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Butterfly Network (BFLY)
NYSE:BFLY
US Market
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Butterfly Network (BFLY) Risk Factors

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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.

Butterfly Network disclosed 51 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Butterfly Network reported the most risks in the “Tech & Innovation” category.

Risk Overview Q3, 2024

Risk Distribution
51Risks
22% Tech & Innovation
20% Finance & Corporate
20% Legal & Regulatory
20% Production
16% Ability to Sell
4% Macro & Political
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
Q4
S&P500 Average
Sector Average
Risks removed
Risks added
Risks changed
Butterfly Network 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
Tech & Innovation
With 11 Risks
Tech & Innovation
With 11 Risks
Number of Disclosed Risks
51
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 31
51
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
0
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 3
0
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 3
See the risk highlights of Butterfly Network 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 51

Tech & Innovation
Total Risks: 11/51 (22%)Below Sector Average
Innovation / R&D3 | 5.9%
Innovation / R&D - Risk 1
If we are unable to continue the development of an adequate sales and marketing organization and/or if our direct sales organization is not successful, we may have difficulty achieving market awareness and selling our products in the future.
We must continue to develop and grow our sales and marketing organization and enter into partnerships or other arrangements to market and sell our products and/or collaborate with third parties, including distributors and others, to market and sell our products to maintain the commercial success of Butterfly iQ+ and to achieve commercial success for any of our future products. Developing and managing a direct sales organization is a difficult, expensive and time-consuming process. To continue to develop our sales and marketing organization to successfully achieve market awareness and sell our products, we must: - continue to recruit and retain adequate numbers of effective and experienced sales and marketing personnel;- effectively train our sales and marketing personnel in the benefits and risks of our products;- establish and maintain successful sales, marketing, training and education programs that educate health care professionals so they can appropriately inform their patients about our products;- manage geographically dispersed sales and marketing operations; and - effectively train our sales and marketing personnel on the applicable fraud and abuse laws that govern interactions with healthcare practitioners as well as current and prospective patients and maintain active oversight and auditing measures to ensure continued compliance. We may not be able to successfully manage our sales force or increase our product sales at acceptable rates.
Innovation / R&D - Risk 2
Our research and development efforts may not succeed in developing commercially successful products and technologies, which could adversely affect our business.
Our technology on a microchip has the potential to allow us to monitor patients in various care settings due to its portability and cost. We expect our development path will be directed at accessing and optimizing our technology for use in various care settings, potentially including home scanning and or wearable patient technology, subject to appropriate regulatory authorization. We face risks associated with launching such new products. If we encounter development or manufacturing challenges or discover errors during our product development cycle, the product launch dates of new products may be delayed, which will cause delays in our ability to achieve our forecasted results. The expenses or losses associated with unsuccessful product development or launch activities or lack of market acceptance of our new products could adversely affect our business or financial condition.
Innovation / R&D - Risk 3
Medical device development is costly and involves continual technological change, which may render our current or future products obsolete.
The market for point-of-care medical devices is characterized by rapid technological change, medical advances and evolving industry standards. Any one of these factors could reduce the demand for our devices or services or require substantial resources and expenditures for research, design and development to avoid technological or market obsolescence. Our success will depend on our ability to enhance our current technology, services and systems and develop or acquire and market new technologies to keep pace with technological developments and evolving industry standards, while responding to changes in customer needs. A failure to adequately develop or acquire device enhancements or new devices that will address changing technologies and customer requirements adequately, or to introduce such devices on a timely basis, may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. We might have insufficient financial resources to improve existing devices, advance technologies and develop new devices at competitive prices. Technological advances by one or more competitors or future entrants into the field may result in our current devices becoming non-competitive or obsolete, which may decrease revenues and profits and adversely affect our business and results of operations. We may encounter significant competition across our existing and future planned products and services and in each market in which we sell or plan to sell our products and services from various companies, many of which have greater financial and marketing resources than we do. Our primary competitors include the top five manufacturers of legacy cart-based incumbent ultrasound devices. In addition, many of our competitors are well-established manufacturers with significant resources and may engage in aggressive marketing tactics. Competitors may also possess the ability to commercialize additional lines of products, bundle products or offer higher discounts and incentives to customers in order to gain a competitive advantage. If the prices of competing products are lowered as a result, we may not be able to compete effectively.
Trade Secrets6 | 11.8%
Trade Secrets - Risk 1
If our trademarks and trade names are not adequately protected, then we may not be able to build name recognition in our markets of interest and our business may be adversely affected.
Our registered or unregistered trademarks or trade names may be challenged, infringed, circumvented or declared generic or determined to be infringing on other marks. We may not be able to protect our rights to these trademarks and trade names, which we need to build name recognition by potential partners or customers in our markets of interest. At times, competitors may adopt trade names or trademarks similar to ours, thereby impeding our ability to build brand identity and possibly leading to market confusion. In addition, there could be potential trade name or trademark infringement claims brought by owners of other registered trademarks. Over the long term, if we are unable to establish name recognition based on our trademarks and trade names, then we may not be able to compete effectively and our business may be adversely affected.
Trade Secrets - Risk 2
Changes in patent laws or patent jurisprudence could diminish the value of patents in general, thereby impairing our ability to protect our products.
The America Invents Act ("AIA") was signed into law on September 16, 2011, and many of the substantive changes under the AIA became effective on March 16, 2013 is the primary governing legislation in the United States and many of the countries we operate within have similar governing legislation. Additionally, courts and administrative bodies often issue rulings on matters related to patent and intellectual property enforcement actions, which may either adversely or beneficially impact our ability to enforce our patent and intellectual property rights within the United States and elsewhere. The laws governing patent prosecution and enforcement are subject to change in unpredictable ways and such changes may be influenced by rulings of courts and other administrative bodies.  These changes may weaken our ability to obtain new patents and/or enforce the rights of our existing patents.
Trade Secrets - Risk 3
If we or any of our partners are sued for infringing the intellectual property rights of third parties, such litigation would be costly and time consuming, and an unfavorable outcome in any such litigation could have a material adverse effect on our business. We may be involved in lawsuits to protect or enforce our patents or the patents of our licensors, which could be expensive, time-consuming and unsuccessful.
Our success also depends on our ability to develop, manufacture, market and sell our products and perform our services without infringing upon the proprietary rights of third parties. Numerous U.S. and foreign-issued patents and pending patent applications owned by third parties exist in the fields in which we are developing products and services. As is common in the medical device industry, we also engage the services of specialized consultants and employees who are currently providing or previously provided services to our competitors and we may become subject to claims that we, an employee, a consultant or an independent contractor inadvertently or otherwise used or disclosed trade secrets, intellectual property or other information proprietary to their former employers or their former or current clients. As part of a business strategy to impede our successful commercialization and entry into new markets, competitors may claim that our products and/or services infringe their intellectual property rights and may suggest that we enter into license agreements. Even if such claims are without merit, we could incur substantial costs and the attention of our management, and technical personnel could be diverted in defending us against claims of infringement made by third parties or settling such claims. Any adverse ruling by a court or administrative body, or perception of an adverse ruling, may have a material adverse impact on our ability to conduct our business and our finances. Moreover, third parties making claims against us may be able to obtain injunctive relief against us, which could block our ability to offer one or more products or services and could result in a substantial award of damages against us. In addition, since we sometimes indemnify customers, collaborators or licensees, we may have additional liability in connection with any infringement or alleged infringement of third-party intellectual property. There is a substantial amount of litigation involving patent and other intellectual property rights in the medical device space. As we face increasing competition and as our business grows, we will likely face more claims of infringement, such as the FujiFilm Sonosite complaint filed against us in 2022. If a third party claims that we or any of our licensors, customers or collaboration partners infringe upon a third party's intellectual property rights, we may have to: - seek licenses that may not be available on commercially reasonable terms, if at all;- abandon any infringing product or redesign our products or processes to avoid infringement;- pay substantial damages including, in an exceptional case, treble damages and attorneys' fees, which we may have to pay if a court decides that the product or proprietary technology at issue infringes upon or violates the third-party's rights;- pay substantial royalties or fees or grant cross-licenses to our technology; or - defend litigation or administrative proceedings that may be costly whether we win or lose, and which could result in a substantial diversion of our financial and management resources. Competitors may infringe our patents or the patents that we license. In the event of infringement or unauthorized use, we may file one or more infringement lawsuits, which can also be expensive and time-consuming. An adverse result in any such litigation proceedings could put one or more of our patents at risk of being invalidated, being found to be unenforceable or being interpreted narrowly and could put our patent applications at risk of not issuing. Furthermore, because of the substantial amount of discovery required in connection with intellectual property litigation, there is a risk that some of our confidential information could be compromised by disclosure during this type of litigation. Patent litigation can be very costly and time consuming.  Many of our competitors are larger than we are and have substantially greater resources. They are, therefore, likely to be able to sustain the costs of complex patent litigation longer than we could. In addition, the uncertainties associated with litigation, or an adverse outcome, could have a material adverse effect on our ability to raise any funds necessary to continue our operations, continue our internal research programs, in-license needed technology, expose us to significant liabilities, or enter into development partnerships that would help us bring our products to market.
Trade Secrets - Risk 4
We may need or may choose to obtain licenses from third parties to advance our research or allow commercialization of our current or future products, and we cannot provide any assurances that we would be able to obtain such licenses.
