Public companies are required to disclose risks that can affect the business and impact the stock. These disclosures are known as “Risk Factors”. Companies disclose these risks in their yearly (Form 10-K), quarterly earnings (Form 10-Q), or “foreign private issuer” reports (Form 20-F). Risk factors show the challenges a company faces. Investors can consider the worst-case scenarios before making an investment. TipRanks’ Risk Analysis categorizes risks based on proprietary classification algorithms and machine learning.

Powell Industries disclosed 33 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Powell Industries reported the most risks in the “Finance & Corporate” category.

Risk Overview Q2, 2020

Risk Distribution

30% Finance & Corporate

24% Production

15% Legal & Regulatory

15% Macro & Political

12% Ability to Sell

3% Tech & Innovation

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

Powell Industries Risk Factors

New Risk (0)

Risk Changed (0)

Risk Removed (0)

No changes from previous report

The chart shows the number of risks a company has disclosed. You can compare this to the sector average or S&P 500 average.

The quarters shown in the chart are according to the calendar year (January to December). Businesses set their own financial calendar, known as a fiscal year. For example, Walmart ends their financial year at the end of January to accommodate the holiday season.

Risk Highlights Q2, 2020

Main Risk Category

Finance & Corporate

With 10 Risks

Finance & Corporate

With 10 Risks

Number of Disclosed Risks

No changes from last report

S&P 500 Average: 31

No changes from last report

S&P 500 Average: 31

Recent Changes

1Risks added

0Risks removed

1Risks changed

Since Jun 2020

1Risks added

0Risks removed

1Risks changed

Since Jun 2020

Number of Risk Changed

No changes from last report

S&P 500 Average: 3

No changes from last report

S&P 500 Average: 3

See the risk highlights of Powell Industries 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 33

Finance & Corporate

Total Risks: 10/33 (30%)Below Sector Average

Share Price & Shareholder Rights2 | 6.1%

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1

Our stock price could decline or fluctuate significantly due to unforeseen circumstances. These fluctuations may cause our stockholders to incur losses.

Our stock price could fluctuate or decline due to a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the risks factors described herein, the timing and cancellation of projects, changes in our estimated costs to complete projects, investors' opinions of the sectors and markets in which we operate or failure of our operating results to meet the expectations of securities analysts or investors which could reduce investor confidence. These factors could adversely affect our business, and the trading price of our common stock could decline significantly.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2

Provisions of our charter documents or Delaware law could delay or prevent an acquisition of our company, even if the acquisition would be beneficial to our stockholders, and could make it more difficult to change management.

Because we are governed by Delaware law, we are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. These provisions prohibit a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a business combination with an interested stockholder, generally a person who, together with its affiliates, owns, or within the last three years has owned, 15% of our voting stock, 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. In addition, provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation and bylaws may discourage, delay or prevent a merger, acquisition or other change in control that stockholders might otherwise consider favorable, including transactions in which stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares. These provisions may frustrate or prevent any attempt by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management by making it more difficult to replace or remove our board of directors.

Accounting & Financial Operations4 | 12.1%

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1

Failures or weaknesses in our internal controls over financial reporting could adversely affect our ability to report on our financial condition and results of operations accurately and/or on a timely basis.

We are required to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which requires, among other things, an assessment by our management of our internal control over financial reporting. Preparing our financial statements involves a number of complex processes, many of which are performed manually and are dependent upon individual data input or review. We are continually working to maintain and strengthen our internal controls over financial reporting, however, any system of controls has limitations, including the possibility of human error, the circumvention or overriding of controls and/or fraud. Our failure to maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting could adversely affect our ability to report our financial results on a timely and accurate basis, which could result in a loss of investor confidence in our financial reports or have an adverse impact on our business and results of operations.

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 2

There can be no assurance that we will declare or pay future dividends on our common stock.

Our Board of Directors has approved a regular dividend since Fiscal 2014. The declaration, amount and timing of future dividends are subject to capital availability and determinations by our Board of Directors that cash dividends are in the best interest of our stockholders and are in compliance with all respective laws and applicable agreements. Our ability to declare and pay dividends will depend upon, among other factors, our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, current and anticipated expansion plans, requirements under Delaware law and other factors that our Board of Directors may deem relevant. A reduction in or elimination of our dividend payments could have a material negative effect on our stock price.

