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.

Restaurant Brands International disclosed 31 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Restaurant Brands International reported the most risks in the “Legal & Regulatory” category.

Risk Overview Q3, 2024

Risk Distribution

26% Legal & Regulatory

19% Production

19% Macro & Political

16% Ability to Sell

13% Finance & Corporate

6% 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

2020

S&P500 Average

Sector Average

Risks removed

Risks added

Risks changed

Restaurant Brands International Risk Factors

New Risk (0)

Risk Changed (0)

Risk Removed (0)

No changes from previous report

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

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

Risk Highlights Q3, 2024

Main Risk Category

Legal & Regulatory

With 8 Risks

Legal & Regulatory

With 8 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

0Risks added

0Risks removed

0Risks changed

Since Sep 2024

0Risks added

0Risks removed

0Risks changed

Since Sep 2024

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 Restaurant Brands International 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 31

Legal & Regulatory

Total Risks: 8/31 (26%)Above Sector Average

Regulation2 | 6.5%

Regulation - Risk 1

Canadian laws may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control.

We are a Canadian entity. The Investment Canada Act requires that a "non-Canadian," as defined therein, file an application for review with the Minister responsible for the Investment Canada Act and obtain approval of the Minister prior to acquiring control of a Canadian business, where prescribed financial thresholds are exceeded. This may discourage a potential acquirer from proposing or completing a transaction that may otherwise present a premium to shareholders.

Regulation - Risk 2

Changes in regulations may adversely affect restaurant operations and our financial results.

Our restaurants are subject to licensing and regulation by health, sanitation, safety and other agencies in the state, province and/or municipality in which the restaurant is located. Federal, state, provincial and local government authorities have enacted and may enact laws, rules or regulations that impact restaurant operations and may increase the cost of doing business. In developing markets, we face the risks associated with new and untested laws and judicial systems. If we fail to comply with existing or future laws, we may be subject to governmental fines and sanctions. We are subject to various provincial, state and foreign laws that govern the offer and sale of a franchise, including an FTC rule in the U.S. Various provincial, state and foreign laws regulate certain aspects of the franchise relationship, including terminations and the refusal to renew franchises. The failure to comply with these laws and regulations in any jurisdiction or to obtain required government approvals could result in a ban or temporary suspension on future franchise sales, fines and penalties or require us to make offers of rescission or restitution, any of which could adversely affect our business and operating results. We could also face lawsuits by franchisees based upon alleged violations of these laws. If we are unable to effectively manage the risks associated with our complex regulatory environment, it could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition.

Litigation & Legal Liabilities1 | 3.2%

Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 1

We have been, and in the future may be, subject to litigation that could have an adverse effect on our business.

We are regularly involved in litigation including related to disputes with franchisees, suppliers, employees, team members, and customers, as well as disputes over our advertising claims about our food and over our intellectual property. See the discussion of Legal Proceedings in Note 16, "Commitments and Contingencies," to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Form 10-K. Active and potential disputes with franchisees could damage our brand reputation and our relationships with our broader franchise base. Such litigation may be expensive to defend, harm our reputation and divert resources away from our operations and negatively impact our reported earnings. Also, legal proceedings against a franchisee or its affiliates by third parties, whether in the ordinary course of business or otherwise, may include claims against us by virtue of our relationship with the franchisee. We, or our business partners, may become subject to claims for infringement of intellectual property rights and we may be required to indemnify or defend our business partners from such claims. Should management's evaluation of our current exposure to legal matters pending against us prove incorrect and if such claims are successful, our exposure could exceed expectations and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Although some losses may be covered by insurance, if there are significant losses that are not covered, or there is a delay in receiving insurance proceeds, or the proceeds are insufficient to offset our losses fully, our financial condition or results of operations may be adversely affected.

Taxation & Government Incentives3 | 9.7%

Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 1

Future changes to Canadian, U.S. and other foreign tax laws, including future regulations and other interpretive guidance of such tax laws, could materially affect RBI and/or Partnership, and adversely affect their anticipated financial positions and results.

Our effective tax rate, cash taxes and financial results could be adversely impacted by changes in applicable tax laws (including regulatory, administrative, and judicial interpretations and guidance relating to such laws) in the jurisdictions in which we operate. The 2021 Canadian Federal Budget proposed various tax law changes, including a new limitation on the deductibility of interest and similar expenses; revised draft legislation was released on November 21, 2023, with a proposed effective date for taxation years beginning on or after October 1, 2023. The proposed rules have not yet been enacted. In general, the draft legislation proposes to limit the deductibility of interest and other financing-related expenses to the extent that such expenses, net of interest and financing-related income, exceed a fixed ratio of the entity's tax EBITDA, with a specified carry-back limit and an indefinite carry-forward limit. The proposed rules and their application are complex and could materially increase our future income taxes if enacted, adversely impacting our effective tax rate and financial results. On November 21, 2023, Canada released revised, proposed legislation that would impose a 2% equity buyback tax for net equity repurchase transactions that occur on or after January 1, 2024, however, this legislation has not yet been enacted. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development ("OECD") and many countries in which we operate have committed to enacting substantial changes to numerous long-standing tax principles impacting how large multinational enterprises are taxed in an effort to limit perceived base erosion and profit shifting incentives, including a 15% global minimum tax applied on a country-by-country basis, likely applicable to periods beginning on or after December 31, 2023. The OECD has issued model rules with respect to various aspects of such proposed changes and ongoing public consultation with additional guidance expected. On November 21, 2023, Canada released initial draft enabling legislation with respect to aspects of such OECD model rules. The enactment, timing and many details regarding such potential tax law changes remain uncertain as Canada and other individual countries evaluate and pursue their respective approaches to enacting the principles underlying such model rules. Certain countries in which we operate have enacted legislation (with subsequent guidance and details expected to follow) to adopt the "Pillar Two" framework effective for periods beginning on or after January 1, 2024, including Switzerland, which will increase our future taxes, adversely impacting our effective tax rate and financial results. We will continue to evaluate the potential impact on future periods of the "Pillar Two" framework as additional guidance is released and other individual countries adopt such enabling legislation.

Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 2

RBI and Partnership may be treated as U.S. corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which could subject us and Partnership to substantial additional U.S. taxes.

Because RBI and Partnership are organized under the laws of Canada, we are classified as foreign entities (and, therefore, non-U.S. tax residents) under general rules of U.S. federal income taxation that an entity is considered a tax resident in the jurisdiction of its organization or incorporation. Even so, the IRS may assert that we should be treated as a U.S. corporation (and, therefore, a U.S. tax resident) for U.S. federal income tax purposes pursuant to complex rules under Section 7874 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. In addition, a retroactive or prospective change to U.S. tax laws in this area could adversely impact this classification. If we were to be treated as a U.S. corporation for federal tax purposes, we could be subject to substantially greater U.S. tax liability than currently contemplated as a non-U.S. corporation.

Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 3

Unanticipated tax liabilities could adversely affect the taxes we pay and our profitability.

We are subject to income and other taxes in Canada, the United States, and numerous foreign jurisdictions. A taxation authority may disagree with certain of our views, including, for example, the allocation of profits by tax jurisdiction, and the deductibility of our interest expense, and may take the position that material income tax liabilities, interest, penalties, or other amounts are payable by us, in which case, we expect to contest such assessment. Contesting such an assessment may be lengthy and costly and, if we were unsuccessful, the implications could be materially adverse to us and affect our effective income tax rate and/or operating income. From time to time, we are subject to additional state and local income tax audits, international income tax audits and sales, franchise and value-added tax audits. Although we believe our tax estimates are reasonable, the final determination of tax audits and any related litigation could be materially different from our historical income tax provisions and accruals. The Canada Revenue Agency (the "CRA"), the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") and/or foreign tax authorities may not agree with our interpretation of the tax aspects of reorganizations, initiatives, transactions, or any related matters associated therewith that we have undertaken. The results of a tax audit or related litigation could result in us not being in a position to take advantage of the effective income tax rates and the level of benefits that we anticipated to achieve as a result of corporate reorganizations, initiatives and transactions, and the implications could have a material adverse effect on our effective income tax rate, income tax provision, net income (loss) or cash flows in the period or periods for which that determination is made.

Environmental / Social2 | 6.5%

Environmental / Social - Risk 1

If we are unable to protect the personal information that we gather or fail to comply with privacy and data protection laws and regulations, we could be subject to civil and criminal penalties, suffer reputational harm and incur substantial costs.

In the ordinary course of our business, we collect, process, transmit, disclose, and retain personal information regarding our employees and their families, our franchisees and their employees, vendors, contractors, and guests (which can include social security numbers, social insurance numbers, banking and tax identification information, health care information for employees, and credit card information) and our franchisees collect similar information. In recent years we expanded our development and management of our brands' mobile apps, online ordering platforms, and in-restaurant kiosks and home market loyalty programs. While our deployment of such technology facilitates our primary goals of generating incremental sales and improving operations at our franchisees' restaurants as well as additional customer awareness and interest in our brands, such deployment also means that we are collecting and entrusted with additional personal information, in some cases including geo-location tracking information, about our customers. In connection with the collection and retention of this information, we are subject to legal and compliance risks and associated liability related to privacy and data protection requirements. These types of legislation, which include the Canadian Consumer Privacy Protection Act, the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020, Quebec's Law 25, the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (the "GDPR") and the U.K. General Data Protection Regulation, can impose stringent data protection requirements, provide for costly penalties for noncompliance (eg. up to 4% of annual worldwide revenue for a breach of the GDPR), and confer the right upon data subjects and consumer associations to lodge complaints with supervisory authorities, seek judicial remedies, and obtain compensation for damages resulting from violations. In China, the Personal Information Protection Law ("PIPL"), has established?personal information processing rules, data subject rights, and obligations for personal information processors, among other things. In addition to the PIPL, China's Data Security Law regulates data processing activities associated with personal and non-personal data. Due to enhanced scrutiny from the general public, these regulations as well as their interpretation and criteria for enforcement continue to be subject to frequent change, and there are likely to be other jurisdictions that propose or enact new or emerging data privacy requirements in the future. The complexity of these privacy and data protection laws may result in significant costs arising from compliance and from any non-compliance, whether or not due to our negligence, and could affect our brand reputation and our results of operations. We have and are expected to continue to have significant investments arising from compliance with these regulatory regimes due to changes in the scope of our operations and the ever-changing techniques and sophistication used to conduct cyber-attacks and breaches. In addition, to the extent that we are not in compliance with these laws or experience a major breach, theft, or loss of personal information that is held by us, or third parties on our behalf (whether or not due to our failure to comply with data security rules and standards), we could be subject to substantial fines, penalties, indemnification claims, and potential litigation which could negatively impact our results of operations and financial condition. For example, in Canada, we have been the subject of government investigation and purported class action lawsuits based on the use of certain geolocation data for Tim Hortons mobile app users. As a result of any breach, we may incur additional expenditures arising from additional security technologies, personnel, experts, and credit monitoring services for those whose data has been breached. These costs could adversely impact our results of operations during the period in which they are incurred. In addition, negative publicity regarding a breach or potential security vulnerabilities in our systems or those of our franchisees or vendors, has and in the future could adversely affect the reputation of our brands and acceptance of digital engagement by our customers which in turn could adversely affect our future results of operations.

Environmental / Social - Risk 2

We are subject to increasing and evolving requirements and expectations with respect to social, governance and environmental sustainability matters, which could expose us to numerous risks.

