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.

Nanophase Technologies disclosed 27 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Nanophase Technologies reported the most risks in the “Finance & Corporate” category.

Risk Overview Q3, 2019

Risk Distribution

44% Finance & Corporate

15% Production

15% Ability to Sell

11% Tech & Innovation

11% Legal & Regulatory

4% 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

S&P500 Average

Sector Average

Risks removed

Risks added

Risks changed

Nanophase Technologies 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 Q3, 2019

Main Risk Category

Finance & Corporate

With 12 Risks

Finance & Corporate

With 12 Risks

Number of Disclosed Risks

No changes from last report

S&P 500 Average: 31

No changes from last report

S&P 500 Average: 31

Recent Changes

2Risks added

0Risks removed

0Risks changed

Since Sep 2019

2Risks added

0Risks removed

0Risks changed

Since Sep 2019

Number of Risk Changed

No changes from last report

S&P 500 Average: 3

No changes from last report

S&P 500 Average: 3

See the risk highlights of Nanophase Technologies 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 27

Finance & Corporate

Total Risks: 12/27 (44%)Above Sector Average

Share Price & Shareholder Rights5 | 18.5%

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1

Added

A Majority of our Common Stock is Controlled by a Single Stockholder

Together with his affiliates Grace Brothers, Ltd. and Grace Investments, Ltd., Bradford T. Whitmore beneficially owned 53% of our common stock as of May 13, 2019. Therefore, Mr. Whitmore has the legal power, regardless of the votes of our other stockholders, to elect all the members of the Company's board of directors. Consequently, our board of directors and management may be strongly influenced by our controlling stockholder, and the interests of our current controlling stockholder may conflict with the interests of other stockholders. Pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and our Bylaws, our controlling stockholder is empowered to elect the majority of our board of directors, exercise overall control over our management, determine our policies, sell or, in any other manner, transfer shares representing control over the Company held by him and determine the result of any deliberation of our stockholders, including transactions with related parties, corporate reorganizations, sale of all or substantially all the assets, or delisting our shares from the OTCQB marketplace, as well as to determine the distribution and payment of any future dividends. Our controlling stockholder may have an interest in acquisitions, disposal of assets and partnerships, may seek funding or may take other decisions that could conflict with the interests of other stockholders and which may not result in any improvement in our operating results.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2

The disclosure requirements under the "conflict minerals" provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act could increase our costs and limit the supply of certain metals used in our products and affect our reputation with customers and shareholders.

Under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, as amended, or the Dodd-Frank Act, the SEC adopted disclosure requirements, which became effective in 2014, for public companies using certain minerals and metals in their products. These minerals and metals are generally referred to as "conflict minerals" regardless of their country of origin. Commercial sales of our products containing these materials began during 2015. Under these rules, we are required to perform due diligence and disclose our efforts to prevent the sourcing of such conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo or adjoining countries. As a result of these regulations, we have incurred and expect to continue to incur costs to comply with the disclosure requirements, including costs related to determining the source of any of the conflict minerals used in our products. These new requirements could also adversely affect the sourcing, availability and pricing of such minerals, and the pool of suppliers who provide "conflict free" metals may be limited. As a result, we or our suppliers may not be able to obtain materials necessary for production of our products in sufficient quantities or at competitive prices. In addition, we may not be able to sufficiently verify the origins of all metals used in our products and confirm that they are "conflict free," which may adversely affect our reputation.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3

Additional sales, or the availability for sale, of substantial amounts of our common stock could adversely affect the value of our common stock.

No prediction can be made as to the effect, if any, that future sales of our common stock, or the availability of our common stock for future sales, will have on the market price of our common stock. Sales of substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market and the availability of shares for future sale could adversely affect the prevailing market price of our common stock. This in turn could impair our future ability to raise capital through an offering of our equity securities.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4

There may be future sales or other dilution of our equity, which may adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

To the extent of our authorized but unissued shares pursuant to our certificate of incorporation, as amended, we are not restricted from issuing additional shares of common stock, including any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, common stock. The market price of our common stock could decline as a result of future sales of our common stock or the perception that such sales could occur.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5

Provisions in our certificate of incorporation, our by-laws, and Delaware law could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us, discourage a takeover, and adversely affect existing stockholders.