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 3

Our backlog is subject to unexpected adjustments and cancellations and, therefore, may not be a reliable indicator of our future earnings.

We have a backlog of uncompleted contracts. Backlog represents management's best estimate of the remaining performance obligation from work to be performed on uncompleted contracts, including new contractual agreements on which work has not begun. From time to time, projects are cancelled or modified, and while we may be reimbursed for certain costs, we may not have a contractual right to the total revenue reflected in our backlog. In addition to our being unable to recover certain direct costs, cancelled projects may also result in additional unrecoverable costs due to the underutilization of our assets. Accordingly, the amounts recorded in backlog may not be a reliable indicator of our future operating results and may not be indicative of continuing revenue performance over future fiscal quarters.

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 4

Revenues recognized over time from our fixed-price contracts could result in volatility in our results of operations.

As discussed in "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates" and in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report, the majority of our revenues are recognized over time. Revenues are recognized as work is performed and costs are incurred. The revenue earned to date is calculated by multiplying the total contract price by the percentage of performance to date, which is based on total costs incurred to date compared to the total estimated costs at completion. The determination of the revenue recognized requires the use of estimates of costs to be incurred for the performance of the contract. The cost estimation process is based upon the professional knowledge and experience of our management teams, engineers, project managers and financial professionals. We bear the risk of cost overruns in most of our contracts, which may result in reduced profits. Contract losses are recognized in full when determined, and estimates of revenue and cost to complete are adjusted based on ongoing reviews of estimated contract performance. Previously recorded estimates of revenues and costs are adjusted as the project progresses and circumstances change. In certain circumstances, it is possible that such adjustments to costs and revenues could have an adverse impact on our results of operations.

Debt & Financing2 | 6.1%

Debt & Financing - Risk 1

Obtaining surety bonds, letters of credit, bank guarantees, or other financial assurances, may be necessary for us to successfully bid on and obtain certain contracts.

We are often required to provide our customers security for the performance of their projects in the form of surety bonds, letters of credit or other financial assurances. Our continued ability to obtain surety bonds, letters of credit or other financial assurances will depend on our capitalization, working capital and past performance. We are also dependent on the overall bonding capacity, pricing and terms available in the surety markets. As such, we cannot guarantee our ability to maintain a sufficient level of bonding capacity in the future. The restriction, reduction or termination of our surety bond agreements could limit our ability to bid on new opportunities and would require us to issue letters of credit under our bank facilities in lieu of surety bonds, thereby reducing availability under our credit facility, which could have an adverse impact on our business and results of operations.

Debt & Financing - Risk 2

Failure to remain in compliance with covenants or obtain waivers or amendments under our credit agreement could adversely impact our business.

Our credit agreement contains various financial covenants and restrictions, which are described in Note G of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. Our ability to remain in compliance with such financial covenants and restrictions may be affected by factors beyond our control, including general or industry-specific economic downturns. If we fail to remain in compliance with such covenants and restrictions, absent a modification or waiver, this could result in an event of default under the credit agreement. Among other things, the occurrence of an event of default could limit our ability to obtain additional financing or result in acceleration of outstanding amounts under the credit agreement or a termination of the agreement, any of which could have an adverse impact on our liquidity, business and results of operations.

Corporate Activity and Growth2 | 6.1%

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1

Unforeseen difficulties with expansions, relocations or consolidations of existing facilities could adversely affect our operations.

From time to time we may decide to enter new markets, build or lease additional facilities, expand our existing facilities, relocate or consolidate one or more of our operations or exit a facility we may own or lease. Increased costs and production delays arising from the staffing, relocation, sublease, expansion or consolidation of our facilities could adversely affect our business and results of operations.

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 2

Growth and product diversification through strategic acquisitions involves a number of risks.

