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Risk Overview Q1, 2026
Risk Distribution
38% Finance & Corporate
21% Production
13% Tech & Innovation
10% Ability to Sell
10% Macro & Political
8% Legal & Regulatory
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
Polar Power 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 Q1, 2026
Main Risk Category
Finance & Corporate
With 15 Risks
Finance & Corporate
With 15 Risks
Number of Disclosed Risks
39
+1
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 32
39
+1
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 32
Recent Changes
1Risks added
1Risks removed
0Risks changed
Since Mar 2026
1Risks added
1Risks removed
0Risks changed
Since Mar 2026
Number of Risk Changed
0
-2
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 0
0
-2
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 0
See the risk highlights of Polar Power 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 39
Finance & Corporate
Total Risks: 15/39 (38%)Above Sector Average
Share Price & Shareholder Rights10 | 25.6%
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1
A decline in the price of our common stock could affect our ability to raise further working capital, which could adversely impact our ability to continue operations.Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2
The price of our shares of common stock is volatile, and you could lose all or part of your investment.The trading price of our shares of common stock is volatile and could be subject to wide fluctuations in response to various factors, some of which are beyond our control, including limited trading volume. In addition to the factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section and elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, these factors include, without limitation:
- competition from existing technologies and products or new technologies and products that may emerge; - the loss of significant customers, including AT&T and Verizon Wireless; - actual or anticipated variations in our quarterly operating results; - failure to meet the estimates and projections of the investment community or that we may otherwise provide to the public; - our cash position; - announcement or expectation of additional financing efforts; - issuances of debt or equity securities; - our inability to successfully enter new markets or develop additional products; - actual or anticipated fluctuations in our competitors' operating results or changes in their respective growth rates; - sales of our shares of common stock by us, or our stockholders in the future; - trading volume of our shares of common stock on The Nasdaq Capital Market; - market conditions in our industry; - overall performance of the equity markets and general political and economic conditions; - introduction of new products or services by us or our competitors; - additions or departures of key management, scientific or other personnel;- publication of research reports about us or our industry or positive or negative recommendations or withdrawal of research coverage by securities or industry analysts; - changes in the market valuation of similar companies; - disputes or other developments related to intellectual property and other proprietary rights; - changes in accounting practices; - significant lawsuits, including stockholder litigation; and - other events or factors, many of which are beyond our control.
Furthermore, the public equity markets have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have affected and continue to affect the market prices of equity securities of many companies. These fluctuations often have been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of those companies. These broad market and industry fluctuations, as well as general economic, political and market conditions such as recessions, interest rate changes or international currency fluctuations, may negatively impact the market price of our shares of common stock.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3
Our Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer owns a significant percentage of our common stock and will exercise significant influence over matters requiring stockholder approval, regardless of the wishes of other stockholders.Our Chairman, President, Chief Executive Officer and Secretary, Arthur D. Sams, beneficially owns approximately 22% of our outstanding shares of common stock. Mr. Sams therefore has significant influence over management and significant control over matters requiring stockholder approval, including the annual election of directors and significant corporate transactions, such as a merger or other sale of our company or our assets, for the foreseeable future. This concentrated control may limit stockholders' ability to influence corporate matters and, as a result, we may take actions that our stockholders do not view as beneficial. As a result, the market price of our common stock could be adversely affected.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4
Our certificate of incorporation designates the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders' ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees.Our certificate of incorporation provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers or other employees to us or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our certificate of incorporation or our bylaws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim against us governed by the internal affairs doctrine.
For the avoidance of doubt, the exclusive forum provision described above does not apply to any claims arising under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act. Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder, and Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder.
