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Oblong, Inc. (OBLG)
:OBLG
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Risk Overview Q3, 2024
Risk Distribution
35% Finance & Corporate
20% Production
20% Ability to Sell
16% Tech & Innovation
8% Legal & Regulatory
2% 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
Oblong 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.
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, 2024
Main Risk Category
Finance & Corporate
With 18 Risks
Finance & Corporate
With 18 Risks
Number of Disclosed Risks
51
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 31
51
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 31
Recent Changes
0Risks added
0Risks removed
2Risks changed
Since Sep 2024
0Risks added
0Risks removed
2Risks changed
Since Sep 2024
Number of Risk Changed
2
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 3
2
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 3
See the risk highlights of Oblong 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 51
Finance & Corporate
Total Risks: 18/51 (35%)Below Sector Average
Share Price & Shareholder Rights8 | 15.7%
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1
We could fail to satisfy the standards to maintain our listing on a stock exchange.Changed
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2
Our authorized reverse stock split may decrease the liquidity of the shares of our Common Stock.On December 4, 2023, the Company's stockholders approved a proposal to amend Article FOURTH of the Company's certificate of incorporation to effect a reverse stock split of the Company's issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock by a ratio ranging from 1-for-10 to 1-for-45. Our Board of Directors now has the authority to determine whether to implement a reverse stock split and to select the reverse stock split ratio from the range approved by the Company's stockholders. The Board expects to authorize the consummation of the reverse stock split only if and to the extent necessary to meet the listing requirements of the Nasdaq Capital Market. The liquidity of the shares of our Common Stock may be affected adversely by the reverse stock split given the reduced number of shares that are outstanding following the reverse stock splits. In addition, the reverse stock split may increase the number of stockholders who own odd lots (less than 100 shares) of our Common Stock, creating the potential for such stockholders to experience an increase in the cost of selling their shares and greater difficulty effecting such sales.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3
Our charter documents and Delaware law could discourage takeover attempts and lead to management entrenchment.The Company's certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws contain provisions that could delay or prevent a change in control of the company. These provisions could also make it difficult for stockholders to elect directors that are not nominated by the current members of the board of directors or take other corporate actions, including effecting changes in the Company's management. These provisions include:
- no cumulative voting in the election of directors, which limits the ability of minority stockholders to elect director candidates;- the ability of our board of directors to issue shares of preferred stock and to determine the price and other terms of those shares, including preferences and voting rights, without stockholder approval, which could be used to significantly dilute the ownership of a hostile acquirer;- the exclusive right of our board of directors to elect a director to fill a vacancy created by the expansion of our board of directors or the resignation, death or removal of a director, which prevents stockholders from being able to fill vacancies on its board of directors;- the requirement that a special meeting of stockholders may be called only by the chairman of our board of directors or a majority of our board of directors, which could delay the ability of our stockholders to force consideration of a proposal or to take action, including the removal of directors;- the ability of our board of directors, by majority vote, to amend the Company's amended and restated bylaws, which may allow our board of directors to take additional actions to prevent an unsolicited takeover and inhibit the ability of an acquirer to amend the amended and restated bylaws to facilitate an unsolicited takeover attempt; and - advance notice procedures with which stockholders must comply to nominate candidates to our board of directors or to propose matters to be acted upon at a stockholders' meeting, which may discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer's own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of the Company.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4
We might need to raise additional capital by issuing securities or debt, which may cause significant dilution to our stockholders and restrict our operations.We believe that our existing cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to fund our operations and meet our working capital requirements for at least the next 12 months from the filing date of this Report with the SEC. However, we believe additional capital will be required in the long-term, to fund operations and provide growth capital including potential strategic alternatives and investments in technology, product development, and sales and marketing. Additional financing may not be available when we need it or may not be available on favorable terms. To the extent that we raise additional capital by issuing equity securities, the terms of such an issuance may cause more significant dilution to our stockholders' ownership, and the terms of any new equity securities may have preferences over the combined organization's common stock. Any debt financing we enter into may involve covenants that restrict our operations. These restrictive covenants may include limitations on additional borrowing and specific restrictions on the use of our assets, as well as prohibitions on our ability to create liens, pay dividends, redeem stock or make investments.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5
The issuance of the securities in the March 2023 private placement significantly diluted the ownership interest of the existing holders of our common stock, and the market price of our common stock has declined significantly as a result of sales of such securities into the public market by the private placement investors and subsequent investors or the perception that such sales may occur.Our existing holders of common stock have been significantly diluted by the issuance of the securities in the March 31, 2023 private placement. Our public float was significantly increased and the market price of our common stock has declined significantly as a result of subsequent sales of the shares of common stock obtained from conversions of Series F Preferred Stock issued in the private placement.
In addition, the exercise price or conversion price of these securities may be at prices below the current and/or then trading prices of shares of our common stock or at prices below the price at which our existing shareholders purchased our common stock. The private placement investors may potentially make a significant profit with the resale of the securities depending on the trading price of our securities at the time of a sale and the purchase price of such securities by them. While the private placement investors may experience a positive rate of return based on the trading price of our securities, the existing holders of our common stock may not experience a similar rate of return on the shares of common stock they purchased due to differences in the applicable purchase price and trading price.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 6
Sales of substantial amounts of common stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales may occur, could reduce the market price of our common stock and make it more difficult for us and our stockholders to sell our equity securities in the future.The sale into the public market of a significant number of shares of common stock by our existing shareholders, or the resale into the public market of shares issued in prior or future financings, could depress the trading price of our common stock and make it more difficult for us or our stockholders to sell equity securities in the future. Such transactions may include, but are not limited to (i) conversions of Series F Preferred Stock into common stock and the subsequent sales of such common stock, (ii) any future issuances by us of additional shares of our common stock or of other securities that are convertible or exchangeable for shares of common stock; and (iii) the resale of any previously issued but restricted shares of our common stock that become freely available for re- sale, whether through an effective registration statement or under Rule 144 of the Securities Act.
