our competitors are significantly larger, have greater financial resources, and have better name recognition than we do. We also rely on our independent Distributors to market and sell our products through direct marketing techniques, as well as sponsoring other Distributors. Our ability to compete with other direct marketing companies depends greatly on our ability to attract and retain our Distributors. In addition, we currently do not have significant patent or other proprietary protection, and our competitors may introduce products with the same or similar ingredients that we use in our products. As a result, we may have difficulty differentiating our products from our competitors’ product and other competing products that enter the nutritional market. There can be no assurance that our future operations would not be harmed as a result of changing market conditions and future competition.

Our share price has been and may continue to be volatile.

The market price of our common shares is subject to significant fluctuations in response to variations in our quarterly operating results.  Factors other than our financial results that may affect our share price include, but are not limited to, market

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expectations of our performance, market perception or our industry, the activities of our Managers, Distributors and customers, and the level of perceived growth in the industry in which we participate, general trends in the markets for our products, general economic, business and political conditions in the countries and regions in which we conduct our business, currency exchange issues in our foreign markets, changes in government regulation affecting our business, many of which are not within our control.

Unintended negative effects of Distributor promotions or compensation plans.

The payment of volume incentives is our most significant expense. These incentives include commissions, bonuses, and certain awards and prizes based on promotions and incentives. From time to time, we adjust our compensation plan to better manage these incentives as a percentage of net sales. We closely monitor the amount of volume incentives that are paid as a percentage of net sales, and may periodically adjust our compensation plan to prevent volume incentives from having a significant adverse effect on our earnings. In addition to the compensation plan, we frequently design and implement economic and non-economic incentives and promotions to motivate and reward our Distributors. There can be no assurance that changes to the compensation plan, product pricing, or promotions and incentives will be successful in achieving target levels of volume incentives as a percentage of net sales. Furthermore, such programs, promotions or incentives could result in unintended or unforeseen negative economic and non-economic consequences to our business, such as higher than anticipated costs.

Our manufacturing activity is subject to certain risks.

We manufacture approximately 80% of the products sold to our customers at our Spanish Fork, Utah location. As a result, we are dependent upon the uninterrupted and efficient operation of our manufacturing facility in Spanish Fork and our distribution facilities throughout the country. Our manufacturing facilities and distribution facilities are subject to the risk of catastrophic loss due to, among other things, fire, flood, terrorism or other natural or man-made disasters, as well as occurrence of significant equipment failures. If any of these facilities were to experience a catastrophic loss, it would be expected to disrupt our operations and could result in personal injury or property damage, damage relationships with our customers or result in large expenses to repair or replace the facilities or systems, as well as result in other liabilities and adverse impacts.

In addition, we contract with third-party manufacturers to produce some of our vitamins, mineral and other nutritional supplements, personal care products and certain other miscellaneous products in accordance with our specifications and standards. These contract manufacturers are subject to the same risks as our manufacturing facility as noted above. In addition, while we have implemented stringent quality control procedures to verify that our contract manufacturers comply with our specifications and standards, we do not have full control over their manufacturing activities.  Any difficulties, delays and defects in our products resulting from the activities of our contract manufacturers may have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

None.

Item 2. Properties

Our corporate offices are located in Lehi, Utah, and consist of approximately 56,000 square feet. These facilities are leased from an unaffiliated third party through a lease agreement which expires in 2017.

Our principal warehousing and manufacturing facilities are housed in a building consisting of approximately 270,000 square feet and located on approximately 10 acres in Spanish Fork, Utah. These facilities are owned by us and support all of our business segments.

We own approximately 60,000 square feet of office and warehouse space in Mexico and approximately 13,000 square feet of office and warehouse space in Venezuela.

We also own approximately 53 acres of undeveloped land in Springville, Utah, and approximately 8 acres of undeveloped land in Provo, Utah.

We lease properties used primarily as distribution warehouses located in Georgia, Ohio, Texas and Utah, as well as offices and distribution warehouses in the majority of the countries in which we do business. We believe these facilities are suitable for their respective uses and are, in general, adequate for our present and near-term future needs. During 2012, 2011 and 2010, we incurred approximately $6.1 million, $6.2 million and $6.2 million, respectively, for all of our leased facilities in lease expense.

We believe that our current facilities are adequate for our business operation and that additional space, if required, will be available on commercially reasonable terms for the foreseeable future.