In addition to agreements pursuant to which we in-license intellectual property, we have in the past, and we will in the future, grant licenses under our intellectual property. For example, we licensed parts of our Ultrasound on a Chip™ and other components of our intellectual property portfolio to Forest Neurotech in 2023, subject to contractual restrictions.  Through programs like our Powered by Butterfly™, we expect to continue strategically granting licenses to our intellectual property subject to customary contractual provisions. Like in-licenses, out-licenses are complex, and disputes may arise between us and our licensees. Moreover, our licensees may breach their obligations, or we may be exposed to liability due to our failure or alleged failure to satisfy our obligations. Any such occurrence could have an adverse effect on our business. Licensing intellectual property involves complex legal, business and scientific issues. Disputes may arise between us and our licensors regarding intellectual property subject to a license agreement, including: - the scope of rights granted under the license agreement and other interpretation-related issues;- whether and the extent to which our technology and processes infringe on intellectual property of the licensor that is not subject to the licensing agreement;- our right to sublicense patent and other rights to third parties under collaborative development relationships;- our diligence obligations with respect to the use of the licensed technology in relation to our development and commercialization of our products, and what activities satisfy those diligence obligations; and - the ownership of inventions and know-how resulting from the joint creation or use of intellectual property by our licensors and us and our partners. If disputes over licensed intellectual property prevent or impair our ability to maintain the licensing arrangements on acceptable terms, we may be unable to successfully develop and commercialize the affected product, or the dispute may have an adverse effect on our results of operations.
Trade Secrets - Risk 5
Our wafer bonding technology for ultrasound applications is licensed to us by Stanford. Any loss of our rights to this technology could prevent us from selling our products.
Our wafer bonding technology for use in ultrasound applications is licensed co-exclusively to us from Stanford until the end of December 2023, at which time the license becomes non-exclusive. We also license on a non-exclusive basis 7 active patents from Stanford. We do not own the patents that underlie these licenses. Our rights to use the licensed technology and employ the inventions claimed in the licensed patents are subject to the continuation of and compliance with the terms of the license. Our principal obligations under the license agreements with Stanford include the following: - royalty payments;- meeting certain milestones pertaining to development, commercialization and sales of products using the licensed technology;- annual maintenance fees;- using commercially reasonable efforts to develop and sell a product using the licensed technology and developing a market for such product; and - providing certain reports. If we breach any of these obligations, Stanford may have the right to terminate the licenses, which could result in us being unable to develop, manufacture and sell products using the licensed technology. Termination of our license agreements with Stanford would have a material adverse effect on our business. In addition, we are a party to a number of other agreements that include licenses to intellectual property, including non-exclusive licenses. We may need to enter into additional license agreements in the future. Our business could suffer, for example, if any current or future licenses terminate, if the licensors fail to abide by the terms of the license, if the licensed patents or other rights are found to be invalid or unenforceable, or if we are unable to enter into necessary licenses on acceptable terms.
Trade Secrets - Risk 6
If we are unable to protect our intellectual property, our ability to maintain any technological or competitive advantage over our competitors and potential competitors would be adversely impacted, and our business may be harmed.
We rely on patent protection as well as trademark, copyright, trade secret and other intellectual property rights protection and contractual restrictions to protect our proprietary technologies, all of which provide limited protection and may not adequately protect our rights or permit us to gain or keep any competitive advantage. As of December 31, 2022, we owned approximately 900 issued patents and pending patent applications in the United States and foreign jurisdictions, including Australia, Canada, Europe, Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea and India. These issued patents and pending patent applications (if they were to be issued as patents) have expected expiration dates ranging between approximately 2030 and 2042. If we fail to protect our intellectual property, third parties may be able to compete more effectively against us, we may lose our technological or competitive advantage, or we may incur substantial litigation costs in our attempts to recover or restrict use of our intellectual property. We cannot assure investors that any of our currently pending or future patent applications will result in granted patents, and we cannot predict how long it will take for such patents to be granted or whether the scope of such patents, if granted, will adequately protect our products from competitors. It is possible that, for any of our patents that have granted or that may be granted in the future, others will design alternatives that do not infringe upon our patented technologies. Further, we cannot assure investors that other parties will not challenge any patents granted to us or that courts or regulatory agencies will hold our patents to be valid or enforceable. We cannot guarantee investors that we will be successful in defending challenges made against our patents and patent applications. Any successful third-party challenge to our patents could result in the unenforceability or invalidity of such patents, or to such patents being interpreted narrowly or otherwise in a manner adverse to our interests. Our ability to establish or maintain a technological or competitive advantage over our competitors may be diminished because of these uncertainties. For these and other reasons, our intellectual property may not provide us with any competitive advantage. For example: - We or our licensors might not have been the first to make the inventions covered by each of our pending patent applications or granted patents;- We or our licensors might not have been the first to file patent applications for our inventions. To determine the priority of these inventions, we may have to participate in interference proceedings or derivation proceedings declared by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO") that could result in substantial cost to us. No assurance can be given that our patent applications or granted patents (or those of our licensors) will have priority over any other patent or patent application involved in such a proceeding;- Others may independently develop similar or alternative products and technologies or duplicate any of our products and technologies;- It is possible that our owned or licensed pending patent applications will not result in granted patents, and even if such pending patent applications grant as patents, they may not provide a basis for intellectual property protection of commercially viable products, may not provide us with any competitive advantages, or may be challenged and invalidated by third parties;- We may not develop additional proprietary products and technologies that are patentable;- The patents of others may have an adverse effect on our business; and - While we apply for patents covering our products and technologies and uses thereof, as we deem appropriate, we may fail to apply for patents on important products and technologies in a timely fashion or at all, or we may fail to apply for patents in potentially relevant jurisdictions Filing, prosecuting and defending patents on current and future products in all countries throughout the world would be prohibitively expensive, and our intellectual property rights in some countries outside the United States can be less extensive than those in the United States. In addition, the laws of some foreign countries do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as federal and state laws in the United States. Consequently, regardless of whether we are able to prevent third parties from practicing our inventions in the United States, we may not be able to prevent third parties from practicing our inventions in all countries outside the United States, or from selling or importing products made using our inventions in and into the United States or other jurisdictions.  Even if we pursue and obtain issued patents in particular jurisdictions, our patent claims or other intellectual property rights may not be effective or sufficient to prevent third parties from competing.  Accordingly, we may choose not to seek patent protection in certain countries, and we will not have the benefit of patent protection in such countries. If we fail to protect our intellectual property, third parties may be able to compete more effectively against us, we may lose our technological or competitive advantage, or we may incur substantial litigation costs in our attempts to recover or restrict use of our intellectual property.  For these and other reasons, our intellectual property may not provide us with any competitive advantage.
Cyber Security1 | 2.0%
Cyber Security - Risk 1
Increased cybersecurity requirements, vulnerabilities, threats, and more sophisticated and targeted computer crimes pose a risk to our systems, networks, products, solutions, services, and data, as well as our reputation, which could adversely affect our business.
We manufacture and sell products that rely upon software and computer systems to operate properly and process and store confidential information. Our products often are connected to, and reside within, our customers' information technology ("IT") infrastructures. In some jurisdictions, we are expected to design our products to include appropriate cybersecurity protections, and regulatory authorities may review such protections when granting marketing authorizations. While we seek to protect our products and IT systems from unauthorized access, these measures may not be effective, particularly because techniques used to obtain unauthorized access or to sabotage systems change frequently, increase in sophistication, and often are not identified at the time that they are launched against a target. These risks apply to our installed base of products, products we currently sell, new products we will introduce in the future, and older technology that we no longer sell or service but remains in use by customers. Additionally, we offer software and cloud products that are developed by, controlled by, or are hosted by third-party providers. A cybersecurity breach of our systems or products, of our customers' or service providers' network security and systems, or of other third-party services could disrupt treatment being delivered to patients or interfere with our customers' operations, and could lead to the loss of, damage to, or public disclosure of our employees' and customers' stored information, including personal data, such as individually identifiable health information ("protected health information" or "PHI"). Such an event could have serious negative consequences, including alleged customer or patient harm, obligations to notify enforcement authorities or users of our products, voluntary or forced recalls of or modifications to our products, regulatory actions, fines, penalties and damages, reduced demand for or use of our offerings by customers, harm to our reputation, and time-consuming and expensive litigation, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business results, cash flows, financial condition, or prospects. There are increasingly large volumes of information, including patient data, being generated that need to be securely processed and stored by healthcare organizations. There has been an increase in the frequency and sophistication of the cybersecurity threats we and our service providers face, and we expect these activities to continue to increase. Geopolitical tensions or conflicts, such as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and the increased adoption of AI technologies, may further heighten the risk of cyber-attacks. Additionally, leveraging AI capabilities to potentially improve internal functions and operations presents further risks and challenges, including the possibility of creating new attack methods for adversaries. The use of AI to support business operations carries inherent risks related to data privacy, IP, and security, such as intended, unintended, or inadvertent transmission of proprietary, confidential, or sensitive information, as well as challenges related to implementing and maintaining AI tools, such as developing and maintaining appropriate datasets for such support. If we fail to implement adequate safeguards, the use of AI may introduce additional operational vulnerabilities by producing inaccurate outcomes based on flaws in the underlying data or methodologies, or unintended results. Furthermore, we may also be exposed to a more significant risk if such actions are taken by state or state-affiliated actors. The objectives of these cyber-attacks vary widely and may include, among other things, unauthorized access to personal, customer, or third-party information, disruptions in operations and the provision of services to customers, or theft of IP or other sensitive assets or information belonging to us, our business partners, or customers. As such attacks become more effective, the risks in this area continue to grow. The back-up systems we have in place may not be adequate in the event of a failure or interruption. We may not have current capabilities to identify all vulnerabilities, which may allow others to exploit persistent potential exposures within our IT systems and products. We could suffer significant business disruption, including transaction errors, supply chain or manufacturing interruptions, processing inefficiencies, data loss, loss of customers, reputational damage, the loss of or damage to IP or other proprietary information, litigation, investigation, and possible liability to employees, customers, suppliers, patients, and regulatory authorities as a result of a successful cyber-attack. Further, our ability to effectively plan, forecast, and execute our business plan and comply with applicable laws and regulations may be impaired by such cyber-attacks. Any of the above could have a material adverse effect on our business results, cash flows, financial condition, or prospects, and on the timeliness of reporting our operating results. We rely on software, SaaS, hardware, and other material components from a number of third parties to manufacture our products. If a material cyber incident impacting a supplier were to result in its prolonged inability to use, manufacture and/or ship such components, this could impact our ability to manufacture and/or use our products. In addition, third-party sourced software components, malicious code, or a critical vulnerability emerging within such software could expose our customers to increased cyber risk. While we have undertaken efforts to mitigate cybersecurity risks, these efforts may not prevent all incidents. If we were to experience a significant cybersecurity breach of our information systems or data, the costs associated with the investigation, remediation, and potential notification of the breach to customers, regulators, and counterparties, as well as any related litigation expenses, fines, penalties, or damages, could be material. In addition, our remediation efforts may not be successful. The data privacy and IT security insurance coverage we currently maintain may be inadequate. In addition, the market for such insurance continues to evolve and, in the future, our data privacy and IT security insurance coverage may be prohibitively expensive or not available on acceptable terms or in sufficient amounts, or at all.