Our strategy includes the pursuit of growth and product diversification through the acquisition of companies or assets and entering into joint ventures that will enable us to expand our geographic coverage and product and service offerings. We periodically review potential acquisitions; however, we may be unable to successfully implement this strategy. Acquisitions involve certain risks, including difficulties in the integration of operations and systems; failure to realize cost savings; the termination of relationships by key personnel and customers of the acquired company and a failure to add additional employees to handle the increased volume of business. Additionally, financial and accounting challenges and complexities in areas such as valuation, tax planning, treasury management and financial reporting from our acquisitions may impact our operating results. Due diligence may not be adequate or reveal all risks and challenges associated with our acquisitions. Companies that we acquire may not achieve revenues, profitability or cash flows that we expected, or that ultimately justify the investment. It is possible that impairment charges resulting from the overpayment for an acquisition may negatively impact our results of operations. Financing for acquisitions may require us to obtain additional equity or debt financing, which may not be available on attractive terms, if at all, or which may be restricted under the terms of our credit facility or other financing arrangements. Any failure to successfully complete or successfully integrate acquisitions could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

Production

Total Risks: 8/33 (24%)Above Sector Average

Manufacturing2 | 6.1%

Manufacturing - Risk 1

Unsatisfactory safety performance may subject us to penalties, negatively impact customer relationships, result in higher operating costs, and negatively impact employee morale and turnover.

We place great emphasis on workplace safety in our entire organization through various safety initiatives and training. We have both indoor and outdoor manufacturing facilities which are susceptible to numerous industrial safety risks that can lead to personal injury, loss of life, damage to property and equipment, as well as potential environmental damage. While we take every precaution to avoid incidents, we have experienced accidents in the past and may again in the future, which can negatively affect our safety record. A poor safety record can harm our reputation with existing and potential customers, jeopardize our relationship with employees and could adversely impact our business and results of operations.

Manufacturing - Risk 2

Quality problems with our products could harm our reputation and erode our competitive position.

The success of our business depends upon the quality of our products and our relationships with customers. In the event that one of our products fails to meet our customers' standards or safety requirements or fails to operate effectively, our reputation could be harmed, which would adversely affect our marketing and sales efforts. We provide warranties to our customers for our products and the cost to satisfy customer warranty claims, which may include, among other things, costs for the repair or replacement of products, could adversely impact our business and results of operations.

Employment / Personnel3 | 9.1%

Employment / Personnel - Risk 1

The departure of key personnel could disrupt our business.

We depend on the continued efforts of our executive officers, senior management and other key professionals. We cannot be certain that any individual will continue in such capacity for any particular period of time. The loss of key personnel, or the inability to hire and retain qualified employees, could negatively impact our ability to perform and manage our business.

Employment / Personnel - Risk 2

Our business requires skilled and unskilled labor, and we may be unable to attract and retain qualified employees.

Our ability to maintain our productivity at competitive levels may be limited by our ability to employ, train and retain personnel necessary to meet our requirements. We face significant competition for qualified personnel in our industry. We may experience shortages of qualified personnel such as engineers, project managers and select skilled trades. We cannot be certain that we will be able to maintain an adequate skilled labor force or key technical personnel necessary to operate efficiently and to support our growth strategy and operations. We cannot be certain that our labor costs will not increase as a result of a shortage in the supply of skilled, unskilled and technical personnel. Labor shortages or increased labor costs could impair our ability to maintain our business, meet customer commitments or grow our revenues, and may adversely impact our business and results of operations.

Employment / Personnel - Risk 3

Misconduct by our employees or subcontractors, or a failure to comply with laws or regulations, could harm our reputation, damage our relationships with customers and subject us to criminal and civil enforcement actions.

Misconduct, fraud, non-compliance with applicable laws and regulations, or other improper activities by one or more of our employees or subcontractors could have a significant negative impact on our business and reputation. While we take precautions to prevent and detect these activities, such precautions may not be effective and are subject to inherent limitations, including human error and fraud. Acts of misconduct, or our failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations, could subject us to fines and penalties, harm our reputation, damage our relationships with customers and could adversely impact our business and results of operations.

Supply Chain1 | 3.0%

Supply Chain - Risk 1

We are exposed to risks relating to the use of subcontractors on some of our projects.

We hire subcontractors to perform work on some projects and sometimes depend on third-party suppliers to provide equipment and materials necessary to complete or ship our products. If our subcontractors do not perform as expected for any reason, we may experience delays in completing our projects or incur additional costs. In addition, we may have disputes with these independent subcontractors arising from, among other things, the quality and timeliness of the work they have performed. Any of these factors could adversely impact our business and results of operations.