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Item 3. Legal Proceedings

The Company is party to various legal proceedings, including those noted below. Management cannot predict the ultimate outcome of these proceedings, individually or in the aggregate, or their resulting effect on the Company’s business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows as litigation and related matters are subject to inherent uncertainties, and unfavorable rulings could occur. Were an unfavorable outcome to occur, there exists the possibility of a material adverse impact on the business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows for the period in which the ruling occurs and/or future periods. The Company maintains product liability, general liability and excess liability insurance coverage. However, no assurances can be given that such insurance will continue to be available at an acceptable cost to the Company, that such coverage will be sufficient to cover one or more large claims, or that the insurers will not successfully disclaim coverage as to a pending or future claim.

Other Litigation

The Company is party to various other legal proceedings in several foreign jurisdictions related to value-added tax assessments and other civil litigation.  While there is a reasonable possibility that a material loss may be incurred, the Company cannot at this time estimate the loss, if any, and therefore no provision for losses has been provided.  The Company believes that future payments related to these matters could range from $0 to approximately $1.1 million.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

Not applicable.

PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Shareholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Market and Share Prices

Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Market (symbol “NATR”).

The following table summarizes the quarterly high and low market prices of our common stock for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011:

The approximate number of shareholders of record of our common shares as of February 28, 2013, was 876. This number of holders of record does not represent the actual number of beneficial owners of our common shares because shares are frequently held in “street name” by securities dealers and others for the benefit of individual owners who have the right to vote their shares.

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

None.

Dividends

There were 903 shareholders of record as of December 31, 2012. On May 7, 2012, the Company announced that its Board of Directors approved a cash dividend of $0.05 per common share in an aggregate amount of $0.8 million, which was paid on May 29, 2012 to shareholders of record on May 18, 2012.  On August 1, 2012, the Company announced that its Board of Directors approved a cash dividend of $0.05 per common share in an aggregate amount of $0.8 million, which was paid on August 23, 2012 to shareholders of record on August 13, 2012.  On November 2, 2012, the Company announced that its Board of Directors approved a cash dividend of $0.05 per common share in an aggregate amount of $0.8 million, which was paid on November 26, 2012 to shareholders of record on November 15, 2012.

The declaration of future dividends is subject to the discretion of the Company’s Board of Directors and will depend upon various factors, including the Company’s earnings, financial condition, restrictions imposed by any indebtedness that may be outstanding, cash requirements, future prospects and other factors deemed relevant by its Board of Directors.

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Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans

The following table contains information regarding the Company’s equity compensation plans as of December 31, 2012:

(1)         Consists of three plans:  The Nature’s Sunshine Products, Inc. 2012 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2012 Incentive Plan”), the Nature’s Sunshine Products, Inc. 2009 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2009 Incentive Plan”) and the Nature’s Sunshine Products, Inc. 1995 Stock Option Plan (the “1995 Option Plan”). The 2012 Incentive Plan was approved by shareholders on August 1, 2012. The 2009 Incentive Plan was approved by shareholders on November 6, 2009. The terms of these plans are summarized in Note 12, “Capital Transactions”, of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8, Part 2 of this report.

(2)         During the year ended December 31, 2007, the Company issued nonqualified options to purchase shares of common stock outside of any shareholder approved stock incentive plan. The terms of these nonqualified options to purchase shares of common stock are summarized in Note 12, “Capital Transactions”, of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, in Item 8, Part 2 of this report.

Performance Graph

The graph below depicts our common stock as an index, assuming $100.00 was invested on December 31, 2007, along with the composite prices of companies listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market and our peer group. Standard & Poor’s Investment Services has provided us with this information. The comparisons in the graph are required by regulations of the SEC, and are not intended to forecast or be indicative of the possible future performance of our common stock. The publicly-traded companies in our peer group are Herbalife International, Inc., NuSkin Enterprises, Inc. and USANA Health Sciences, Inc.

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Item 6. Selected Financial Data

The selected financial data presented below is summarized from our results of consolidated operations for each of the five years in the period ended December 31, 2012, as well as selected consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009 and 2008.