Our certificate of incorporation, our by-laws and the Delaware General Corporation Law (the "DGCL") contain provisions that may have the effect of making more difficult, delaying or deterring attempts by others to obtain control of our Company, even when these attempts may be in the best interests of stockholders. These include provisions on our maintaining a classified Board of Directors and limiting the stockholders' powers to remove directors or take action by written consent instead of at a stockholders' meeting. Our certificate of incorporation also authorizes our Board of Directors, without stockholder approval, to issue one or more series of preferred stock, which could have voting and conversion rights that adversely affect or dilute the voting power of the holders of common stock. The DGCL also imposes conditions on certain business combination transactions with "interested stockholders." These provisions and others that could be adopted in the future could deter unsolicited takeovers or delay or prevent changes in our control or management, including transactions in which stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares over then current market prices. These provisions may also limit the ability of stockholders to approve transactions that they may deem to be in their best interests.

Accounting & Financial Operations2 | 7.4%

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1

We have never paid dividends.

We currently intend to retain earnings, if any, to support our growth strategy. We do not anticipate paying dividends on our stock in the foreseeable future.

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 2

We have a history of losses that may continue in the future.

We have incurred net losses in each year since our inception, with net losses of $2.1 million in 2018 and $0.8 million in 2017. As of December 31, 2018, we had an accumulated deficit of approximately $97.8 million and may incur a loss on an annual basis during 2019. We believe that our business depends, among other things, on our ability to significantly increase revenue. If revenue fails to grow at anticipated rates or if operating expenses increase without a commensurate increase in revenue, or if we fail to adjust operating expense levels accordingly, then the imbalance between revenue and operating expenses will negatively impact our cash balances and our ability to achieve profitability in future periods.

Debt & Financing4 | 14.8%

Debt & Financing - Risk 1

Added

Our Ability to Continue as a Going Concern is in Doubt Absent Obtaining Adequate New Financing

Cash from operations, cash on hand, cash from our May 13, 2019 and November 13, 2019 financing, in addition to unused borrowing capacity, should be adequate to fund our operating plans through 2019. Our largest customer, consisting of 64% of revenue for the nine-months ended September 30, 2019, had a revenue decrease of 20% from the same time last year. This decline has limited our flexibility and required us to make cash management a top priority. The growth in our Solésence business increased 56% for the nine-months ended September 30, 2019 compared to the same time last year. We continue to view Solésence as a critical strategic undertaking and may require additional investment in working capital. Our current plan is to continue to invest in Solésence-related operating expenses and capital equipment. Given the decline related to our largest customer, as well as our growth strategy for Solésence, we may need to seek additional funding to address working capital demands within the next twelve months. We believe that we will be able to secure additional financing, but we do not have any additional financing commitments in place as of today. However, we may not be able to secure additional financing in a timely manner under commercially reasonable terms, or at all. If we are unable to secure additional financing, we would need to reevaluate the Company's strategy, including our Solésence growth strategy, and lower investment and expenses accordingly. This could impede growth in 2020 and beyond. These circumstances raise significant doubt as to the Company's ability to operate as a going concern for the next 12 months, and inability to fund our ongoing cash obligations may result in our ceasing to operate, which would result in liquidation of our assets. In a liquidation of the Company, if we are unable to continue as a going concern, the value realized on our assets would likely be less than our outstanding obligations and, consequently, our stockholders would lose their entire investment.