The choice of forum provision in our bylaws may limit our stockholders' ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that they find favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees or agents, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and our directors, officers, employees and agents even though an action, if successful, might benefit our stockholders. The applicable courts may also reach different judgments or results than would other courts, including courts where a stockholder considering an action may be located or would otherwise choose to bring the action, and such judgments or results may be more favorable to us than to our stockholders. With respect to the provision making the Delaware Court of Chancery the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions, stockholders who do bring a claim in the Delaware Court of Chancery could face additional litigation costs in pursuing any such claim, particularly if they do not reside in or near Delaware. Finally, if a court were to find this provision of our bylaws inapplicable to, or unenforceable in respect of, one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could have a material adverse effect on us.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5
Some provisions of our charter documents and Delaware law may have anti-takeover effects that could discourage an acquisition of us by others, even if an acquisition would be beneficial to our stockholders, and may prevent attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management.Provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, as well as provisions of Delaware law, could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us or increase the cost of acquiring us, even if doing so would benefit our stockholders. These provisions include:
- a requirement that special meetings of stockholders be called only by the board of directors, the president or the chief executive officer; - advance notice requirements for stockholder proposals and nominations for election to our board of directors; and - the authority of the board of directors to issue preferred stock on terms determined by the board of directors without stockholder approval and which preferred stock may include rights superior to the rights of the holders of common stock.
These anti-takeover provisions and other provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws could make it more difficult for stockholders or potential acquirers to obtain control of our board of directors or initiate actions that are opposed by the then-current board of directors and could also delay or impede a merger, tender offer or proxy contest involving us. These provisions could also discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult for you and other stockholders to elect directors of your choosing or cause us to take other corporate actions you desire. Any delay or prevention of a change of control transaction or changes in our board of directors could cause the market price of our common stock to decline.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 6
We are not subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which could negatively affect your investment.We elected in our certificate of incorporation, as amended (the "certificate of incorporation") to not be subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or Section 203. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a "business combination" with an "interested stockholder" for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner. A "business combination" includes a merger, asset sale or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. An "interested stockholder" is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns (or, in certain cases, within three years prior, did own) 15% or more of the corporation's voting stock. Our decision not to be subject to Section 203 will allow, for example, Arthur D. Sams, our Chairman, President, Chief Executive Officer and Secretary (who beneficially owns approximately 22% of our common stock) to transfer shares in excess of 15% of our voting stock to a third-party free of the restrictions imposed by Section 203. This may make us more vulnerable to takeovers that are completed without the approval of our board of directors and/or without giving us the ability to prohibit or delay such takeovers as effectively.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 7
If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research or reports about our business, our share price and trading volume could decline.The trading market for our shares of common stock depends, in part, on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. We do not have any control over these analysts. If no securities or industry analysts undertake coverage of our company, the trading price for our shares of common stock may be negatively impacted. If we obtain securities or industry analyst coverage and if one or more of the analysts who covers us downgrades our shares of common stock, changes their opinion of our shares or publishes inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our share price would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts ceases coverage of us or fails to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our shares of common stock could decrease and we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which could cause our share price and trading volume to decline.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 8
Our failure to satisfy certain listing requirements may result in our common stock being delisted from the Nasdaq Capital Market, which may make it more difficult for our shareholders to sell shares of our common stock.Our common stock is listed on Nasdaq. Nasdaq has several quantitative and qualitative requirements companies must comply with to maintain this listing, including a $1.00 minimum bid price per share (the "Bid Price Rule"). On November 24, 2023, we received a deficiency letter from the Listing Qualifications Department of The Nasdaq Stock Market ("Nasdaq") indicating that our common stock is subject to potential delisting from the Nasdaq because for a period of 30 consecutive business days, the bid price of our common stock has closed below the minimum $1.00 per share requirement for continued inclusion under Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5550(a)(2) (the "Bid Price Rule").
On November 18, 2024, the Company effected a 1:7 Reverse Stock Split of its shares of common stock. On December 23, 2024, the Company received a letter from Nasdaq informing the Company that the Company regained compliance with the Bid Price Rule and that the Company is therefore in compliance with the Nasdaq's listing requirements. Our common stock continues to trade on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol "POLA" at this time.
While we have been back in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rules, there can be no assurance that we will continue to be in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rules. If the stock is delisted, we may trade on the over-the-counter market, or even in the pink sheets, which would significantly decrease the liquidity of an investment in our common stock.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 9
Our issuance of shares of preferred stock could adversely affect the market value of our common stock, dilute the voting power of common stockholders and delay or prevent a change of control.Our board of directors has the authority to cause us to issue, without any further vote or action by the stockholders, up to 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series, to designate the number of shares constituting any series, and to fix the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions thereof, including dividend rights, voting rights, rights and terms of redemption, redemption price or prices and liquidation preferences of such series.