While the sale of shares to the public might increase the trading volume of our common stock and thus the liquidity of our stockholders' investments, the resulting increase in the number of shares available for public sale could drive the price of our common stock down, thus reducing the value of our stockholders' investment and perhaps hindering our ability to raise additional funds in the future.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 7
Our stock price has fluctuated in the past, has recently been volatile and may be volatile in the future, and as a result, investors in our common stock could incur substantial losses.Historically, our common stock has experienced substantial price volatility, particularly as a result of variations between our actual financial results and the published expectations of analysts and as a result of announcements by our competitors and us. Furthermore, speculation in the press or investment community about our strategic position, financial condition, results of operations, business, and security of our products or significant transactions can cause changes in our stock price. In addition, the stock market has experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have affected the market price of many technology companies, in particular, and that have often been unrelated to the operating performance of these companies. These factors, as well as general economic and political conditions and the announcement of proposed and completed acquisitions or other significant transactions, or any difficulties associated with such transactions, by us or our current or potential competitors, may materially adversely affect the market price of our common stock in the future. The market price for our common stock may be influenced by many factors, including the following:
- conversions of Series F Preferred Stock into common stock and the subsequent sales of common stock;- investor reaction to our business strategy;- the success of competitive products or technologies;- our ability to comply with the continued listing standards of the Nasdaq Capital Market;- regulatory or legal developments in the United States and other countries, especially changes in laws or regulations applicable to our products;- variations in our financial results or those of companies that are perceived to be similar to us;- our ability or inability to raise additional capital and the terms on which we raise it;- declines in the market prices of stocks generally;- trading volume of our common stock;- conversions of Series F Preferred Stock into common stock and the subsequent sales of common stock;- sales of our common stock by us or our stockholders;- general economic, industry and market conditions;- the transformation of our business to deliver more software and subscriptions offerings where revenue is recognized over time;- fluctuations in demand for our products and services, especially with respect to distributors and partners, in part due to changes in the global economic environment;- the introduction and market acceptance of new technologies and products, and our success in new evolving markets, and in emerging technologies, as well as the adoption of new standards;- the ability of our customers, channel partners, contract manufacturers and suppliers to obtain financing or to fund capital expenditures, especially during a period of global credit market disruption or in the event of customer, channel partner, contract manufacturer or supplier financial problem;- the overall movement toward industry consolidation among both our competitors and our customers;- changes in sales and implementation cycles for our products and reduced visibility into our customers' spending plans and associated revenue;- the timing, size and mix of orders from customers;- manufacturing and customer lead times;- how well we execute on our strategy and operating plans and the impact of changes in our business model that could result in significant restructuring charges;- our ability to achieve targeted cost reductions;- benefits anticipated from our investments;- changes in tax law or accounting rules, or interpretations thereof;- actual events, circumstances, outcomes and amounts differing from judgments, assumptions and estimates used in determining the values of certain assets (including the amounts of related valuation allowances), liabilities, and other items reflected in our Consolidated Financial Statements;- other events or factors, including those resulting from such events, or the prospect of such events, including war, terrorism and other international conflicts, public health issues including health epidemics or pandemics, such as the outbreak of COVID-19, and natural disasters such as fire, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados or other adverse weather and climate conditions, whether occurring in the United States or elsewhere, could disrupt our operations, disrupt the operations of our suppliers or result in political or economic instability; and - the failure of any bank and the resulting economic uncertainty caused by such failures.
These broad market and industry factors may seriously harm the market price of our common stock, regardless of our operating performance. Since the stock price of our common stock has fluctuated in the past, has been recently volatile and may be volatile in the future, investors in our common stock could incur substantial losses. In the past, following periods of volatility in the market, securities class-action litigation has often been instituted against companies. Such litigation, if instituted against us, could result in substantial costs and diversion of management's attention and resources, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. There can be no guarantee that our stock price will remain at current prices or that future sales of our common stock will not be at prices lower than those sold to investors.
Throughout much of our corporate history, our common stock has been thinly traded, and therefore has therefore been susceptible to wide price swings. While our common stock has recently experienced increased trading volume, we cannot ensure that this level of trading volume will continue, or that the increased trading volumes will lessen the historic volatility in the price for our common stock. Thinly traded stocks are more susceptible to significant and sudden price changes and the liquidity of our common stock depends upon the presence in the marketplace of willing buyers and sellers. At any time, the liquidity of our common stock may decrease to the thinly traded levels it has experienced in the past, and we cannot ensure that any holder of our securities will be able to find a buyer for its shares. Further, we cannot ensure that an organized public market for our securities will continue or that there will be any private demand for our common stock.
Additionally, recently, securities of certain companies have experienced significant and extreme volatility in stock price due short sellers of shares of common stock, known as a "short squeeze." These short squeezes have caused extreme volatility in those companies and in the market and have led to the price per share of those companies to trade at a significantly inflated rate that is disconnected from the underlying value of the company. Many investors who have purchased shares in those companies at an inflated rate face the risk of losing a significant portion of their original investment as the price per share has declined steadily as interest in those stocks have abated. While we have no reason to believe our shares would be the target of a short squeeze, there can be no assurance that we will not be in the future, and you may lose a significant portion or all of your investment if you purchase our shares at a rate that is significantly disconnected from our underlying value.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 8
The terms of the Series F Preferred Stock could limit our growth and our ability to finance our operations, fund our capital needs, respond to changing conditions and engage in other business activities that may be in our best interests.The Certificate of Designations for the Series F Preferred Stock contains a number of affirmative and negative covenants regarding matters such as the payment of dividends, maintenance of our properties and assets, transactions with affiliates, and our ability to issue other indebtedness. No assurances can be given that we will be able to comply with the financial or other covenants contained in the Certificate of Designations. If we are unable to comply with certain terms in the Certificate of Designations:
- dividends will accrue on the Series F Preferred Stock at 20% per annum;- the holders of the Series F Preferred Stock could foreclose against our assets; and/or - we could be forced into bankruptcy or liquidation.