Debt & Financing - Risk 2

We may need to raise additional capital in the future, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all. If we are unable to obtain adequate funds, we may be required to delay, scale-back or eliminate some of our manufacturing and marketing operations or we may need to obtain funds through arrangements on less favorable terms or we may be required to sell key production equipment to our largest customer.

We expect to expend resources on research, development and product testing, and in expanding current capacity or capability for new business. In addition, we may incur significant costs in preparing, filing, prosecuting, maintaining and enforcing our patents and other proprietary rights. We may need additional financing if we were to lose an existing customer or suffer a significant decrease in revenue from one or more of our customers or because of currently unknown capital requirements, new regulatory requirements or the need to meet the cash requirements discussed below to avoid a triggering event under our BASF agreement. Given our expected growth in our Solésence business, we may also have temporary working capital demands that we cannot fund with existing capital, while remaining in compliance with the covenants included in our BASF supply agreement described below. If necessary, we may seek funding through public or private financing and through contracts with governmental entities or other companies. Additional financing may not be available on acceptable terms or at all. If we are unable to obtain adequate funds, we may be required to delay, scale-back or eliminate some of our manufacturing and marketing operations or we may need to obtain funds through arrangements on less favorable terms. Such circumstances could raise doubt as to our ability to continue as a going concern. If we obtain funding on unfavorable terms, we may be required to relinquish rights to some of our intellectual property. To raise additional funds in the future, we would likely sell our equity or debt securities or enter into loan agreements. To the extent that we issue debt securities or enter into loan agreements, we may become subject to financial, operational and other covenants that we must observe. In the event that we were to breach any of these covenants, then the amounts due under such loans or debt securities could become immediately payable by us, which could significantly harm us. To the extent that we sell additional shares of our equity securities, our stockholders may face economic dilution and dilution of their percentage of ownership. We currently have a supply agreement with BASF that contains provisions which could potentially result in a mandatory license of technology and/or sale of production equipment to BASF, providing capacity sufficient to meet BASF's production needs. Under our supply agreement with BASF, a "triggering event" also would occur: - If our earnings for a twelve-month period, ending with our most recently published quarterly financial statements, are less than zero and certain current assets are less than $1,000,000; which may be composed of no less than $500,000 cash, cash equivalents, and certain investments, no more than a combined $500,000 of certain related inventory, of which no more than $250,000 can be raw material, and past due receivables, or - Upon the acceleration of any debt maturity having a principal amount of more than $10 million, or if we become insolvent as defined in the supply agreement. This agreement also requires Nanophase to maintain certain finished goods inventory levels as "safety stock," beginning in the first quarter of 2019, and increasing through the third quarter of 2019 to a negotiated level based on agreed demand metrics, in order to maintain the $500,000 non-cash component discussed above. After September 30, 2019, should our safety stock fall below the prescribed amount of material, the quarter-end cash requirement would revert to $1,000,000 in cash, cash equivalents, and certain investments. The safety stock requirement may be adjusted upon mutual agreement. If a triggering event were to occur, we are required to sell to BASF production equipment providing capacity sufficient to meet BASF's production needs, the equipment would be sold at either 115% of the equipment's net book value or at the greater of 30% of the original book value of such equipment (including any associated upgrades to it) or 115% of the equipment's net book value, depending on the particular equipment and contract. If we were determined to have materially breached certain other provisions of our supply agreement with BASF, we similarly could be subject to a triggering event that potentially could result in a mandatory license of technology and/or sale of certain production equipment to the customer. If a triggering event were to occur and BASF elected to proceed with the license and related sale mentioned above, we would lose both significant revenue and the ability to generate significant revenue to replace that which was lost in the near term. Replacement of necessary equipment that would be purchased and removed by the customer pursuant to this triggering event could take in excess of 12 months. Any additional capital outlays required to rebuild capacity would probably be greater than the proceeds from the purchase of the assets pursuant to our agreement with BASF. This potential shortfall might put us in a position where it would be difficult to secure additional funding given what would then be an already tenuous cash position. Such an event would also likely result in the loss of many of our key staff and line employees due to economic realities. We believe that our employees are a critical component of our success and would be difficult to quickly replace and train. Upon the occurrence of such an event, we might not be able to hire and retrain skilled employees given the stigma relating to such an event and its impact on us. We might elect to effectively reduce our size and staffing to a point where we could remain a going concern in the near term.