The issuance of shares of preferred stock with dividend or conversion rights, liquidation preferences or other economic terms favorable to the holders of preferred stock could adversely affect the market price for our common stock by making an investment in the common stock less attractive. For example, investors in the common stock may not wish to purchase common stock at a price above the conversion price of a series of convertible preferred stock because the holders of the preferred stock would effectively be entitled to purchase common stock at the lower conversion price causing economic dilution to the holders of common stock.
Further, the issuance of shares of preferred stock with voting rights may adversely affect the voting power of the holders of our other classes of voting stock either by diluting the voting power of our other classes of voting stock if they vote together as a single class, or by giving the holders of any such preferred stock the right to block an action on which they have a separate class vote even if the action were approved by the holders of our other classes of voting stock. The issuance of shares of preferred stock may also have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company without further action by the stockholders, even where stockholders are offered a premium for their shares.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 10
Raising additional capital, including through future sales and issuances of our common stock, the exercise of warrants or the exercise of rights to purchase common stock pursuant to our equity incentive plan could result in additional dilution of the percentage ownership of our stockholders, could cause our share price to fall and could restrict our operations.We expect that significant additional capital will be needed in the future to continue our planned operations, including any potential acquisitions, purchasing of capital equipment, hiring new personnel, and continuing activities as an operating public company. To the extent we seek additional capital through a combination of public and private equity offerings and debt financings, our stockholders may experience substantial dilution. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the ownership interest of our existing stockholders may be diluted, and the terms may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect the rights of our stockholders. Debt and receivables financings may be coupled with an equity component, such as warrants to purchase shares of our common stock, which could also result in dilution of our existing stockholders' ownership. The incurrence of indebtedness would result in increased fixed payment obligations and could also result in certain restrictive covenants, such as limitations on our ability to incur additional debt and other operating restrictions that could adversely impact our ability to conduct our business. A failure to obtain adequate funds may cause us to curtail certain operational activities, including sales and marketing, in order to reduce costs and sustain the business, and would have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition.
Under our 2016 Omnibus Stock Incentive Plan, as amended, or 2016 Plan, we may grant equity awards covering up to 250,627 shares of our common stock. As of March 31, 2026, we had granted options to purchase an aggregate of 20,002 shares of common stock, among which 7,144 options had terminated, and issued 25,729 shares of common stock as stock-based compensation to officers, employees and consultants under the 2016 Plan. Sales of shares issued upon exercise of options or granted under our 2016 Plan may result in material dilution to our existing stockholders, which could cause our share price to fall.
Accounting & Financial Operations4 | 10.3%
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1
We do not anticipate paying cash dividends, and accordingly, stockholders must rely on stock appreciation for any return on their investment.Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 2
Our operating results can fluctuate significantly from period to period, which makes our operating results difficult to predict and can cause our operating results in any particular period to be less than comparable periods and expectations from time to time.Our operating results have fluctuated significantly from quarter-to-quarter, period-to-period and year-to-year during our operating history and are likely to continue to fluctuate in the future due to a variety of factors, many of which are outside of our control. Certain factors that may affect our operating results include, without limitation, those set forth under "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Critical Accounting Policies" in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Because we have little or no control over many of these factors, our operating results are difficult to predict. Any adverse change in any of these factors could negatively affect our business and results of operations.
Our revenues, net income and other operating results are heavily dependent upon the size and timing of customer orders and projects, and the timing of the completion of those projects. The timing of our receipt of large individual orders, and of project completion, is difficult for us to predict. Because our operating expenses are based on anticipated revenues over the mid- and long-term and because a high percentage of our operating expenses are relatively fixed, a shortfall or delay in recognizing revenues can cause our operating results to vary significantly from quarter-to-quarter and can result in significant operating losses or declines in profit margins in any particular quarter. If our revenues fall below our expectations in any particular quarter, we may not be able, or it may not be prudent for us, to reduce our expenses rapidly in response to the revenue shortfall, which can result in us suffering significant operating losses or declines in profit margins in that quarter.