Our ability to comply with these covenants may be adversely affected by events beyond our control, and we cannot assure you that we can maintain compliance with these covenants. The financial covenants could limit our ability to make needed expenditures or otherwise conduct necessary or desirable business activities.
Accounting & Financial Operations5 | 9.8%
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1
Future operating results may vary from quarter to quarter, and we may fail to meet the expectations of securities analysts and investors at any given time.Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 2
We have a history of substantial net operating losses and we may incur future net losses.We reported substantial net losses in recent years. We may not be able to achieve revenue growth or profitability or generate positive cash flow on a quarterly or annual basis in the future. If we do not achieve profitability in the future, the value of our common stock may be adversely impacted, and we could have difficulty obtaining capital to continue our operations.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 3
Our Company experienced declines in revenue in recent fiscal years and may continue to experience further revenue decline in future periods.In recent fiscal years, our Company has faced a troubling trend of decreasing revenue, a situation that may not only persist but potentially worsen in the future. Specifically, our Managed Services revenue has suffered due to a significant loss of customers and a decrease in demand for our offerings. This downturn can be attributed to the fiercely competitive landscape of our industry, where we face intense pressure to lower prices to remain competitive.
Similarly, our Mezzanine™ product offerings, designed for use in conventional settings like conference rooms and operational centers, have also experienced a marked decrease in revenue. This decline is largely a consequence of the commercial reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic and its prolonged effects. We believe the pandemic has fundamentally altered the way businesses consider the use of physical office spaces and, consequently, the demand for technologies that enable in-person collaboration within these spaces. Our analysis indicates that the reduced demand for our Mezzanine™ products, particularly in the aftermath of COVID-19, reflects a broader reassessment among our customers regarding the necessity and investment in collaboration solutions tailored for traditional office environments.
Should this trend of reevaluation and reduced demand continue, it poses a significant risk of further revenue decline for our Company. This situation highlights the critical need for our Company to adapt strategically, recognizing the shifting dynamics of workplace configurations and the evolving needs of our customers in the post-pandemic era.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 4
Any future disposition of assets and business could have material and adverse effect on business, financial conditions, and operations, if not consummated in a timely manner.As part of our corporate strategy, our management considers and evaluates opportunities involving dispositions of assets and business. Such transactions may expose us to unknown or unforeseeable challenges resulting in disruption of business operations, loss of key personnel and ongoing tax benefits treatment, failure to obtain necessary statutory and regulatory approvals, provide ongoing indemnity, and compliance with post-closing obligations, which may affect or prevent us from consummating the transactions, and have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial conditions, and operations.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 5
We incur significant accounting and administrative costs as a publicly traded corporation that impact our financial condition.As a publicly traded corporation, we incur certain costs to comply with regulatory requirements. If regulatory requirements were to become more stringent or if controls thought to be effective later fail, we may be forced to make additional expenditures, the amounts of which could be material. Some of our competitors are privately owned so their comparatively lower accounting and administrative costs can be a competitive disadvantage for us. Should our sales continue to decline or if we are unsuccessful at increasing prices to cover higher expenditures for internal controls and audits, our costs associated with regulatory compliance will rise as a percentage of sales.
Debt & Financing2 | 3.9%
Debt & Financing - Risk 1
Our cash and cash equivalents could be adversely affected if the financial institutions in which we hold our cash and cash equivalents fail.Debt & Financing - Risk 2
Our business activities will require additional financing that might not be obtainable on acceptable terms, if at all, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, liquidity and our ability to operate as a going concern in the future.The Consolidated Financial Statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. We have experienced declines in revenue in recent fiscal years and we have incurred net losses.
Our capital requirements in the future will continue to depend on numerous factors, including the timing and amount of revenue, customer renewal rates and the timing of collection of outstanding accounts receivable, in each case particularly as it relates to our major customers, the expense to deliver services, expense for sales and marketing, expense for research and development, capital expenditures, and the cost involved in protecting intellectual property rights. We believe that our existing cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to fund our operations and meet our working capital requirements for at least the next 12 months from the filing date of this Report with the SEC. We believe additional capital will be required, in the long-term, to fund operations and provide growth capital including potential strategic alternatives and investments in technology, product development and sales and marketing. To access capital to fund operations or provide growth capital, we will need to raise capital in one or more debt and/or equity offerings. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in raising necessary capital or that any such offering will be on terms acceptable to the Company. If we are unable to raise additional capital that may be needed on terms acceptable to us, it could have a material adverse effect on the Company.
Corporate Activity and Growth3 | 5.9%
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1
We have made and may continue to make acquisitions that could disrupt our operations and harm our operating results.Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 2
We may be unable to realize intended efficiencies and benefits from our ongoing cost-savings initiatives, and which may adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition, or our business.To operate more efficiently and control costs, we have undertaken cost-savings initiatives, which have included a cessation of R&D activities, workforce reductions and other cost reduction initiatives. If we do not successfully manage our current cost-savings activities, our expected efficiencies, benefits and cost savings might be delayed or not realized, and our operations and business could be disrupted. Furthermore, a disruption to our operations or business may cause employee morale and productivity to suffer and may result in unwanted employee attrition. Such disruptions require substantial management time and attention and may divert management from other important work or result in a failure to meet operational targets. Moreover, we could make changes to, or experience delays in executing, any cost-savings initiatives, any of which could cause further disruption and additional unanticipated expense.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 3
Changes in industry structure and market conditions could lead to charges related to discontinuances of certain of our products or businesses, asset impairments, and workforce reductions or restructurings.In response to changes in industry and market conditions, we may be required to strategically realign our resources and to consider restructuring, disposing of or otherwise exiting businesses. Any resource realignment, or decision to limit investment in or dispose of or otherwise exit businesses, may result in the recording of special charges, such as inventory and technology-related write-offs, workforce reduction or restructuring costs, charges relating to consolidation of excess facilities, or claims from third parties who were resellers or users of discontinued products. Our estimates with respect to the useful life or ultimate recoverability of our carrying basis of assets, could change as a result of such assessments and decisions. Although in certain instances our supply agreements allow us the option to cancel, reschedule and adjust our requirements based on our business needs prior to firm orders being placed, our loss contingencies may include liabilities for contracts that we cannot cancel with contract manufacturers and suppliers.