Debt & Financing - Risk 3

The Company has substantial fixed obligations, and insufficient liquidity may have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial condition and business.

The Company has substantial fixed obligations, including a term loan to the Company from Beachcorp, LLC and rent obligations for our facilities located in Romeoville, Illinois, and Burr Ridge, Illinois. Although the Company's cash flows from operations and its available capital, including the proceeds from revolving loans, have been sufficient to meet our fixed obligations to date, the Company's future liquidity could be negatively affected by the risk factors discussed in this report. If the Company's liquidity is materially diminished, the Company might not be able to timely pay its debts or rent, or to comply with certain operating and financial covenants under its financing agreements.

Debt & Financing - Risk 4

Agreements governing our debt and our BASF Supply Agreement include financial and other covenants. Failure to comply with these covenants could result in events of default.

Our financing agreements include various financial and other covenants. In addition, our Supply Agreement with BASF requires the Company to satisfy minimum liquidity requirements. The Company's ability to comply with these covenants may be affected by events beyond our control, including demand for our products, pricing of raw materials, and our ability to grow our revenue so that our margins improve. In addition, our financing agreements contain other negative covenants customary for such financings. These covenants are subject to important exceptions and qualifications. If we fail to comply with these covenants and are unable to remedy or obtain a waiver or amendment, an event of default would result. If an event of default were to occur, our lenders could, among other things, declare outstanding amounts due and payable or BASF could, among other things, compel a transfer of certain of our proprietary technology and equipment to BASF at a contractually-defined price which may be less than fair market value. In addition, an event of default or declaration of acceleration under one financing agreement could also result in an event of default under other of our financing agreements due to cross-default and cross-acceleration provisions. The acceleration of significant amounts of debt could require us to renegotiate, repay or refinance the obligations under our financing arrangements.

Corporate Activity and Growth1 | 3.7%

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1

We frequently depend on collaborative development relationships with our customers. If we are unable to initiate or sustain such collaborative relationships or if the terms of these relationships limit the distribution of our products, then we may be unable to successfully develop, manufacture or market our current and future advanced materials, applications, or products.

We have established, and will continue to pursue, strategic relationships with many of our customers and do not have a substantial direct sales force or an established distribution network (other than distribution arrangements for research samples). Through these relationships, we seek to develop new applications for our materials and share development and manufacturing resources. We also seek to coordinate the development, manufacture and marketing of our engineered materials products, particularly as a result of our selling additives that must be integrated into complete formulations by the customer. With our personal care and advanced materials products, future success will depend, in part, on our continued relationships with these customers and our ability to enter into similar strategic relationships with other customers. Our customers may not continue in these collaborative development relationships, may not devote sufficient resources to the development or sale of our materials or may enter into strategic development relationships with our competitors. These customers may also require a share of control of these collaborative programs. While less prevalent than in the past, some of our agreements with these customers limit our ability to license our technology to others and/or limit our ability to engage in certain product development or marketing activities with others. These relationships generally can be terminated unilaterally by customers. With our Solésence products, we design, produce and often package finished formulations for our customers. We intend to rely on the sales and marketing channels of our customers, who are responsible for the direct consumer marketing and sales contact. Their ability to market and sell these products to their customers will directly impact our ability to achieve growth in these markets. If we are unable to initiate or sustain such collaborative relationships or if the terms of these relationships materially limit our access to distribution channels for our products, then we may be unable to successfully develop, manufacture or market our current and future engineered materials, applications, or products.