Due to these factors and the other risks discussed in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, you should not rely on quarter-to-quarter, period-to-period or year-to-year comparisons of our results of operations as an indication of our future performance. Quarterly, period and annual comparisons of our operating results are not necessarily meaningful or indicative of future performance. As a result, it is likely that, from time to time, our results of operations or our revenue backlog could fall below historical levels or the expectations of public market analysts and investors, which could cause the trading price of our common stock to decline significantly.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 3
We have incurred significant losses in the past and we may incur losses in the future, which may hamper our operations and impede us from expanding our business.We have incurred significant losses in the past. For the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, we incurred net losses of approximately $9.1 million and $4.6 million, respectively. For the three months ended March 31, 2026, we realized a net loss of approximately $178. We may incur net and gross losses in the future. We expect to rely on cash on hand, cash, if any, generated from our operations, borrowing availability under our line of credit and proceeds from our future financing activities, if any, to fund all of the cash requirements of our business. Additional losses may hamper our operations and impede us from expanding our business.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 4
If we fail to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, we may not be able to accurately report our financial results or prevent fraud. As a result, stockholders could lose confidence in our financial and other public reporting, which would harm our business and the trading price of our common stock.Effective internal controls over financial reporting are necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and, together with adequate disclosure controls and procedures, are designed to prevent fraud. Any failure to implement required new or improved controls, or difficulties encountered in their implementation could cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations. In addition, any testing by us conducted in connection with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, or any subsequent testing by our independent registered public accounting firm, may reveal deficiencies in our internal controls over financial reporting that are deemed to be material weaknesses or that may require prospective or retroactive changes to our financial statements or identify other areas for further attention or improvement. Inferior internal controls could also cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information, which could have a negative effect on the trading price of our common stock.
We are required to disclose changes made in our internal controls and procedures on a quarterly basis and our management is required to assess the effectiveness of these controls annually. However, for as long as we are a "non-accelerated filer" under SEC rules, our independent registered public accounting firm will not be required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404. An independent assessment of the effectiveness of our internal controls could detect problems that our management's assessment might not. Undetected material weaknesses in our internal controls could lead to financial statement restatements and require us to incur the expense of remediation.
Corporate Activity and Growth1 | 2.6%
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1
We incur significant costs as a result of operating as a public company and our management expects to devote substantial time to public company compliance programs.Production
Total Risks: 8/39 (21%)Above Sector Average
Manufacturing3 | 7.7%
Manufacturing - Risk 1
Certain of our products are used in critical communications networks which may subject us to significant liability claims.Manufacturing - Risk 2
We manufacture and assemble a majority of our products at two facilities. Any prolonged disruption in the operations of this facility would result in a decline in our sales and profitability.We manufacture and assemble our DC power systems at our two production facilities located in Gardena, California. Any prolonged disruption in the operations of our manufacturing and assembly facilities, whether due to the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery, equipment or information technology infrastructure failure, labor difficulties, destruction of or damage to one or both of these facilities as a result of an earthquake, fire, flood, other catastrophes, and other operational problems would result in a decline in our sales and profitability. In the event of a business interruption at our facilities, we may be unable to shift manufacturing and assembly capabilities to alternate locations, accept materials from suppliers or meet customer shipment needs, among other severe consequences. Such an event could have a material and adverse impact on our financial condition and results of our operations.
Manufacturing - Risk 3
Many of our DC power systems involve long design and sales cycles, which could have an adverse impact on our results of operations and financial performance.The design and sales cycle for our DC power systems, from initial contact with our potential customer to the shipments of our product, may be lengthy. Customers generally consider a wide range of factors before making a purchase decision. Prior to purchasing our products, many of our customers often require a significant technical review, tests and evaluations over long periods of time (i.e., three to twenty-four months), assessments of competitive products and approval at a number of management levels within their organization. During the time our customers are evaluating our products, we may incur substantial sales and service, engineering and research and development expenses to customize our products to meet customer's application needs. We may also expend significant management efforts, increase manufacturing capacity, order long-lead-time components or purchase significant amounts of components and other inventory prior to receiving an order. Even after this evaluation process, a potential customer may not purchase our products.
