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.

Ashland disclosed 18 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Ashland reported the most risks in the “Production” category.

Risk Overview Q3, 2024

Risk Distribution

22% Production

17% Tech & Innovation

17% Legal & Regulatory

17% Ability to Sell

17% Macro & Political

11% Finance & Corporate

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

Ashland 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

Production

With 4 Risks

Production

With 4 Risks

Number of Disclosed Risks

-1

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 31

-1

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 31

Recent Changes

2Risks added

3Risks removed

5Risks changed

Since Sep 2024

2Risks added

3Risks removed

5Risks changed

Since Sep 2024

Number of Risk Changed

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 3

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 3

See the risk highlights of Ashland 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 18

Production

Total Risks: 4/18 (22%)Below Sector Average

Manufacturing1 | 5.6%

Manufacturing - Risk 1

Changed

Ashland's business exposes it to potential product liability claims and recalls, which could adversely affect its financial condition, performance, and reputation.

The development, manufacture and sale of specialty materials and other products by Ashland, including products produced for the food, beverage, personal care, pharmaceutical and nutritional supplement industries, involve an inherent risk of exposure to product liability claims, product recalls, product seizures and related adverse publicity. Ashland also produces products that are subject to rigorous specifications and quality standards, with an expectation from its customers around these strict requirements. A product liability claim, recall or judgment against Ashland, or a customer complaint on product specifications, could also result in substantial and unexpected expenditures, affect consumer or customer confidence in its products, and divert management's attention from other responsibilities. Ashland's product liability insurance may be inadequate to address such claims, recalls, or judgments. Additionally, Ashland may be unable to continue to maintain its existing insurance or obtain comparable insurance at a reasonable cost, if at all. A product recall or a partially or completely uninsured product liability judgment against Ashland could have a material adverse effect on its reputation, results of operations and financial condition.

Employment / Personnel1 | 5.6%

Employment / Personnel - Risk 1

Ashland's success depends upon its ability to attract and retain key employees and the identification and development of talent to succeed senior management.

Ashland's success depends on its ability to attract and retain key personnel. Ashland relies heavily on its senior management team as these executives are primarily responsible for determining the strategic direction of Ashland's business and for executing its growth strategy. Therefore, Ashland's future success depends, in part, on the continued service of its senior management team. The loss of any member of the senior management team could impact the Company's execution of its growth strategy and also be viewed negatively by investors and analysts, which may cause the price of Ashland's common stock to decline. In addition, Ashland's success further depends on the Company's ability to identify and develop talent to succeed its senior management team and other key positions throughout the organization. If Ashland fails to identify and develop successors, the Company is at risk of being harmed by the departures of these key employees. The inability to recruit, retain and develop key personnel or the unexpected loss, voluntarily or otherwise, of key personnel may adversely affect Ashland's operations.

Supply Chain1 | 5.6%

Supply Chain - Risk 1

Changed

Climate change and related resource impacts may lead to supply chain disruptions, operational impacts, and geopolitical events which could result in impacts to raw material pricing, lack of product availability, and decreased sales.