There has been an increased focus, including from investors, the public and governmental and nongovernmental authorities, on social, governance and environmental sustainability matters, such as climate change, greenhouse gases, packaging and waste, human rights, diversity, sustainable supply chain practices, animal health and welfare, deforestation, land, energy and water use and other corporate responsibility matters. We and our franchisees are and may become subject to changing rules, regulations and consumer or investor expectations with respect to these matters. As the result of these evolving requirements and increased expectations, as well as our commitment to sustainability matters, we may continue to establish or expand goals, commitments or targets, take actions to meet such goals, commitments and targets and provide expanded disclosure on these matters. These goals could be difficult and expensive to implement, the technologies needed to implement them may not be cost effective and may not advance at a sufficient pace, we may be criticized for the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of disclosures and we are not able to mandate compliance by our franchisees with any of these goals. Further, goals may be based on standards for measuring progress that are still developing, internal controls and processes that continue to evolve, assumptions that are subject to change, and other risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside of our control. If our data, processes and reporting with respect to social and environmental matters are incomplete or inaccurate, or if we fail to achieve progress with respect to these goals on a timely basis, or if our franchisees are not able to meet consumer or investor expectations, consumer and investor trust in our brands may suffer which could diminish the value of our brands and adversely affect our business.

Production

Total Risks: 6/31 (19%)Below Sector Average

Manufacturing1 | 3.2%

Manufacturing - Risk 1

Food safety concerns and concerns about the health risk of fast food may adversely affect our business.

Food safety is a top priority for us and we dedicate substantial resources to ensure that our customers enjoy safe, high-quality food products. However, food-borne illnesses and other food safety issues have occurred in the food industry in the past and could occur in the future. Also, our reliance on third-party food suppliers, distributors and food delivery aggregators increases the risk that food-borne illness incidents could be caused by factors outside of our control and that multiple locations would be affected rather than a single restaurant. Any occurrence of food-borne illness or any report or publicity, including through social media, linking us or one of our franchisees or suppliers to instances of food-borne illness or other food safety issues, including food tampering, adulteration or contamination, could require us to temporarily close restaurants, reduce sales and profits and adversely affect our brands and reputation. Such occurrence at restaurants of competitors could adversely affect sales as a result of negative publicity about the industry generally. The occurrence of food-borne illnesses or food safety issues, at our franchisees' restaurants or those of our competitors, could also adversely affect the price and availability of affected ingredients, which could result in disruptions in our supply chain, significantly increase costs and/or lower margins for us and our franchisees. Some of our products contain caffeine, dairy products, fats, sugar and other compounds and allergens, the health effects of which are the subject of public scrutiny, including suggesting that excessive consumption of these ingredients can lead to a variety of adverse health effects. An unfavorable report on the health effects of any compounds present in our products, or negative publicity or litigation arising from other health risks such as obesity, could significantly reduce the demand for our beverages and food products. A decrease in customer traffic as a result of these health concerns or negative publicity could materially and adversely affect our brands and our business.

Employment / Personnel2 | 6.5%

Employment / Personnel - Risk 1

The loss of key management personnel or our inability to attract and retain new qualified personnel could hurt our business.

We are dependent on the efforts and abilities of our senior management, including the executives managing each of our brands, and our success will also depend on our ability to attract and retain additional qualified employees. Failure to attract personnel sufficiently qualified to execute our strategy, or to retain existing key personnel, could have a material adverse effect on our business. Also, integration of strategic transactions such as the acquisition of Firehouse Subs and pending acquisition of Carrols, may divert management's attention from other initiatives, and effectively executing our growth strategy.

Employment / Personnel - Risk 2

Labor challenges for franchisees or being liable as a joint employer could adversely affect our business.

Our franchisees are dependent upon their ability to attract and retain qualified employees in an intensely competitive labor market. The inability of our franchisees to recruit and retain qualified individuals or increased costs to do so, including due to labor market dynamics or increases in legally required wages, may delay openings of new restaurants by our franchisees and could adversely impact existing franchised restaurant operations and franchisee profitability, which could slow our growth. Boycotts, protests, work stoppages or other campaigns by labor organizations at either franchisee or company restaurants could increase costs, decrease flexibility or otherwise disrupt the business and responses to labor organizing efforts by our franchisees or us could negatively impact brand perception and our business and financial results. In September 2023, California passed legislation setting the minimum wage for fast food restaurant employees at $20 per hour effective April 1, 2024 and establishing a council to set future wage increases and to make recommendations to state agencies for other sector-wide workplace standards. This law and other labor related laws enacted or currently proposed at the federal, state, provincial or local level could increase our franchisees' labor costs and decrease profitability. Joint employer status is a developing area of franchise and labor and employment law that could be subject to changes in legislation, administrative agency interpretation or jurisprudential developments that may increase franchisor liability. In October 2023, the National Labor Relations Board issued its final rule addressing the standard for determining joint-employer status under the National Labor Relations Act. Under the new standard, effective February 26, 2024, a party may assert a joint-employment relationship to establish joint-employer status by using evidence of indirect and reserved forms of control bearing on an employee's essential terms and conditions of employment. The rule is facing legal challenges, but if it becomes effective in its current form, we could potentially be liable for unfair labor practices and other violations by franchisees or we could be required to conduct collective bargaining negotiations regarding employees of franchisees, who are independent employers. In such event, our operating costs may increase as a result of required modifications to business practices, increased litigation, governmental investigations or proceedings, administrative enforcement actions, fines and civil liability. Employee claims that are brought against us as a result of joint employer standards and status may also, in addition to legal and financial liability, create negative publicity that could adversely affect our brands and divert financial and management resources. A significant increase in the number of these claims, or an increase in the number of successful claims, could adversely impact our brands' reputation, which may cause significant harm.

Supply Chain2 | 6.5%

Supply Chain - Risk 1

Outsourcing certain functions to third-party vendors subjects us to risks, including disruptions and increased costs.

We have outsourced certain administrative functions for our business, certain information technology support services and benefit plan administration to third-party service providers. In the future, we may outsource other functions to achieve cost savings and efficiencies. If the outsourced service providers do not perform effectively, we may not be able to achieve the expected cost savings and may incur additional costs in connection with such failure to perform. Depending on the function involved, such failures may also lead to business disruption, transaction errors, processing inefficiencies, the loss of sales and customers, the loss of or damage to intellectual property through security breach, and the loss of data through security breach or otherwise. Any such damage or interruption could have a material adverse effect on our business, cause us to face significant fines, customer notice obligations or costly litigation, harm our reputation with our customers or prevent us from paying our collective suppliers or employees or receiving payments on a timely basis.