The product development time before a customer agrees to purchase our DC power systems can be considerable. Our process for developing an integrated solution may require use of significant engineering resources, including design, prototyping, modeling, testing and application engineering. The length of this cycle is influenced by many factors, including the difficulty of the technical specification and complexity of the design and the customer's procurement processes. A significant period may elapse between our investment of time and resources in designing and developing a product for a customer and receipt of revenue from sales of that product. The length of this process, combined with unanticipated delays in the development cycles and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery on our ability to demonstrate our products to current and potential customers could materially affect our results of operations and financial conditions.
Supply Chain2 | 5.1%
Supply Chain - Risk 1
A portion of our key components are sourced in foreign countries, exposing us to additional risks that may not exist in the U.S.Supply Chain - Risk 2
We are dependent on relationships with our key material suppliers, and the partial or complete loss of one of these key suppliers, or the failure to find replacement suppliers or manufacturers in a timely manner, could adversely affect our business.We have established relationships with third-party engine suppliers and other key suppliers from which we source components for our power systems. We purchase standard configurations of engines for our DC power systems and are substantially dependent on timely supply from our key engine suppliers, Yanmar Engines Company, Toyota Corporation, and Engine Distributors Inc. (for Ford engines). Engines from Yanmar Engines Company, Toyota Corporation, and Engine Distributors Inc. (for Ford engines) represented approximately 74%, 2%, and 21% of our total engines sold as a component of our DC power systems during the three months ended March 31, 2026, respectively, and represented approximately 88%, nil%, and 13% of our total engines sold as components of our DC power systems during the three months ended March 31, 2025, respectively. We also use engines from Perkins, Isuzu, Kubota and, to a lesser extent, Volvo Penta. We do not have any long-term contracts or commitments with any of these suppliers or other key suppliers from which we source components for our power systems. We currently have past due accounts with many of our key suppliers. If any of these engine suppliers or key component suppliers were to fail to provide qualified engines or components in a timely manner or fail to supply engines or components that meet our quality, quantity or cost requirements, or were to discontinue manufacturing any engines or components we source from them or discontinue providing any of these engines or components to us, or the supply chain is interrupted or delayed as a result of a pandemic or unprecedented event, or if suppliers decide stop supplying engines or components due to past due accounts if we do not bring these accounts current or negotiate a payment plan in a timely manner, and we were unable to obtain substitute sources in a timely manner or on terms acceptable to us, our ability to manufacture our products could be materially adversely affected.
Costs3 | 7.7%
Costs - Risk 1
Price increases in some of the key components in our DC power systems could materially and adversely affect our operating results and cash flows.Costs - Risk 2
The unavailability or shortage, or increase in the cost, of raw materials and components could have an adverse effect on our sales and profitability.Our operations require raw materials, such as aluminum, copper, engines, electronics, and permanent magnets. Commodities such as aluminum and copper are known to have significant price volatility based on global economic conditions. An increase in global economic outlook may result in significant price increases in the cost of our raw materials. In addition, we use Neodymium permanent magnets in our alternators, for which there are a limited number of global suppliers that can meet our standards. Increase in manufacturing of electric vehicles worldwide can have an adverse effect on the cost or supply of these magnets. At our current production volumes, we are unable to secure large quantities of these commodities at fixed prices; however, we do have multiple sources of supply for our raw materials to meet our near term forecasted needs. Various factors could reduce the availability of raw materials and components and shortages may occur from time to time in the future. An increase in lead times for the supply of raw materials due to a global increase in demand for commodities or other reasons may significantly increase the timing of receipt of such materials and/or increase the material costs of our products. For example, if production was interrupted due to unavailability or shortage of raw materials and we were not able to find alternate third-party suppliers or re-engineer our products to accommodate different components or materials, we could experience disruptions in manufacturing and operations including product shortages, higher freight costs and re-engineering costs. If our supply of raw materials or components are disrupted or our lead times extended, our business, results of operations or financial condition could be materially adversely affected.