During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company changed its method of accounting to present shipping and handling costs related to the sale of the Company’s products together with the cost of sales in the consolidated statement of operations. These shipping and handling costs have previously been presented by the Company as part of selling, general and administrative expenses. This change has been made retrospectively to all periods presented in the Company’s financial statements. In connection with the change in presentation, the Company also changed its definition of shipping and handling costs to include expenses of the Company’s distribution facilities to prepare products for shipment. Previously, the Company defined shipping and handling costs as costs incurred for a third-party shipper to transport products to the customer. This presentation is preferable as it better matches all the costs directly associated with generating revenue and therefore better presents gross margin, and this financial statement presentation will be more comparable to the Company’s peer group.  The only impact on the Company’s financial statements was to increase cost of sales and decrease selling, general, and administrative in the consolidated statement of operations.  The impact of this change in accounting principle was to increase cost of sales and decrease selling, general and administrative expenses by $21.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2012. The impact of this change in accounting principle on cost of sales and selling, general and administrative expenses for the four years ended December 31, 2011 was $20.0 million, $20.2 million, $19.6 million and $20.3 million, respectively.

(Dollar and Share Amounts in Thousands, Except for Per Share Information and Other Information)

Consolidated Statement of Operations Data

Consolidated Balance Sheet Data

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Summary Cash Flow Information

Common Share Summary

Other Information

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The following discussion highlights the principal factors that have affected our financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and capital resources for the periods described. This discussion should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes in Item 8 of this report. This discussion contains forward-looking statements. Please see “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” for the risks, uncertainties and assumptions associated with these forward-looking statements.

During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company changed its method of accounting to present shipping and handling costs related to the sale of the Company’s products together with the cost of sales in the consolidated statement of operations. These shipping and handling costs have previously been presented by the Company as part of selling, general and administrative expenses. This change has been made retrospectively to all periods presented in the Company’s financial statements. In connection with the change in presentation, the Company also changed its definition of shipping and handling costs to include expenses of the Company’s distribution facilities to prepare products for shipment. Previously, the Company defined shipping and handling costs as costs incurred for a third-party shipper to transport products to the customer. This presentation is preferable as it better matches all the costs directly associated with generating revenue and therefore better presents gross margin, and this financial statement presentation will be more comparable to the Company’s peer group.  The only impact on the Company’s financial statements was to increase cost of sales and decrease selling, general, and administrative in the consolidated statement of operations.  The impact of this change in accounting principle was to increase cost of sales and decrease selling, general and administrative expenses by $21.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2012. The impact of this change in accounting principle on cost of sales and selling, general and administrative expenses for the four years ended December 31, 2011 was $20.0 million, $20.2 million, $19.6 million and $20.3 million, respectively. The following discussion, including statements relating to the results of operations in fiscal years 2011 and 2010, reflect the change in accounting principle of our consolidated financial statement for prior years as noted above.

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OVERVIEW

Our Business, Industry and Target Market

Nature’s Sunshine Products, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, is a natural health and wellness company primarily engaged in the manufacturing and direct selling of nutritional and personal care products. The Company is a Utah corporation with its principal place of business in Lehi, Utah, and sells its products to a sales force of independent Managers and Distributors who use the products themselves or resell them to other Distributors or customers. The formulation, manufacturing, packaging, labeling, advertising, distribution and sale of each of our major product groups are subject to regulation by one or more governmental agencies.

The Company has three business segments that are divided based on the different characteristics of their Distributor bases, marketing and Distributor compensation plans and product formulations, as well as the internal organization of our officers and their responsibilities and business operations.  Two business segments operate under the Nature’s Sunshine Products brand (NSP Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe and NSP Russia, Central and Eastern Europe), and one operates under the Synergy WorldWide brand.

We market our products in Australia, Austria, Belarus, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, the Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, Venezuela and Vietnam. We export our products to several other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Chile, Israel, New Zealand and Norway.

In 2012, we experienced a decrease in our consolidated net sales of 0.1 percent. Synergy WorldWide net sales increased approximately 7.2 percent compared to the same period in 2011 (or 10.6 percent in local currencies excluding the negative impact of foreign currency fluctuations). NSP Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe net sales decreased approximately 3.7 percent compared to the same period in 2011 (or a decrease in local currency net sales of 3.3 percent excluding the negative impact of foreign currency fluctuations). NSP Russia, Central and Eastern Europe net sales increased approximately 1.5 percent compared to the same period in 2011. Our most significant sales revenue growth was from our Synergy businesses in Europe and Korea during 2012. Gains in these markets were partially offset, principally by decreases in our NSP Mexico, NSP and Synergy Japan, NSP Peru and Synergy North American markets.