Ashland sources a large number of raw materials from third party suppliers globally. These products include both natural and synthetic materials derived from plants, animal products, organic and petroleum based raw materials. Disruptions to the global supply chain due to climate related impacts or geopolitical events are possible and exist as external risk factors that the Company cannot control. These events could limit the supply of key raw materials to the Company, or could have significant impacts to pricing. Ashland has manufacturing operations in areas vulnerable to coastal storms which may increase in magnitude and impact due to climate change. Increasingly large and unprecedented weather events may pose a risk to business operations in vulnerable areas. Storms could cause business interruptions, incur additional restoration costs, and impact product availability and pricing. Consumer preference is increasingly impacted by awareness of and a response to climate change. Consumers are increasingly demanding responsibly sourced and manufactured products. An inability to respond to consumer demands through environmental, social and governance ("ESG") innovation could lead to a loss of sales to competitors providing more sustainable product offerings. Energy availability and pricing has been impacted by geopolitical events and may be impacted by climate related legislation and regulations. As climate legislation increases in many countries, the availability of conventional and nonrenewable energy may be increasingly limited and prices may continue to increase. Where demand exceeds energy capacity, energy disruptions such as brown out or black out events are possible, leading to business interruption and quality/operational impacts. Failure to respond to or mitigate this risk could lead to increased cost and business impacts. Globally, the availability of fresh, potable water is a growing concern, where water withdrawal can exceed the rates of surface and groundwater replenishment in critical basins, rivers, or other bodies of water. This concern continues to increase for Ashland and for the global supply chain where fresh water is a key resource for manufacturing operations. Failure to respond to this risk could lead to business interruptions and impact the availability and pricing of product. Ashland sources several key natural raw materials that contain processed timber, palm, soy, and other harvested or farmed raw materials. Deforestation is an increasing concern where the irresponsible harvest of these raw materials can lead to loss of critical forests and habitats. Additional sourcing of these materials is under increasing scrutiny due to deforestation, and the availability of these raw materials may be limited in the future. Failure to source responsibly and respond to or mitigate the risk could lead to business impacts and increased cost. As part of its commitment to supporting climate change response efforts, Ashland has committed to 2032 targets through the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) which were approved by SBTi in November of 2023. These targets are aligned with the objective of limiting global warming to no more than 1.5C above preindustrial levels. Ashland's sustainability commitments are key to stakeholders and a differentiator for Ashland. Failure to meet stated commitments could lead to reputational and business impacts.

Costs1 | 5.6%

Costs - Risk 1

Ashland has incurred, and will continue to incur, substantial costs as a result of environmental, health and safety, and hazardous substances liabilities and related compliance requirements. These costs could adversely impact Ashland's cash flow, and, to the extent they exceed Ashland's established reserves for these liabilities, its results of operations.

Ashland is subject to extensive federal, state, local and foreign laws, regulations, rules and ordinances relating to pollution, protection of the environment and human health and safety, and the generation, storage, handling, treatment, disposal and remediation of hazardous substances and waste materials. Ashland has incurred, and will continue to incur, significant costs and capital expenditures to comply with these laws and regulations. Environmental, health and safety regulations change over time, and such regulations and their enforcement have tended to become more stringent. Accordingly, changes in environmental, health and safety laws and regulations and the enforcement of such laws and regulations could interrupt Ashland's operations, require modifications to its facilities or cause Ashland to incur significant liabilities, costs or losses that could adversely affect its profitability. Actual or alleged violations of environmental, health or safety laws and regulations could result in restrictions or prohibitions on plant operations as well as substantial damages, penalties, fines, civil or criminal sanctions and remediation costs. In addition, under some environmental laws, Ashland may be strictly liable and/or jointly and severally liable for environmental damages and penalties. Ashland is also subject to various federal, state, local and foreign environmental laws and regulations that require environmental assessment or remediation efforts (collectively, environmental remediation) at multiple locations. Ashland uses engineering studies, historical experience and other factors to identify and evaluate remediation alternatives and their related costs in determining the estimated reserves for environmental remediation. Environmental remediation reserves are subject to uncertainties that affect Ashland's ability to estimate its share of the applicable costs. Such uncertainties involve the nature and extent of contamination at each site and the extent of required cleanup efforts under existing environmental regulations, with varying costs of alternate cleanup methods. There may also be situations in which certain environmental liabilities are not known to Ashland or are not probable and estimable. As a result, Ashland's actual costs for environmental remediation could adversely affect Ashland's cash flow and, to the extent costs exceed established reserves for those liabilities, its results of operations.

Tech & Innovation

Total Risks: 3/18 (17%)Above Sector Average

Innovation / R&D1 | 5.6%

Innovation / R&D - Risk 1

Changed

Failure to develop and market new products and production technologies could impact Ashland's competitive position and have an adverse effect on its sales, businesses, and results of operations.