Costs - Risk 3
We face inventory risk and may be required to write-off additional inventory in the future.We value inventories at the lower of cost or net realizable value. If the estimated net realizable value is determined to be less than the recorded cost of the inventory, a provision is made to reduce the carrying amount of the inventory item to the lower net realizable value determination. Determination of the net realizable value may be complex, and therefore, requires management to make assumptions and to apply a high degree of judgment. In order for management to make the appropriate determination of net realizable value, the following items are commonly considered: inventory turnover statistics, inventory quantities on hand in our facilities, unfilled customer order quantities, forecasted consumer demand, current prices, competitive pricing, seasonality factors, consumer trends and performance of similar products or accessories. Subsequent changes in facts or circumstances do not result in the reversal of previously recorded write-downs.
If our estimates regarding net realizable value are inaccurate, including our estimates regarding our inventory, or changes in customer demand for our products in an unforeseen manner, we may experience additional write-downs of our inventory.
Tech & Innovation
Total Risks: 5/39 (13%)Above Sector Average
Innovation / R&D1 | 2.6%
Innovation / R&D - Risk 1
If we are unable to continue to develop new and enhanced products and services that achieve market acceptance in a timely manner, our competitive position and operating results could be harmed.Trade Secrets2 | 5.1%
Trade Secrets - Risk 1
If we face claims of intellectual property infringement by third parties, we could encounter expensive litigation, be liable for significant damages or incur restrictions on our ability to sell our products and services.Trade Secrets - Risk 2
If we fail to adequately protect our intellectual property rights, we could lose important proprietary technology, which could materially and adversely affect our business.Our success and ability to compete depends, in substantial part, upon our ability to develop and protect our proprietary technology and intellectual property rights to distinguish our products, services and technology from those of our competitors. The unauthorized use of our intellectual property rights and proprietary technology by others could materially harm our business.
Historically, we have relied primarily on a combination of trademark, copyright and trade secret laws, along with non-competition and confidentiality agreements, contractual provisions, licensing arrangements and proprietary software and manufacturing processes, to establish and protect our intellectual property rights. Although we hold several unregistered copyrights in our business, we believe that the success of our business depends more upon our proprietary technology, information, processes and know-how than on patents or trademark registrations. In addition, much of our proprietary information and technology may not be patentable; if we decided to apply for patents and/or trademarks in the future, we might not be successful in obtaining any such future patents or in registering any marks.
Despite our efforts to protect our intellectual property rights, existing laws afford only limited protection, and our actions may be inadequate to protect our rights or to prevent others from claiming violations of their proprietary rights. Unauthorized third parties may attempt to copy, reverse engineer or otherwise obtain, use or exploit aspects of our products and services, develop similar technology independently, or otherwise obtain and use information that we regard as proprietary. We cannot assure you that our competitors will not independently develop technology similar or superior to our technology or design around our intellectual property. In addition, the laws of some foreign countries may not protect our proprietary rights as fully or in the same manner as the laws of the U.S.
We may need to resort to litigation to enforce our intellectual property rights, to protect our trade secrets, and to determine the validity and scope of other companies' proprietary rights in the future. However, litigation could result in significant costs and in the diversion of management and financial resources. We cannot assure you that any such litigation will be successful or that we will prevail over counterclaims against us. Our failure to protect any of our important intellectual property rights or any litigation that we resort to in order to enforce those rights could materially and adversely affect our business.
