Public companies are required to disclose risks that can affect the business and impact the stock. These disclosures are known as “Risk Factors”. Companies disclose these risks in their yearly (Form 10-K), quarterly earnings (Form 10-Q), or “foreign private issuer” reports (Form 20-F). Risk factors show the challenges a company faces. Investors can consider the worst-case scenarios before making an investment. TipRanks’ Risk Analysis categorizes risks based on proprietary classification algorithms and machine learning.
Avricore Health disclosed 18 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Avricore Health reported the most risks in the “Finance & Corporate” category.
Risk Overview Q4, 2023
Risk Distribution
78% Finance & Corporate
11% Tech & Innovation
6% Production
6% Ability to Sell
0% Legal & Regulatory
0% Macro & Political
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
This chart displays the stock's most recent risk distribution according to category. TipRanks has identified 6 major categories: Finance & corporate, legal & regulatory, macro & political, production, tech & innovation, and ability to sell.
Risk Change Over Time
2022
Q4
S&P500 Average
Sector Average
Risks removed
Risks added
Risks changed
Avricore Health Risk Factors
New Risk (0)
Risk Changed (0)
Risk Removed (0)
No changes from previous report
The chart shows the number of risks a company has disclosed. You can compare this to the sector average or S&P 500 average.
The quarters shown in the chart are according to the calendar year (January to December). Businesses set their own financial calendar, known as a fiscal year. For example, Walmart ends their financial year at the end of January to accommodate the holiday season.
Risk Highlights Q4, 2023
Main Risk Category
Finance & Corporate
With 14 Risks
Finance & Corporate
With 14 Risks
Number of Disclosed Risks
18
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 31
18
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 31
Recent Changes
0Risks added
0Risks removed
0Risks changed
Since Dec 2023
0Risks added
0Risks removed
0Risks changed
Since Dec 2023
Number of Risk Changed
0
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 3
0
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 3
See the risk highlights of Avricore Health in the last period.
Risk Word Cloud
The most common phrases about risk factors from the most recent report. Larger texts indicate more widely used phrases.
Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 18
Finance & Corporate
Total Risks: 14/18 (78%)Above Sector Average
Share Price & Shareholder Rights7 | 38.9%
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1
The Company has issued a limited number of shares out of its authorized capital of an unlimited number of common shares, which could be dilutive and negatively affect the share price.
Having an unlimited number of authorized but unissued common shares could allow the Company's Directors and Officers to issue a large number of shares without shareholder approval, leading to significant dilution of current shareholders and possible lowering of the share price.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2
As the Company is a Canadian company, it may be difficult for U.S. shareholders of the Company to effect service on the Company or to realize on judgments obtained in the United States.
The Company is a Canadian corporation. All of its directors and officers are residents of Canada and a significant part of its assets are, or will be, located outside of the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for shareholders resident in the United States to effect service within the United States upon the Company, directors, officers or experts who are not residents of the United States, or to realize in the United States judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon civil liability of any of the Company, directors or officers under the United States federal securities laws. If a judgment is obtained in the U.S. courts based on civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws against the Company or its directors or officers, it will be difficult to enforce the judgment in the Canadian courts against the Company and any of the Company's non-U.S. resident executive officers or directors. Accordingly, United States shareholders may be forced to bring actions against the Company and its respective directors and officers under Canadian law and in Canadian courts in order to enforce any claims that they may have against the Company or its directors and officers. Nevertheless, it may be difficult for United States shareholders to bring an original action in the Canadian courts to enforce liabilities based on the U.S. federal securities laws against the Company and any of the Company's non-U.S. resident executive officers or directors.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3
Conflicts of interest may exist for Directors and Officers which may inhibit their ability to act in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders leading to possible impairment of the Company's ability to achieve its business objectives.
The directors and officers of the Company will not be devoting all of their time to the affairs of the Company. Some of the directors and officers of the Company are directors and officers of other companies. The directors and officers of the Company will be required by law to act in the best interests of the Company. They will have the same obligations to the other companies in respect of which they act as directors and officers. Discharge by the directors and officers of their obligations to the Company may result in a breach of their obligations to the other companies and, in certain circumstances, this could expose the Company to liability to those companies. Similarly, discharge by the directors and officers of their obligations to the other companies could result in a breach of their obligation to act in the best interests of the Company. Such conflicting legal obligations may expose the Company to liability to others and impair its ability to achieve its business objectives.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4
Management of the Company can, through their stock ownership in the Company, influence all matters requiring approval by the Company's shareholders.