Production
Total Risks: 10/51 (20%)Above Sector Average
Manufacturing1 | 2.0%
Manufacturing - Risk 1
Product quality problems could lead to reduced revenue, gross margins and higher net losses.Employment / Personnel3 | 5.9%
Employment / Personnel - Risk 1
Our success depends on our ability to recruit and retain adequate engineering talent.Employment / Personnel - Risk 2
If we do not effectively compose, structure, and compensate our sales force to focus on the end customers and activities that will primarily drive our growth strategy, our business will be adversely affected.As indicated above, our growth is dependent in large part on the success of our sales team and in particular our ability to structure our sales organization and sales compensation in a way that aligns with our growth strategy. As part of our efforts to appropriately structure and compensate our sales team such that their incentives are properly aligned with our growth strategy, we have made changes to our sales processes, sales segmentation and leadership structures for our sales teams and may need to make additional changes in the future. Such changes may take longer than anticipated to successfully implement, and we may not be able to realize the full benefits thereof, which may have a material adverse impact on our sales productivity as well as our business and operational results generally. In particular, as indicated above, our growth continues to be substantially dependent on our ability to increase our sales to large enterprises, particularly when those sales result in large orders for our solutions. Competition for sales employees who have the knowledge and experience necessary to effectively penetrate major enterprise accounts is fierce, and we may not be successful in hiring such employees, or hiring them on the timelines we anticipate, which will negatively impact our ability to target and penetrate major enterprise accounts. In addition, we anticipate that the sales cycles associated with major accounts will be longer than our traditional sales cycles, which will increase the time it will take our sales managers to become fully productive. In addition, as our organization continues to focus on major accounts and large deals, the productivity of our traditional sales teams may be impacted.
Employment / Personnel - Risk 3
Failure to retain and recruit key personnel would harm our ability to meet key objectives.We have attracted a highly skilled management team and specialized workforce. Our future success is dependent in part on our ability to attract and retain highly skilled technical, managerial, sales and marketing personnel. Competition for these personnel is intense. Our inability to hire qualified personnel on a timely basis, or the departure of key employees (including Peter Holst, the Company's President and CEO) without a suitable replacement could materially and adversely affect our business development and therefore, our business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition. Stock incentive plans are designed to reward employees for their long-term contributions and provide incentives for them to remain with us. Volatility or lack of positive performance in our stock price or equity incentive awards, or changes to our overall compensation program, including our stock incentive program, resulting from the management of share dilution and share-based compensation expense or otherwise, may also adversely affect our ability to retain key employees. As a result of one or more of these factors, we may increase our hiring in geographic areas outside the United States, which could subject us to additional geopolitical and exchange rate risk. The loss of services of any of our key personnel; the inability to retain and attract qualified personnel in the future; or delays in hiring required personnel, particularly engineering and sales personnel, could make it difficult to meet key objectives, such as timely and effective product introductions. In addition, companies in our industry whose employees accept positions with competitors frequently claim that competitors have engaged in improper hiring practices. We have received these claims in the past and may receive additional claims to this effect in the future.
Supply Chain4 | 7.8%
Supply Chain - Risk 1
We depend upon our network providers and facilities infrastructure.Supply Chain - Risk 2
We rely on third-party software that may be difficult to replace or may not perform adequately.We integrate third-party licensed software components into our technology infrastructure in order to provide our services. This software may not continue to be available on commercially reasonable terms or pricing or may fail to continue to be updated to remain competitive. The loss of the right to use this third-party software may increase our expenses or impact the provisioning of our services. The failure of this third-party software could materially impact the performance of our services and may cause material harm to our business or results of operations.
Supply Chain - Risk 3
Supply chain issues, including financial problems of contract manufacturers or component suppliers, or a shortage of adequate component supply or manufacturing capacity that increase our costs or cause a delay in our ability to fulfill orders, could have an adverse impact on our business and operating results, and our failure to estimate customer demand properly may result in excess or obsolete component supply, which could adversely affect our gross margins.We rely on other companies to supply some components of our Mezzanine™ products and of our network infrastructure and the means to access our network. Certain products and services that we resell and certain components that we require are available only from limited sources. We could be adversely affected if such sources were to become unavailable to us on commercially reasonable terms. We cannot ensure that, on an ongoing basis, we will be able to obtain third-party services cost-effectively and on the scale and within the time frames that we require, if at all. Failure to obtain or to continue to make use of such third-party services would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. The fact that we do not own or operate manufacturing facilities and that we are reliant on our supply chain could have an adverse impact on the supply of our products and on our business and operating results. Financial problems of either contract manufacturers or component suppliers, reservation of manufacturing capacity at our contract manufacturers by other companies, and industry consolidation occurring within one or more component supplier markets, such as the semiconductor market, in each case, could either limit supply or increase costs.
