Timken Company (TKR) Risk Factors

Increases in compensation, wage pressure, and other expenses for our employees have adversely affected our profitability and could continue to do so. These cost increases may continue to be impacted by inflationary pressures that could further reduce our sales or profitability. Inflation has led to and could continue to lead to further increases in other operating costs, such as shipping costs, costs of raw materials, and energy and fuel prices. If we are unable to continue to increase the price of our products to offset further cost increases, or experience a lag in doing so, due to pricing pressure, contract terms or other factors, our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows may be adversely affected.

Global financial markets have experienced volatility in the past, including volatility in securities prices and diminished liquidity and credit availability. Our access to the financial markets cannot be assured and is dependent on, among other things, market conditions and company performance. Accordingly, we may be forced to delay raising capital, issue shorter tenors than we prefer or pay unattractive interest rates, which could increase our interest expense, decrease our profitability and significantly reduce our financial flexibility. If a customer becomes insolvent or files for bankruptcy, our ability to recover accounts receivable from that customer would be adversely affected and any payment we received during the preference period prior to a bankruptcy filing potentially may be recoverable by the bankruptcy estate. Furthermore, if certain of our customers liquidate in bankruptcy, we may incur impairment charges relating to obsolete inventory and machinery and equipment. In addition, financial instability of certain companies in the supply chain could disrupt production in any particular industry. A disruption of production in any of the industries where we participate could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and earnings. If any of our suppliers are unable or unwilling to provide the products or services that we require or materially increase their costs, our ability to offer and deliver our products on a timely and profitable basis could be impaired. We cannot assure you that any or all of our relationships will not be terminated or that such relationships will continue as presently in effect. Furthermore, if any of our suppliers were to become subject to bankruptcy, receivership or similar proceedings, we may be unable to arrange for alternate or replacement relationships on favorable terms, which could harm our sales and operating results.

Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("U.S. GAAP"), which is periodically revised and/or expanded. Accordingly, from time to time we are required to adopt new or revised accounting standards and related interpretations issued by recognized authoritative bodies, including the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") and the SEC. The impact of accounting pronouncements that have been issued but not yet implemented is disclosed in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. It is possible that future accounting guidance we are required to adopt, or future changes in accounting principles, could change the current accounting treatment that we apply to our consolidated financial statements and that such changes could have an adverse effect on our results of operations, as reported in our consolidated financial statements.

Interest rates have risen significantly over the past few years and may remain elevated or rise in the future due to inflation or other causes. As a result, the costs of servicing our variable interest rate debt could further increase even if the amount borrowed under such facilities remains the same. Increased servicing costs could in turn negatively impact our profitability and cash flow. In addition, fixed rate debt currently outstanding that matures in the future may be refinanced with higher interest rates leading to additional servicing costs.

Investors, customers, suppliers, employees, regulators and other stakeholders are increasingly focused on CSR practices and disclosures, and expectations in this area are rapidly evolving and growing. We have announced goals covering certain CSR topics, such as those related to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and maintaining employee health and safety. Over time, stakeholder expectations for, and regulatory requirements (such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) related to, our CSR program and initiatives may change, and our investors, customers, suppliers, employees or regulators may advocate that we implement additional, or stricter, goals and initiatives related to CSR topics. Greater expectations or legal requirements may cause us to undertake costly initiatives to satisfy such new criteria. If we do not meet, or are perceived to have not met, announced CSR goals or do not accurately disclose our progress on such goals, our reputation, competitive position, financial condition and operating results could be adversely impacted.

We are subject to the risk of substantial environmental liability and limitations on our operations due to current environmental laws and regulations and future environmental laws and regulations could impose additional risks and limitations. We are or may become subject to extensive federal, state, local and foreign environmental, health and safety laws and regulations concerning matters such as air emissions, wastewater discharges, the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, such as polytetrafluoroethylene, or other chemicals of concern, waste management (e.g. storage, disposal) and the investigation and remediation of contamination. The risks of substantial costs and liabilities related to compliance with these laws and regulations are an inherent part of our business, and future conditions may develop, arise or be discovered that create substantial environmental compliance or remediation liabilities and costs or which may require that we change certain production methods or materials used in our manufacturing processes or products. Compliance with environmental, health and safety legislation and regulatory requirements may prove to be more limiting and costly than we anticipate. To date, we have committed significant expenditures in our efforts to manage remediation activities and maintain compliance with these requirements at our facilities, and we expect that we will continue to make significant expenditures related to such compliance in the future. From time to time, we may be subject to legal proceedings brought by private parties or governmental authorities with respect to environmental matters, including matters involving alleged noncompliance with or liability arising from environmental, health and safety laws, property damage or personal injury. Actual or alleged violations of environmental, health and safety laws or environmental permit requirements could result in restrictions or prohibitions on operations and substantial civil or criminal fines, as well as, under some environmental, health, and safety laws, the assessment of strict liability and/or joint and several liability. New laws and regulations, including those that may relate to emissions of greenhouse gases or the use, discharge or disposal of chemicals of concern utilized in our manufacturing processes, stricter enforcement of existing laws and regulations, new and more stringent customer requirements, the discovery of previously unknown contamination or the imposition of new clean-up requirements or standards could require us to incur costs, change production methods or materials or become the basis for new or increased liabilities that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

The Company has previously experienced distributor inventory corrections reflecting de-stocking of the supply chain associated with softer demand in certain markets. The Company's results in a period may be adversely impacted by similar customer inventory adjustments in the future, as well as changes in customer buying preferences.