The specialty additives and materials industry is subject to periodic technological change and ongoing product improvements. In order to maintain margins and remain competitive, Ashland must successfully develop and introduce new products or improvements that appeal to its customers and ultimately to global consumers. Ashland plans to grow earnings, in part, by focusing on developing markets and solutions to meet increasing demand in those markets, including demand for personal care and pharmaceutical products which are subject to lengthy regulatory approval processes. The fast change in Ashland's industry and those of its customers necessitates that Ashland continue the development of new technologies to replace older technologies whose demand or market position may be fading. Ashland's efforts to respond to changes in customer demand in a timely and cost-efficient manner to drive growth could be adversely affected by difficulties or delays in product development, including the inability to identify viable new products, successfully complete research and development, obtain regulatory approvals, obtain intellectual property protection or gain market acceptance of new products. Due to the lengthy development process, technological challenges and intense competition, Ashland's products may not achieve substantial commercial success. In all business segments and especially within Personal Care, there is an increasing awareness of and competition for innovations relating to more sustainable products with increasing attributes such as naturality and biodegradability, or materials sourced from bio-based raw materials. Ashland sees increasing pressure to innovate and provide solutions with these features to stay competitive and to differentiate the Company from competitors in key markets. Failure to innovate could result in a loss of business to competitors who offer similar or improved sustainable product portfolios.

Trade Secrets1 | 5.6%

Trade Secrets - Risk 1

Ashland may not be able to effectively protect or enforce its intellectual property rights.

Ashland relies on the patent, trademark, trade secret and copyright laws of the United States and other countries to protect its intellectual property rights. The laws of some countries may not protect Ashland's intellectual property rights to the same extent as the laws of the United States. Failure of foreign countries to have laws to protect Ashland's intellectual property rights or an inability to effectively enforce such rights in foreign countries could result in the loss of valuable proprietary information, which could have an adverse effect on Ashland's business and results of operations. Even in circumstances where Ashland has a patent on certain technologies, such patents may not provide meaningful protection against competitors or against competing technologies. In addition, any patent applications submitted by Ashland may not result in an issued patent. Ashland's intellectual property rights may be challenged, invalidated, circumvented or rendered unenforceable. Ashland could also face claims from third parties alleging that Ashland's products or processes infringe on their proprietary rights. If Ashland is found liable for infringement, it could be responsible for significant damages, prohibited from using certain products or processes or required to modify certain products and processes. Any such infringement liability could adversely affect Ashland's product and service offerings, profitability and results of operations. Ashland also has substantial intellectual property associated with its know-how and trade secrets that are not protected by patent or copyright laws. Ashland's confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements with its employees and third parties may be breached or may not be effectively enforced. In addition, Ashland's trade secrets and know-how may be improperly obtained by other means, such as a breach of Ashland's information technologies security systems or direct theft. Any unauthorized disclosure of any of Ashland's material know-how or trade secrets could adversely affect Ashland's business and results of operations.

Technology1 | 5.6%

Technology - Risk 1

Ashland uses information technology ("IT") systems to conduct business and these IT systems are at risk of potential disruption and cybersecurity threats.