Technology1 | 2.0%
Technology - Risk 1
We use third-party software that may cause errors or failures of our products that could lead to lost customers or harm to our reputation.
We use software licensed from third parties in our products. Any errors or defects in third-party software or other third-party software failures could result in errors, defects or cause our products to fail, which could harm our business and be costly to correct. Many of these providers attempt to impose limitations on their liability for such errors, defects or failures, and if enforceable, we may have additional liability to our customers or third-party providers that could harm our reputation and increase our operating costs. We will need to maintain our relationships with third-party software providers and to obtain software from such providers that does not contain any errors or defects. Any failure to do so could adversely impact our ability to deliver reliable products to our customers and could harm our reputation and results of operations.
Finance & Corporate
Total Risks: 10/51 (20%)Below Sector Average
Share Price & Shareholder Rights5 | 9.8%
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1
Our certificate of incorporation designates the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings and the federal district courts as the sole and exclusive forum for other types of actions and proceedings, in each case, that may be initiated by our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders' ability to obtain what such stockholders believe to be a favorable judicial forum for disputes with the Company or our directors, officers or other employees.
Our certificate of incorporation provides that, unless we consent to the selection of an alternative forum, any (i) derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company; (ii) action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by, or any other wrongdoing by, any current or former director, officer or other employee or stockholder of the Company; (iii) action asserting a claim against the Company arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or our certificate of incorporation or our bylaws; (iv) action to interpret, apply, enforce, or determine the validity of any provisions in the certificate of incorporation of bylaws; or (v) action asserting a claim against the company or any director or officer of the Company governed by the internal affairs doctrine, shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be exclusively brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or, if such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction thereof, the federal district court of the State of Delaware. Subject to the foregoing, the federal district courts of the United States are the exclusive forum for the resolution of any action, suit or proceeding asserting a cause of action under the Securities Act. The exclusive forum provision does not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring an interest in any shares of our capital stock shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the forum provisions in our certificate of incorporation. These choice-of-forum provisions may limit a stockholder's ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that he, she or it believes to be favorable for disputes with the Company or our directors, officers or other employees or stockholders, which may discourage such lawsuits. We note that there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce these provisions and that investors cannot waive compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for state and federal courts over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. Alternatively, if a court were to find these provisions of our certificate of incorporation inapplicable or unenforceable with respect to one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and result in a diversion of the time and resources of our management and board of directors.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2
Delaware law and provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws could make a takeover proposal more difficult.
Our organizational documents are governed by Delaware law. Certain provisions of Delaware law and of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws could discourage, delay, defer or prevent a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or other change of control transaction that a stockholder might consider in its best interest, including those attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares of our Class A common stock held by our stockholders. These anti-takeover provisions as well as certain provisions of Delaware law could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire the Company, even if the third party's offer may be considered beneficial by many of our stockholders. As a result, our stockholders may be limited in their ability to obtain a premium for their shares. If prospective takeovers are not consummated for any reason, we may experience negative reactions from the financial markets, including negative impacts on the price of our common stock. These provisions could also discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult for our stockholders to elect directors of their choosing and to cause the Company to take other corporate actions that our stockholders desire.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3
Because we are a "controlled company" within the meaning of the NYSE rules, our stockholders may not have certain corporate governance protections that are available to stockholders of companies that are not controlled companies. The dual class structure of our common stock has the effect of concentrating voting power with the chairman of our board of directors and founder, which will limit an investor's ability to influence the outcome of important transactions, including a change in control.
Shares of our Class B common stock have 20 votes per share, while shares of our Class A common stock have one vote per share. As of February 1, 2023, Dr. Rothberg holds all of the issued and outstanding shares of our Class B common stock and holds approximately 77% of the voting power of our capital stock and is able to control matters submitted to our stockholders for approval, including the election of directors, amendments of our organizational documents and any merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of our assets or other major corporate transactions. Dr. Rothberg may have interests that differ from yours and may vote in a way with which you disagree and which may be adverse to your interests. This concentrated control may have the effect of delaying, preventing or deterring a change in control of the Company, could deprive our stockholders of an opportunity to receive a premium for their capital stock as part of a sale of the Company, and may affect the market price of shares of our Class A common stock.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4
The price of our common stock historically has been volatile, which may affect the price at which you could sell any shares of our common stock.
The market price for our common stock historically has been highly volatile and could continue to be subject to wide fluctuations in response to various factors. This volatility may affect the price at which you could sell the shares of our common stock, and the sale of substantial amounts of our common stock could adversely affect the price of our common stock. Our stock price is likely to continue to be volatile and subject to significant price and volume fluctuations in response to market and other factors, including: - the success of our or competing products or technologies;- developments or disputes concerning issued patents, patent applications or other intellectual property rights;- regulatory or legal developments in the U.S. and other countries;- the recruitment or departure of key personnel;- the level of expenses related to our products;- the results of our efforts to discover, develop, manufacture, acquire or in-license our current and additional products;- actual or anticipated changes in estimates as to financial results, timelines or recommendations by securities analysts;- variations in our financial results or the financial results of companies that are perceived to be similar to us;- sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market, or the perception in the market that the holders of a large number of shares intend to sell shares;- changes in the structure of healthcare payment systems;- general economic, industry and market conditions; and - the other factors summarized and described in this Risk Factors section. Companies trading in the stock market in general have also experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of these companies. Broad market and industry factors may negatively affect the market price of our common stock, regardless of our actual operating performance. In the past, following periods of volatility in the market, securities class-action litigation has often been instituted against companies. Such litigation, if instituted against us, could result in substantial costs and diversion of management's attention and resources, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5
The Company's outstanding warrants became exercisable for the Company's Class A common stock upon the first anniversary of Longview's initial public offering. If the Company's stock price reaches or exceeds $11.50, and outstanding warrants are exercised, the number of shares eligible for future resale in the public market will increase and result in dilution to our stockholders.
As of February 1, 2023, there were 13,799,357 outstanding public warrants to purchase 13,799,357 shares of our Class A common stock at an exercise price of?$11.50 per share. In addition, as of February 1, 2023, there were 6,853,333 private placement warrants outstanding exercisable for 6,853,333 shares of our Class A common stock at an exercise price of?$11.50 per share. To the extent such warrants are exercised, additional shares of our Class A common stock will be issued, which will result in dilution to the holders of our Class A common stock and increase the number of shares eligible for resale in the public market. The change in fair value of our warrants is the result of changes in stock price and warrants outstanding at each reporting period. The change in fair value of warrant liabilities represents the mark-to-market fair value adjustments to the outstanding warrants issued in connection with the initial public offering of Longview. Significant changes in our stock price or number of warrants outstanding may adversely affect our net income (loss) in our consolidated statements of operations.
Accounting & Financial Operations3 | 5.9%
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1
If we fail to maintain proper and effective internal controls, our ability to produce accurate and timely financial statements could be impaired, which could harm our operating results, our ability to operate our business and investors' views of us.