Production

Total Risks: 4/27 (15%)Below Sector Average

Manufacturing1 | 3.7%

Manufacturing - Risk 1

If we are unable to expand our production capabilities to meet unexpected demand, we may be unable to manage our growth and our business would suffer.

Our success will depend, in part, on our ability to manufacture personal care ingredients, advanced materials and Solésence products in significant quantities, with consistent quality and in an efficient and timely manner. We expect to be able to expand our current facilities or obtain additional facilities in the future, and outsource production aspects as necessary, available and appropriate, in order to respond to unexpected demand for existing materials and products or for new materials and products that we do not currently make in quantity. Such unplanned demand, if it resulted in rapid expansion, could create a situation where growth could become difficult to manage, which could cause us to lose potential revenue.

Employment / Personnel1 | 3.7%

Employment / Personnel - Risk 1

We depend on key personnel, and their unplanned departure could harm our business.

Our success will depend, in large part, upon our ability to attract and retain highly qualified research and development, management, manufacturing, marketing and sales personnel on favorable terms. Due to the specialized nature of our business, we may have difficulty locating, hiring and retaining qualified personnel on favorable terms. If we were to lose the services of any of our key executive officers or other key personnel, or if we are unable to attract and retain other skilled and experienced personnel on acceptable terms in the future, or if we are unable to implement a succession plan to prepare qualified individuals to assume key roles upon any loss of our key personnel, then our business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially harmed.

Supply Chain1 | 3.7%

Supply Chain - Risk 1

Our businesses depend substantially on the availability and pricing of particular grades/types of raw materials, including certain materials that are classified as "Rare Earth" elements and very high purity zinc, that are available in limited supply.

Our product specifications often require particular grades/types of raw materials, including certain materials that are classified as "Rare Earth" elements and very high purity zinc, that are available in limited supply. In some cases, we rely on sole-source processors of materials that utilize an array of worldwide sources for the raw materials that they process to our specifications. It is possible that these materials will become unavailable to us from our sole-source processors at competitive prices or at any price, and that we will be unable to identify alternate processors. In certain cases, moreover, certain raw materials that we deal with have a very limited supply, such as cerium oxide, classified as "Rare Earth elements," for use in surface finishing technologies (polishing) applications, as well as the very high purity zinc that we use in personal care applications. In the event that these rare raw materials or sole-source processing became unavailable to us, or available to us only at substantially higher prices, we could be unable to continue to manufacture and sell our products and may be unable to continue to operate our businesses.

Costs1 | 3.7%

Costs - Risk 1

If commodity metal prices increase at such a rate that we are unable to recover lost margins on a timely basis or that our products became uncompetitive in their current marketplaces, our financial and liquidity position and results of operations would be substantially harmed.

Many of our significant raw materials come from commodity metal markets that may be subject to rapid price increases. While we generally have been able to pass a significant portion of commodity "price-related" increases on to our customers, it is possible that, given our limited customer base and the limited control we have over it, commodity metal prices could increase at such a rate that could hinder our ability to recover lost margins from our customers. It is possible that such drastic cost increases could render some of our materials uncompetitive in their current marketplaces when considered relative to other materials on a cost benefit basis, and our financial and liquidity position and results of operations would be substantially harmed.

Ability to Sell

Total Risks: 4/27 (15%)Above Sector Average

Competition1 | 3.7%

Competition - Risk 1

The markets we serve are highly competitive, and if we are unable to compete effectively, then our business will not grow.

