Cosmos Holdings (COSM) Risk Factors

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, or IRA, includes several provisions that may impact our business to varying degrees, including provisions that reduce the out-of-pocket spending cap for Medicare Part D beneficiaries from $7,050 to $2,000 starting in 2025, thereby effectively eliminating the coverage gap; impose new manufacturer financial liability on certain drugs under Medicare Part D, allow the U.S. government to negotiate Medicare Part B and Part D price caps for certain high-cost drugs and biologics without generic or biosimilar competition; require companies to pay rebates to Medicare for certain drug prices that increase faster than inflation; and delay until January 1, 2032 the implementation of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rebate rule that would have limited the fees that pharmacy benefit managers can charge. Further, under the IRA, orphan drugs are exempted from the Medicare drug price negotiation program, but only if they have one rare disease designation and for which the only approved indication is for that disease or condition. If a product receives multiple rare disease designations or has multiple approved indications, it may not qualify for the orphan drug exemption. Although we do not have current sales in the United States, the effects of the IRA on any future business of ours and the healthcare industry in general is not yet known.

Because our business is conducted outside of the United States, it is subject to global political issues and conflicts such as the current war in the Ukraine. Such political issues and conflicts could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition if they escalate in areas in which we do business. In addition, changes in and adverse actions by governments in foreign markets in which we do business could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

In 2023, we recognized 100% percent of our net sales in markets outside the United States, the majority of which were recognized in each market's respective local currency. We purchase inventory from companies in foreign markets, some of them in U.S. dollars. In preparing our financial statements, we translate net sales and expenses in foreign countries from their local currencies into U.S. dollars using average annual exchange rates. Because our sales are in foreign countries, exchange rate fluctuations may have a significant effect on net sales and earnings. Our reported earnings have been significantly affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates, with net sales and earnings generally increasing with a weaker U.S. dollar and decreasing with a strengthening U.S. dollar.

In 2023, EU annual inflation was at 3.4%, significantly lower, compared with 2022, when the annual inflation reached the highest level ever measured at 9.33%. The annual average change in the harmonized index of consumer prices (HICP) in the EU during the period 2013-2023 was 0.9%. The high inflation has adversely affected our business due to the higher costs of purchasing raw materials, the higher transportation costs and the significantly increased operating costs. Moreover, the significant rise in the interest rates during 2023 may also adversely affect our business since all of our loan facilities carry floating interest rates and this may cause increased financing outflows.

In recent years, the Company has been increasing its turnover, while expanding its range of products and its own branded nutraceutical products, has acquired the latest technology drug storage systems to ensure quality and accuracy (zero error rates) in their distribution. The further increase of the Company's operations may lead, among other things, to increased capital needs, new investments in equipment and information systems, and requirements for capacity building. Failure to raise new capital will have a significant impact on the non-implementation of the required investments necessary to increase sales. Under these conditions, the growth of the Company's activity, its financial results and its financial situation will be negatively affected.

We collect and retain large volumes of data from employees and independent consultants, including credit card numbers and other personally identifiable information, for business purposes, including transactional and promotional purposes. Our various information technology systems enter, process, summarize and report such data. The integrity and protection of this data are critical to our business. We are subject to significant security and privacy regulations, as well as requirements imposed by the credit card industry. Similarly, a failure to adhere to the payment card industry's data security standards could cause us to incur penalties from payment card associations, termination of our ability to accept credit or debit card payments, litigation and adverse publicity, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition. Maintaining compliance with these evolving regulations and requirements could be difficult and may increase costs. In addition, a penetrated or compromised data system or the intentional, inadvertent, or negligent release or disclosure of data could result in theft, loss or fraudulent or unlawful use of company, employee, consultant or guest data which could adversely affect our reputation, disrupt our operations, or result in remedial and other costs, fines or lawsuits, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Although we take measures to protect the security, integrity and confidentiality of our data systems, we experience cyber-attacks of varying degrees and types on a regular basis. Our infrastructure may be vulnerable to these attacks, and in some cases, it could take time to discover them. Breaches of our data systems, or those of our vendors, whether from circumvention of security systems, denial-of-service attacks or other cyber-attacks, hacking, "phishing" attacks, computer viruses, ransomware or malware, employee or insider error, malfeasance, social engineering, vendor software supply chain compromises, physical breaches or other actions, could result in material interruptions or malfunctions in our or such vendors' websites, applications, data processing, or disruption of other business operations. For various reasons or circumstances, our employees may work remotely from time to time. For example, many of our employees have worked remotely in response to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. During such times, remote access heightens the risk of a cyber-attack. Additionally, outside parties may attempt to fraudulently induce employees, users, or customers to disclose sensitive information to gain access to our data or our users' or customers' data. Any such breach or unauthorized access could result in the unauthorized disclosure, misuse or loss of sensitive information and lead to significant legal and financial exposure, regulatory inquiries or investigations, loss of confidence by our sales force, disruption of our operations and damage to our reputation. These risks are heightened as we work with third-party partners and as our sales force uses social media, as the partners and social media platforms could be vulnerable to the same types of breaches. We may be required to expend significant capital and other resources to protect against and remedy any potential or existing security breaches and their consequences. A cyber-attack could also lead to litigation, fines, other remedial action, heightened regulatory scrutiny and diminished customer confidence. In addition, our remediation efforts may not be successful, and we may not have adequate insurance to cover these losses. The unavailability of the information systems or the failure of these systems to perform as anticipated for any reason could disrupt our business and could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. Moreover, cyber-attacks against the Ukrainian government and other countries in the region have been reported in connection with the recent conflicts between Russia and Ukraine. To the extent such attacks have collateral effects on global critical infrastructure, financial institutions or us, such developments could adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition. At this time, it is difficult to assess the likelihood of such threat and any potential impact at this time.

Consumer behavior in recent years shows an increasing trend in the Health-Medicines sector, especially during the period of health crisis. It is observed that shopping habits and consumer behavior in general have changed in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The coronavirus pandemic and the responses thereto around the world could adversely impact our business and operating results. Consumers have turned to basic necessities and digital channels and e-commerce while physical networks are underperforming.