A reduction or interruption in supply; a significant increase in the price of one or more components; a failure to adequately authorize procurement of inventory by our contract manufacturers; a failure to appropriately cancel, reschedule or adjust our requirements based on our business needs; or a decrease in demand for our products could materially adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition and could materially damage customer relationships. Furthermore, as a result of binding price or purchase commitments with suppliers, we may be obligated to purchase components at prices that are higher than those available in the current market. In the event that we become committed to purchase components at prices in excess of the current market price when the components are actually used, our gross margins could decrease. We have experienced longer than normal lead times in the past 12 months. In addition, vendors may be under pressure to allocate product to certain customers for business, regulatory or political reasons, and/or demand changes in agreed pricing as a condition of supply. Although we have generally secured additional supply or taken other mitigation actions when significant disruptions have occurred, if similar situations occur in the future or if we are unsuccessful in our mitigation efforts, they could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
Our growth and ability to meet customer demands depend in part on our ability to obtain timely deliveries of parts from our suppliers and contract manufacturers. We have experienced component shortages in the past, including shortages caused by manufacturing process issues, that have affected our operations. We may in the future experience a shortage of certain component parts as a result of our own manufacturing issues, manufacturing issues at our suppliers or contract manufacturers, capacity problems experienced by our suppliers or contract manufacturers including capacity or cost problems resulting from industry consolidation, or strong demand for those parts. Growth in the economy is likely to create greater pressures on us and our suppliers to accurately project overall component demand and component demands within specific product categories and to establish optimal component levels and manufacturing capacity, especially for labor-intensive components, components for which we purchase a substantial portion of the supply, or the re-ramping of manufacturing capacity for highly complex products. During periods of shortages or delays the price of components may increase, or the components may not be available at all, and we may also encounter shortages if we do not accurately anticipate our needs. We may not be able to secure enough components at reasonable prices or of acceptable quality to build new products in a timely manner in the quantities or configurations needed. Accordingly, our revenue and gross margins could suffer until other sources can be developed.
Our operating results would also be adversely affected if, anticipating greater demand than actually develops, we commit to the purchase of more components than we need, which is more likely to occur in a period of demand uncertainties such as we are currently experiencing. There can be no assurance that we will not encounter these problems in the future. Although in many cases we use standard parts and components for our products, certain components are presently available only from a single source or limited sources, and a global economic downturn and related market uncertainty could negatively impact the availability of components from one or more of these sources, especially during times such as we have recently seen when there are supplier constraints based on labor and other actions taken during economic downturns. We may not be able to diversify sources in a timely manner, which could harm our ability to deliver products to customers and seriously impact present and future sales.
Supply Chain - Risk 4
Our network depends upon telecommunications carriers who could limit or deny us access to their network or fail to perform, which would have a material adverse effect on our business.We rely upon the ability and willingness of certain telecommunications carriers and other corporations to provide us with reliable high-speed telecommunications service through their networks. If these telecommunications carriers and other corporations decide not to continue to provide service to us through their networks on substantially the same terms and conditions (including, without limitation, price, early termination liability, and installation interval), if at all, it would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Additionally, many of our service level objectives are dependent upon satisfactory performance by our telecommunications carriers. If they fail to so perform, it may have a material adverse effect on our business.
Costs2 | 3.9%
Costs - Risk 1
We may experience material disconnections and/or reductions in the prices of our services and may not be able to replace the loss of revenues.Costs - Risk 2
Inventory management relating to our sales to our two-tier distribution channel is complex, and excess inventory may harm our gross margins.We must manage inventory relating to sales to our distributors effectively, because inventory held by them could affect our results of operations. Our distributors may increase orders during periods of product shortages, cancel orders if their inventory is too high, or delay orders in anticipation of new products. They also may adjust their orders in response to the supply of our products and the products of our competitors that are available to them, and in response to seasonal fluctuations in end-user demand. Inventory management remains an area of focus as we balance the need to maintain strategic inventory levels to ensure competitive lead times against the risk of inventory obsolescence because of rapidly changing technology and customer requirements. When facing component supply-related challenges, we have increased our efforts in procuring components in order to meet customer expectations. If we ultimately determine that we have excess inventory, we may have to reduce our prices and write down inventory, which in turn could result in lower gross margins.
Ability to Sell
Total Risks: 10/51 (20%)Above Sector Average
Competition2 | 3.9%
Competition - Risk 1
Industry consolidation may lead to increased competition and may harm our operating results.Competition - Risk 2
The markets in which we compete are intensely competitive, which could adversely affect our achievement of revenue growth.The markets in which we compete are characterized by rapid change, converging technologies and a migration to collaboration solutions that offer relative advantages. These market factors represent a competitive threat to us. We compete with numerous vendors in each product category. The overall number of our competitors providing niche product solutions may increase. Also, the identity and composition of competitors may change as we increase our activity in newer product areas, and in key priority and growth areas. In addition, the growth in demand for technology delivered as a service enables new competitors to enter the market.
The collaboration industry is highly competitive and includes large, well-financed participants. Some of our competitors compete across many of our product lines, while others are primarily focused in a specific product area. In addition, many of our competitor organizations have substantially greater financial and other resources, including technical and engineering resources, than we do, furnish some of the same services provided by us, and have established relationships with major corporate customers that have policies of purchasing directly from them. Our competitors offer services similar both on a bundled and unbundled basis, creating a highly competitive environment with pressure on pricing of such services. Barriers to entry are relatively low, and new ventures to create products that do or could compete with our products are regularly formed. We believe that as the demand for collaboration technologies continues to increase, additional competitors, many of which may have greater resources than us, will continue to enter this market.
The principal competitive factors in the markets in which we presently compete and may compete in the future include the ability to sell successful business outcomes; product performance; price; the ability to introduce new products, including providing continuous new customer value and products with price-performance advantages; the ability to reduce production costs; the ability to provide value-added features such as security, reliability and investment protection; conformance to standards; market presence; the ability to provide financing; and disruptive technology shifts and new business models.
Demand3 | 5.9%
Demand - Risk 1
We rely on a limited number of customers for a significant portion of our revenue, and the loss of any one of those customers, or several of our smaller customers, could materially harm our business.Changed
Demand - Risk 2
If we fail to achieve broad market acceptance on a timely basis, we will not be able to compete effectively, and we will likely experience continued declines in revenue and lower gross margins.We operate in a highly competitive, quickly changing environment, and our future success depends on our ability to develop or acquire, and introduce, new products that achieve broad market acceptance. Our future success will depend in large part upon our ability to identify demand trends in the markets in which we operate, and to quickly develop or acquire, and build and sell products that satisfy these demands in a cost-effective manner. In order to differentiate our products from our competitors' products, we must increase our focus and capital investment in research and development. If our products do not achieve widespread market acceptance, or if we are unsuccessful in capitalizing on market opportunities, our future growth may be slowed and our financial results could be harmed. Also, as the mix of our business increasingly includes new products and services that require additional investment, this shift may adversely impact our margins, at least in the near-term. Successfully predicting demand trends is difficult, and it is very difficult to predict the effect that introducing a new product will have on existing product sales. We will also need to respond effectively to new product announcements by our competitors by quickly introducing competitive products.