The engineered materials industry is new, rapidly evolving and intensely competitive, and we expect competition to intensify in the future. The market for materials having the characteristics and potential uses of our nanomaterials is the subject of intensive research and development efforts by both governmental entities and private enterprises around the world. We believe that the level of competition will increase further as more product applications with significant commercial potential are developed. The nanomaterials product applications that we are developing will compete directly with products incorporating both conventional and engineered materials and technologies. While commercially available competitive products may not possess the same attributes as those we offer, other companies may develop and introduce new or competitive products. Our competitors may succeed in developing or marketing materials, technologies and better or less expensive products than the ones we offer. In addition, many of our potential competitors have substantially greater financial and technical resources, and greater manufacturing and marketing capabilities than we do. If we fail to provide engineered materials at an acceptable price, or otherwise compete on a commodity basis with producers of conventional materials, we will lose market share and revenue to our competitors. In addition to competition in the personal care ingredients, advanced materials and related markets, our Solésence subsidiary faces competition from a wide variety of offerings in the field of skin care. Our Solésence products compete with existing solutions as well as new solutions from various sources, including other product developers who seek to serve skin care brands and integrated brands who also manufacture their own products in-house, and we must differentiate their value proposition in order to gain traction in this marketplace.

Demand3 | 11.1%

Demand - Risk 1

We depend on a few major customers for a high percentage of our sales, and the loss of orders from a significant customer could cause a decline in revenue and/or increases in the level of losses incurred.

Sales to our customers are executed pursuant to purchase orders and long-term supply contracts; however, customers can cease doing business with us at any time with limited advanced notice. It is possible that a significant portion of our future sales may remain concentrated within a limited number of strategic customers. We may not be able to retain our strategic customers, such customers may cancel or reschedule orders, or in the event of canceled orders, such orders may not be replaced by other sales or by sales that are on as favorable terms. In addition, sales to any particular customer may fluctuate significantly from quarter to quarter, which could affect our ability to achieve anticipated revenues on a quarterly basis. Sales to our three largest customers accounted for 74%, 7% and 3%, respectively, of our total revenue in 2018 and sales to these same customers accounted for 61%, 0% and 11%, respectively, of our total revenue in 2017. Given the nature of our products, and the fact that markets for them, or our positions in those markets, are not yet fully developed, it is difficult to accurately predict when additional large customers will materialize. Going forward, our margins, as a percentage of revenue, will be dependent upon revenue mix, revenue volume, raw materials pricing, and our ability to effectively manage costs. The extent of the growth in revenue volume and the related gross profit that this revenue generates will be the main drivers in generating positive operating cash flows and, ultimately, net income.

Demand - Risk 2

Any downturn in the product markets served by us would harm our business.

A majority of our products are incorporated into products such as skin care applications including sunscreens, and now fully formulated skin care products. Additional product areas include architectural coatings, surface finishing technologies (polishing), medical diagnostics, abrasion-resistant coatings and other products. These markets have from time to time experienced cyclical, depressed business conditions, often in connection with, or in anticipation of, a decline in general economic conditions. These industry downturns often result in reduced product demand and declining average selling prices. Our business would be harmed by a continuation of any downturn and/or any future downturns in the markets that we serve.

Demand - Risk 3

Our products often have long adoption cycles, which could make it difficult to achieve market acceptance and makes it difficult to forecast revenues.

Due to their often novel characteristics and potential unfamiliarity with them that exists in the marketplace, our nanomaterials may require longer adoption cycles than existing materials technologies, to the point that adoption cycles typically require one to five years. Our nanomaterials have to receive appropriate attention within any potential customer's organization, and then they must be tested to prove a performance advantage over existing materials, typically on a systems-cost basis. Once we have proven initial commercial viability, pilot scale production runs are typically required and completed by the customer, followed by further testing. Once production-level commercial viability is established, then our nanomaterials can be introduced, often to a downstream marketplace that needs to be familiarized with them. If we are unable to demonstrate to our potential customers the performance advantages and economic value of our nanomaterials over existing and competing materials and technologies, we will be unable to generate significant sales. Our long adoption cycle makes it difficult to predict when sales will occur.

Tech & Innovation

Total Risks: 3/27 (11%)Above Sector Average

Trade Secrets1 | 3.7%

Trade Secrets - Risk 1

Protection of our intellectual property is limited and uncertain.