Supply Chain - Risk 2

Our supply chain operations subject us to additional risks and may cause our profitability to decline.

We operate a vertically integrated supply chain for our TH business in which we manufacture, warehouse, and distribute certain food and restaurant supplies to Tim Hortons restaurants. Risks associated with this strategy include: - delays and/or difficulties associated with, or liabilities arising from, owning a manufacturing, warehouse and distribution business;- maintenance, operations and/or management of the facilities, equipment, employees and inventories;- limitations on the flexibility of controlling capital expenditures and overhead;- increased transportation, shipping, food and other supply costs;- inclement weather or extreme weather events;- shortages or interruptions in availability or supply of high-quality coffee beans, perishable food products and/or their ingredients;- variations in the quality of food and beverage products and/or their ingredients; and - political, physical, environmental, labor, or technological disruptions (such as from cybersecurity incidents) in our or our suppliers' manufacturing and/or warehousing plants, facilities, or equipment. If we do not adequately address the challenges related to these vertically integrated operations or the overall level of utilization or production decreases for any reason, our results of operations and financial condition may be adversely impacted. Moreover, interruptions in the availability and delivery of food, beverages and other supplies to our restaurants or retailers arising from shortages or greater than expected demand, may increase costs or reduce revenues. As of December 31, 2023, we have only one or a few suppliers to service each category of products sold at our Tim Hortons restaurants in the U.S. and Canada, and the loss of any one of these suppliers would likely adversely affect our business.

Costs1 | 3.2%

Costs - Risk 1

Increases in food, equipment and commodity costs or shortages or interruptions in supply or delivery thereof could harm our operating results and the results of our franchisees.

The profitability of our franchisees and us depends in part on our ability to anticipate and react to changes in food, equipment, commodity and supply costs. For example, the markets for beef and chicken are subject to significant price fluctuations due to seasonal shifts, climate conditions, the cost of grain, disease, industry demand, international commodity markets, food safety concerns, product recalls, government regulation, labor availability and cost, and other factors, all of which are beyond our control and, in many instances unpredictable. Increases, especially rapid increases, in commodity prices may adversely affect the profitability of our TH supply business and lead to reduced franchisee profitability to the extent prices cannot be proportionately increased without adversely affecting consumer demand. Such increases in commodity costs may materially and adversely affect our business and operating results. We and our franchisees are dependent on frequent deliveries of fresh food products that meet our specifications. Shortages or interruptions in the supply of fresh food products or equipment caused by unanticipated demand, natural disasters or unforeseen events, such as pandemics, problems in production or distribution, inclement weather, delays or restrictions on shipping and/or manufacturing, closures of supplier or distributor facilities, financial distress or insolvency of suppliers or distributors, or other conditions have and in the future could adversely affect the availability, quality and cost of ingredients and equipment, which could adversely affect our operating results. Burger King and Popeyes restaurants in the U.S. and Canada utilize purchasing cooperatives to negotiate supplier contracts for food and packaging. We do not control these purchasing cooperatives and if they do not properly manage suppliers or cease operations, the relevant supply chain could experience significant disruption. As of December 31, 2023, we have only a few distributors that service most of our Burger King, Popeyes and Firehouse Subs operations in the U.S., and our operations could be adversely affected if any of these distributors were unable to fulfill their responsibilities and we were unable to secure a substitute distributor in a timely manner.

Macro & Political

Total Risks: 6/31 (19%)Above Sector Average

Economy & Political Environment1 | 3.2%

Economy & Political Environment - Risk 1

Economic conditions have and may continue to adversely affect consumer discretionary spending and our business and results.

We believe that our restaurant sales, guest traffic and profitability are strongly correlated to consumer discretionary spending, which is influenced by general economic conditions, unemployment levels, the availability of discretionary income, inflation, and, ultimately, consumer confidence. A protracted economic slowdown, increased unemployment and underemployment of our customer base, decreased salaries and wage rates, inflation, rising interest rates or other industry-wide cost pressures adversely affect consumer behavior by weakening consumer confidence and decreasing consumer spending for restaurant dining occasions. As a result, we and our franchisees could experience reduced sales and profitability.

International Operations2 | 6.5%

International Operations - Risk 1

The global scope of our business subjects us to risks and costs that may cause our profitability to decline.

Our global operations expose us to risks in managing the differing cultural, regulatory, geopolitical and economic environments in the countries where our restaurants operate. These risks, which can vary substantially by market and may increase in importance as each of our brands enter into new markets and our franchisees expand operations in international markets, are described in many of the risk factors discussed in this report and include the following: - governmental laws, regulations and policies adopted to manage national economic conditions, such as increases in taxes, austerity measures that impact consumer spending, monetary policies that may impact inflation rates and currency fluctuations;- the effects of legal and regulatory changes and the burdens and costs of our compliance with a variety of foreign laws;- changes in the laws and policies that govern foreign investment and trade in the countries in which we operate, including the imposition of import restrictions or controls;- compliance with U.S., Canadian and other anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws, including compliance by our employees, contractors, licensees or agents and those of our strategic partners and joint ventures;- risks and costs associated with political and economic instability, corruption, anti-American or anti-Canadian sentiment, boycotts and social and ethnic unrest in the countries in which we operate;- the risks of operating in developing or emerging markets in which there are significant uncertainties regarding the interpretation, application and enforceability of laws, regulations, contract rights and intellectual property rights;- risks arising from the significant and rapid fluctuations in currency exchange markets and the decisions and positions that we take to hedge such volatility;- the impact of labor costs on our franchisees' margins given changing labor conditions and difficulties experienced by our franchisees in staffing their international operations; and - the effects of increases in the taxes we pay and other changes in applicable tax laws. The conflicts between Russia and Ukraine and in the Middle East may continue to adversely impact economic conditions in those regions and elsewhere including through decreased demand for brands associated with the U.S. or Canada and/or increased commodity, labor and energy costs, and/or delays or disruptions in supply chains that may adversely affect us and our franchisees' restaurants.