We are required to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires public companies to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting. In particular, we must perform system and process evaluation and testing of our internal control over financial reporting to allow management to report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. In addition, we may be required to have our independent registered public accounting firm attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. If we fail to maintain the effectiveness of our internal controls or fail to comply in a timely manner with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, or if we or our independent registered public accounting firm identify deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting that are deemed to be material weaknesses, this could have a material adverse effect on our business. We could lose investor confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, which could have an adverse effect on the price of our common stock and we could be subject to sanctions or investigations by the NYSE, the SEC or other regulatory authorities, which would require additional financial and management resources. In addition, if our efforts to comply with new or changed laws, regulations, and standards differ from the activities intended by regulatory or governing bodies due to ambiguities related to practice, regulatory authorities may initiate legal proceedings against us and our business may be harmed.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 2
We have incurred significant losses since inception. As such, you cannot rely upon our historical operating performance to make an investment decision about us.
Since our inception, we have engaged in R&D activities and launched our first product, Butterfly iQ, in the fourth quarter of 2018, and our second product, Butterfly iQ+, in 2020. Since commercialization of the Butterfly iQ, we also engaged in the continued development and sales of our enterprise software. We have financed our operations primarily through the issuance of equity securities and convertible debt. We have incurred net losses of $133.7 million, $168.7 million, and $32.4 million in the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and  2021, respectively. Our accumulated deficit as of December 31, 2023 was $729.6 million. We do not know whether or when we will become profitable. Our ability to generate revenue and achieve profitability depends upon our ability to accelerate the commercialization of our products and service offerings in line with the demand from current and future customers and our aggressive business strategy. We may be unable to achieve any or all of these goals.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 3
We have a limited operating history on which to assess the prospects for our business, we have generated limited revenue from sales of our products, and we have incurred losses since inception. We anticipate that we will continue to incur significant losses for at least the next several years as we continue to commercialize our existing products and services and seek to develop and commercialize new products and services.
Since inception, we have devoted substantially all of our financial resources to develop our products and related services. We have financed our operations primarily through the issuance of equity and convertible debt securities. We have generated limited revenue from the sale of our products and services to date and have incurred significant losses. The amount of our future net losses will depend, in part, on sales and on-going development of our products and related services, the rate of our future expenditures and our ability to obtain funding through the issuance of our securities, strategic collaborations or grants. We expect to continue to incur significant losses for at least the next several years as we continue to commercialize our existing products and services and seek to develop and commercialize new products and services. Our ability to generate future revenue from product and service sales depends heavily on our success in many areas, including, but not limited to: - launching and commercializing current and future products and services, either directly or in conjunction with one or more collaborators or distributors;- obtaining and maintaining marketing authorization with respect to each of our products and maintaining regulatory compliance throughout relevant jurisdictions;- maintaining clinical and economical value for end-users and customers in changing environments;- addressing any competing technological and market developments;- negotiating favorable terms in any collaboration, licensing or other arrangements into which we may enter;- establishing and maintaining distribution relationships with third-parties that can provide adequate (in amount and quality) infrastructure to support market demand for our products; and - maintaining, protecting and expanding our portfolio of intellectual property rights, including patents, trade secrets and know-how.
Debt & Financing1 | 2.0%
Debt & Financing - Risk 1
We may need to raise additional funding to expand the commercialization of our products and services and to expand our R&D efforts. This additional financing may not be available on acceptable terms, or at all. Failure to obtain this necessary capital when needed may force us to delay, limit or terminate our product commercialization or development efforts or other operations.
Our operations have consumed substantial amounts of cash since inception. We expect to expend substantial additional amounts to commercialize our products and services and to develop new products and services. We expect to use the funds received in connection with the Business Combination to scale our operations, develop new products and services, expand internationally, and for working capital and general corporate purposes. We may require additional capital to expand the commercialization of our existing products and services and to develop new products and services. In addition, our operating plans may change as a result of many factors that may currently be unknown to us, and we may need to seek additional funds sooner than planned. We cannot guarantee that future financing will be available in sufficient amounts or on terms acceptable to us, if at all. Moreover, the terms of any future financing may adversely affect the holdings or the rights of our stockholders and the issuance of additional securities, whether equity or debt, by the Company, or the possibility of such issuance, may cause the market price of our common stock to decline. The incurrence of indebtedness could result in increased fixed payment obligations, and we may be required to agree to certain restrictive covenants, such as limitations on our ability to incur additional debt, limitations on our ability to acquire, sell or license intellectual property rights and other operating restrictions that could adversely impact our ability to conduct our business. We could also be required to seek funds through arrangements with collaborative partners or otherwise at an earlier stage than otherwise would be desirable, and we may be required to relinquish rights to some of our technologies or products or otherwise agree to terms that are unfavorable to us, any of which may have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and prospects. In addition, raising additional capital through the issuance of equity or convertible debt securities would cause dilution to holders of our equity securities, and may affect the rights of then-existing holders of our equity securities. Even if we believe that we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans, we may seek additional capital if market conditions are favorable or if we have specific strategic considerations.
Corporate Activity and Growth1 | 2.0%
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1
Acquisitions or joint ventures could disrupt our business, cause dilution to our stockholders and otherwise harm our business.
We may acquire other businesses, products or technologies as well as pursue strategic alliances, joint ventures, technology licenses or investments in complementary businesses. Other than the Business Combination, we have not made any acquisitions to date, and our ability to do so successfully is unproven. Any of these transactions could be material to our financial condition and operating results and expose us to many risks, including: - disruption in our relationships with customers, distributors, manufacturers or suppliers as a result of such a transaction;- unanticipated liabilities related to acquired companies;- difficulties integrating acquired personnel, technologies and operations into our existing business;- diversion of management's time and focus away from operating our business to acquisition integration challenges;- increases in our expenses and reductions in our cash available for operations and other uses; and - possible write-offs or impairment charges relating to acquired businesses. Foreign acquisitions involve unique risks in addition to those mentioned above, including those related to the integration of operations across different cultures and languages, currency risks and the particular economic, political and regulatory risks associated with specific countries. In addition, the anticipated benefit of any acquisition may not materialize. Future acquisitions or dispositions could result in potentially dilutive issuances of our equity securities, the incurrence of debt, contingent liabilities or amortization expenses or write-offs of goodwill, any of which could harm our financial condition. We cannot predict the number, timing or size of future joint ventures or acquisitions, if any, or the effect that any such transactions might have on our operating results.
Legal & Regulatory
Total Risks: 10/51 (20%)Above Sector Average
Regulation3 | 5.9%
Regulation - Risk 1
We are subject to federal, state and foreign laws prohibiting "kickbacks" and false or fraudulent claims, and other fraud and abuse laws, transparency laws, and other health care laws and regulations, which, if violated, could subject us to substantial penalties. Additionally, any challenge to or investigation into our practices under these laws could cause adverse publicity and be costly to respond to, and thus could harm our business.
Our relationships with customers and third-party payors are subject to broadly applicable fraud and abuse and other health care laws and regulations that may constrain Butterfly's sales, marketing and other promotional activities by limiting the kinds of financial arrangements, including sales programs and certain customer and product support programs, we may have with hospitals, physicians or other purchasers of medical devices. See Item 1, Business – Government Regulation. Any failure to comply with these laws and regulations could subject us or our officers and employees to criminal and civil financial penalties. We are also subject to risks relating to changes in government and private medical reimbursement programs and policies, and changes in legal regulatory requirements in the U.S. and around the world. Implementation of further legislative or administrative reforms to these reimbursement systems, or adverse decisions relating to coverage of or reimbursement for our products by administrators of these systems, could have an impact on the acceptance of and demand for our products and the prices that our customers are willing to pay for them
Regulation - Risk 2
We are subject to extensive government regulation, which could restrict the development, marketing, sale and distribution of our products and could cause us to incur significant costs.
Our ultrasound imaging products and associated services are subject to extensive pre-market and post-market regulation by the FDA and various other federal, state, local and foreign government authorities. For example, our operations are subject to regulations governing packaging and labeling requirements, adverse event reporting, quality system and manufacturing requirements, clinical testing and recalls. For a discussion on the relevant regulatory regime, see , in Item 1, Business – Government Regulation. We cannot assure that any new medical devices or new uses or modifications for our FDA-cleared devices will be cleared or approved in a timely or cost-effective manner, if cleared or approved at all. In the event we are unable to leverage existing or predicate devices for future products, we may experience delays and additional costs to obtain FDA approval for such future products. Even if such clearances or approvals are received, they may not be for all indications for which we pursue. Because medical devices may only be marketed for cleared or approved indications, this could significantly limit the market for that product and may adversely affect our results of operations. Our business is subject to unannounced inspections by FDA to determine our compliance with FDA requirements. FDA inspections can result in inspectional observations on Form FDA 483s, warning letters, untitled letters or other forms of more significant enforcement action. If the FDA concludes that we failed to comply with any regulatory requirements during an inspection, it could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition. We could incur substantial expense and harm to our reputation, and our ability to introduce new or enhanced products in a timely manner could be adversely affected.
Regulation - Risk 3
We could be adversely affected by violations of the FCPA and other worldwide anti-bribery laws by us or our agents.