Our intellectual property is important to our business. We seek to protect our intellectual property through patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret protection and confidentiality or license agreements with our employees, customers, suppliers and others. Our means of protecting our intellectual property rights in the United States or abroad may not be adequate and others, including our competitors, may use our proprietary technology without our consent. We may not receive the necessary patent protection for any applications pending with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO") and any of the patents that we currently own or license may not be sufficient to keep competitors from using our materials or processes. In addition, patents that we currently own or license may not be held valid if subsequently challenged by others and others may claim rights in the patents and other proprietary technology that we own or license. Additionally, others may have already developed or may subsequently develop similar products or technologies without violating any of our proprietary rights. If we fail to obtain or maintain patent protection or preserve our trade secrets, we may be unable to effectively compete against others offering similar products and services. In addition, if we fail to operate without infringing the proprietary rights of others or lose any license to technology that we currently have or will acquire in the future, we may be unable to continue making the products that we currently make. Moreover, at times, attempts may be made to challenge the prior issuance of our patents. Furthermore, litigation may be necessary to enforce our intellectual property rights, to protect our trade secrets, to determine the validity and scope of the proprietary rights of others, or to defend against claims of infringement or invalidity. Such litigation could result in substantial costs and diversion of resources and could harm our business, operating results and financial condition. Such litigation might occur with parties that have substantially greater resources, and thus more capability to engage and continue litigation. In addition, if others assert that our technology infringes their intellectual property rights, resolving the dispute could divert our management team and financial resources. Due to the expanding length of time required in order to obtain a patent, and the inherent ongoing risks of the protections truly provided by any patent, we made a decision during 2008 that we could no longer place a value on these intangible assets. We have, and may in the future, license certain of our intellectual property, such as trademarks and know-how, to third parties. While we would attempt to ensure that any licensees maintain the quality and value of our brand, these licenses might diminish this quality and value.

Cyber Security1 | 3.7%

Cyber Security - Risk 1

Failure to protect the integrity and security of individually identifiable data of our customers, vendors and employees could expose us to litigation and damage our reputation.

We receive and maintain certain personal, sensitive and confidential information about our customers, vendors and employees. The collection and use of this information is regulated at the international, federal and state levels, and is subject to certain contractual restrictions in third party contracts. Although we have implemented processes to collect and protect the integrity and security of this personal information, there can be no assurance that this information will not be obtained by unauthorized persons or collected or used inappropriately. If our security and information systems or the systems of our employees or external business associates are compromised or our employees or external business associates fail to comply with these laws and regulations and this information is obtained by unauthorized persons, or collected or used inappropriately, it could negatively affect our reputation, as well as our operations and financial results, and could result in litigation or regulatory action against us or the imposition of costs, fines or other penalties. While we have not experienced losses related to this area, as privacy and information security laws and regulations change, we may incur additional costs to remain in compliance.

Technology1 | 3.7%

Technology - Risk 1

Our industry is experiencing rapid changes in technology. If we are unable to keep pace with these changes, our business may not grow.

Rapid changes have occurred, and are likely to continue to occur, in the development of engineered materials and processes. Our success will depend, in large part, upon our ability to keep pace with engineered materials technologies, industry standards and market trends and to develop and introduce new and improved products on a timely basis. We expect to commit substantial resources to develop our technologies and product applications and, in the future, to expand our commercial manufacturing capacity as volume grows. Our development efforts may be rendered obsolete by the research efforts and technological advances of others and other engineered materials may prove more advantageous than those we produce.

