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.
G-III Apparel Group disclosed 30 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. G-III Apparel Group reported the most risks in the “Finance & Corporate” category.
Risk Overview Q1, 2024
Risk Distribution
37% Finance & Corporate
20% Legal & Regulatory
20% Macro & Political
10% Tech & Innovation
10% Ability to Sell
3% Production
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
2022
Q4
S&P500 Average
Sector Average
Risks removed
Risks added
Risks changed
G-III Apparel Group 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 Q1, 2024
Main Risk Category
Finance & Corporate
With 11 Risks
Finance & Corporate
With 11 Risks
Number of Disclosed Risks
30
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 31
30
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 31
Recent Changes
0Risks added
0Risks removed
0Risks changed
Since Apr 2024
0Risks added
0Risks removed
0Risks changed
Since Apr 2024
Number of Risk Changed
0
-4
From last report
S&P 500 Average: 2
0
-4
From last report
S&P 500 Average: 2
See the risk highlights of G-III Apparel Group 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 30
Finance & Corporate
Total Risks: 11/30 (37%)Above Sector Average
Share Price & Shareholder Rights1 | 3.3%
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1
The price of our common stock has fluctuated significantly and could continue to fluctuate significantly.
Between February 1, 2021 and March 21, 2024, the market price of our common stock has ranged from a low of?$11.60 to a high of $35.80 per share. The market price of our common stock may change significantly in response to various factors and events beyond our control, including:
- fluctuations in our quarterly revenues or those of our competitors as a result of seasonality or other factors;- a shortfall in revenues or net income from that expected by securities analysts and investors;- changes in securities analysts' estimates of our financial performance or the financial performance of our competitors or companies in our industry generally;- announcements concerning our competitors;- changes in product pricing policies by our competitors or our customers;- changes in tariff and trade policies;- general conditions in our industry; and - general conditions in the securities markets.
Accounting & Financial Operations2 | 6.7%
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1
We recorded significant charges for the impairment of goodwill during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023 which caused us to report a net loss for fiscal 2023 and we recorded charges for the impairment of trademarks during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024. If our trademarks and other intangibles become impaired, we may be required to record additional charges to earnings.
As of January 31, 2024, we had trademarks and other intangibles in an aggregate amount of $662.0 million, or approximately 25% of our total assets and approximately 43% of our stockholders' equity. Approximately $393.2 million of our trademarks and other intangibles was recorded in connection with our acquisition of DKNY and Donna Karan and approximately $188.2 million of our trademarks and other intangibles was recorded in connection with our acquisition of Karl Lagerfeld.
Under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("GAAP"), we review our goodwill and other indefinite life intangibles for impairment annually as of January 31 of each fiscal year and when events or changes in circumstances warrant. A significant decline in our stock price and market capitalization or deterioration in our projected results could result in an impairment of our trademarks and/or other intangibles, or any future goodwill. Other events or changes may indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable due to factors such as reduced estimates of future cash flows and profitability, increased cost of debt or slower growth rates in our industry. Estimates of future cash flows and profitability are based on an updated long-term financial outlook of our operations. However, actual performance in the near-term or long-term could be materially different from these forecasts, which could impact future estimates.
As of January 31, 2023, we were required to record a $347.2 million charge to earnings in our financial statements as our goodwill was determined to be fully impaired as a result of our decline in market capitalization. As of January 31, 2024, we were required to record a $5.9 million charge to earnings in our financial statements as our Sonia Rykiel trademark was determined to be partially impaired as a result of the performance of the brand.
We may be required to record additional significant charges to earnings in our financial statements during a period in which an impairment of our trademarks and other intangible assets is determined to exist which could negatively affect our results of operations and the market price of our securities.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 2
Our actual financial results might vary from our publicly disclosed financial forecasts.
From time to time, we have publicly disclosed financial forecasts. Our forecasts reflect numerous assumptions concerning our expected performance, as well as other factors that are beyond our control and that might not turn out to be correct. As a result, variations from our forecasts could be material. Our financial results are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including those identified throughout this "Risk Factors" section and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and in the documents incorporated by reference in this Annual Report. If our actual financial results are worse than our financial forecasts or forecasts provided by outside investment analysts, or others, the price of our common stock may decline. Investors who rely on these predictions when making investment decisions with respect to our securities do so at their own risk. We take no responsibility for any losses suffered as a result of such changes in our stock price. We do not have any responsibility to provide financial forecasts going forward or to update any of our forward-looking statements at such times or otherwise.
Debt & Financing8 | 26.7%
Debt & Financing - Risk 1
Our credit rating and ability to access well-functioning capital markets are important to our ability to secure future debt financing on acceptable terms. Our credit ratings may not reflect all risks associated with the Senior Secured Notes or our other indebtedness.