Costs2 | 6.1%

Costs - Risk 1

Fluctuations in the price and supply of materials used to manufacture our products may reduce our profits and could adversely impact our ability to meet commitments to our customers.

Our material costs represented 47% of our consolidated revenues for Fiscal 2019. Unanticipated increases in raw material requirements or prices, the imposition of tariffs, and changes in supplier availability or supplier consolidation, could increase production costs and adversely affect profitability as fixed-price contracts may prohibit our ability to charge the customer for the increase in raw material prices. We purchase a wide variety of materials and component parts from various suppliers to manufacture our products, including steel, aluminum, copper and various components. Our supply base for certain key components and raw materials is limited and may come from a single supplier. If we are unable to obtain key components and raw materials from these suppliers, the key components and raw materials may not be readily available from other suppliers or available with acceptable terms. Our success depends on our ability to meet customer commitments and could be negatively impacted if a supplier experiences a disruption or discontinuance in their operations. The time and effort associated with the selection and qualification of a new supplier and changes in our design and testing to accommodate similar components from other suppliers could be significant. Additionally, we rely on certain competitors for key materials used in our products. This could negatively impact our ability to manufacture our products if the relationships change or become adversarial.

Costs - Risk 2

We carry insurance against many potential liabilities, but our management of risk may leave us exposed to unidentified or unanticipated risks.

Although we maintain insurance policies with respect to our related exposures, including certain casualty, property, business interruption and self-insured medical and dental programs, these policies contain deductibles, self-insured retentions and limits of coverage. In addition, we may not be able to continue to obtain insurance at commercially reasonable rates or may be faced with liabilities not covered by insurance, such as, but not limited to, environmental contamination or terrorist attacks. We estimate our liabilities for known claims and unpaid claims and expenses based on information available as well as projections for claims incurred but not reported. However, insurance liabilities, some of which are self-insured, are difficult to estimate due to various factors. If any of our insurance policies or programs are not effective in mitigating our risks, we may incur losses that are not covered by our insurance policies, that are subject to deductibles or that exceed our estimated accruals or our insurance policy limits, which could adversely impact our business and results of operations.

Legal & Regulatory

Total Risks: 5/33 (15%)Below Sector Average

Regulation1 | 3.0%

Regulation - Risk 1

Our operations could be adversely impacted by the effects of government regulations.

Changes in policy, laws or regulations, including those affecting oil and gas exploration and development activities and the resulting decisions by customers and other industry participants could reduce demand for our products and services, which would have a negative impact on our operations. Various regulations have been implemented around the world related to safety and certification requirements applicable to oil and gas drilling and production activities, and we cannot predict whether operators will be able to satisfy these requirements. Further, we cannot predict future changes in any country in which we operate and how those changes may affect our ability to perform projects in those regions. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act requires disclosure of use of "conflict" minerals mined from the Democratic Republic of Congo and adjoining countries and our efforts to prevent the use of such minerals. In our industry, conflict minerals are most commonly found in metals. As there may be only a limited number of suppliers offering "conflict free" metals, we cannot be sure that we will be able to obtain necessary metals in sufficient quantities or at competitive prices. Also, we may face challenges with our customers and suppliers if we are unable to sufficiently verify that the metals used in our products are "conflict free."

Litigation & Legal Liabilities2 | 6.1%

Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 1

Actual and potential claims, lawsuits and proceedings could ultimately reduce our profitability and liquidity and weaken our financial condition.

We could be named as a defendant in future legal proceedings that claim damages in connection with the operation of our business. Most of the actions against us arise out of the normal course of our performing services or manufacturing equipment. From time to time, we may be a plaintiff in legal proceedings against customers in which we seek to recover payment of contractual amounts due to us, as well as claims for increased costs incurred by us. When appropriate, we establish provisions against certain legal exposures, and we adjust such provisions from time to time according to ongoing developments related to each exposure, as well as any potential recovery from our insurance, if applicable. If, in the future, our assumptions and estimates related to such exposures prove to be inadequate or wrong, or our insurance coverage is insufficient, our business and results of operations could be adversely affected. In addition, claims, lawsuits and proceedings may harm our reputation or divert management resources away from operating our business. Losses arising from such events may or may not be fully covered by our various insurance policies or may be subject to deductibles or exceed coverage limits.

Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 2

Many of our contracts contain performance obligations that may subject us to penalties or additional liabilities.

Many of our customer contracts have schedule and performance obligation clauses that, if we fail to meet, could subject us to penalty provisions, liquidated damages or claims against the company or our outstanding letters of credit or performance bonds. In addition, some customer contracts stipulate protection against our gross negligence or willful misconduct. Each individual contract defines the conditions under which the customer may make a claim against us. It is possible that adjustments arising from such claims, or our failure to manage our contract risk, may not be covered by insurance and could have an adverse impact on our results of operations.

Taxation & Government Incentives1 | 3.0%

Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 1

Changes in tax laws and regulations may change our effective tax rate and could have a material effect on our financial results.

We are subject to income taxes in the U.S. and numerous foreign jurisdictions. A change in tax laws, deductions or credits, treaties or regulations, or their interpretation, in the countries in which we operate could result in a higher tax rate on our pre-tax income, which could have a material impact on our net income. We are regularly under audit by tax authorities, and our tax estimates and tax positions could be materially affected by many factors including the final outcome of tax audits and related litigation, the introduction of new tax accounting standards, legislation, regulations and related interpretations, our global mix of earnings, the extent to which deferred tax assets are realized and changes in uncertain tax positions. A significant increase in our statutory tax rates could have a material impact on our net income or loss and cash flow.

Environmental / Social1 | 3.0%

Environmental / Social - Risk 1

Changes in and compliance with environmental laws could adversely impact our financial results.

Private lawsuits or enforcement actions by federal, state, provincial or foreign regulatory agencies may materially increase our costs. Certain environmental laws may make us potentially liable for the remediation of contamination at or emanating from our properties or facilities. Although we seek to obtain indemnities against liabilities relating to historical contamination at the facilities we own or operate, we cannot provide any assurance that we will not incur liabilities relating to the remediation of potential contamination, including contamination we did not cause. These potential environmental liabilities may or may not be fully covered by our various insurance policies and may adversely affect our business and results operations.

Macro & Political

Total Risks: 5/33 (15%)Below Sector Average

Economy & Political Environment2 | 6.1%

Economy & Political Environment - Risk 1

Significant developments arising from recent U.S. Government proposals concerning tariffs and other economic proposals could adversely impact our business.

As a result of recent changes to U.S. administration policy and recent U.S. government proposals, there may be greater restrictions and economic disincentives on international trade that could include significant increases in tariffs on goods. Changes in U.S. or international social, political, regulatory and economic conditions or in laws and policies governing foreign trade, manufacturing, development and investment in the territories and countries where we currently develop and sell our products, and any negative sentiment towards the U.S. as a result of such changes, could adversely impact our business and results of operations.

Economy & Political Environment - Risk 2

Economic uncertainty and financial market conditions may impact our customer base, suppliers and backlog.

Various factors drive demand for our products and services, including the price and demand for oil and gas, capital expenditures, economic forecasts and financial markets. Unanticipated increases in raw material requirements or prices, the imposition of tariffs, and changes in supplier availability or supplier consolidation, could increase production costs and adversely affect profitability. Uncertainty regarding these factors could impact our customers and severely impact the demand for projects and orders for our products and services. Additionally, the loss of significant volume from one particular customer at one of our facilities could adversely impact the operating results of that facility. If one or more of our suppliers or subcontractors experiences difficulties that result in a reduction or interruption in supply to us, or they fail to meet our manufacturing requirements, our business could be adversely impacted until we are able to secure alternative sources. Furthermore, our ability to maintain or expand our business would be limited in the future if we are unable to maintain or increase our bonding capacity or our bank credit facility on favorable terms or at all. Similarly, disruptions in the capital markets may also adversely impact our customer's ability to finance projects, which could result in contract cancellations or delays. These disruptions could lead to reduced demand for our products and services and could have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

International Operations1 | 3.0%

International Operations - Risk 1

Our international operations expose us to risks that are different from, or possibly greater than, the risks we are exposed to domestically and may adversely affect our operations.