In addition, we may not be able to successfully manage integration of any new product lines with our existing products. Selling new product lines in new markets will require our management to explore different strategies in order to be successful. We may be unsuccessful in launching a new product line in new markets that requires management of new suppliers, potential new customers and new business models. Our management may not have the experience of selling in these new markets and we may not be able to grow our business as planned. If we are unable to effectively and successfully further develop these new product lines, we may not be able to achieve our desired sales targets and our gross margins may be adversely affected.
We may experience delays and quality issues in releasing new products, which could result in lower quarterly revenue than expected. In addition, we may experience product introductions that fall short of our projected rates of market adoption. Any future delays in product development and introduction, or product introductions that do not meet broad market acceptance, or unsuccessful launches of new product lines could result in:
- loss of or delay in revenue and loss of market share;- negative publicity and damage to our reputation and brand;- a decline in the average selling price of our products; and - adverse reactions in our sales channels.
Additionally, our level of product gross margins could decline in future periods due to adverse impacts from other factors including:
- Changes in customer, geographic or product mix, including mix of configurations within each product group;- Introduction of new products, including products with price-performance advantages, and new business models including the transformation of our business to deliver more software and subscription offerings;- Our ability to reduce production costs;- Entry into new markets or growth in lower margin markets, including markets with different pricing and cost structures, through acquisitions or internal development;- Sales discounts;- Increases in material, labor or other manufacturing-related costs, which could be significant especially during periods of supply constraints such as those impacting the market for memory components;- Excess inventory, inventory holding charges and obsolescence charges;- Changes in shipment volume;- The timing of revenue recognition and revenue deferrals;- Increased cost (including those caused by tariffs), loss of cost savings or dilution of savings due to changes in component pricing or charges incurred due to inventory holding periods if parts ordering does not correctly anticipate product demand or if the financial health of either contract manufacturers or suppliers deteriorates;- Lower than expected benefits from value engineering;- Increased price competition;- Changes in distribution channels;- Increased warranty or royalty costs;- Increased amortization of purchased intangible assets; and - Our success in executing on our strategy and operating plans.
If we cannot successfully introduce new product lines, either through rapid innovation or acquisition of new products or product lines, we may not be able to maintain or increase the market share of our products. In addition, if we are unable to successfully introduce or acquire new products with higher gross margins, or if we are unable to improve the margins on our existing product lines, our revenue and overall gross margin will likely decline.
Demand - Risk 3
Revenue growth and increase in the market share of our current product offerings depends on successful adoption of our Mezzanine™ product offerings with our channel partners, which requires sufficient sales, marketing, and product development funding. Our goal is to grow revenue from an increase in adoption of our product offerings. If we cannot successfully gain adoption of our Mezzanine™ product offerings through direct sales or our channel partners, we may not be able to grow revenue and/or increase the market share of our products. We cannot assure you that we will have sufficient funds available to invest in sales and marketing and continued product development in order to achieve revenue growth.
Sales & Marketing4 | 7.8%
Sales & Marketing - Risk 1
Disruption of or changes in our distribution model could harm our sales and margins.Sales & Marketing - Risk 2
A significant portion of our sales are through distribution channels including both system integrators and channel partners (collectively the "Service Providers") which have been difficult to project and, particularly volatile during the pandemic. Weakness in orders from our distribution channels may harm our operating results and financial condition.Sales to the Service Providers have been characterized by large and sporadic purchases, in addition to longer sales cycles. Product orders by the Service Providers decreased during 2022 and 2023 and at various times in the past we have experienced significant weakness in product orders from Service Providers. Product orders from the Service Providers could continue to decline and, as has been the case in the past, such weakness could persist over extended periods of time given fluctuating market conditions. Sales activity in this industry depends upon the stage of completion of expanding network infrastructures; the availability of funding; and the extent to which service providers are affected by regulatory, economic, and business conditions in the country of operations. Weakness in orders from this industry, including as a result of any slowdown in capital expenditures by service providers (which may be more prevalent during a global economic downturn, or periods of economic, political or regulatory uncertainty), could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, and financial condition. Such slowdowns may continue or recur in future periods. Orders from this industry could decline for many reasons other than the competitiveness of our products and services within their respective markets. For example, in the past, many of our Service Providers' customers have been materially and adversely affected by slowdowns in the general economy, by overcapacity, by changes in the Service Providers' market, by regulatory developments, and by constraints on capital availability, resulting in business failures and substantial reductions in spending and expansion plans. These conditions have materially harmed our business and operating results in the past and could affect our business and operating results in any future period. Finally, our Service Providers' customers typically have longer implementation cycles; require a broader range of services, including design services; demand that vendors take on a larger share of risks; often require acceptance provisions, which can lead to a delay in revenue recognition; and expect financing from vendors. All these factors can add further risk to business conducted with Service Providers.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 3
Our ability to sell our solutions is dependent in part on ease of use and the quality of our technical support, and any failure to offer high-quality technical support would harm our business, operating results, and financial condition.Once our solutions are deployed, our end customers depend on our support organization to resolve any technical issues relating to our solutions. Furthermore, because of the emerging nature of our solutions, our support organization often provides support for and troubleshoots issues for products of other vendors running on our solutions, even if the issue is unrelated to our solutions. There is no assurance that we can solve issues unrelated to our solutions, or that vendors whose products run on our solutions will not challenge our provision of technical assistance to their products. Our ability to provide effective support is largely dependent on our ability to attract, train and retain personnel who are not only qualified to support our solutions, but also well versed in some of the primary applications and hypervisors that our end customers run on our solutions. Furthermore, in the event we expand our operations internationally, our support organization will face additional challenges, including those associated with delivering support, training, and documentation in languages other than English. In addition, in the event we expand our product portfolio to include additional solutions our ability to provide high-quality support will become more difficult and will involve more complexity. Any failure to maintain high-quality installation and technical support, or a market perception that we do not maintain high-quality support, could harm our reputation and brand, adversely affect our ability to sell our solutions to existing and prospective end customers, and could harm our business, operating results, and financial condition.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 4