Our access to the debt markets and the terms of such access depend on multiple factors including the condition of the debt capital markets, our operating performance and our credit ratings. These ratings are based on a number of factors including their assessment of our financial strength and financial policies. Our borrowing costs will be dependent to some extent on the rating assigned to our debt. However, there can be no assurance that any particular rating assigned to us will remain in effect for any given period of time or that a rating will not be changed or withdrawn by a rating agency if, in that rating agency's judgment, future circumstances relating to the basis of the rating so warrant. Incurrence of additional debt by us could adversely affect our credit rating. Any disruptions or turmoil in the capital markets or any downgrade of our credit rating could adversely affect our cost of funds, liquidity, competitive position and access to capital markets, which could materially and adversely affect our business operations, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, downgrading the credit rating of our debt securities or placing us on a watch list for possible future downgrading would likely have an adverse effect on the market price of our Common Stock.
Debt & Financing - Risk 2
We may not be able to repurchase the Senior Secured Notes upon a change of control or pursuant to an asset sale offer.
Upon the occurrence of a change of control, as defined in the indenture that governs the Senior Secured Notes, the holders of the Notes will have the right to require us to offer to purchase all of the Notes then outstanding at a price equal to 101% of their principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest. In addition, our future indebtedness may require that such indebtedness be similarly repurchased upon a change of control. In order to obtain sufficient funds to pay the purchase price of the outstanding Notes, we expect that we would have to refinance the Notes. We may not be able to refinance the Notes on reasonable terms, if at all. Our failure to offer to purchase all outstanding Notes or to purchase all validly tendered Notes would be an event of default under the indenture. Such an event of default may cause the acceleration of our other debt. Our other debt also may contain restrictions on repayment requirements with respect to specified events or transactions that constitute a change of control under the indenture.
In addition, in certain circumstances specified in the indenture, we will be required to commence an asset sale offer, as defined in the indenture, pursuant to which we will be obligated to purchase certain Notes at a price equal to 100% of their principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest with the proceeds we receive from certain asset sales. Our other debt may contain restrictions that would limit or prohibit us from completing any such asset sale offer. In particular, the ABL Credit Agreement contains provisions that require us, upon the sale of certain assets, to apply all of the proceeds from such asset sale to the prepayment of amounts due under that Agreement. The mandatory prepayment obligations under the ABL Credit Agreement will be effectively senior to our obligations to make an asset sale offer with respect to the Notes under the terms of the indenture.
Debt & Financing - Risk 3
Our variable rate indebtedness subjects us to interest rate risk, which could cause our indebtedness service obligations to increase significantly.
The borrowings under the ABL Credit Agreement will be at variable rates of interest and expose us to interest rate risk. Interest rates increased in fiscal 2024 and while interest rates may not increase further in fiscal 2025, it is unclear whether the Federal Reserve will reduce interest rates or maintain the current high rates in fiscal 2025. As a result, our debt service obligations on our variable rate indebtedness increased. Our net income and cash flows, including cash available for servicing our indebtedness decreased due to the increase in our debt service obligations. Assuming all revolving loans were fully drawn under the ABL Credit Agreement, each one percentage point change in interest rates would result in a $6.5 million change in annual cash interest expense under the ABL Credit Agreement.
Financing extended to us under the ABL Credit Agreement was made at variable rates that use LIBOR or an alternate base rate (as determined by that Agreement) as a benchmark for establishing the interest rate. In April 2023, the Company amended the ABL Credit Agreement to replace LIBOR with the Adjusted Term Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR") as a successor rate. Changes in market interest rates may influence our financing costs and could reduce our earnings and cash flows.
Debt & Financing - Risk 4
We may not be able to generate sufficient cash to service all of our indebtedness, including under the Senior Secured Notes or the ABL Credit Agreement, and may be forced to take other actions to satisfy our obligations under our indebtedness, which may not be successful.
Our ability to make scheduled payments on or to refinance our debt obligations depends on our financial condition and operating performance, which is subject to prevailing economic and competitive conditions and to certain financial, business and other factors beyond our control. We cannot assure you that we will maintain a level of cash flows from operating activities sufficient to permit us to pay the principal, premium, if any, and interest on our indebtedness, including under the Senior Secured Notes or the ABL Credit Agreement.