Ashland's businesses rely on IT systems to operate efficiently and in some cases, to operate at all. Ashland employs third parties to manage and maintain a significant portion of its IT systems, including, but not limited to data centers, IT infrastructure, network, client support and end user services, as well as the functions of backing up and securing those systems. A partial or complete failure of Ashland's IT systems or those of our third parties managing, providing or servicing them for any amount of time more than several hours could result in significant business disruption causing harm to Ashland's reputation, results of operations or financial condition. In addition, the nature of our businesses, the markets we serve, and the extensive geographic profile of our operations make Ashland a target of cybersecurity threats. Cybersecurity threats in general are increasing and becoming more advanced and could occur as a result of the activity of hackers, employee error or employee misconduct. In addition, bad actors are becoming more sophisticated in using various techniques and tools, including artificial intelligence, for malicious purposes. We have in the past experienced cybersecurity threats and other incidents, and we expect such incidents to continue in varying degrees. Ashland utilizes various cybersecurity controls and governance procedures to protect against such disruptions; however, these measures may not be sufficient for all eventualities. A failure in these controls and procedures may prevent us from detecting a failure or breach of our information systems and delay our ability to respond. Such failure of our controls and procedures and/or a breach of our IT systems could lead to the loss and destruction of trade secrets, confidential information, proprietary data, intellectual property, customer and supplier data, and employee personal information and we may be required by law to notify the impacted individuals and/or make other disclosures. These events could expose us to customer litigation, regulatory actions and costs related to the reporting and handling of such a failure or breach, all of which could disrupt our business operations and adversely affect Ashland's relationships with business partners, harm our brands, reputation, and financial results.

Legal & Regulatory

Total Risks: 3/18 (17%)Below Sector Average

Regulation1 | 5.6%

Regulation - Risk 1

The impact of changing laws or regulations or the manner of interpretation or enforcement of existing rules could adversely impact Ashland's financial performance and restrict its ability to operate its business or execute its strategies.

New laws or regulations, or changes in existing laws or regulations or the manner of their interpretation or enforcement, could increase Ashland's cost of doing business and restrict its ability to operate its business or execute its strategies. This includes, among other things, the possible taxation under U.S. law of certain income from foreign operations, the possible taxation under foreign laws of certain income Ashland reports in other jurisdictions, the Pillar Two initiative of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development which introduces a 15% global minimum tax applied on a country-by-country basis to Ashland in many jurisdictions starting October 1, 2024, tariffs or quotas levied on Ashland products, raw materials or key components by certain countries, regulations related to the protection of private information of Ashland's employees and customers, regulations issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (and analogous non-U.S. agencies) affecting Ashland and its customers, compliance with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (and analogous non-U.S. laws) and the European Union's Registration, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals ("REACH") regulation (and analogous non-EU initiatives), and potential operational impacts of General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR"). Uncertainty associated with the passage of new laws, application of executive authority beyond the legislative process, as well as changes in and enforcement of existing laws, can limit Ashland's ability to make and execute business plans effectively. In addition, compliance with laws and regulations is complicated by Ashland's substantial and growing global footprint, which will require significant and additional resources to comprehend and ensure compliance with applicable laws in the more than one hundred countries where Ashland conducts business. Compliance with current and future regulations is further complicated by uncertainty around the reevaluation of international agreements by various countries, including the United States, and the resulting impact on regulatory regimes, customs regulations, tariffs, sanctions, and other transnational protocols. Emerging ESG regulations in the European Union and globally such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive ("CSRD") and European Union Deforestation Regulations ("EUDR") may also require significant resources and data management systems to continue to support the Company. These regulations have the potential to impact Ashland's business and ability to manage materials effectively.

Litigation & Legal Liabilities1 | 5.6%

Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 1

Ashland is responsible for, and has financial exposure to, liabilities from pending and threatened claims, including those alleging personal injury caused by exposure to asbestos, which could adversely impact Ashland's results of operations and cash flow.