We are exposed to the credit and other counterparty risk of our customers in the ordinary course of our business.Our customers have varying degrees of creditworthiness, and we may not always be able to fully anticipate or detect deterioration in their creditworthiness and overall financial condition, which could expose us to an increased risk of nonpayment under our contracts with them. In the event that a material customer or customers default on their payment obligations to us, discontinue buying services from us or use their buying power with us to reduce its revenue, this could materially adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
Brand / Reputation1 | 2.0%
Brand / Reputation - Risk 1
There is limited market awareness of our services.Tech & Innovation
Total Risks: 8/51 (16%)Below Sector Average
Innovation / R&D1 | 2.0%
Innovation / R&D - Risk 1
We depend upon the development of new products and services, and enhancements to existing products and services, and if we fail to predict and respond to emerging technological trends and customer's changing needs, our operating results may suffer.Trade Secrets3 | 5.9%
Trade Secrets - Risk 1
A number of our solutions incorporate software provided under open-source licenses which may restrict or impose certain obligations on how we use or distribute our solutions or subject us to various risks and challenges, which could result in increased development expenses, delays or disruptions to the release or distribution of those solutions, inability to protect our intellectual property rights and increased competition.Trade Secrets - Risk 2
We may not be able to protect the rights to, or enforce, our intellectual property.We generally rely on patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secret laws to establish and maintain proprietary rights in our technology and products. We have been issued numerous patents, other patent applications are currently pending, and some of our intellectual property is not covered by any patent. If we further develop our services and related intellectual property, we expect to seek additional patent protection. Our patent position is subject to complex factual and legal issues that may give rise to uncertainty as to the validity, scope and enforceability of a particular patent. Accordingly, we cannot assure that any of the patents owned by us or other patents that other parties license to us in the future will not be invalidated, circumvented, challenged, rendered unenforceable or licensed to others; any of our pending or future patent applications will be issued with the breadth of claim coverage sought by it, if issued at all; or any patents owned by or licensed to us, although valid, will not be dominated by a patent or patents to others having broader claims. Furthermore, many key aspects of networking technology are governed by industry-wide standards, which are usable by all market entrants, and there can be no assurance that patents will be issued from pending applications or that claims allowed on any patents will be sufficiently broad to protect our technology. Additionally, the laws of some foreign countries may not protect our proprietary rights to the same extent as do the laws of the United States. The outcome of any actions taken in these foreign countries may be different than if such actions were determined under the laws of the United States. Although we are not dependent on any individual patent or group of patents for particular segments of the business for which we compete, if we are unable to protect our proprietary rights to the totality of the features (including aspects of products protected other than by patent rights) in a market, we may find ourselves at a competitive disadvantage to others who need not incur the substantial expense, time and effort required to create innovative products that have enabled us to be successful.
Failure to protect our existing intellectual property rights may result in the loss of our exclusivity or the right to use our technologies. If we do not adequately ensure our freedom to use certain technology, we may have to pay others for rights to use their intellectual property, pay damages for infringement or misappropriation and/or be enjoined from using such intellectual property.
We also seek to protect our proprietary intellectual property, including intellectual property that may not be patented or patentable, in part by confidentiality agreements. We cannot ensure that these agreements will not be breached, that we will have adequate remedies for any breach or that such persons will not assert rights to intellectual property arising out of these relationships.
Trade Secrets - Risk 3
Our failure to obtain or maintain the right to use certain intellectual property may negatively affect our business.Our future success and competitive position depend in part upon our ability to obtain and maintain certain proprietary intellectual property to be used in connection with our services. While we are not currently engaged in any intellectual property litigation, we could become subject to lawsuits in which it is alleged that we have infringed the intellectual property rights of others, or we could commence lawsuits against others who we believe are infringing upon our rights.
Third parties, including customers, may in the future assert claims or initiate litigation related to exclusive patent, copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property rights to technologies and related standards that are relevant to us. Because of the existence of a large number of patents in the networking field, the secrecy of some pending patents, and the rapid rate of issuance of new patents, it is not economically practical or even possible to determine in advance whether a product or any of its components infringes or will infringe on the patent rights of others. The asserted claims and/or initiated litigation can include claims against us or our manufacturers, suppliers, or customers, alleging infringement of their proprietary rights with respect to our existing or future products or components of those products. Regardless of the merit of these claims, they can be time-consuming, result in costly litigation, and where claims are made by customers, resistance even to unmeritorious claims could damage customer relationships.
An adverse outcome as a defendant in any such litigation may result in impacts to the Company including, but not limited to:
- Payment of substantial damages;- Diversion of technical and management personnel;- Cessation of the use, development, or sale of services that infringe upon patented intellectual property;- Entrance into license agreements; and - Expending significant resources to develop or acquire a non-infringing technology.
There can be no assurance that that we would be successful in such litigation, that development or licenses will be available on acceptable terms and conditions, if at all, or that our indemnification by our suppliers will be adequate to cover our costs if a claim were brought directly against us or our customers. Furthermore, because of the potential for high court awards that are not necessarily predictable, it is not unusual to find even arguably unmeritorious claims settled for significant amounts. If any infringement or other intellectual property claim made against us by any third party is successful, if we are required to indemnify a customer with respect to a claim against the customer, or if we fail to develop non-infringing technology or license the proprietary rights on commercially reasonable terms and conditions, our business, operating results, and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected. Our exposure to risks associated with the use of intellectual property may be increased as a result of acquisitions, as we have a lower level of visibility into the development process with respect to such technology or the care taken to safeguard against infringement risks.