We are subject to the FCPA, which prohibits companies and their intermediaries from making payments in violation of law to non-U.S. government officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business or securing any other improper advantage. Our planned future reliance on independent distributors to sell our products internationally demands a high degree of vigilance in enforcing our policy against participation in corrupt activity, because these distributors could be deemed to be our agents, and we could be held responsible for their actions. Other U.S. companies in the medical device and pharmaceutical fields have faced criminal penalties under the FCPA for allowing their agents to deviate from appropriate practices in doing business with such non-U.S. government officials. We are also subject to similar anti-bribery laws in the jurisdictions in which we operate, including the UK Bribery Act of 2010, which also prohibits commercial bribery and makes it a crime for companies to fail to prevent bribery. We have limited experience in complying with these laws and in developing procedures to monitor compliance with these laws by our agents. These laws are complex and far-reaching in nature, and, as a result, we cannot assure investors that we would not be required in the future to alter one or more of our practices to be in compliance with these laws or any changes in these laws or the interpretation thereof. Any violations of these laws, or allegations of such violations, could disrupt our operations, involve significant management distraction, involve significant costs and expenses, including legal fees, and could result in a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition, or results of operations. We could also incur severe penalties, including criminal and civil penalties, disgorgement, and other remedial measures.
Litigation & Legal Liabilities3 | 5.9%
Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 1
We may be subject to enforcement action if we engage in improper or off-label marketing or promotion of our products, including fines, penalties and injunctions.
Our promotional materials and training methods must comply with FDA and other applicable laws and regulations, including the prohibition of the promotion of unapproved, or off-label, uses.However, if the FDA determines that our promotional materials or training materials promote a 510(k)-cleared or approved medical device in a manner inconsistent with its labeling, it could request that we modify our training or promotional materials or subject us to regulatory or enforcement actions, including the issuance of an Untitled Letter, a Warning Letter, injunction, seizure, civil fine or criminal penalties. In addition to ensuring that the claims we make are consistent with our regulatory clearances or approvals, the FDA also ensures that promotional labeling for all regulated medical devices is neither false nor misleading. It is also possible that other federal (such as the FTC), state or foreign enforcement authorities might take action if they consider our promotional or training materials to constitute promotion of an off-label use, or to be false, unsubstantiated, or misleading, which could result in significant fines or penalties under other statutory authorities, such as laws prohibiting false claims for reimbursement. In that event, our reputation could be damaged, and adoption of our products could be impaired, in addition to legal consequences, which may include fines, penalties, product liability claims, and other legal actions.
Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 2
We are currently subject to a securities class action lawsuit, the unfavorable outcome of which may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
On February 16, 2022, a purported class action lawsuit was filed against us, certain of our executive officers and directors, and certain of Longview's executive officers and directors prior to the Business Combination, alleging violations of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 and Rule 14a-9 promulgated thereunder. The alleged class consists of all persons or entities who purchased or otherwise acquired the Company's stock between February 16, 2021 and November 15, 2021 and/or holders as of the record date for the special meeting of shareholders held on February 12, 2021 in connection with the approval of the Business Combination. The lawsuit is premised upon allegations that the defendants made false and misleading statements and/or omissions about its post-Business Combination business and financial prospects, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. While we intend to vigorously defend against this action, there is no assurance that we will be successful in the defense or that insurance will be available or adequate to fund any settlement or judgment or the litigation costs of the action. This action may divert management resources, we may incur substantial costs, and any unfavorable outcome may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 3
We face the risk of product liability claims and may be subject to damages, fines, penalties and injunctions, among other things.
Our business exposes us to the risk of product liability claims that are inherent in the testing, manufacturing and marketing of medical devices, including those which may arise from the misuse (including system hacking or other unauthorized access by third parties to our systems) or malfunction of, or design flaws in, our hardware and software products. This liability may vary based on the FDA classification associated with our devices and with the laws of the state or other applicable jurisdiction governing product liability standards applied to specification developers and/or manufacturers in a given negligence or strict liability lawsuit. We may be subject to product liability claims if our products cause, or merely appear to have caused, an injury. Claims may be made by patients, healthcare providers or others selling our products. The risk of product liability claims may also increase if our products are subject to a product recall, whether voluntary or mandatory, or government seizure. Product liability claims may be brought by individuals or by groups seeking to represent a class. Although we have insurance at levels that we believe to be appropriate, this insurance is subject to deductibles and coverage limitations. Our current product liability insurance may not continue to be available to us on acceptable terms, if at all, and, if available, the coverage may not be adequate to protect us against any future product liability claims. Further, if additional medical device products are approved or cleared for marketing, or if we launch additional 510(k)-exempt device products or products that are not FDA-regulated medical devices, we may seek additional insurance coverage. If we are unable to obtain insurance at an acceptable cost or on acceptable terms with adequate coverage or otherwise protect against potential product liability claims, we will be exposed to significant liabilities, which may harm our business. A product liability claim, recall or other claim with respect to uninsured liabilities or for amounts in excess of insured liabilities could result in significant costs and significant harm to our business. We may be subject to claims against us even if the apparent injury is due to the actions of others or misuse of the device or a partner device. Healthcare providers may use our products in a manner that is inconsistent with the products' labeling and that differs from the manner in which they were used in clinical studies and authorized for marketing by the FDA. Off-label use of products by healthcare providers is common, and any such off-label use of our products could subject us to additional liability, or require design changes to limit this potential off-label use once discovered. Defending a suit, regardless of merit, could be costly, could divert management attention and might result in adverse publicity, which could result in the withdrawal of, or result in reduced acceptance of, our products in the market. Additionally, we have entered into various agreements where we indemnify third parties for certain claims relating to our products. These indemnification obligations may require us to pay significant sums of money for claims that are covered by these indemnification obligations. We are not currently subject to any product liability claims; however, any future product liability claims against us, regardless of their merit, may result in negative publicity about us that could ultimately harm our reputation and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations.
Taxation & Government Incentives3 | 5.9%
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 1
Broad-based domestic and international government initiatives to reduce spending, particularly those related to healthcare costs, may reduce reimbursement rates for medical procedures, which will reduce the cost-effectiveness of our products and services.
Healthcare reforms, changes in healthcare policies and changes to third-party coverage and reimbursements, including legislation enacted reforming the U.S. healthcare system and both domestic and foreign healthcare cost containment legislation, and any future changes to such legislation, may affect demand for our products and services and may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. The ongoing implementation of the Affordable Care Act, in the United States, as well as state-level healthcare reform proposals could reduce medical procedure volumes and impact the demand for medical device products or the prices at which we can sell products. The impact of this healthcare reform legislation, and practices including price regulation, competitive pricing, comparative effectiveness of therapies, technology assessments, and managed care arrangements are uncertain. There can be no assurance that current levels of reimbursement will not be decreased in the future, or that future legislation, regulation, or reimbursement policies of third parties will not adversely affect the demand for our products and services or our ability to sell products and provide services on a profitable basis. The adoption of significant changes to the healthcare system in the United States, the EEA or other jurisdictions in which we may market our products and services, could limit the prices we are able to charge for our products and services or the amounts of reimbursement available for our products and services, could limit the acceptance and availability of our products and services, reduce medical procedure volumes and increase operational and other costs.
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 2
Our ability to use net operating losses and certain other tax assets to offset future income may be subject to certain limitations.
As of December 31, 2023, we had federal net operating loss ("NOL") carryforwards of approximately $609.7 million, of which approximately $73.7 million will begin to expire in 2031 if not utilized. Unused NOLs may be carried forward to offset future taxable income if we achieve profitability in the future, unless such NOLs expire under applicable tax laws. However, under Sections 382 and 383 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), a corporation that undergoes an "ownership change" is subject to limitations on its ability to utilize its pre-change NOLs and other pre-change tax attributes (such as research tax credits) to offset post-change taxable income. State NOLs and other tax attributes may be similarly limited. Any such limitations may result in increased tax liabilities that could adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial position and cash flows.
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 3
Changes in applicable tax laws and regulations could adversely affect our business.
We are subject to income and other non-income taxes (including sales, excise, and value-added) in the United States and foreign jurisdictions. Thus, the tax treatment of transactions we execute is subject to changes in tax laws or regulations, tax treaties, or positions by the relevant authority regarding the application, administration, or interpretation of these tax laws and regulations. These factors, together with the ambiguity of tax laws and regulations, the subjectivity of factual interpretations, and uncertainties regarding the geographic mix of earnings in any period, can affect our estimates of our effective tax rate and income tax assets and liabilities, result in changes in our estimates and accruals, and have a material adverse effect on our business results, cash flows, or financial condition. We are unable to predict what tax reforms may be proposed or enacted in the future or what effect such changes would have on our business; however, such changes could potentially result in higher tax expense and payments, along with increasing the complexity, burden, and cost of compliance.
Environmental / Social1 | 2.0%
Environmental / Social - Risk 1
We are subject to stringent privacy laws and information security policies and regulations.