There are various claims, lawsuits and administrative proceedings pending or threatened, including those alleging personal injury caused by exposure to asbestos, against Ashland and its current and former subsidiaries. Such actions are with respect to commercial matters, product liability, toxic tort liability and other matters that seek remedies or damages, some of which are for substantial amounts. While these actions are being contested, their outcome is not predictable. Ashland's results could be adversely affected by financial exposure to these liabilities. Insurance maintained by Ashland to protect against claims for damages alleged by third parties is subject to coverage limitations, depending on the nature of the risk insured. This insurance may not be sufficient to cover all of Ashland's liabilities to others. In addition, insurance related to these types of risks may not be available now or, if available, may not be available in the future at commercially reasonable rates. Ashland's ability to recover from its insurers for asbestos liabilities could also have an adverse impact on its results of operations. Projecting future asbestos costs is subject to numerous variables that are extremely difficult to predict. In addition to the significant uncertainties surrounding the number of claims that might be received, other variables include the type and severity of the disease alleged by each claimant, the long latency period associated with asbestos exposure, dismissal rates, costs of medical treatment, the impact of bankruptcies of other companies that are co-defendants in claims, uncertainties surrounding the litigation process from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and from case to case, and the impact of potential changes in legislative or judicial standards. Furthermore, any predictions with respect to these variables are subject to even greater uncertainty as the projection period lengthens. As a part of the process to develop estimates of the Company's future asbestos costs, a range of long-term cost models was developed. These models are based on national studies that predict the number of people likely to develop asbestos-related diseases and are heavily influenced by assumptions regarding long-term inflation rates for indemnity payments and legal defense costs, as well as other variables mentioned previously. Because of the inherent uncertainties in projecting future asbestos liabilities and establishing appropriate reserves, Ashland's actual asbestos costs could adversely affect its results of operations and, to the extent they exceed its reserves, could adversely affect its results of operations.

Taxation & Government Incentives1 | 5.6%

Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 1

Imposition of new taxes, disagreements with tax authorities or additional tax liabilities could adversely affect Ashland's business, financial condition, reputation or results of operations.

Ashland's products are made, manufactured, distributed or sold in more than 100 countries and territories. A significant portion of Ashland's revenues are generated outside the United States. As such, Ashland is subject to taxes in the United States as well as numerous foreign countries. Ashland's future effective tax rates could be affected by changes in the mix of earnings in countries with differing tax rates, changes in the valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities, changes in liabilities for uncertain tax positions, cost of repatriations or changes in tax laws, regulations, administrative practices or their interpretation. Moreover, because Ashland is subject to the regular examination of its income tax returns by various tax authorities, the economic and political pressure to increase tax revenues in these jurisdictions may make resolving tax disputes even more difficult, and the final resolution of tax audits and any related litigation may differ from our historical provisions and accruals resulting in an adverse impact on our business, financial condition, reputation or results of operations. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the Tax Act), enacted in December 2017, made significant changes to US tax law; many other countries or organizations, including those where Ashland has significant operations, are actively considering or enacting changes to tax laws which could significantly impact our tax rate and cash flows. The increasingly complex global tax environment, including changes in how United States multinational corporations are taxed, could adversely affect Ashland's business, financial condition or results of operations. Other than the one-time transition tax enacted by the Tax Act, Ashland will continue to be indefinitely reinvested in our foreign earnings. As such, Ashland has not accrued income taxes or foreign withholding taxes on undistributed earnings for most non-US subsidiaries because those earnings are intended to be indefinitely reinvested in the operations of those subsidiaries. If these earnings are needed for Ashland's operations in the United States, the repatriation of such earnings could adversely affect its business, results of operations or financial condition.

Ability to Sell

Total Risks: 3/18 (17%)Above Sector Average

Competition2 | 11.1%

Competition - Risk 1

Changed

Ashland operates in highly competitive markets which places downward pressure on prices and margins and may adversely affect Ashland's businesses and results of operations.

Ashland operates in highly competitive markets, competing against a number of domestic and foreign companies. Competition is based on several key criteria, including product performance and quality, product price, product availability and security of supply, responsiveness of product development in cooperation with customers and customer service, as well as the ability to bring innovative products or services to the marketplace. Certain key competitors are significantly larger than Ashland and have greater financial resources, leading to greater operating and financial flexibility. As a result, these competitors may be better able to withstand changes in conditions within the relevant industry, changes in the prices of raw materials and energy and changes in general economic conditions. In addition, competitors' pricing decisions could compel Ashland to decrease its prices,which could negatively affect its margins and profitability. Additional competition in markets served by Ashland could adversely affect margins and profitability and could lead to a reduction in market share. Also, Ashland competes in certain markets that are declining and has targeted other markets for growth opportunities. Competitive and pricing pressures could also impact Ashland's production volumes, which can in turn reduce cost efficiency. If Ashland's strategies for dealing with declining markets and leveraging opportunity markets are not successful, its businesses and results of operations could be negatively affected.