Legal & Regulatory

Total Risks: 3/27 (11%)Below Sector Average

Regulation1 | 3.7%

Regulation - Risk 1

We are subject to governmental regulations. The costs of compliance and liability for noncompliance with governmental regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Current and future laws and regulations may require us to make substantial expenditures for preventive or remedial action. Our operations, business or assets may be materially and adversely affected by governmental interpretation and enforcement of current or future environmental, health and safety laws and regulations. In addition, our coating and dispersion operations may pose a risk of accidental contamination or injury. The damages in the event of an accident or the costs to prevent or remediate a related event could exceed both the amount of our liability insurance and our resources or otherwise have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. In addition, both of our facilities and all of our operations are subject to the plant and laboratory safety requirements of various occupational safety and health laws. We believe we have complied in all material respects with governmental regulations applicable to us. However, we may have to incur significant costs in defending or settling future claims of alleged violations of governmental regulations and compliance with these regulations may materially restrict or impede our operations in the future. In addition, our efforts to comply with or contest any regulatory actions may distract personnel or divert resources from other important initiatives. The manufacture and use of certain products that contain our engineered materials and our Solésence products are subject to extensive governmental regulation, including regulations promulgated by the FDA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and OSHA. As a result, we are required to adhere to the requirements of the regulations of governmental authorities in the United States and other countries, including regulations issued to date pertaining to REACH. These regulations could increase our cost of doing business and may render some potential markets prohibitively expensive. Because nanotechnology remains an emerging and evolving science, there are no currently accepted standards, measurements or personal protective equipment available that are specific to nanoparticle safety. Accordingly, we rely on general chemical safety and process safety practices to identify safe personal protective equipment and appropriate handling protocols for our nanomaterial products and work in process. New rules or regulations could impose requirements, restrictions or prohibitions on the processing, handling, storage or sale of nanomaterials, or on certain materials being marketed with or incorporated into certain applications, any which new rules or regulations could substantially increase our costs of doing business or limit our ability to sell our personal care, advanced materials and Solésence products in the marketplace.

Litigation & Legal Liabilities2 | 7.4%

Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 1

We face potential product liability risks which could result in significant costs that exceed our insurance coverage, damage our reputation and harm our business.

We may be subject to product liability claims in the event that any of our products are alleged to be defective or cause harmful effects to humans or physical environments. Because our nanomaterials are used in other companies' products, to the extent our customers become subject to suits relating to their products, these claims may also be asserted against us. As our Solesence, LLC subsidiary sells fully formulated skin care products, we are now supplying completed products in addition to ingredients. We may incur significant costs including payment of significant damages, in defending or settling product liability claims. Although we maintain insurance for product liability claims, our coverage may not prove sufficient. Even if a suit is without merit and regardless of the outcome, claims can divert management time and attention, injure our reputation and adversely affect demand for our materials and finished products.

Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 2

We may be subject to periodic litigation and other regulatory proceedings or governmental investigations, which could result in the unexpected expenditure of time and resources.

From time to time, we may be a defendant in lawsuits and regulatory proceedings or are the subject of governmental investigations relating to our business. Due to the inherent uncertainties of litigation, regulatory proceedings and governmental investigations, we cannot accurately predict the ultimate outcome of any such proceedings or investigations. An unfavorable outcome could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, regardless of the outcome of any litigation, regulatory proceedings or governmental investigations, such matters are expensive and will require that we devote substantial resources and executive time to defend, thereby diverting management's attention and resources that are needed to successfully run our business.

Macro & Political

Total Risks: 1/27 (4%)Below Sector Average

Natural and Human Disruptions1 | 3.7%

Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 1

If a catastrophe strikes either of our manufacturing facilities or if we were to lose our lease for either facility due to non-renewal or other unforeseen events, we may be unable to manufacture our materials to meet customers' demands.

Our manufacturing facilities are located near Chicago - in Romeoville and Burr Ridge, Illinois. These facilities and some of our manufacturing and testing equipment would be difficult to replace in a timely manner. Therefore, any material disruption at one of our facilities due to a natural or man-made disaster or a loss of lease due to non-renewal or other unforeseen events could have a material adverse effect on our ability to manufacture products to meet customers' demands. While we maintain property insurance, this insurance may not adequately compensate us for all losses that we may incur in the event of a material interruption in our business.

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.

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