Our products and systems receive, generate, and store significant volumes of personal and sensitive information, such as employee, customer, and patient data. Moreover, our digital ecosystem, which is intended to provide our customers with greater access to a broad array of personal and sensitive information to improve delivery of care to their patients, heightens our risks associated with the protection of such information. We have legal and contractual obligations regarding the protection of confidential and personal information and the appropriate collection, use, retention, protection, disclosure, transfer, and other processing of such data. Additionally, regulators within the United States and around the world are evaluating how best to regulate development and use of data as well as AI technologies. We are subject to various privacy law regimes in the different jurisdictions in which we operate, including comprehensive regulatory systems in Europe, Latin America, and sector-specific requirements in the United States. Certain international jurisdictions have enacted or are enacting data localization laws mandating that certain types of data collected in a particular jurisdiction be physically stored within that jurisdiction. There are numerous U.S. federal and state laws and regulations related to the privacy and security of personal information. In particular, regulations promulgated pursuant to HIPAA establish privacy and security standards that limit the use and disclosure of protected health information ("PHI"), require the implementation of safeguards to protect the privacy and security of PHI and ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic PHI, and require the provision of notice in the event of a breach of PHI. If we are unable to properly protect the privacy and security of PHI, we could face liability for breach of our contracts with our customers. Further, if we fail to comply with applicable HIPAA privacy and security standards, we could face civil and criminal penalties. In addition, there are also various state-level laws (e.g., the California Consumer Privacy Act), both enacted and proposed, that we must monitor for applicability and impact to our business and for which we must implement necessary controls and other requirements (if applicable). In addition, we are subject to the laws and regulations of foreign jurisdictions including, without limitation, the GDPR in the EU and the United Kingdom ("U.K.") data protection legislation (including the GDPR, as it forms part of the law of the U.K. by virtue of the U.K. GDPR and the U.K. Data Protection Act 2018 (the "U.K. Data Protection Act")). The GDPR is wide-ranging in scope and imposes numerous requirements on companies that process personal data, including requirements relating to having a legal basis for processing personal data, providing information to individuals regarding data processing activities, implementing safeguards to protect the security and confidentiality of personal data, providing notification of data breaches, and taking certain measures when engaging third-party processors. The GDPR permits data protection authorities to impose large penalties for violations of the GDPR, including potential fines of up to €20 million (£17.5 million for U.K.) or 4% of annual global revenues, whichever is greater. The GDPR also confers a private right of action on data subjects and consumer associations to lodge complaints with supervisory authorities, seek judicial remedies, and obtain compensation for damages resulting from violations of the GDPR. If we fail to comply with the GDPR, the U.K. GDPR, and the U.K. Data Protection Act, we could face fines, penalties, and harm to our reputation. The GDPR also imposes strict rules on the transfer of personal data to countries outside the EU and the U.K., including the United States. The European Commission has issued standard contractual clauses for data transfers from controllers or processors in the EU (or otherwise subject to the GDPR) to controllers or processors established outside the EU. The standard contractual clauses require exporters to assess the risk of a data transfer on a case-by-case basis, including an analysis of the laws in the destination country. The U.K. is not subject to the European Commission's standard contractual clauses but has published a U.K.-specific transfer mechanism, which enables transfers from the U.K. The U.K.-specific mechanism, the "International Data Transfer Agreement", requires a similar risk assessment of the transfer as the standard contractual clauses. Further, the EU and United States have adopted its adequacy decision for the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework ("Framework"), which entered into force on July 11, 2023. This Framework provides that the protection of personal data transferred between the EU and the United States is comparable to that offered in the EU. This provides a further avenue to ensuring transfers to the United States are carried out in line with GDPR. There has been an extension to the Framework to cover U.K. transfers to the United States. The Framework could be challenged like its predecessor frameworks. This complexity and the additional contractual burden increases our overall risk exposure. There may be further divergence in the future, including with regard to administrative burdens.
Production
Total Risks: 10/51 (20%)Above Sector Average
Manufacturing3 | 5.9%
Manufacturing - Risk 1
Any interruption in the operations of our manufacturing facilities, or our suppliers' or customers' facilities, may impair our ability to deliver products or provide services.
We are dependent on our global production and operating network to develop, manufacture, assemble, supply, and service our offerings. A work stoppage, labor shortage, or other production limitation, including import or export restrictions and transportation issues, among others, could occur at our manufacturing facilities or at supplier or customer facilities, and negatively impact our reputation and market position. Such interruptions may occur for several reasons, including as a result of regulatory enforcement actions, tight credit markets or other financial distress, production constraints or difficulties, unscheduled downtimes, war, severe weather and natural disasters, fires and explosions, accidents, mechanical failures, pandemics, civil unrest, strikes, unpermitted releases of toxic or hazardous substances, other EH&S risks, sabotage, cybersecurity attacks, riots, or terrorist attacks. Any significant event affecting one of our or our suppliers' production or operating facilities may result in a disruption to our ability to supply customers, and standby capacity necessary for the reliable operation of the facility may not be sufficiently available. The impact of these risks is heightened if our production capacity is at or near full utilization (or if we lack alternative manufacturing sites) and could result in our inability to accept orders or deliver products in a timely manner. Additionally, significant capital investment to increase manufacturing capacity may be required to expand our business or meet increased demand for our products in the future. Any of these risks could have a material adverse effect on our business results, cash flows, financial condition, or prospects.
Manufacturing - Risk 2
Our current or future products may be subject to product recalls even after receiving FDA clearance or approval. A recall of our products, either voluntarily or at the direction of the FDA, or the discovery of serious safety issues with our products, could have a significant adverse impact on us.
The FDA and similar governmental bodies in other countries have the authority to require the recall of our products if we or our third-party manufacturers fail to comply with relevant regulations pertaining to, among other things, manufacturing practices, labeling, advertising or promotional activities, or if new information is obtained concerning the safety or efficacy of these products. In February 2020, we initiated a voluntary recall of two software tools after being notified by the FDA that each of them required 5109(k) clearance. The FDA evaluated the recall and subsequently terminated it in June 2020. Recalls of any of our products would divert managerial and financial resources and have an adverse effect on our reputation, results of operations and financial condition, which could impair our ability to produce our products in a cost-effective and timely manner in order to meet our customers' demands. We may also be subject to product liability claims, be required to bear other costs, or be required to take other actions that may have a negative impact on our future sales and our ability to generate profits.
Manufacturing - Risk 3
We may experience manufacturing problems or delays that could limit the growth of our revenue or increase our losses.
We may encounter unforeseen situations that would result in delays or shortfalls in our production as well as delays or shortfalls caused by our outsourced manufacturing suppliers and by other third-party suppliers who manufacture components for our products. The FDA (and comparable foreign regulatory authorities) has comprehensive and prescriptive guidelines for medical device component manufacturers, requiring these manufacturers to establish and maintain processes and procedures to adequately control environmental conditions that could adversely affect product quality and impact patient safety. Clean room standards are an example of these requirements. Failure of component manufacturers or other third-party suppliers to comply with applicable standards could delay the production of our products. If we are unable to keep up with demand for our products, our revenue could be impaired, market acceptance for our products could be adversely affected and our customers might instead purchase our competitors' products. Our inability to successfully manufacture our products would have a material adverse effect on our operating results.
Employment / Personnel1 | 2.0%
Employment / Personnel - Risk 1
If we are unable to attract, recruit, train, retain, motivate and integrate key personnel, we may not achieve our goals.
There is substantial competition for key personnel, senior management, and qualified employees in the healthcare industry, and we may face increased competition for such a highly qualified scientific, technical, clinical, and management workforce in a highly competitive environment. While the increased availability of flexible, hybrid, or work-from-home arrangements has afforded us the ability to attract and retain talent from geographies remote from our physical offices, it has also expanded competition by allowing qualified employees within those same regions to pursue job opportunities throughout the country without the need to relocate. To help attract, retain, and motivate qualified employees in senior roles, we use equity-based awards and performance-based cash incentive awards. Sustained declines in our stock price, or lower stock price performance relative to competitors, can reduce the retention value of our equity-based awards, which can impact the competitiveness of our compensation. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in retaining existing personnel or recruiting new personnel. From time to time, our efforts to attract, recruit, train, retain, integrate and motivate key personnel may also subject us to litigation or other legal proceedings that may adversely affect our business. These legal proceedings may involve claims brought by current or former employees, government agencies or others, through private actions, class actions, administrative proceedings or other litigation. These legal proceedings may involve allegations of illegal, unfair or inconsistent employment practices, including wage and hour, discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, retaliation, violations of law or other concerns. Even if the allegations against us are unfounded or we ultimately are not held liable, we may experience related negative publicity resulting in damage to our reputation. Further, the costs to defend ourselves may be significant and the litigation may subject us to substantial settlements, fines, penalties or judgments against us and may consume management's bandwidth and attention, some or all of which may negatively impact our financial condition and results of operations. Having diverse representation and an inclusive workplace can also impact our ability to attract and retain talent and is an important driver of our ability to compete and innovate. As such, our ability to attract and retain diverse talent can impact our corporate reputation and have adverse consequences to our business. The loss of one or more key employees, our inability to attract or develop additional qualified employees and any delay in hiring key personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business results, cash flows, financial condition, or prospects.
Supply Chain5 | 9.8%
Supply Chain - Risk 1
We rely on a single contract manufacturer, Benchmark, to test, assemble and supply our finished products. If Benchmark fails to fulfill its obligations under its existing contractual arrangements with us or does not perform satisfactorily, our ability to source our devices could be negatively and adversely affected.
In October 2015, we entered into an MSA with Benchmark. Under the MSA, as amended effective in August 2019 and February 2021, Benchmark will manufacture our products pursuant to binding 90-day purchase orders, as well as non-binding 180-day "forecasts" estimating our product shipment requirements, submitted by us to Benchmark each month, which may become binding in certain cases. We also have certain inventory related obligations, including the obligation to purchase excess and obsolete components from Benchmark. In addition, pursuant to the February 2021 amendment, we agreed to provide global production exclusivity to Benchmark for our current products and other hand-held probes which may be manufactured for us, for a specified exclusivity period. See "Item 1. Business - Manufacturing - Key Agreements?-?Manufacture and Supply Agreement with Benchmark Electronics, Inc". In the event it becomes necessary to utilize a different contract manufacturer for our component products, we would experience additional costs, delays and difficulties in obtaining such components as a result of identifying and entering into an agreement with a new contract manufacturer as well as preparing such new manufacturer to meet the logistical requirements associated with manufacturing our devices, and our business would suffer.