Competition - Risk 2

Changed

The competitive nature of Ashland's markets may delay or prevent Ashland from passing increases in raw materials or energy costs on to its customers. In addition, certain of Ashland's suppliers may be unable to deliver products or raw materials or fulfill contractual requirements. The occurrence of either event could result in decreased sales, increased costs, and adverse impacts to the valuation of Ashland's inventory.

Rising and volatile raw material prices, especially those of hydrocarbon derivatives, cotton linters or wood pulp, may negatively impact Ashland's costs, results of operations and the valuation of its inventory. Similarly, energy costs are a significant component of certain of Ashland's product costs. Ashland is not always able to raise prices in response to such increased costs, and its ability to pass on the costs of such price increases is dependent upon market conditions. Likewise, reductions in the valuation of Ashland's inventory due to market volatility may not be recovered and could result in losses. Ashland purchases certain products and raw materials from suppliers, often pursuant to written supply contracts. If those suppliers are unable to meet Ashland's orders in a timely manner or choose to terminate or not fulfill contractual arrangements, Ashland may not be able to make alternative supply arrangements. Also, domestic and global government regulations related to the manufacture, transport or import of certain raw materials may impede Ashland's ability to obtain those raw materials on commercially reasonable terms. Certain Ashland businesses rely on agricultural output of clary sage, guar, and cotton linters, and the availability of these materials can be severely impacted by crop yields, weather events, and other factors. If Ashland is unable to obtain and retain qualified suppliers under commercially acceptable terms, its ability to manufacture and deliver products in a timely, competitive and profitable manner or grow its business successfully could be adversely affected.

Demand1 | 5.6%

Demand - Risk 1

Ashland's customers could change their products in a way that reduces the demand for Ashland's products.

Ashland produces and sells specialty materials that are used by its customers for a broad range of applications. Many of these Ashland materials become part of end products that are sold to consumers. Changes in consumer preferences and demands can lead to certain Ashland customers making changes to their products. In other instances, Ashland's customers may change their products or production techniques to take advantage of newer technologies, alternative chemistries, more effective formulations, or improved processes, or in response to various market, technical or regulatory changes. Such changes in Ashland's customers' products or production techniques may cause these customers to reduce consumption of Ashland's products or eliminate their need entirely. Ashland may not be able to supply products that meet the customers' new requirements. Such lost sales opportunities may not be replaced by those offering equal revenue potential or margin. If Ashland fails to develop new products and new applications of existing products, it may face loss of market share, margins and cash flow.

Macro & Political

Total Risks: 3/18 (17%)Above Sector Average

Economy & Political Environment1 | 5.6%

Economy & Political Environment - Risk 1

Adverse developments in the global economy and potential disruptions of financial markets could negatively impact Ashland's customers and suppliers, and therefore have a negative impact on Ashland's results of operations.

A global or regional economic downturn may reduce customer demand or inhibit Ashland's ability to produce and sell products. Ashland's business and operating results are sensitive to global and regional economic downturns, credit market tightness, declining consumer and business confidence, fluctuating commodity prices, volatile exchange rates, inflation or changes in interest rates, sovereign debt defaults and other challenges, including those related to international sanctions and acts of aggression or threatened aggression that can affect the global economy. In the event of adverse developments or stagnation in the economy or financial markets, Ashland's customers may experience deterioration of their businesses, reduced demand for their products, cash flow shortages and difficulty obtaining financing. As a result, existing or potential customers might delay or cancel plans to purchase products, which includes customer destocking of their own inventories, and may not be able to fulfill their obligations to Ashland in a timely fashion. Further, suppliers may experience similar conditions, which could impact their ability to fulfill their obligations to Ashland. A weakening or reversal of the current economic conditions in the global economy or a substantial part of it could negatively impact Ashland's business, results of operations, financial condition and ability to grow.