Cyber Security1 | 2.6%
Cyber Security - Risk 1
Cyberattacks through security vulnerabilities could lead to disruption of business, reduced revenue, increased costs, liability claims, or harm to our reputation or competitive position.Technology1 | 2.6%
Technology - Risk 1
Rapid technological changes may prevent us from remaining current with our technological resources and maintaining competitive product and service offerings.Ability to Sell
Total Risks: 4/39 (10%)Below Sector Average
Competition1 | 2.6%
Competition - Risk 1
The markets within which we compete are highly competitive. Many of our competitors have greater financial and other resources than we do and one or more of these competitors could use their greater financial and other resources to gain market share at our expense.Demand2 | 5.1%
Demand - Risk 1
The current high concentration of our sales within the telecommunications market could result in a significant reduction in sales and negatively affect our profitability if demand for our DC power systems declines within this market before we are able to make significant inroads with our diversification of markets and customers.Demand - Risk 2
We are dependent on, and derive substantially all of our revenue from, sales of our DC base power systems to one customer within the U.S. telecommunications market. Our efforts to expand our customer base, our product portfolio or markets within which we operate may not succeed and may reduce our revenue growth rate.We derive substantially all our revenues from sales of our DC base power systems to one Tier-1 customer within the telecommunications market. The volume of sales to them may vary significantly from year to year. Any factor adversely affecting sales of these power systems to this customer or to other customers within this market, including market acceptance, product competition, performance and reliability, reputation, price competition and economic and market conditions, could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
In addition, any unfavorable change in our business relationship with our Tier-1 telecommunications wireless carrier customers, or delays in customer implementation and deployment of our products, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operation and financial condition. Our plans to invest in the development of electric vehicle chargers, residential and commercial power products and higher capacity DC hybrid solar systems may not result in an anticipated growth in sales and may reduce our revenue growth rate.
Sales & Marketing1 | 2.6%
Sales & Marketing - Risk 1
We do not have long-term commitments for significant revenues with most of our customers and may be unable to retain existing customers, attract new customers or replace departing customers with new customers that can provide comparable revenues and profits.Macro & Political
Total Risks: 4/39 (10%)Below Sector Average
Economy & Political Environment1 | 2.6%
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 1
Rising inflation in the economies in which we operate may adversely affect our operating margins and our results of operation.International Operations1 | 2.6%
International Operations - Risk 1
We are exposed to risks related to our international sales, and the failure to manage these risks could harm our business. If we fail to expand our business into international markets, our revenues and results of operations may be adversely affected.Natural and Human Disruptions2 | 5.1%
Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 1
Terrorist attacks and threats of war may impact all aspects of our operations, revenues, costs and stock price in unpredictable ways.Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 2
Natural disasters and other events beyond our control could materially adversely affect us.Natural disasters or other catastrophic events, including the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery, may cause damage or disruption to our operations, international commerce and the global economy, and thus could have a strong negative effect on us. Our business operations are subject to interruption by natural disasters, fire, power shortages, pandemics and other events beyond our control. Although we maintain crisis management and disaster response plans, such events could make it difficult or impossible for us to deliver our services to our customers and could decrease demand for our services.
Legal & Regulatory
Total Risks: 3/39 (8%)Below Sector Average
Regulation2 | 5.1%
Regulation - Risk 1
Our business operations are subject to substantial government regulation.Regulation - Risk 2
We could be adversely affected by our failure to comply with the laws applicable to our foreign activities, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other similar worldwide anti-bribery laws.The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or the FCPA, and similar anti-bribery laws in other jurisdictions prohibit U.S.-based companies and their intermediaries from making improper payments to non-U.S. officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. We may pursue opportunities in certain parts of the world that experience government corruption, and in certain circumstances, compliance with anti-bribery laws may conflict with local customs and practices. Our policies mandate compliance with all applicable anti-bribery laws. Further, we require our partners, subcontractors, agents and others who work for us or on our behalf to comply with the FCPA and other anti-bribery laws. Although we have policies and procedures, and have conducted training, designed to ensure that we, our employees, our agents and others who work with us in foreign countries comply with the FCPA and other anti-bribery laws, there is no assurance that such policies, procedures or training will protect us against liability under the FCPA or other laws for actions taken by our agents, employees and intermediaries. If we are found to be liable for FCPA violations (either due to our own acts or inadvertence, or due to the acts or inadvertence of others), we could suffer from severe criminal or civil penalties or other sanctions, which could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business, results of operations or cash flows. In addition, detecting, investigating and resolving actual or alleged FCPA violations is expensive and could consume significant time and attention of our senior management.
Litigation & Legal Liabilities1 | 2.6%
Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 1
We have been evicted from our headquarters facility and may face eviction from our warehouse facility; it we fail to have appropriate facilities to operate our business, our operations, financial condition and results of operations will be adversely affected.Added
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.