Selling, general and administrative costs as a percentage of net sales revenue for 2012 decreased to 29.1 percent from 29.8 percent in the prior year. primarily as a result of the reduction of our royalty costs related to our Russian business as described below, and our successful efforts to reduce operating costs in all of our operating segments.

Primarily as a result of reductions of our royalty costs related to our Russian business and onetime contract termination costs of $14.7 million related to the NutriPlus settlement in 2011, our consolidated operating income for 2012 increased to 9.3 percent of net sales revenue from 5.5 percent in the prior year.

We distribute our products to consumers through an independent sales force comprised of independent Managers and Distributors. Typically a person who joins our independent sales force begins as a Distributor. A Distributor interested in earning additional income by committing more time and effort to selling our products may earn Manager status, which is contingent upon attaining certain purchase levels, recruiting additional Distributors and demonstrating leadership abilities. On a worldwide basis, active Managers were approximately 16,600 and 16,800 and active Distributors and customers were approximately 333,400 and 340,100 at December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. We anticipate that the number of Distributors and customers will increase if our existing business grows and we enter new international markets, and if current Managers and Distributors expand their networks and grow their businesses.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and form the basis for the following discussion and analysis on critical accounting policies and estimates. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. On a regular basis, we evaluate our estimates and assumptions. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results could differ from these estimates and those differences could have a material effect on our financial position and results of operations. Management has discussed the development, selection and disclosure of these estimates with the Board of Directors and its Audit Committee.

A summary of our significant accounting policies is provided in Note 1 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this report. We believe the critical accounting policies and estimates described below reflect our more significant

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estimates and assumptions used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements. The impact and any associated risks on our business that are related to these policies are also discussed throughout this “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” where such policies affect reported and expected financial results.

Revenue Recognition

Net sales revenue and related volume incentive expenses are recorded when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, collectability is reasonably assured, the amount is fixed and determinable, and title and risk of loss have passed, generally, when the merchandise has been delivered. The amount of the volume incentive is determined based upon the amount of qualifying purchases in a given month. It is necessary for us to make estimates about the timing of when merchandise has been delivered. These estimates are based upon our historical experience related to time in transit, timing of when shipments occurred and shipping volumes. Amounts received for undelivered merchandise are recorded as deferred revenue. From time to time, our U.S. operations extend short-term credit associated with product promotions. In addition, for certain of our international operations, we offer credit terms consistent with industry standards within the country of operation. Payments to Managers and Distributors for sales incentives or rebates related to individual purchases are recorded as a reduction of revenue. Payments for sales incentives and rebates are calculated monthly based upon qualifying sales. Membership fees are deferred and amortized as revenue over the life of the membership, primarily one year. Prepaid event registration fees are deferred and recognized as revenues when the related event is held.

A reserve for product returns is recorded based upon historical experience.  We allow Managers or Distributors to return the unused portion of products within 90 days of purchase if they are not satisfied with the product.  In some of our markets, the requirements to return product are more restrictive.  Sales returns for the years 2012, 2011 and 2010, were approximately $2.2 million, $0.6 million and $0.6 million, respectively.

Accounts Receivable Allowances

Accounts receivable have been reduced by an allowance for amounts that may be uncollectible in the future. This estimated allowance is based primarily on the aging category, historical trends and management’s evaluation of the financial condition of the customer. This reserve is adjusted periodically as information about specific accounts becomes available.

Investments

Our available-for-sale investment portfolio is recorded at fair value and consists of various securities such as state and municipal obligations, U.S. government security funds, short-term deposits and various equity securities. These investments are valued using (a) quoted prices for identical assets in active markets or (b) from significant inputs that are observable or can be derived from or corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the asset. Our trading portfolio is recorded at fair value and consists of various marketable securities that are valued using quoted prices in active markets.

For available-for-sale debt securities with unrealized losses, we perform an analysis to assess whether it intends to sell or whether it would be more likely than not required to sell the security before the expected recovery of the amortized cost basis. Where we intend to sell a security, or may be required to do so, the security’s decline in fair value is deemed to be other-than-temporary, and the full amount of the unrealized loss is recorded within earnings as an impairment loss.

