Gaia (GAIA) Risk Factors

The market for streaming content is intensely competitive and subject to rapid change. New technologies and evolving business models for delivery of streaming content continue to develop at a fast pace. Through new and existing distribution channels, consumers are afforded various means for consuming streaming content. The various economic models underlying these differing means of streaming content delivery include subscription, transactional, ad-supported and piracy-based models. All of these have the potential to capture meaningful segments of the streaming content market. Several competitors have longer operating histories, larger customer bases, and stronger brand recognition than we do and have significant financial, marketing and other resources. They may secure better terms from suppliers, adopt more aggressive pricing and devote more resources to technology and marketing. New entrants may enter the market with unique service offerings or approaches to providing streaming content and other companies also may enter into business combinations or alliances that strengthen their competitive positions. In addition, new technological developments, including the development and use of generative artificial intelligence, are rapidly evolving. If we are unable to successfully compete with current and new competitors, programs and technologies, our business will be adversely affected, and we may not be able to increase market share and revenues, and achieve profitability.

Our revenues and results of operations have fluctuated in the past, and will likely continue to fluctuate, on a quarterly basis. Such fluctuation is the result of a seasonal pattern that reflects variations when consumers are typically spending more time indoors and, as a result, tend to increase their viewing, similar to those of general video streaming services. We have generally experienced the greatest member growth in the fourth and first quarters (October through February), and slowest during May through August. This drives quarterly variations in our spending on member acquisition efforts and the number of net new subscribers we add each quarter but does not result in a corresponding seasonality in net revenue. As we continue to expand internationally, we also expect regional seasonality trends to demonstrate more predictable seasonal patterns as our service offering in each market becomes more established and we have a longer history to assess such patterns.

The adoption or modification of laws or regulations relating to the internet or other areas of our business could limit or otherwise adversely affect the manner in which we currently conduct our business. In addition, the continued growth and development of the market for online commerce may lead to more stringent consumer protection laws, which may impose additional burdens on us. If we are required to comply with new regulations or legislation or new interpretations of existing regulations or legislation, this compliance could cause us to incur additional expenses or alter our business model. The adoption or modification of any laws or regulations that adversely affect the growth, popularity or use of the internet, including laws impacting internet neutrality, could decrease the demand for our service and increase our cost of doing business. For example, as a result of the repeal of internet neutrality regulations in the United States,broadband internet access providers may be able to charge web-based services such as ours for priority access to members, which could result in increased costs and a loss of existing users, impairment of our ability to attract new users, and material adverse effects on our business and opportunities for growth. Additionally, as we expand internationally, government regulation concerning the internet, and in particular, network neutrality, may be nascent or non-existent. Within such a regulatory environment, coupled with potentially significant political and economic power of local network operators, we could experience discriminatory or anti-competitive practices that could impede our growth, cause us to incur additional expense or otherwise negatively affect our business.

From time to time during the normal course of operating our businesses, we are subject to various litigation claims, regulatory proceedings and legal disputes. Some of these matters may not be covered under our insurance policies, or our insurance carriers may seek to deny coverage. As a result, we might be required to incur significant legal fees, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial position. In addition, because we cannot accurately predict the outcome of any dispute, it is possible that, as a result of current and/or future matters, we will be subject to adverse judgments or settlements that could significantly reduce our earnings or result in losses.

We rely on the continued service and performance of our senior management. In our industry, there is substantial and continuous competition for highly skilled business, product development, technical and other personnel. Hiring qualified management is difficult due to the limited number of qualified professionals in our industry. Failure to recruit, attract and retain personnel, particularly management personnel, could materially harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

We currently offer members the ability to receive streaming content through a host of internet-connected devices, including internet-enabled TVs, digital video players and mobile devices. We intend to continue to broaden our capability to instantly stream content to other platforms over time. If we are not successful in maintaining existing relationships and creating new ones, or if we encounter technological, content licensing or other impediments to our streaming content, our ability to grow our business could be adversely impacted. We have agreements with third party partners, pursuant to which each makes available an "app" for viewing our content on its platform. Our agreements with our partners are typically between one and three years in duration and our business could be adversely affected if, upon expiration, our partners do not continue to provide access to our service or are unwilling to do so on terms acceptable to us, which terms may include the degree of accessibility and prominence of our service. We may be further harmed if these partners decide to remove our apps from their respective platforms for any other reason at any time. Furthermore, the devices consumers use to access our content are manufactured and sold by entities other than Gaia and the devices' performance and the connection between these devices and our service may result in consumer dissatisfaction that could result in claims against us or otherwise adversely impact our business. In addition, technology changes to our streaming functionality may require that partners update their devices. If partners do not update or otherwise modify their devices, our service and our members' use and enjoyment could be negatively impacted.

Operating in international markets requires significant resources and management attention and will subject us to regulatory, economic and political risks that may be different from and incremental to those in the United States. In addition to the risks that we face in the United States, our international operations may involve risks that could adversely affect our business, including the following: the need to adapt our content and user interfaces for specific cultural and language differences, including licensing a certain portion of our content library before we have developed a full appreciation for its performance within a given territory; difficulties and costs associated with staffing and managing foreign operations; management distraction; international conflicts, including war, civil disturbances and terrorist attacks; political or social unrest and economic instability; public health issues such as pandemics or epidemics; compliance with U.S. laws, such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, export controls and economic sanctions, and local laws prohibiting corrupt payments to government officials; unexpected changes in regulatory requirements; less favorable foreign intellectual property laws; adverse tax consequences such as those related to repatriation of cash from foreign jurisdictions into the United States, non-income related taxes, changes in tax laws or their interpretations, or the application of judgment in determining our global provision for income taxes and other tax liabilities given inter-company transactions and calculations where the ultimate tax determination is uncertain; fluctuations in currency exchange rates, which could impact revenues and expenses of our international operations and expose us to foreign currency exchange rate risk; profit repatriation and other restrictions on the transfer of funds; differing payment processing systems as well as consumer use and acceptance of electronic payment methods, such as credit and debit cards; new and different sources of competition; different and more stringent user protection, data protection, privacy and other laws; and availability of reliable broadband connectivity and wide area networks in targeted areas for expansion. Our failure to manage any of these risks successfully could harm our international operations and our overall business, and results of our operations. We must comply with indirect tax laws in multiple jurisdictions. Taxing authorities have in the past and may successfully in the future assert that we should have collected or in the future should collect non-income related taxes, and we could be subject to liability with respect to past or future sales, which could adversely affect our business. Our operations are routinely subject to audit by tax authorities in various countries. Many countries have indirect tax systems where the sale and purchase of goods and services are subject to tax based on the transaction value. Several taxing jurisdictions have presented or threatened us with assessments, alleging that we are required to collect and remit certain taxes there. While we believe we are in compliance with local laws, we cannot assure that tax and customs authorities will agree with our reporting positions and upon audit, such tax and customs authorities may assess additional taxes, duties, interest, and penalties against us. We also expect additional jurisdictions may make similar assessments or pass similar new laws in the future, and any of the jurisdictions where we have sales may apply more rigorous enforcement efforts or take more aggressive positions in the future that could result in greater tax liability allegations. Such tax assessments, penalties and interest or future requirements by any government agencies related to indirect tax laws could harm our international operations and our overall business, and results of our operations.