Supply Chain - Risk 2
We have chosen to engage a single supplier, TSMC, to supply and manufacture a key component of our products. If TSMC fails to fulfill its obligations under its existing contractual arrangements with us or does not perform satisfactorily, or if this relationship is terminated for other reasons, our ability to source our devices would be negatively and adversely affected. In addition, our obligation to purchase a minimum volume from TSMC may adversely affect our cash flows.
We have chosen to engage a single supplier, TSMC, a semiconductor manufacturer, to manufacture and supply all of the wafers used to create the semiconductor chips in our probes. See "Item 1. Business?-?Manufacturing?-?Key Agreements?-?Foundry Service Agreement with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited". Since our contracts with TSMC are non-exclusive and do not commit TSMC to supply or manufacture quantities beyond the amounts included in our forecasts, TSMC may give other customers' needs higher priority than ours, and we may not be able to obtain adequate supplies in a timely manner or on commercially reasonable terms. If TSMC is unable to supply components or devices, our business would be harmed. We entered into an FSA with TSMC, under which TSMC agreed to manufacture, and we committed to purchase, a minimum volume of the wafers used for the semiconductor chips in our probes. Our minimum purchase obligation could adversely affect our cash flows, such as in times when we have sufficient inventory and would otherwise be able to use our cash for other purposes. Pursuant to the FSA, we are required to buy back from TSMC any unused raw wafers. If we are required to buy back from TSMC any unused raw wafers pursuant to the FSA, our cash flows may be adversely impacted. In addition, if we were to lose component suppliers such as TSMC, there can be no assurance that we will be able to identify or enter into agreements with alternative suppliers on a timely basis on acceptable terms, if at all. An interruption in our ability to sell and deliver our products or instruments to customers could occur if we encounter delays or difficulties in securing these components, or if the quality of the components supplied do not meet our specifications, or if we cannot then obtain an acceptable substitute. If any of these events occur, our business and operating results could be harmed.
Supply Chain - Risk 3
We rely on limited or sole suppliers for some of the materials and components used in our products, and we may not be able to find replacements or immediately transition to alternative suppliers, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and reputation.
We rely on limited or sole suppliers for certain materials and components that are used in our products. While we periodically forecast our needs for such materials and enter into standard purchase orders with them, we do not have long-term contracts with some of these suppliers. If we were to lose such suppliers, or if such suppliers were unable to fulfill our orders or to meet our manufacturing specifications, there can be no assurance that we will be able to identify or enter into agreements with alternative suppliers on a timely basis or on acceptable terms, if at all. If we are able to find a replacement supplier, such replacement supplier would need to be qualified and may require additional regulatory inspection or approval, which could result in further delay. An interruption in our operations could occur if we encounter delays or difficulties in securing these materials and components, or if the quality of the materials and components supplied do not meet our requirements, or if we cannot then obtain an acceptable substitute. The time and effort required to qualify a new supplier and ensure that the new materials and components provide the same or better quality results could result in significant additional costs. Any such interruption could significantly affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and reputation. To mitigate this risk, we typically carry significant inventory of critical components. While we believe that our level of inventory is currently sufficient for us to continue the manufacturing of our products without a disruption to our business in the event that we must replace one of our suppliers, there can be no assurance that we can maintain this level of inventory in the future.
Supply Chain - Risk 4
If we, our contract manufacturers or our component suppliers are unable to manufacture our products in sufficient quantities, on a timely basis, at acceptable costs and in compliance with regulatory and quality requirements, the manufacturing and distribution of our devices could be interrupted, and our product sales and operating results could suffer.
We, our contract manufacturers and our component suppliers are required to comply with the FDA's Quality System Regulation ("QSR"), which is a complex regulatory framework that covers the procedures and documentation of the design, testing, production, control, quality assurance, labeling, packaging, sterilization, storage, shipping and servicing of our devices. Compliance with applicable regulatory requirements is subject to continual review and is monitored rigorously through periodic, sometimes unannounced, inspections by the FDA. We cannot assure investors that our facilities or our third-party manufacturers' or suppliers' facilities would pass any future quality system inspection. Failure of our or our third-party manufacturers and component suppliers to adhere to QSR requirements or take adequate and timely corrective action in response to an adverse quality system inspection finding could delay production of our products and lead to fines, difficulties in obtaining regulatory clearances, recalls, enforcement actions, including injunctive relief or consent decrees, or other consequences, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations. In addition, any of our products shipped internationally are also required to comply with the International Organization for Standardization ("ISO") quality system standards as well as EU Regulations and norms in order to produce products for sale in the EU. In addition, many countries such as Canada and Japan have very specific additional regulatory requirements for quality assurance and manufacturing. If we fail to continue to comply with current good manufacturing requirements, as well as ISO or other regulatory standards, we may be required to cease all or part of our operations until we comply with these regulations. Maintaining compliance with multiple regulators adds complexity and cost to our manufacturing and compliance processes.
Supply Chain - Risk 5
We may use third-party open source software components in future products, and failure to comply with the terms of the underlying open source software licenses could restrict our ability to sell such products.
We have chosen, and we may choose in the future, to use open source software in our products, including our Software Development Kit which is meant to provide a governed ecosystem for third parties to create content and applications that will serve to enrich the overall software ecosystem and deliver additional clinical and product advancements for our users. Use and distribution of open source software may entail greater risks than use of third-party commercial software, as open source licensors generally do not provide warranties or other contractual protections regarding infringement claims or the quality of the code. Some open source licenses may contain unfavorable requirements that could allow our competitors to create similar products with less development effort and time and ultimately could result in a loss of product sales. Although we intend to monitor any use of open source software to avoid subjecting our products to conditions we do not intend, the terms of many open source licenses have not been interpreted by U.S. courts, and there is a risk that any such licenses could be construed in a way that could impose unanticipated conditions or restrictions on our ability to commercialize our products. Moreover, there is no assurance that our processes for controlling our use of open source software in our products will be effective. If we are held to have breached the terms of an open source software license, we could be required to seek licenses from third parties to continue offering our products on terms that are not economically feasible, to re-engineer our products, to discontinue the sale of our products if re-engineering could not be accomplished on a timely basis, or to make generally available, in source code form, our proprietary code, any of which could adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition.
Costs1 | 2.0%
Costs - Risk 1
Healthcare industry cost-containment measures could result in reduced sales of our products and services.
Most of our customers rely on third-party payers, including government programs and private health insurance plans, to reimburse some or all of the cost of the procedures in which our products are used. The continuing efforts of governmental authorities, insurance companies and other payers of healthcare costs to contain or reduce these costs could lead to patients being unable to obtain approval for payment from these third-party payers. If third-party payer payment approval cannot be obtained by patients for procedures that use our products, sales of our products may decline significantly and our customers may reduce or eliminate purchases of our products. The cost-containment measures that healthcare providers are instituting, both in the U.S. and outside of the U.S., could harm our ability to operate profitably. For example, GPOs and IDNs have also concentrated purchasing decisions for some customers, which has led to downward pricing pressure for medical device companies.
Ability to Sell
Total Risks: 8/51 (16%)Above Sector Average
Competition1 | 2.0%
Competition - Risk 1
We operate in highly competitive markets, competition may increase in the future, and our industry may be further disrupted.
Healthcare markets are characterized by rapidly evolving technology, frequent introduction of new products, intense competition, and pricing pressures. We face competition from international and domestic companies of all sizes. Competition is primarily focused on cost effectiveness, price, service, product performance, and technological innovation. Our ability to compete successfully may be adversely affected by factors such as: - the introduction of new products or product enhancements by competitors - the development of new technology or the application of known or unknown technology - a failure to satisfy local market conditions and regulations, such as mandatory IP transfers, protectionist measures, and other government policies supporting increased local competition;- the emergence of new market entrants;- a failure to maintain or expand relationships with existing customers or attract new customers;- cost of production or delivery, whether due to geographic location, currency fluctuations, taxes, duties, or otherwise, which may enable our competitors to offer greater discounts or lower prices;- the perception of our brand and image in the market;- a failure to successfully enter new geographic or adjacent product markets;- changing regulatory standards, legal requirements, or enforcement rigor; or - consolidation among customers, suppliers, channel partners, or competitors. Our inability to obtain and maintain regulatory authorizations for and supply commercial quantities of our offerings as quickly and effectively as our competitors could limit market acceptance. Furthermore, our markets are continually evolving and thus revenues and income are difficult to forecast. Any of these competitive factors could adversely affect our pricing, margins, and market share and have a material adverse effect on our business results, cash flows, financial condition, or prospects.
Demand1 | 2.0%
Demand - Risk 1
Our success depends upon market acceptance of our products and services, our ability to develop and commercialize existing and new products and services and generate revenues, and our ability to identify new markets for our technology.