International Operations - Risk 2

Our future growth and profitability will depend on our ability to successfully accelerate international development with strategic partners and joint ventures.

We believe that the future growth and profitability of each of our brands will depend on our ability to successfully accelerate international development with master franchisee and joint venture partners in new and existing international markets. New markets may have different competitive conditions, consumer tastes and discretionary spending patterns than our existing markets. As a result, new restaurants in those markets may have lower average restaurant sales than restaurants in existing markets and may take longer than expected to reach target sales and profit levels or may never do so. We will need to build brand awareness in those new markets we enter through advertising and promotional activity, and those activities may not promote our brands as effectively as intended, if at all. We have adopted a master franchise development model for all of our brands, which in markets with strong growth potential may include participating in joint ventures, to accelerate international growth. These arrangements may give our joint venture partners and/or master franchisees the exclusive right to develop and manage our restaurants in a specific country or countries, including, in some cases, the right to sub-franchise. A joint venture involves special risks, including the following: our joint venture partners may have economic, business or legal interests or goals that are inconsistent with those of the joint venture or us, or our joint venture partners may be unable to meet their economic or other obligations and we may be required to fulfill those obligations alone. Our master franchise arrangements present similar risks and uncertainties. We cannot control the actions of our joint venture partners or master franchisees, including any nonperformance, default or bankruptcy of joint venture partners or master franchisees. While sub-franchisees are required to operate their restaurants in accordance with specified operations, safety and health standards, we are not party to the agreements with the sub-franchisees and are dependent upon our master franchisees to enforce these standards with respect to sub-franchised restaurants. As a result, the ultimate success and quality of any sub-franchised restaurant rests with the master franchisee and the sub-franchisee. In addition, the termination of an arrangement with a master franchisee or a lack of expansion by certain master franchisees has and may in the future result in the delay or discontinuation of the development of franchised restaurants, or an interruption in the operation of our brand in a particular market or markets. We may not be able to find another operator to resume development activities in such market or markets. Any such delay, discontinuation or interruption could materially and adversely affect our business and operating results.

Natural and Human Disruptions2 | 6.5%

Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 1

We and our franchisees may be adversely affected by climate change.

We, our franchisees, and our supply chain are subject to risks and costs arising from the effects of climate change, greenhouse gases, and diminishing energy and water resources. Climate change may have a negative effect on agricultural productivity which may result in decreased availability or less favorable pricing for certain commodities used in our products, such as beef, chicken, coffee beans and dairy. Climate change may also increase the frequency or severity of weather-related events and natural disasters. Such adverse weather-related impacts may disrupt our operations, cause restaurant closures or delay the opening of new restaurants, and/or increase the costs of (and decrease the availability of) food and other supplies needed for our operations. In turn this could result in reduced profitability for our franchisees and our Company restaurants and reduced system-wide sales and franchise revenue for us. In addition, various legislative and regulatory efforts to combat climate change may increase in the future, which could result in additional taxes, increased expenses and otherwise disrupt or adversely impact our business and/or our growth prospects.

Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 2

Our results can be adversely affected by unforeseen events, such as adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, war or terrorist attacks, pandemics, or other catastrophic events.

Unforeseen events, such as severe adverse weather conditions, earthquakes, hurricanes and other natural disasters, wars or terrorist attacks, pandemics or catastrophic events, as well as the actions taken in response to these unforeseen events can keep customers in the affected area from dining out, cause damage to or closure of restaurants and result in lost sales for our restaurants. For example, measures implemented to reduce the spread of COVID-19 adversely affected workforces, customers, consumer sentiment, supply chains, economies and financial markets, and, along with decreased consumer spending, led to an economic downturn and increased inflation in many of our markets. In addition, actual or threatened armed conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East, terrorist attacks, efforts to combat terrorism, or heightened security requirements have and may in the future adversely affect our operations. Because a significant portion of our restaurant operating costs are fixed or semi-fixed in nature, the loss of sales and increases in labor, energy and commodity costs during these periods hurt our and our franchisees' operating margins and can result in restaurant operating losses and loss of royalties.

Capital Markets1 | 3.2%

Capital Markets - Risk 1

Our operations are subject to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange and interest rates.

Because our reporting currency is U.S. dollars, our international revenue that is generated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar is translated to U.S. dollars for our financial reporting purposes. These international revenues are impacted by fluctuations in currency exchange rates and changes in currency regulations. In addition, fluctuations in interest rates may affect our business and the availability of financing for franchisees to open more restaurants. Although we attempt to minimize these risks through geographic diversification and the utilization of derivative financial instruments, our risk management strategies may not be effective and our results of operations could be adversely affected.

Ability to Sell

Total Risks: 5/31 (16%)Below Sector Average

Competition1 | 3.2%

Competition - Risk 1

We face intense competition in our markets, which could negatively impact our business.

The restaurant industry is intensely competitive and we compete with many well-established food service companies on the basis of product choice, quality, affordability, service and location. With few barriers to entry, our competitors include a variety of independent local operators, in addition to well-capitalized regional, national and international restaurant chains and franchises, and new competitors may emerge at any time. Furthermore, delivery aggregators and food delivery services provide consumers with convenient access to a broad range of competing restaurant chains and food retailers, particularly in urbanized areas, and may form a closer relationship with our customers and increase costs to us. Each of our brands also competes for qualified franchisees, suitable restaurant locations and management and personnel. Our ability to compete will depend on the success of our plans to effectively respond to consumer preferences, improve existing products, develop and roll-out new products, and manage the complexity of restaurant operations as well as the impact of our competitors' actions. In addition, our long-term success will depend on our ability to strengthen our customers' digital experience through mobile ordering, delivery, kiosks, loyalty programs, and social interaction. Some of our competitors have substantially greater financial resources, higher revenues and greater economies of scale than we do. These advantages may allow them to implement their operational strategies more quickly or effectively than we can or benefit from changes in technologies, which could harm our competitive position. These competitive advantages may be exacerbated in a difficult economy, thereby permitting our competitors to gain market share. We may be unable to successfully respond to changing consumer preferences, including with respect to new technologies and alternative methods of delivery. In addition, online platforms and aggregators may direct potential customers to other options based on paid placements, online reviews or other factors. If we are unable to maintain our competitive position, we could experience lower demand for products, downward pressure on prices, reduced margins, an inability to take advantage of new business opportunities, a loss of market share, reduced franchisee profitability and an inability to attract qualified franchisees in the future.