Revenues associated with projects located outside of the U.S., including revenues generated from our operations in the U.K. and Canada, accounted for approximately 21% of our consolidated revenues in Fiscal 2019. While our manufacturing facilities are located in developed countries with historically stable operating and fiscal environments, our business and results of operations could be adversely affected by a number of factors, including: political and economic instability; social unrest, acts of terrorism, force majeure, war or other armed conflict; inflation; changes in tax laws; the application of foreign labor regulations; currency fluctuations, devaluations and conversion restrictions and/or governmental activities that limit or disrupt markets, restrict payments or limit the movement of funds and trade restrictions or economic embargoes imposed by the U.S. or other countries and the U.K.'s referendum to withdraw from the European Union. Additionally, the compliance with foreign and domestic import and export regulations and anti-corruption laws, such as the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, General Data Protection Regulation, or similar laws of other jurisdictions outside the U.S., could adversely impact our ability to compete for contracts in such jurisdictions. Moreover, the violation of such laws or regulations, by us or our representatives, could result in severe penalties including monetary fines, criminal proceedings and suspension of export privileges. Additionally, fluctuating foreign currency exchange rates may impact our financial results. The functional currency of our foreign operations is typically the currency of the country in which the foreign operation is located. Accordingly, our financial performance is subject to fluctuations due to changes in foreign currency exchange rates relative to the U.S. dollar.

Natural and Human Disruptions2 | 6.1%

Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 1

Added

Catastrophic events, including natural disasters, health epidemics (including the COVID-19 pandemic), acts of war and terrorism, among others, could disrupt our business.

The occurrence of catastrophic events,ranging from natural disasters to health epidemics (including the COVID-19 pandemic), to acts of war and terrorism, among others, could disrupt or delay our ability to operate our business and complete projects for our customers and could potentially expose us to third-party liability claims. We may declare the existence of a force majeure event under our contracts in certain situations; however, a customer may dispute our force majeure claim, which may result in additional liabilities. Losses arising from such events may or may not be fully covered by our various insurance policies or may be subject to deductibles or exceed coverage limits. In addition, such events could result in temporary or long-term delays and/or cancellations of orders for raw materials from our suppliers that could impact our project execution. These situations or other disruptions are outside of our control and may adversely impact our business and results of operations. The spread of COVID-19 has created and continues to create significant uncertainty and economic disruption across the world during the second half of Fiscal 2020. It is difficult to predict the economic impact that the COVID-19 pandemic may have on our business, results of operations and cash flows going forward. For example, certain of our customers have asked that we delay our manufacturing on their projects as their operations have been negatively impacted by this pandemic, the reduced oil and gas demand and commodity price volatility . These delays may have a negative effect on the timing of revenue recognition and cash flow. We have experienced supply disruptions and anticipate these supply disruptions may continue. Any delays in the supply of material or labor, could negatively impact our production schedule and delay the completion of certain projects. The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic specifically will impact our business will depend on numerous factors that are hard to predict, some of which include: the duration, spread and severity of the pandemic; governmental actions in response to the pandemic, including travel restrictions and quarantine or related orders; any closures of our offices and facilities or those of our suppliers as a result of the pandemic, and how quickly and to what extent normal economic and operating conditions can resume. Any of these factors, as well as other related business impacts resulting from COVID-19, could contribute to the risks and uncertainties described in our Annual Report. As a result, the magnitude of the impact on our business, results of operations and cash flows is not currently known.

Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 2

Changed

Catastrophic events could disrupt our business."

The following supplements and updates this risk factor previously disclosed in our Annual Report.

Ability to Sell

Total Risks: 4/33 (12%)Below Sector Average

Competition2 | 6.1%

Competition - Risk 1

Our industry is highly competitive.

Some of our competitors are significantly larger and have substantially greater global resources such as engineering, manufacturing and marketing resources, and at various times, may be a customer or supplier on any given project. Competition in the industry depends on a number of factors, including the number of projects available, technical ability, production capacity, location and price. Certain of our competitors may have lower cost structures and may, therefore, be able to provide their products or services at lower prices. Similarly, we cannot be certain that we will be able to maintain or enhance our competitive position within our industry, maintain our customer base at current levels, increase our customer base or continue to provide technologically superior products at a competitive price. New companies may enter the markets in which we compete, or industry consolidation may occur, further increasing competition in our markets. Our failure to compete effectively could adversely affect future revenues and have an adverse impact on our results of operations.