We have developed, and we are engaged in the development of, ultrasound imaging solutions using our ultrasound-on-a-semiconductor-chip technology. We are commercializing Butterfly iQ+ point-of-care ultrasound imaging devices. Our success will depend on the acceptance of our products and services in the U.S. and international healthcare markets. We are faced with the risk that the marketplace will not be receptive to our products and services over competing products, including traditional cart-based ultrasound devices used in hospitals, imaging centers and physicians' offices, and that we will be unable to compete effectively. Factors that could affect our ability to successfully commercialize our current products and services and to commercialize any potential future products and services include: - challenges of developing (or acquiring externally-developed) technology solutions that are adequate and competitive in meeting the requirements of next-generation design challenges; and - dependence upon physicians' and other healthcare practitioners' acceptance of our products. We cannot assure investors that our current products and services or any future products and services will gain broad market acceptance. If the market for our current products and services or any future products and services fails to develop or develops more slowly than expected, or if any of the services and standards supported by us do not achieve or sustain market acceptance, our business and operating results would be materially and adversely affected.
Sales & Marketing6 | 11.8%
Sales & Marketing - Risk 1
We will be dependent upon the success of our sales and customer acquisition and retention strategies.
Our business is dependent upon the success of our sales and customer acquisition and retention strategies, and our marketing efforts are focused on developing a strong reputation with healthcare providers and increasing awareness of our products and services. If we fail to maintain a high quality of service or a high quality of device technology, we may fail to retain existing users or add new users. If we do not successfully continue our sales efforts and promotional activities, particularly to health systems and large institutions, or if existing users decrease their level of engagement, our revenue, financial results and business may be significantly harmed. Our future success depends upon continued expansion of our commercial operations in the United States and internationally, as well as entering additional markets to commercialize our products and services. We believe that our growth will depend on the further development and commercialization of our current products and services, and marketing authorization of our future products and services. If we fail to expand the use of our products and services in a timely manner, we may not be able to expand our market share or to grow our revenue. Our financial performance will be substantially dictated by our success in adding, retaining and engaging active users of our products. If customers do not perceive our products or services to be useful, reliable and trustworthy, we may not be able to attract or retain customers or otherwise maintain or increase the frequency and duration of their engagement. As our business model is predicated on both hardware and software sales, there is risk that any decline in software renewal rates will adversely impact our business. To date, utilization of our software has varied across different medical specialties, but usage does not directly correlate to renewal of subscriptions, as different medical specialties interact with the device in different ways depending on their clinical focus and routine. A decrease in customer retention, growth or engagement with our products and services may have a material and adverse impact on our revenue, business, financial condition and results of operations. Any number of factors could negatively affect customer retention, growth and engagement, including: - customers increasingly engaging with competing products;- failure to introduce new and improved products and services;- inability to continue to develop products for mobile devices that customers find engaging, that work with a variety of mobile operating systems and networks and that achieve a high level of market acceptance;- changes in customer sentiment about the quality or usefulness of our products and services or concerns related to privacy and data sharing, safety, security or other factors;- inability to manage and prioritize information to ensure customers are presented with content that is engaging, useful and relevant to them;- adverse changes in our products that are mandated by legislation or regulatory agencies, both in the United States and internationally; or - technical or other problems preventing us from delivering products or services in a rapid and reliable manner or otherwise affecting the user experience.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 2
We have limited experience in marketing and selling our products and related services, and if we are unable to successfully commercialize our products and related services, our business and operating results will be adversely affected.
We have limited experience marketing and selling our products and related services. We currently sell our products to healthcare practitioners through eCommerce, distributors and enterprise sales. Future sales of our products will depend in large part on our ability to effectively market and sell our products and services, successfully manage and expand our sales force, and increase the scope of our marketing efforts. We may also enter into additional distribution arrangements in the future. Because we have limited experience in marketing and selling our products, our ability to forecast demand, the infrastructure required to support such demand and the sales cycle to customers is unproven. If we do not build an efficient and effective marketing and sales force, our business and operating results will be adversely affected.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 3
If we are unable to establish and maintain adequate sales and marketing capabilities or enter into and maintain arrangements with third parties to sell and market our products, our business may be harmed.
We cannot guarantee that we will be able to maintain our current volume of sales in the future. A substantial reduction in sales could have a material adverse effect on our operating performance. To the extent that we enter into additional arrangements with third parties to perform sales or marketing services in the United States, Europe or other countries, our product margins could be lower than if we directly marketed and sold our products. To the extent that we enter into co-promotion or other marketing and sales arrangements with other companies, any revenue received will depend on the skills and efforts of others, and we cannot predict whether these efforts will be successful. In addition, the growth of market acceptance of our products by healthcare practitioners outside of the United States will largely depend on our ability to continue to demonstrate the relative safety, effectiveness, reliability, cost-effectiveness and ease of use of such products. If we are unable to do so, we may not be able to increase product revenue from our sales efforts in Europe or other countries. If we are unable to establish and maintain adequate sales, marketing and distribution capabilities, independently or with others, our future revenue may be reduced and our business may be harmed.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 4
If we do not successfully optimize and operate our sales and distribution channels or we do not effectively expand and update infrastructure, our operating results and customer experience may be negatively impacted.
We must continue to optimize our sales and marketing organization and enter into partnerships or other arrangements to market and sell our products and/or collaborate with third parties, including distributors and others, to market and sell our products to maintain the commercial success of Butterfly Technologies and to achieve commercial success for any of our future products. Developing and managing a direct sales organization is a difficult, expensive and time-consuming process. If we are unable to establish and maintain adequate sales, marketing and distribution capabilities, independently or with others, our future revenue may be reduced and our business may be harmed.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 5
We have and may continue to experience pricing pressures from contract suppliers or manufacturers on which we rely.
Due to supply constraints, we have seen our costs increase in 2022 but we were largely able to offset these costs through manufacturing efficiencies and pricing actions. However, we expect there will continue to be supply constraints; our suppliers are continuing to raise prices and may continue to raise prices in the future, which we may not be able to offset through manufacturing efficiencies or pricing actions. Because we currently rely on TSMC to supply our custom components and on Benchmark to manufacture our finished products, such pricing pressures from either party could increase our costs and force us to increase the prices of our products if we are unable to enter into alternative arrangements with other suppliers or manufacturers, potentially leading to decreased customer demand.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 6
In some instances in our advertising and promotion, we may make claims regarding our product as compared to competing products, which may subject us to heightened regulatory scrutiny, enforcement risk, and litigation risks.
The FDA requires that promotional labeling be truthful and not misleading, including with respect to any comparative claims made about competing products or technologies. In addition to FDA implications, the use of comparative claims also presents risk of a lawsuit by the competitor under federal and state false advertising and unfair competition statutes (e.g., the Lanham Act) or unfair and deceptive trade practices law, and possibly also state libel law, or other similar foreign laws. Such a suit may seek injunctive relief against further advertising, a court order directing corrective advertising, and compensatory and punitive damages where permitted by law. Further, notwithstanding the ultimate outcome of any Lanham Act or similar complaint, our reputation and relationship with certain customers or distribution partners may be harmed as a result of the allegations related to our products or our business practices more generally.
Macro & Political
Total Risks: 2/51 (4%)Below Sector Average
Economy & Political Environment1 | 2.0%
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 1
Unfavorable global economic conditions could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Our results of operations could be adversely affected by general conditions in the global economy and in the global financial markets, including changes in inflation, interest rates and overall economic conditions and uncertainties. To the extent inflation or other factors increase our business costs, it may not be feasible to pass price increases on to our customers or offset higher costs through manufacturing efficiencies. Inflation could also adversely affect the ability of our customers to purchase our products. An economic downturn could result in a variety of risks to our business, including weakened demand for our products and our inability to raise additional capital when needed on acceptable terms, if at all. A weak or declining economy could also result in further constraints on our suppliers or cause future customers to delay making payments for our products. Any of the foregoing could harm our business and we cannot anticipate all of the ways in which the current economic climate and financial market conditions could adversely impact our business.
International Operations1 | 2.0%
International Operations - Risk 1
We expect to generate an increasing portion of our revenue internationally in the future and may become subject to various additional risks relating to our international activities, which could adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition.
During the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, approximately 21%, 30%, and 31%, respectively, of our product and service revenue was generated from customers located outside of the United States. We believe that a substantial percentage of our future revenue will come from international sources as we expand our sales and marketing opportunities internationally. We have limited experience operating internationally, and engaging in international business involves a number of difficulties and risks, including: - required compliance with foreign regulatory requirements and laws, including regulations and laws relating to patient data and medical devices;- trade relations among the United States and those foreign countries in which our current or future customers, distributors, manufacturers and suppliers have operations, including protectionist measures such as tariffs and import or export licensing requirements, whether imposed by the United States or such foreign countries, in particular the strained trade relations between United States and China since 2018;- difficulties protecting, procuring or enforcing intellectual property rights internationally;- required compliance with anti-bribery laws, such as the FCPA and the UK Bribery Act of 2010, data privacy requirements, labor laws and anti-competition regulations;- laws regulating the confidentiality of sensitive personal information and the circumstances under which such information may be released and/or collected;- longer payment cycles and difficulties in enforcing agreements and collecting receivables through certain foreign legal systems;- political and economic instability and war or other military conflict, including the ongoing conflict occurring in Ukraine, which could have a material adverse impact on our sales in Europe and elsewhere; and - potentially adverse tax consequences, tariffs, customs charges, bureaucratic requirements and other trade barriers. If we dedicate significant resources to our international operations and are unable to manage these risks effectively, our business, operating results and financial condition may be adversely affected.
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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