Sales & Marketing3 | 9.7%

Sales & Marketing - Risk 1

Our results depend on effective marketing and advertising, successful new product launches and digital engagement.

Our revenues are heavily influenced by brand marketing and advertising and by our ability to develop and launch new and innovative products. If our marketing and advertising programs are not successful, or we fail to develop commercially successful new products, our ability to attract new guests and retain existing guests and our results of operations could be materially adversely affected. Because franchisees contribute to advertising funds based on a percentage of gross sales at their franchised restaurants, advertising fund expenditures generally are dependent upon restaurant sales volumes. If system-wide sales decline, amounts available for our marketing and advertising programs will be reduced unless we contribute to advertising spend, which could adversely affect our results of operations. Also, to the extent we use value offerings in our marketing and advertising programs to drive traffic, the low price offerings may condition our guests to resist higher prices in a more favorable economic environment. In addition, we continue to focus on transforming the restaurant experience through technology and digital engagement to improve our service model and strengthen relationships with customers, including through digital channels, loyalty initiatives, mobile ordering and payment systems, social media engagement, and delivery initiatives. If our digital commerce platforms do not meet customers' expectations in terms of security, privacy, speed, attractiveness or ease of use, customers may be less inclined to return to those platforms, which could negatively impact the same store sales of our brands. Also, utilizing third-party delivery services may not be as profitable as sales directly to our guests and may also introduce food quality and customer satisfaction risks outside of our control. If the third-party delivery services that we utilize cease or curtail their operations, increase their fees or give greater priority or promotions on their platforms to our competitors, our delivery business and our sales may be negatively impacted. The delivery business is also the subject of increased scrutiny from federal, state, and local regulators, which may result in additional costs and expenses that the delivery business may seek to pass through to participating restaurants, including through increased fees.

Sales & Marketing - Risk 2

We and our franchisees may be unable to secure and renew desirable restaurant locations to maintain and grow our restaurant portfolios.

The success of any restaurant depends in substantial part on its location. Neighborhood or economic conditions where our restaurants are located could decline in the future as demographic patterns change, resulting in potentially reduced sales in those locations. Competition for restaurant locations can also be intense and there may be delays or cancellation of new site developments by developers and landlords or difficulties renewing existing sites, which may be exacerbated by factors related to the commercial real estate or credit markets. If franchisees cannot obtain and renew desirable locations for their restaurants at reasonable prices due to, among other things, higher than anticipated acquisition, construction and/or development costs of new restaurants, difficulty negotiating leases with acceptable terms, onerous land use or zoning restrictions, or challenges in securing required governmental permits, then their ability to execute their respective growth strategies may be adversely affected. Based on their size advantage and/or their greater financial resources, some of our competitors may have the ability to negotiate more favorable lease terms than we can and some landlords and developers may offer priority or grant exclusivity to some of our competitors for desirable locations. As a result, we or our franchisees may not be able to obtain new leases or renew existing leases on acceptable terms, if at all, which could adversely affect our sales and brand-building initiatives.

Sales & Marketing - Risk 3

Materially increasing the number of restaurants that we operate could expose us to additional risk and adversely affect our operating margins and cash flows.

Historically, we operated a nearly fully franchised business model. However, in connection with the acquisition of Carrols, which we expect to complete in the second quarter of 2024, we will acquire approximately 1,100 restaurants, the vast majority of which are BK restaurants. In addition, we have recently acquired approximately 125 BK restaurants unrelated to the acquisition of Carrols, 38 of which were acquired in January 2024. Upon completing the Carrols acquisition, we will operate approximately 18% of our BK restaurants in the U.S. and Canada and 4% of our total restaurants. We expect to operate these acquired restaurants before refranchising most of them. Operating a material portfolio of restaurants can expose us to additional risks or exacerbate those risks to which we are already exposed as a franchisor. For example, as a result of the Carrols acquisition, we expect to increase our number of employees by approximately 24,000. This increase in employees may expose us to additional liability and costs, such as risks associated with minimum wage increases and other mandated benefits, increased costs arising from third party and self-insured health care insurance, employment and labor liability, and regulatory compliance risks. We could also be subject to additional liability such as property,environmental and other liability as a result of being a direct operator and lessee of additional restaurants and liability arising from regulatory compliance. Furthermore, risks arising from increases in commodity prices, fuel prices or other costs associated with operating restaurants could adversely affect our operating margins if we are unable to increase pricing proportionately. Additionally, as we previously announced, we plan to fund the remodel of substantially all BK restaurants acquired in the Carrols acquisition utilizing Carrols restaurants' operating cash flow. Any future adverse pressure on acquired Carrols restaurants' cash flow may delay these plans or impact consolidated RBI cash flow if we need to use funds from other sources to complete these remodels.

Brand / Reputation1 | 3.2%

Brand / Reputation - Risk 1

Failure to preserve the value and relevance of our brands could negatively impact our financial results.