Competition - Risk 2

Technological innovations by competitors may make existing products and production methods obsolete.

All of the products that we manufacture and sell depend upon the best available technology for success in the marketplace. The industries in which we operate are characterized by intense competition and are highly sensitive to technological innovation and customer requirements. It is possible for competitors (both domestic and international) to develop products or production methods that will make current products or methods obsolete or at a minimum hasten their obsolescence; therefore, we cannot be certain that our competitors will not develop the expertise, experience and resources to provide products and services that are superior in both price and quality. Our future success will depend, in part, on our ability to anticipate and offer products that meet changing customer specifications. Failure to successfully develop new products, or to enhance existing products, could result in the loss of existing customers to competitors, the inability to attract new business or an overall reduction in our competitive position, any of which may adversely affect our business or results of operations.

Demand1 | 3.0%

Demand - Risk 1

Our business is subject to the cyclical nature of the end markets that we serve. This has had, and may continue to have, an adverse effect on our future operating results.

The end markets that we serve have historically been, and will continue to be vulnerable to general downturns, which in turn could materially and adversely affect the demand for our products and services. Our customer projects, budgets for capital expenditures and the need for our services have in the past, and may in the future, be adversely affected by among other things, poor economic conditions, low commodity prices, political uncertainties, and currency fluctuations. These variables may impact the number and/or the amount of new awards, delays in the timing of awards or potential cancellation of projects. The uncertainty of our contract award timing is outside of our control and can also present difficulties in matching workforce size with contract requirements. In some cases, we bear and maintain the cost of a ready workforce that may be larger than necessary in anticipation of future workforce needs. If an expected contract is delayed or not received, we may incur additional costs in staff or facility redundancy that could have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Sales & Marketing1 | 3.0%

Sales & Marketing - Risk 1

We extend credit to customers in conjunction with our performance under fixed price contracts which subjects us to potential credit risks.

We typically agree to allow our customers to defer payment on projects until certain milestones have been met or until the projects are substantially completed, and customers typically withhold some portion of amounts due to us as retainage. Our payment arrangements subject us to potential credit risk related to changes in business and economic factors affecting our customers, including material changes in our customers' revenues or cash flows. If we are unable to collect amounts owed to us, or retain amounts paid to us, our cash flows would be reduced, and we could experience losses if those amounts exceed current allowances. Any of these factors could adversely impact our business and results of operations.

Tech & Innovation

Total Risks: 1/33 (3%)Below Sector Average

Cyber Security1 | 3.0%

Cyber Security - Risk 1

A failure in our business systems or cyber security attacks on any of our facilities, or those of third parties, could adversely affect our business and our internal controls.

Our organization is dependent upon the proper functioning of our business systems that support our production, engineering, human resources, estimating, finance, and project management functions. If any of our financial, operational, or other data processing systems fail or have other significant shortcomings due to natural disaster, power loss, telecommunications failures, cyber security attacks or other similar events, our business or results of operations could be adversely affected. In addition, despite implementation of security measures, our business systems may be vulnerable to computer viruses, cyber-attacks, the accidental release of sensitive information and other unauthorized access. These failures of our business systems or security breaches could impact our customers, employees and reputation and result in a disruption to our operations or in legal claims or proceedings. A material network breach of our business systems could involve the theft of intellectual property, financial data, employee or customer data, which may be used by competitors. We rely on third-party systems which could also suffer operational system failure or cyber-attacks. Any of these occurrences could disrupt our business, result in potential liability or reputational damage or otherwise have an adverse effect on our business or results of operations. Network security and internal control measures have been implemented to address these risks and disruptions to our business. However, our portfolio of hardware and software products, solutions and services and information contained within our enterprise information technology (IT) systems may be vulnerable to damage or disruption caused by circumstances beyond our control such as catastrophic events, cyber-attacks, other malicious activities from unauthorized third parties, power outages, natural disasters, computer system or network failures or computer viruses. Any significant disruption or failure could damage our reputation or have a material adverse effect on our business and our results of operations.