International Operations1 | 5.6%

International Operations - Risk 1

Ashland's substantial global operations subject it to risks of doing business in foreign countries, which could adversely affect its business, financial condition and results of operations.

Greater than half of Ashland's net sales for fiscal 2024 were to customers outside of North America. Ashland expects sales from international markets to continue to represent an even larger portion of the Company's sales in the future. Also, a significant portion of Ashland's manufacturing capacity is located outside of the United States. Accordingly, Ashland's business is subject to risks related to the differing legal, political, cultural, social and regulatory requirements and economic conditions of many jurisdictions. The global nature of Ashland's business presents difficulties in hiring and maintaining a workforce in certain countries. Fluctuations in exchange rates may affect product demand and may adversely affect the profitability in U.S. dollars of products and services provided in foreign countries. In addition, foreign countries may impose additional withholding taxes or otherwise tax Ashland's foreign income, or adopt other restrictions on foreign trade or investment, including currency exchange controls. The imposition of new tariffs or trade quotas, or an impairment of existing trade agreements is also a risk that could impair Ashland's financial performance. Certain legal and political risks are also inherent in the operation of a company with Ashland's global scope. Ashland's ability to do business and execute its growth strategies could be adversely affected by legal and political changes or other changes to trade policy and trade relationships. Ashland could also be impacted negatively if the ongoing trade disputes between the United States and China, or those between the United States and the E.U. were to worsen. In addition, it may be more difficult for Ashland to enforce its agreements or collect receivables through foreign legal systems. There is a risk that foreign governments may nationalize private enterprises in certain countries where Ashland operates. In certain countries or regions, terrorist activities and the response to such activities may threaten Ashland's operations more than those in the United States. In Europe, the effect of economic sanctions imposed on Russia and/or Russia's reaction to the sanctions could adversely impact Ashland's performance and results of operations. The risks associated with localized or regional armed conflict in many parts of the world remain high and could disrupt and/or adversely impact Ashland's businesses. Social and cultural norms in certain countries may not support compliance with Ashland's corporate policies including those that require compliance with substantive laws and regulations. Also, changes in general economic and political conditions in countries where Ashland operates, particularly in Europe, the Middle East and emerging markets, are a risk to Ashland's financial performance. As Ashland continues to operate its business globally, its success will depend, in part, on its ability to anticipate and effectively manage these and other related risks.

Natural and Human Disruptions1 | 5.6%

Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 1

Business disruptions from natural, operational and other catastrophic risks could seriously harm Ashland's operations and financial performance. In addition, a catastrophic event at one of Ashland's facilities or involving its products or employees could lead to liabilities that could further impair its operations and financial performance.

Business disruptions, including those related to operating hazards inherent with the production of chemicals, natural disasters, severe weather conditions, supply or logistics disruptions, increasing costs for energy, temporary plant and/or power outages, information technology systems and network disruptions, cyber-security breaches, terrorist attacks, armed conflicts, war, public health crises, fires, floods or other catastrophic events, could seriously harm Ashland's operations, as well as the operations of its customers and suppliers, and may adversely impact Ashland's financial performance. These events could result in reduced demand for Ashland's products, make it difficult or impossible for Ashland to manufacture its products or deliver products to its customers or to receive raw materials from suppliers, or create delays and inefficiencies in the supply chain. In addition to leading to a serious disruption of Ashland's businesses, a catastrophic event at one of our facilities or involving our products or employees could lead to substantial legal liability to or claims by parties allegedly harmed by the event. Furthermore, because catastrophic events are inherently uncertain, Ashland's business continuity plans may not address every potential scenario and may not fully protect it from all such events. In addition, insurance maintained by Ashland to protect against property damage, loss of business and other related consequences resulting from catastrophic events is subject to various deductibles and coverage limitations, depending on the nature of the risk insured. This insurance may not be sufficient to cover all of Ashland's damages or damages to others in the event of a catastrophe. In addition, insurance related to these types of risks may not be available now or, if available, may not be available in the future at commercially reasonable rates.