Management of the Company at the time of this report, collectively own approximately 10% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares at that date. These shareholders, if acting together, could significantly influence all matters requiring approval by the Company's shareholders, including the election of directors and the approval of mergers or other business combination transactions. Management may not make decisions that will maximize shareholder value and may make decisions that will contribute to or cause the entrenchment of management.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5
The value and transferability of the Company shares may be adversely impacted by the limited trading market for the Company's common shares.
The Company's common shares are currently quoted on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "AVCR" and on the OTCQB under the symbol "AVCRF". No assurance can be given that a market for the Company's common shares will be quoted on an exchange in the U.S. or on the Over the Counter Bulletin Board. The Company's common shares may be subject to illiquidity and investors may not be able to sell their shares in a timely manner.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 6
The value and transferability of the Company shares may be adversely impacted by the penny stock rules.
The sale or transfer of the Company common shares by shareholders in the United States may be subject to the so-called "penny stock rules." Under Rule 15g-9 of the Exchange Act, a broker or dealer may not sell a "penny stock" (as defined in Rule 3a51-1) or effect the purchase of a penny stock by any person unless:
(a)Such sale or purchase is exempt from Rule 15g-9;(b)Prior to the transaction the broker or dealer has (1) approved the person's account for transaction in penny stocks in accordance with Rule 15g-9, and (2) received from the person a written agreement to the transaction setting forth the identity and quantity of the penny stock to be purchased; and (c)The purchaser has been provided an appropriate disclosure statement as to penny stock investment.
The SEC adopted regulations generally define a penny stock to be any equity security other than a security excluded from such definition by Rule 3a51-1. Such exemptions include, but are not limited to (1) an equity security issued by an issuer that has (i) net tangible assets of at least $2,000,000, if such issuer has been in continuous operations for at least three years, (ii) net tangible assets of at least $5,000,000, if such issuer has been in continuous operation for less than three years, or (iii) average revenue of at least $6,000,000 for the preceding three years; (2) except for purposes of Section 7(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 419, any security that has a price of $5.00 or more; and (3) a security that is authorized or approved for authorization upon notice of issuance for quotation on the NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc.'s Automated Quotation System. It is likely that the Company's common shares, assuming a market were to develop in the US, will be subject to the regulations on penny stocks. Consequently, the market liquidity for the common shares may be adversely affected by such regulations limiting the ability of broker/dealers to sell the Company's common shares and the ability of shareholders to sell their securities in the secondary market in the US Moreover, the Company shares may only be sold or transferred by the Company shareholders in those jurisdictions in the US in which an exemption for such "secondary trading" exists or in which the shares may have been registered.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 7
There is no guarantee that there is a market for the Company's common shares in the United States.
Although the Company's common shares were added to the OTC Bulletin Board System on April 20, 2009 under the symbol "APCSF", and the Company's common shares are currently trading on the OTCQB under the symbol "AVCRF", trading of the Company's shares is very limited. The Company cannot guarantee that there will be a market for the Company's common shares in the United States or that there will any significant amount trading in the Company's shares for the foreseeable future. The Company cannot guarantee that it will continue to maintain a listing in the United States or that it will not be found in default of existing regulations or new regulations and be suspended from trading or delisted.
Accounting & Financial Operations3 | 16.7%
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1
The Company has not declared any dividends since its inception in 2000 and has no present intention of paying any cash dividends on its common shares in the foreseeable future.
The Company has not declared any dividends since its inception in 2000 and has no present intention of paying any cash dividends on its common shares in the foreseeable future. The payment by the Company of dividends, if any, in the future, rests in the discretion of the Company's Board of Directors and will depend, among other things, upon the Company's earnings, its capital requirements and financial condition, as well as other relevant factors.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 2
The Company's limited operating history makes it difficult to evaluate the Company's current business and forecast future results.
Since its inception, the Company has had limited revenues and has experienced significant operating losses each year. These losses are due to substantial expenditures on intellectual property protection, product development and product testing of commercial and consumer infection control product and pre-clinical testing for registration of a number of therapeutic products and over-the-counter (OTC) pharmaceutical products with Health Canada and the FDA. Sales of T36 Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer products were discontinued in the year ended December 31, 2012. During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company discontinued its over-the-counter (OTC) pharmaceutical products business. The Company has changed its direction, and its current operations consist of developing and implementing its HealthTab™ point-of-care technology (POCT). Currently the Company is engaged in the rollout of the HealthTab™ point-of-care testing platform to 776 Shoppers Drug Mart and affiliated Loblaws locations nation-wide. As a result, future sales of the Company's products are difficult to predict.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 3
The Company has commenced generating operating cash flow, however failure to generate sufficient revenues and cash flow in the future could cause the Company to go out of business.