An adverse outcome as plaintiff in any such litigation, in addition to the costs involved, may, among other things, result in the loss of the intellectual property (such as a patent) that was the subject of the lawsuit by a determination of invalidity or unenforceability, significantly increase competition as a result of such determination, and require the payment of penalties resulting from counterclaims by the defendant.
Cyber Security2 | 3.9%
Cyber Security - Risk 1
Vulnerabilities and critical security defects, prioritization decisions regarding remedying vulnerabilities or security defects, failure of third-party providers to remedy vulnerabilities or security defects, or customers not deploying security releases or deciding not to upgrade products, services or solutions could result in claims of liability against us, damage our reputation or otherwise harm our business.Cyber Security - Risk 2
Cyber-attacks, data incidents, malware, or an intrusion into our physical security systems may disrupt our business operations, result in the loss of critical and confidential information, harm our operating results and financial condition, and damage our reputation; and cyber-attacks or data incidents on our customers' networks, or in cloud-based services provided by or enabled by us, could result in claims of liability against us, damage our reputation or otherwise harm our business.In the ordinary course of providing video communications services, we transmit sensitive and proprietary information of our customers. We are dependent on the proper function, availability and security of our information systems, including without limitation those systems utilized in our operations. We have undertaken measures to protect the safety and security of our inventory and our information systems and the data maintained within those systems, and on an annual basis, we test the adequacy of our security measures. Despite our implementation of security measures, there can be no assurance our safety and security measures will detect and prevent security incidents in a timely manner or otherwise prevent damage or interruption of our systems and operations or inventory theft. The products and services we sell to customers, and our servers, data centers and the cloud-based solutions on which our data, and data of our customers, suppliers and business partners are stored, are vulnerable to improper functioning, cyber-attacks, data incidents, malware, and similar disruptions from unauthorized access or tampering by malicious actors or inadvertent error. Any such event could compromise our products, services and networks or those of our customers, and the proprietary information stored on our systems or those of our customers could be improperly accessed, processed, disclosed, lost or stolen, which could subject us to liability to our customers, suppliers, business partners and others, give rise to legal/regulatory action, and could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, and financial condition and may cause damage to our reputation. A security incident at any one of our physical facilities, such as that which occurred during 2022, could result in a significant loss of inventory, or increase expenses relating to the resolution and future prevention of similar thefts, any of which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Efforts to limit the ability of malicious actors to disrupt the operations of the Internet or undermine our own security efforts may be costly to implement and meet with resistance, and may not be successful. Cybersecurity incidents in our customers' networks, or in cloud-based services provided by or enabled by us, regardless of whether the incident is attributable to a vulnerability in our products or services, could result in claims of liability against us, damage our reputation, or otherwise harm our business.
Technology2 | 3.9%
Technology - Risk 1
Our network could fail, which could negatively impact our revenues.Technology - Risk 2
Any system failures or interruptions may cause loss of customers.Our success depends, in part, on the seamless, uninterrupted operation of our managed service offerings. As the complexity and volume continue to increase, we will face increasing demands and challenges in managing them. Any prolonged failure of these services or other systems or hardware that cause significant interruptions to our operations could seriously damage our reputation and result in customer attrition and financial loss.
Legal & Regulatory
Total Risks: 4/51 (8%)Below Sector Average
Regulation3 | 5.9%
Regulation - Risk 1
If we were deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), applicable restrictions could make it impractical for us to continue our business as contemplated and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.Regulation - Risk 2
Our business, operating results and financial condition could be materially harmed by regulatory uncertainty applicable to our products and services.Changes in regulatory requirements applicable to the industries in which we operate, in the United States and in other countries, could materially affect the sales of our products and services. In particular, changes in telecommunications regulations could impact our service provider customers' purchase of our products and offers, and they could also impact sales of our own regulated offers. In addition, evolving legal requirements restricting or controlling the collection, processing, or cross-border transmission of data, including regulation of cloud-based services, could materially affect our customers' ability to use, and our ability to sell, our products and offers. Additional areas of uncertainty that could impact sales of our products and offers include laws and regulations related to encryption technology, environmental sustainability, export control, product certification and national security controls applicable to our supply chain. Changes in regulatory requirements in these areas could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, and financial condition.
Regulation - Risk 3
Penny stock regulations may impose certain restrictions on the marketability of our securities.The SEC has adopted regulations which generally define a "penny stock" to be any equity security that has a market price less than $5.00 per share, subject to certain exceptions. Our common stock is presently subject to these regulations, which impose additional sales practice requirements on broker-dealers who sell such securities to persons other than established customers and accredited investors (generally those with a net worth in excess of $1,000,000 or annual income exceeding $200,000, or $300,000 together with their spouse). For transactions covered by these rules, the broker-dealer must make a special suitability determination for the purchase of such securities and have received the purchaser's written consent to the transaction prior to the purchase. Additionally, for any transaction involving a "penny stock," unless exempt, the rules require the delivery, prior to the transaction, of a risk disclosure document mandated by the SEC relating to the "penny stock" market. The broker-dealer must also disclose the commission payable to both the broker-dealer and the registered representative, current quotations for the securities and, if the broker-dealer is the sole market maker, the broker-dealer must disclose this fact and the broker-dealer's presumed control over the market. Finally, monthly statements must be sent disclosing recent price information for the "penny stock" held in the account and information on the limited market in "penny stocks." Consequently, the "penny stock" rules may restrict the ability of broker-dealers to sell our securities and may negatively affect the ability of purchasers of our shares of common stock to sell such securities.
Taxation & Government Incentives1 | 2.0%
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 1
If our actual liability for sales and use taxes and federal regulatory fees is different from our accrued liability, it could have a material impact on our financial condition.Macro & Political
Total Risks: 1/51 (2%)Below Sector Average
Economy & Political Environment1 | 2.0%
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 1
Our success is highly dependent on the evolution of our overall market and on general economic conditions.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.