For all other debt securities that experience a decline in fair value that is determined to be other-than-temporary and not related to credit loss, we record a loss, net of any tax, in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). The credit loss is recorded within earnings as an impairment loss when sold. Management judgment is involved in evaluating whether a decline in an investment’s fair value is other-than-temporary.

Regardless of our intent to sell a security, we perform additional analysis on all securities with unrealized losses to evaluate losses associated with the creditworthiness of the security. Credit losses are identified where we do not expect to receive cash flows sufficient to recover the amortized cost basis of a security.

For equity securities, when assessing whether a decline in fair value below our cost basis is other-than-temporary, we consider the fair market value of the security, the length of time and extent to which market value has been less than cost, the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer as well as specific events or circumstances that may influence the operations of the issuer, and our intent and ability to hold the investment for a sufficient time in order to enable recovery of our cost. New information and the passage of time can change these judgments. Where we have determined that we lack the intent and ability to hold an equity security to its expected recovery, the security’s decline in fair value is deemed to be other-than-temporary and is recorded within earnings as an impairment loss.

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower-of-cost-or-market, using the first-in, first-out method. The components of inventory cost include raw materials, labor and overhead. To estimate any necessary obsolescence or lower-of-cost-or-market adjustments,

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various assumptions are made in regard to excess or slow-moving inventories, non-conforming inventories, expiration dates, current and future product demand, production planning and market conditions.

Self-Insurance Liabilities

Similar to other manufacturers and Distributors of products that are ingested, we face an inherent risk of exposure to product liability claims in the event that, among other things, the use of our products results in injury to consumers due to tampering by unauthorized third parties or product contamination. We have historically had a very limited number of product claims or reports from individuals who have asserted that they have suffered adverse consequences as a result of using our products. These matters have historically been settled to our satisfaction and have not resulted in material payments. We have established a wholly owned captive insurance company to provide us with product liability insurance coverage, and have accrued a reserve that we believe is sufficient to cover probable and reasonable estimable liabilities related to product liability claims based upon our history. However, there can be no assurance that these estimates will prove to be sufficient, nor can there be any assurance that the ultimate outcome of any litigation for product liability will not have a material negative impact on our business prospects, financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

We self-insure for certain employee medical benefits. The recorded liabilities for self-insured risks are calculated using actuarial methods, and are not discounted. The liabilities include amounts for actual claims and claims incurred but not reported. Actual experience, including claim frequency and severity as well as health care inflation, could result in actual liabilities being more or less than the amounts currently recorded.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

We review our long-lived assets, such as property, plant and equipment and intangible assets for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. We use an estimate of future undiscounted net cash flows of the related assets or groups of assets over their remaining lives in measuring whether the assets are recoverable. An impairment loss is calculated by determining the difference between the carrying values and the fair values of these assets. We did not consider any of our long-lived assets to be impaired during the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 or 2010.

Incentive Trip Accrual

We accrue for expenses associated with our direct sales marketing program, which rewards independent Managers and Distributors with paid attendance for incentive trips, including Company conventions and meetings. Expenses associated with incentive trips are accrued over qualification periods as they are earned. We specifically analyze incentive trip accruals based on historical and current sales trends as well as contractual obligations when evaluating the adequacy of the incentive trip accrual. Actual results could generate liabilities more or less than the amounts recorded. We have accrued incentive trip costs of approximately $4.6 million and $5.0 million at December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively, which are included in accrued liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets.

Contingencies

We are involved in certain legal proceedings. When a loss is considered probable in connection with litigation or non-income tax contingencies and when such loss can be reasonably estimated with a range, we record our best estimate within the range related to the contingency. If there is no best estimate, we record the minimum of the range. As additional information becomes available, we assess the potential liability related to the contingency and revise the estimates. Revision in estimates of the potential liabilities could materially affect our results of operations in the period of adjustment. Our contingencies are discussed in further detail in Note 14, “Commitment and Contingencies”, of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, in Item 8, Part 2 of this report.

Income Taxes

Our income tax expense, deferred tax assets and liabilities and contingent reserves reflect management’s best assessment of estimated future taxes to be paid. We are subject to income taxes in both the United States and numerous foreign jurisdictions. Significant judgments and estimates are required in determining the Company’s consolidated income tax expense.