The Company has no history of pre-tax profit and in the previous four years has had only limited annual revenues for most of the years it has been operating. The Company sustained operating losses for each of its fiscal years and has sustained significant accumulated operating losses. The continued operation of the Company will be dependent upon its ability to generate operating revenues and to procure additional financing. Based upon current plans to introduce HealthTab™ into new markets in Canada and internationally, maintain the Company's public listing on the TSX-Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") and support the continued registration of its securities in the US, the Company may incur operating losses in future periods. These losses will occur because there are continuing expenses associated with the roll out of the Company's HealthTab™ network, legal and accounting fees, the maintenance of its public listing and other expenses associated with running an operating business. Even if the Company becomes operationally profitable, the Company will need to raise significant amounts of new funding to expand these activities. Also, the Company may not be successful in generating significant revenues in the future. At the time of this report, the Company has sufficient funds to continue the roll out of its HealthTab™ network but it may be unable to do so without securing further financing. The Company may not be successful in generating revenues or raising capital in the future. Failure to generate revenues or raise capital could cause the Company to cease operations,
Debt & Financing4 | 22.2%
Debt & Financing - Risk 1
If the Company raises further funds through equity issuances, the price of its securities could decrease due to the dilution caused by the sale of additional shares.
Additional funds raised by the Company through the issuance of equity or convertible debt securities will cause the Company's current shareholders to experience dilution and possibly lower the trading price of its shares. Such securities may grant rights, preferences or privileges senior to those of the Company's common shareholders.
Debt & Financing - Risk 2
The Company could enter into debt obligations and not have the funds to repay these obligations.
The Company does not have any contractual restrictions on its ability to incur debt and, accordingly, the Company could incur significant amounts of indebtedness to finance its operations. Any such indebtedness could contain covenants, which would restrict the Company's operations. The Company might not be able to repay indebtedness.
Debt & Financing - Risk 3
The Company could enter into contractual obligations and not have the funds to pay for these obligations.
The Company does not have any contractual restrictions on its ability to enter into binding agreements and, accordingly, the Company could incur significant obligations to third parties including financial obligations. Any such obligations could restrict the Company's operations and the Company might not be able to pay for its commitments. If the Company cannot meet its commitments, legal action could be taken against the Company. Any such actions could further restrict the Company's ability to conduct its business or could cause the Company to go out of business.
Debt & Financing - Risk 4
There is no assurance that the Company will be able to secure the funds needed for future development, and failure to secure such funds could lead to a lack of opportunities for growth.
A lack of funds would also impair the Company's ability to roll out the HealthTab™ network. If adequate financing is not available when required, the Company may be required to delay, scale back or eliminate various activities and may be unable to continue in operation. The Company may seek such additional financing through debt or equity offerings, but there can be no assurance that such financing will be available on terms acceptable to the Company or at all. Any equity offering will result in dilution to the ownership interests of the Company's shareholders and may result in dilution to the value of such interests.
Tech & Innovation
Total Risks: 2/18 (11%)Below Sector Average
Trade Secrets1 | 5.6%
Trade Secrets - Risk 1
There is a risk that the Company's intellectual property infringes upon the rights of other companies, which could lead to reduced revenues, reduced margins due to sanctions against the Company, outright withdrawal or prohibition of products or trademarks from the market and significant costs for legal defense against infringement claims, re-branding of products and revised marketing materials.
The Company is unaware of any infringement claims being made against the Company or its products or processes at the time of writing. In the future, there can be no assurances that third parties will not assert infringement claims in the future or require the Company to obtain a license for the intellectual property rights of such third parties. There can be no assurance that such a license, if required, will be available on reasonable terms or at all. If the Company does not obtain such a license, it could encounter delays in the roll out of the Company's HealthTab™ network.
Cyber Security1 | 5.6%
Cyber Security - Risk 1
The Company's information technology systems are susceptible to certain risks, including cyber security breaches, which could adversely impact the Company's operations and financial condition.
The Company's operations involve information technology systems that process, transmit and store information about our suppliers, customers, employees, and financial information. These systems face threats including telecommunication failures, natural disasters, and cyber security threats, including computer viruses, unauthorized access to our systems, and other security issues. While the Company has implemented security measures to protect these systems, such threats change and evolve almost daily. There is no guarantee these actions will secure the information systems against all threats and vulnerabilities. The compromise or failure of these information systems could have a negative effect on the Company's operations and financial condition.
Production
Total Risks: 1/18 (6%)Below Sector Average
Employment / Personnel1 | 5.6%
Employment / Personnel - Risk 1
The Company's future performance is dependent on key personnel. The loss of the services of any of the Company's executives or Board of Directors could have a material adverse effect on the Company.