We depend in large part on the value of the Tim Hortons, Burger King, Popeyes and Firehouse Subs brands. To be successful in the future, we must preserve, enhance and leverage the value of our brands. Brand value is based in part on consumer tastes, preferences and perceptions on a variety of factors, including the nutritional content, methods of production and preparation of our products and our business practices, including with respect to animal welfare, natural resources, sustainability and other environmental or social concerns. Consumer acceptance of our products may be influenced by or subject to change for a variety of reasons. For example, adverse publicity associated with nutritional, health and other scientific studies and conclusions, which constantly evolve and often have contradictory implications, may drive popular opinion against quick service restaurants in general, which may impact the demand for our products. Moreover, health campaigns against products we offer in favor of foods that are perceived as healthier may affect consumer perception of our product offerings and impact the value of our brands. In addition, adverse publicity related to litigation, regulation (including initiatives intended to drive consumer behavior) or incidents involving us, our franchisees, competitors or suppliers may impact the value of our brands by discouraging customers from buying our products. Perceptions may also be affected by activist campaigns to promote adverse perceptions of the quick service restaurant industry or our brands and/or our operations, suppliers, franchisees or other partners such as campaigns aimed at sustainability or living-wage opinions. Consumer demand for our products and our brand equity could diminish if we, our employees or our franchisees or other business partners fail to preserve the quality of our products, act or are perceived to act as unethical, illegal, racially-biased or in a socially irresponsible manner, including with respect to the sourcing, content or sale of our products or the use of consumer data for general or direct marketing or other purposes, fail to comply with laws and regulations, publicly take controversial positions or actions or fail to deliver a consistently positive consumer experience in each of our markets. If we are unsuccessful in addressing consumer adverse perceptions, our brands and our financial results may suffer.

Finance & Corporate

Total Risks: 4/31 (13%)Below Sector Average

Share Price & Shareholder Rights1 | 3.2%

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1

3G RBH owns approximately 28% of the combined voting power in RBI, and its interests may conflict with or differ from the interests of the other shareholders.

3G Restaurant Brands Holdings LP ("3G RBH") currently owns approximately 28% of the combined voting power in RBI. So long as 3G RBH continues to directly or indirectly own a significant amount of the voting power, it will continue to be able to strongly influence or effectively control business decisions of RBI. 3G RBH and its principals may have interests that are different from those of other shareholders, and 3G RBH may exercise its voting and other rights in a manner that may be adverse to the interests of such shareholders. In addition, this concentration of ownership could have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control or otherwise discouraging a potential acquirer from attempting to obtain control of RBI, which could cause the market price of our common shares to decline or prevent our shareholders from realizing a premium over the market price for their common shares or Partnership exchangeable units.

Accounting & Financial Operations1 | 3.2%

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1

Our results are closely tied to the success of independent franchisees, and we have limited influence over their operations.

We generate revenues in the form of royalties, fees and other amounts from our franchisees and our operating results are closely tied to their success. However, our franchisees are independent operators and we cannot control many factors that impact the profitability of their restaurants. At times, we have and may in the future provide cash flow support to franchisees by extending loans, advancing cash payments and/or providing rent relief where we have property control. These actions have and may in the future adversely affect our cash flow and financial results. If sales trends or economic conditions worsen for franchisees, their financial results may deteriorate, which could result in, among other things, restaurant closures, delayed or reduced payments to us of royalties, advertising contributions, rents and, delayed or reduced payments for Tim Hortons products and supplies, and an inability for such franchisees to obtain financing to fund development, restaurant remodels or equipment initiatives on acceptable terms or at all. Also, franchisees may not be willing or able to renew their franchise agreements with us due to low sales volumes, high real estate costs, or the failure to secure lease renewals. If our franchisees fail to renew their franchise agreements our royalty revenues may decrease, which in turn could materially and adversely affect our business and operating results. Franchisees and sub-franchisees may not successfully operate restaurants in a manner consistent with our established procedures, standards and requirements or standards set by applicable law, including sanitation and pest control standards, or data processing, privacy and cybersecurity requirements. Any operational shortcoming of a franchise or sub-franchise restaurant is likely to be attributed by guests to the entire brand and may be shared widely through social media, thus damaging the brand's reputation and potentially affecting our revenues and profitability. We may not be able to identify problems and take effective action quickly enough and, as a result, our image and reputation may suffer, and our franchise revenues and results of operations could decline.

Debt & Financing1 | 3.2%

Debt & Financing - Risk 1

Our leverage and obligations to service our debt could adversely affect our business.

As of December 31, 2023, we had aggregate outstanding indebtedness of $13,043 million, including senior secured term loan facilities in an aggregate principal amount of $6,450 million, senior secured first lien notes in an aggregate principal amount of $2,800 million and senior secured second lien notes in an aggregate principal amount of $3,650 million. Subject to restrictions set forth in these instruments, we may also incur significant additional indebtedness in the future, some of which may be secured debt. This may have the effect of increasing our total leverage. Our substantial leverage could have important potential consequences, including, but not limited to: - increasing our vulnerability to, and reducing our flexibility to respond to, changes in our business and general adverse economic and industry conditions;- requiring the dedication of a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to our debt service, thereby reducing the availability of such cash flow to fund working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, joint ventures, product research, dividends, share repurchases or other corporate purposes;- increasing our vulnerability to a downgrade of our credit rating, which could adversely affect our cost of funds, liquidity and access to capital markets;- placing us at a competitive disadvantage compared to competitors who are not as highly leveraged;- restricting us from making strategic acquisitions or causing us to make non-strategic divestitures;- exposing us to the risk of increased interest rates for variable interest rate borrowings under our credit facilities;- making it more difficult for us to repay, refinance or satisfy our obligations with respect to our debt;- limiting our ability to borrow additional funds in the future and increasing the cost of any such borrowing;- imposing restrictive covenants that may hinder our ability to finance future operations and capital needs or to pursue certain business opportunities and activities, and which, in the event of non-compliance without cure or waiver, could result in an event of default and the acceleration of the applicable debt and any debt subject to cross-acceleration;- requiring repayment or an offer to repurchase in the event of a change of control that may delay or prevent such change of control; and - exposing us to risks related to fluctuations in foreign currency as we earn profits in a variety of currencies around the world and substantially all of our debt is denominated in U.S. dollars. If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flow to pay indebtedness and other funding needs or refinance our indebtedness on favorable terms, or at all, our financial condition may be materially adversely affected. Following the occurrence of either an event of default or change of control, we may not have sufficient resources to repurchase, repay or redeem our obligations, as applicable, and we may not be able to obtain additional financing to satisfy these obligations on terms favorable to us or at all. Also, if we were unable to repay the amounts due under our secured indebtedness, the holders of such indebtedness could proceed against the collateral that secures such indebtedness. In the event our creditors accelerate the repayment of our secured indebtedness, we and our subsidiaries may not have sufficient assets to repay that indebtedness.