Deferred income taxes arise from temporary differences between the tax and financial statement recognition of revenue and expense. In evaluating our ability to recover our deferred tax assets, we consider all available positive and negative evidence, including scheduled reversals of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income, tax planning strategies and recent financial operations. In projecting future taxable income, we develop assumptions including the amount of future state, federal and foreign pretax operating income, the reversal of temporary differences, and the implementation of feasible and prudent tax planning strategies. These assumptions require significant judgment about the forecasts of future taxable income, and are consistent with the plans and estimates that we are using to manage the underlying businesses. Valuation allowances are recorded as reserves against net deferred tax assets by the Company when it is determined that net deferred tax assets are not likely to be

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realized in the foreseeable future. As of December 31, 2012 and 2011, we had recorded valuation allowances of $8.1 million and $9.8 million, respectively, as offsets to our net deferred tax assets.

As of December 31, 2012, we had foreign income tax net operating loss carryforwards of $4.2 million, which will expire at various dates from 2013 through 2022. The Company had approximately $4.4 million of foreign tax credits, most of which expire in 2020.

Changes in tax laws and rates could also affect recorded deferred tax assets and liabilities in the future. Management is not aware of any such changes that would have a material effect on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows or financial position.

The calculation of our tax liabilities involves dealing with uncertainties in the application of complex tax laws and regulations in a multitude of jurisdictions across our global operations. Income tax positions must meet a more-likely-than-not recognition threshold to be recognized.

Share-Based Compensation

We recognize all share-based payments to Directors and employees, including grants of stock options and restricted stock units, to be recognized in the statement of operations based on their grant-date fair values. We record compensation expense, net of an estimated forfeiture rate, over the vesting period of the stock options based on the fair value of the stock options on the date of grant. We estimated forfeiture rate is based upon historical experience.

PRESENTATION

Net sales revenue represents net sales including shipping and handling revenues offset by volume rebates given to Managers, Distributors and customers. Volume rebates as a percentage of retail sales may vary by country depending upon regulatory restrictions that limit or otherwise restrict rebates. We also offer reduced volume rebates with respect to certain products and promotions worldwide.

Our international operations have provided and will continue to provide a significant portion of our total net sales. As a result, total net sales will continue to be affected by fluctuations in the U.S. dollar against foreign currencies. In order to provide a framework for assessing how our underlying businesses performed excluding the effect of foreign currency fluctuations, in addition to comparing the percent change in net sales from one period to another in U.S. dollars, we also compare the percent change in net sales from one period to another period by excluding the effects of foreign currency exchange as shown below. Net sales excluding the impact of foreign exchange fluctuations is not a U.S. GAAP financial measure. Net sales in local currency removes from net sales in U.S. dollars the impact of changes in exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the functional currencies of our foreign subsidiaries, by translating the current period net sales into U.S. dollars using the same foreign currency exchange rates that were used to translate the net sales for the previous comparable period. We believe presenting the impact of foreign currency fluctuations is useful to investors because it allows a more meaningful comparison of net sales of our foreign operations from period to period. However, net sales excluding the impact of foreign currency fluctuations should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to net sales in U.S. dollar measures that reflect current period exchange rates, or to other financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

Our gross profit consists of net sales less cost of sales, which represents our manufacturing costs, the price we pay to our raw material suppliers and manufacturers of our products and duties and tariffs as well as shipping and handling costs related to product shipments.

Volume incentives are a significant part of our direct sales marketing program, and represent commission payments made to our independent Managers and Distributors. These payments are designed to provide incentives for reaching higher sales levels and for recruiting additional Distributors.  Volume incentives vary slightly, on a percentage basis, by product due to our pricing policies and commission plans in place in our various operations.

Selling, general and administrative expenses represent our operating expenses, components of which include labor and benefits, sales events, professional fees, travel and entertainment, Distributor marketing, occupancy costs, communication costs, bank fees, depreciation and amortization, and other miscellaneous operating expenses.

Most of our sales to Distributors outside the United States are made in the respective local currencies. In preparing our financial statements, we translate revenues into U.S. dollars using average exchange rates. Additionally, the majority of our purchases from our suppliers generally are made in U.S. dollars. Consequently, a strengthening of the U.S. dollar versus a foreign currency can have a negative impact on our reported sales and contribution margins and can generate transaction losses on intercompany transactions. Throughout the last five years, foreign currency exchange rates have fluctuated significantly. See Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk.

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RESULTS OF OPERATIONS