The Company's performance is substantially dependent on the performance and continued efforts of the Company's executives and its Board of Directors. The loss of the services of any of the Company's executives or Board of Directors could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, results of operations and financial condition. There is no assurance that key personnel can be replaced with people with similar qualifications within a reasonable period of time. If any or all Directors resign, there is no assurance that new Directors can be found to replace any directors who resign.
Ability to Sell
Total Risks: 1/18 (6%)Below Sector Average
Competition1 | 5.6%
Competition - Risk 1
There is a risk of competition from alternative POCT platforms.
Although competition is currently limited competitors may emerge offering alternative platforms. The Company will be competing with companies that are potentially already entrenched in some markets or may be better funded than the Company.
See a full breakdown of risk according to category and subcategory. The list starts with the category with the most risk. Click on subcategories to read relevant extracts from the most recent report.
FAQ
What are “Risk Factors”?
Risk factors are any situations or occurrences that could make investing in a company risky.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires that publicly traded companies disclose their most significant risk factors. This is so that potential investors can consider any risks before they make an investment.
They also offer companies protection, as a company can use risk factors as liability protection. This could happen if a company underperforms and investors take legal action as a result.
It is worth noting that smaller companies, that is those with a public float of under $75 million on the last business day, do not have to include risk factors in their 10-K and 10-Q forms, although some may choose to do so.
How do companies disclose their risk factors?
Publicly traded companies initially disclose their risk factors to the SEC through their S-1 filings as part of the IPO process.
Additionally, companies must provide a complete list of risk factors in their Annual Reports (Form 10-K) or (Form 20-F) for “foreign private issuers”.
Quarterly Reports also include a section on risk factors (Form 10-Q) where companies are only required to update any changes since the previous report.
According to the SEC, risk factors should be reported concisely, logically and in “plain English” so investors can understand them.
How can I use TipRanks risk factors in my stock research?
Use the Risk Factors tab to get data about the risk factors of any company in which you are considering investing.
You can easily see the most significant risks a company is facing. Additionally, you can find out which risk factors a company has added, removed or adjusted since its previous disclosure. You can also see how a company’s risk factors compare to others in its sector.
Without reading company reports or participating in conference calls, you would most likely not have access to this sort of information, which is usually not included in press releases or other public announcements.
A simplified analysis of risk factors is unique to TipRanks.
What are all the risk factor categories?
TipRanks has identified 6 major categories of risk factors and a number of subcategories for each. You can see how these categories are broken down in the list below.
1. Financial & Corporate
Accounting & Financial Operations - risks related to accounting loss, value of intangible assets, financial statements, value of intangible assets, financial reporting, estimates, guidance, company profitability, dividends, fluctuating results.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights – risks related to things that impact share prices and the rights of shareholders, including analyst ratings, major shareholder activity, trade volatility, liquidity of shares, anti-takeover provisions, international listing, dual listing.
Debt & Financing – risks related to debt, funding, financing and interest rates, financial investments.
Corporate Activity and Growth – risks related to restructuring, M&As, joint ventures, execution of corporate strategy, strategic alliances.
2. Legal & Regulatory
Litigation and Legal Liabilities – risks related to litigation/ lawsuits against the company.
Regulation – risks related to compliance, GDPR, and new legislation.
Environmental / Social – risks related to environmental regulation and to data privacy.
Taxation & Government Incentives – risks related to taxation and changes in government incentives.
3. Production
Costs – risks related to costs of production including commodity prices, future contracts, inventory.
Supply Chain – risks related to the company’s suppliers.
Manufacturing – risks related to the company’s manufacturing process including product quality and product recalls.
Human Capital – risks related to recruitment, training and retention of key employees, employee relationships & unions labor disputes, pension, and post retirement benefits, medical, health and welfare benefits, employee misconduct, employee litigation.
4. Technology & Innovation
Innovation / R&D – risks related to innovation and new product development.
Technology – risks related to the company’s reliance on technology.
Cyber Security – risks related to securing the company’s digital assets and from cyber attacks.
Trade Secrets & Patents – risks related to the company’s ability to protect its intellectual property and to infringement claims against the company as well as piracy and unlicensed copying.
5. Ability to Sell
Demand – risks related to the demand of the company’s goods and services including seasonality, reliance on key customers.
Competition – risks related to the company’s competition including substitutes.
Sales & Marketing – risks related to sales, marketing, and distribution channels, pricing, and market penetration.
Brand & Reputation – risks related to the company’s brand and reputation.
6. Macro & Political
Economy & Political Environment – risks related to changes in economic and political conditions.
Natural and Human Disruptions – risks related to catastrophes, floods, storms, terror, earthquakes, coronavirus pandemic/COVID-19.
International Operations – risks related to the global nature of the company.
Capital Markets – risks related to exchange rates and trade, cryptocurrency.