See a full breakdown of risk according to category and subcategory. The list starts with the category with the most risk. Click on subcategories to read relevant extracts from the most recent report.

FAQ

What are “Risk Factors”?

Risk factors are any situations or occurrences that could make investing in a company risky.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires that publicly traded companies disclose their most significant risk factors. This is so that potential investors can consider any risks before they make an investment.

They also offer companies protection, as a company can use risk factors as liability protection. This could happen if a company underperforms and investors take legal action as a result.

It is worth noting that smaller companies, that is those with a public float of under $75 million on the last business day, do not have to include risk factors in their 10-K and 10-Q forms, although some may choose to do so.

How do companies disclose their risk factors?

Publicly traded companies initially disclose their risk factors to the SEC through their S-1 filings as part of the IPO process.

Additionally, companies must provide a complete list of risk factors in their Annual Reports (Form 10-K) or (Form 20-F) for “foreign private issuers”.

Quarterly Reports also include a section on risk factors (Form 10-Q) where companies are only required to update any changes since the previous report.

According to the SEC, risk factors should be reported concisely, logically and in “plain English” so investors can understand them.

How can I use TipRanks risk factors in my stock research?

Use the Risk Factors tab to get data about the risk factors of any company in which you are considering investing.

You can easily see the most significant risks a company is facing. Additionally, you can find out which risk factors a company has added, removed or adjusted since its previous disclosure. You can also see how a company’s risk factors compare to others in its sector.

Without reading company reports or participating in conference calls, you would most likely not have access to this sort of information, which is usually not included in press releases or other public announcements.

A simplified analysis of risk factors is unique to TipRanks.

What are all the risk factor categories?

TipRanks has identified 6 major categories of risk factors and a number of subcategories for each. You can see how these categories are broken down in the list below.

1. Financial & Corporate

Accounting & Financial Operations - risks related to accounting loss, value of intangible assets, financial statements, value of intangible assets, financial reporting, estimates, guidance, company profitability, dividends, fluctuating results.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights – risks related to things that impact share prices and the rights of shareholders, including analyst ratings, major shareholder activity, trade volatility, liquidity of shares, anti-takeover provisions, international listing, dual listing.
Debt & Financing – risks related to debt, funding, financing and interest rates, financial investments.
Corporate Activity and Growth – risks related to restructuring, M&As, joint ventures, execution of corporate strategy, strategic alliances.

2. Legal & Regulatory

Litigation and Legal Liabilities – risks related to litigation/ lawsuits against the company.
Regulation – risks related to compliance, GDPR, and new legislation.
Environmental / Social – risks related to environmental regulation and to data privacy.
Taxation & Government Incentives – risks related to taxation and changes in government incentives.

3. Production

Costs – risks related to costs of production including commodity prices, future contracts, inventory.
Supply Chain – risks related to the company’s suppliers.
Manufacturing – risks related to the company’s manufacturing process including product quality and product recalls.
Human Capital – risks related to recruitment, training and retention of key employees, employee relationships & unions labor disputes, pension, and post retirement benefits, medical, health and welfare benefits, employee misconduct, employee litigation.

4. Technology & Innovation

Innovation / R&D – risks related to innovation and new product development.
Technology – risks related to the company’s reliance on technology.
Cyber Security – risks related to securing the company’s digital assets and from cyber attacks.
Trade Secrets & Patents – risks related to the company’s ability to protect its intellectual property and to infringement claims against the company as well as piracy and unlicensed copying.

5. Ability to Sell

Demand – risks related to the demand of the company’s goods and services including seasonality, reliance on key customers.
Competition – risks related to the company’s competition including substitutes.
Sales & Marketing – risks related to sales, marketing, and distribution channels, pricing, and market penetration.
Brand & Reputation – risks related to the company’s brand and reputation.

6. Macro & Political

Economy & Political Environment – risks related to changes in economic and political conditions.
Natural and Human Disruptions – risks related to catastrophes, floods, storms, terror, earthquakes, coronavirus pandemic/COVID-19.
International Operations – risks related to the global nature of the company.
Capital Markets – risks related to exchange rates and trade, cryptocurrency.

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