Finance & Corporate

Total Risks: 2/18 (11%)Below Sector Average

Debt & Financing1 | 5.6%

Debt & Financing - Risk 1

Added

Ashland's substantial indebtedness may adversely affect our ability to pursue certain strategic acquisitions and other business opportunities, inhibit our flexibility in responding to changing market conditions, and impede our ability to generate revenue.

Ashland maintains a substantial amount of debt. Ashland's substantial indebtedness could adversely affect its business, results of operations and financial condition by, among other things: - requiring Ashland to dedicate a substantial portion of its cash flow from operations to pay principal and interest on its debt, which would reduce the availability of Ashland's cash flow to fund working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, execution of its growth strategy and other general corporate purposes;- limiting Ashland's ability to borrow additional amounts to fund working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of its growth strategy and other purposes;- making Ashland more vulnerable to adverse changes in general economic, industry and regulatory conditions and in its business by limiting Ashland's flexibility in planning for, and making it more difficult for Ashland to react quickly to, changing conditions;- placing Ashland at a competitive disadvantage compared with those of its competitors that have less debt and lower debt service requirements;- making Ashland more vulnerable to increases in interest rates if debt is refinanced; and - making it more difficult for Ashland to satisfy its financial obligations. In addition, Ashland may not be able to generate sufficient cash flow from its operations to repay its indebtedness when it becomes due and to meet its other cash needs. If Ashland is not able to pay its debts as they become due, it could be in default under its credit facility or other indebtedness. Ashland might also be required to pursue one or more alternative strategies to repay indebtedness, such as selling assets, refinancing or restructuring its indebtedness or selling additional debt or equity securities. Ashland may not be able to refinance its debt or sell additional debt or equity securities or its assets on favorable terms, if at all, and if Ashland must sell its assets, it may negatively affect its ability to generate revenues.

Corporate Activity and Growth1 | 5.6%

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1

Added

Ashland has set aggressive growth goals for its businesses which may be impacted by such risks as the failure to optimize the use of Ashland's tangible and intangible assets, the failure to identify and successfully integrate acquisition targets, and/or unexpected costs and liabilities associated with strategic acquisitions. If they materialize, these risks could lead to reduced sales, impairment of goodwill or intangible assets, and other adverse effects on the Company's financial condition and results of operations.

Ashland's failure to fully achieve one or more of its aggressive growth goals or meet its long-term objectives could negatively impact Ashland's potential value and its businesses. One of the most important risks is that Ashland might fail to adequately execute its business strategy and growth plans by not optimizing the use of its physical and intangible assets. Aspects of that risk include changes to the global economic environment, changes to the competitive landscape, attraction and retention of skilled employees, the potential failure of product innovation plans, failure to comply with existing or new regulatory schemes, failure to maintain a competitive cost structure and other risks outlined in greater detail in this Item 1A. In addition, Ashland, as part of its growth goals, continuously evaluates acquisition candidates. If Ashland is unable to successfully identify and integrate acquired businesses, Ashland could fail to achieve any expected increases in sales and operating results, which could have a material adverse effect on Ashland's financial results. Ashland's ability to achieve the anticipated financial benefits from any acquisition transactions may not be realized due to any number of factors, including, but not limited to, unsuccessful integration efforts, unexpected or underestimated liabilities or increased costs, fees, expenses and charges related to such transactions. Such adverse events could result in a decrease in the estimated fair value of goodwill or other intangible assets established as a result of such transactions, triggering an impairment. These and other factors could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and 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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