Corporate Activity and Growth1 | 3.2%

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1

Our nearly fully franchised business model presents a number of disadvantages and risks.

Nearly all of our restaurants are owned and operated by franchisees. Therefore, our future prospects depend on our ability to attract new franchisees for each of our brands that meet our criteria and the willingness and ability of franchisees to open restaurants in existing and new markets. We may be unable to identify franchisees who meet our criteria, or franchisees we identify may not successfully implement their expansion plans. Our nearly fully franchised business model presents a number of other drawbacks, such as limited influence over franchisee operations, limited ability to facilitate changes in restaurant ownership, limitations on enforcement of franchise obligations due to bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings, and reliance on franchisees to participate in our strategic initiatives. While we can mandate certain strategic initiatives through enforcement of our franchise agreements, we will need the active support of our franchisees if the implementation of these initiatives is to be successful. The failure of franchisees to support our marketing programs and strategic initiatives could adversely affect our ability to implement our business strategy and could materially harm our business, results of operations and financial condition. On occasion we have encountered, and may in the future encounter, challenges in receiving specific financial and operational results from our franchisees in a consistent and timely manner, which can negatively impact our business and operating results. Our competitors that have a significantly higher percentage of company-operated restaurants than we do may have greater influence over their respective restaurant systems and greater ability to implement operational initiatives and business strategies, including their marketing and advertising programs. As part of our growth strategy, we may decide to increase or decrease the number of Company-owned stores, either by purchasing existing franchised stores or by refranchising existing company-operated stores. Our failure to successfully execute these transactions could have an adverse effect on our operating results and could cause our stock price to decline. The ability of our franchisees and prospective franchisees to obtain financing for development of new restaurants or reinvestment in existing restaurants depends in part upon financial and economic conditions beyond their control. If our franchisees are unable to obtain financing on acceptable terms or otherwise do not devote sufficient resources to develop new restaurants or reinvest in existing restaurants, our business and financial results could be adversely affected. Also, investments in restaurant remodels and upgrades by franchisees and us may not have the expected results with respect to consumer sentiment, increased traffic or return on investment.

Tech & Innovation

Total Risks: 2/31 (6%)Below Sector Average

Trade Secrets1 | 3.2%

Trade Secrets - Risk 1

If we are unable to adequately protect our intellectual property, the value of our brands and our business may be harmed.

Our brands, which represent approximately 46% of the total assets on our balance sheet as of December 31, 2023, are very important to our success and our competitive position. We rely on a combination of trademarks, copyrights, service marks, trade secrets, patents, industrial designs, and other intellectual property rights to protect our brands and the respective branded products. While we have registered certain trademarks in Canada, the U.S. and foreign jurisdictions, not all of the trademarks that our brands currently use have been registered in all of the countries in which we do business, and they may never be registered in all of these countries. We may not be able to adequately protect our trademarks, and our use of these trademarks may result in liability for trademark infringement, trademark dilution or unfair competition. The steps we have taken to protect our intellectual property in Canada, the U.S. and other countries may not be adequate and we may, from time to time, be required to institute litigation to enforce our trademarks or other intellectual property rights or to protect our trade secrets. Further, third parties may assert or prosecute infringement claims against us. In these cases, our proprietary rights could be challenged, circumvented, infringed or invalidated. Any such litigation could result in substantial costs and diversion of resources and could negatively affect our revenue, profitability and prospects regardless of whether we are able to successfully enforce our rights. In addition, the laws of some foreign countries do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as the laws of Canada and the U.S.

Technology1 | 3.2%

Technology - Risk 1

Information technology system failures or interruptions or breaches of our network security may interrupt our operations, cause reputational harm, subject us to increased operating costs and expose us to litigation.

We rely heavily on information technology systems and infrastructure, including third-party vendors' systems to whom we outsource certain functions across operations including, but not limited to, point-of-sale processing at our restaurants and in our mobile apps. Despite implementation of security measures, security incidents or breaches may occur involving our systems, the systems of the parties with whom we communicate or collaborate (including franchisees) or the systems of third-party providers. These may include damage, disruption or failures due to physical damage, power loss, telecommunications failure, or other catastrophic events, as well as from problems with transitioning systems, internal and external security breaches, malicious cyber-attacks including the introduction of malware or ransomware or other disruptive behavior by hackers, which may be exacerbated by artificial intelligence. Such damage, disruption or failures could adversely impact our results of operations and our reputation. From time to time, we have been notified by third party vendors of security incidents or breaches that affect their systems and their ability to provide services to us at expected service levels. If any of our or our vendors' systems were to fail or become subject to ransomware and we were unable to recover in a timely way, we could experience material and adverse impacts to our results of operations. To the extent that some of our worldwide reporting systems require or rely on manual processes, it could increase the risk of a breach due to human error. Further, the standards for systems currently used for transmission and approval of electronic payment transactions, and the technology utilized in electronic payment themselves, all of which can put electronic payment data at risk, are determined and controlled by the payment card industry. If someone can circumvent our data security measures or those of third parties, including our franchisees, they could destroy or steal valuable information received as part of electronic payments. Such destruction or loss could expose us to litigation or liability and could impact our results of operations. Any resulting negative publicity could significantly harm our or our brands' reputations. Finally, we may need to continue to expend substantial resources to enhance our existing restaurant management systems, financial and management controls, information systems and personnel to accurately capture and reflect the financial and operational activities at our franchised restaurants. On occasion we have encountered, and may in the future encounter, challenges in receiving these results from our franchisees in a consistent and timely manner as a number of our systems relating to tracking the financial and operational activities and processes at our franchised restaurants are not fully integrated worldwide. Further, the information we receive from franchisees, including regarding their profitability, may not be audited or subject to a similar level of internal controls as our processes. To the extent that we are not able to obtain transparency into our operations from these systems, it could impair the ability of our management to react quickly when appropriate and our operating results could be negatively impacted.

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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