If our cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to fund our debt service obligations, we may be forced to reduce or delay investments and capital expenditures, or to sell assets, seek additional capital or restructure or refinance our indebtedness. These alternative measures may not be successful and may not permit us to meet our scheduled debt service obligations. If our operating results and available cash are insufficient to meet our debt service obligations, we could face substantial liquidity problems and might be required to dispose of material assets or operations to meet our debt service and other obligations. We may not be able to consummate those dispositions or to obtain the proceeds that we could realize from them, and these proceeds may not be adequate to meet any debt service obligations then due. Any future refinancing of our indebtedness could be at higher interest rates and may require us to comply with more onerous covenants which could further restrict our business operations. Additionally, the ABL Credit Agreement and the indenture that will govern the Senior Secured Notes will limit the use of the proceeds from any disposition of our assets. As a result, the ABL Credit Agreement and the indenture may prevent us from using the proceeds from such dispositions to satisfy our debt service obligations.
Debt & Financing - Risk 5
Our ability to continue to have the necessary liquidity to operate our business may be adversely impacted by a number of factors, including uncertain conditions in the credit and financial markets, which could limit the availability and increase the cost of financing. A deterioration of our results of operations and cash flow resulting from decreases in consumer spending, could, among other things, impact our ability to comply with financial covenants in the ABL Credit Agreement.
Our historical sources of liquidity to fund ongoing cash requirements include cash flows from operations, cash and cash equivalents, borrowings through our credit facility and equity offerings. The sufficiency and availability of credit may be adversely affected by a variety of factors, including, without limitation, the tightening of the credit markets, including lending by financial institutions who are sources of credit for our borrowing and liquidity; an increase in the cost of capital; the reduced availability of credit; our ability to execute our strategy; the level of our cash flows, which will be impacted by retailer and consumer acceptance of our products and the level of consumer discretionary spending; maintenance of financial covenants included in our ABL Credit Agreement and interest rate fluctuations.
Interest rates increased in fiscal 2024 and while interest rates many not increase further in fiscal 2025, it is unclear whether the Federal Reserve will reduce interest rates or maintain the current high rates in fiscal 2025. We cannot predict the future level of interest rates or the effect of interest rates on the availability or aggregate cost of our borrowings. Higher interest rates increase the cost of our borrowings under our revolving credit facility, may increase economic uncertainty and may negatively affect consumer spending. Volatility in interest rates may adversely affect our business or our customers. If interest rates continue to increase or are maintained at their current high level, our capacity to obtain necessary liquidity may be negatively impacted. We cannot be certain that any additional required financing, whether debt or equity, will be available in amounts needed or on terms acceptable to us, if at all.
As of January 31, 2024, we were in compliance with the financial covenants in our credit facility. Compliance with these financial covenants is dependent on the results of our operations, which are subject to a number of factors including current economic conditions. The economic environment has at times resulted in lower consumer confidence and lower retail sales. Adverse developments in the economy could lead to reduced consumer spending which could adversely impact our net sales and cash flow, which could affect our compliance with our financial covenants. A violation of our covenants could limit access to our credit facilities. Should such restrictions on our credit facilities and these factors occur, they could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
Debt & Financing - Risk 6
The ABL Credit Agreement and the indenture that governs the Senior Secured Notes impose significant operating and financial restrictions that may limit our current and future operating flexibility, particularly our ability to respond to changes in the economy or our industry or to take certain actions, which could harm our long term interests and may limit our ability to make payments under the Notes or the ABL Credit Agreement or satisfy our other obligations.
The ABL Credit Agreement and the indenture that governs the Senior Secured Notes impose significant operating and financial restrictions on us. These restrictions limit our ability, among other things, to:
- incur, assume or permit to exist additional indebtedness (including guarantees thereof);- pay dividends or certain other distributions on our capital stock or repurchase our capital stock or prepay subordinated indebtedness;- prepay, redeem or repurchase certain debt;- issue certain preferred stock or similar equity securities;- incur liens on assets;- make certain loans, investments or other restricted payments;- allow to exist certain restrictions on the ability of our restricted subsidiaries to pay dividends or make other payments to us;- engage in transactions with affiliates;- alter the business that we conduct; and - sell certain assets or merge or consolidate with or into other companies.
As a result of these restrictions, we may be:
- limited in how we conduct our business;- unable to raise additional debt or equity financing to operate during general economic or business downturns; or - unable to compete effectively or to take advantage of new business opportunities.
A breach of the covenants under the indenture or the ABL Credit Agreement could result in an event of default under the applicable indebtedness. Such a default, if not cured or waived, may allow creditors to accelerate the related debt and may result in the acceleration of any other debt that is subject to an applicable cross-acceleration or cross-default provision. In addition, an event of default under the ABL Credit Agreement would permit the lenders thereunder to terminate all commitments to extend further credit under that Agreement. Furthermore, if we were unable to repay the amounts due and payable under the ABL Credit Agreement, those lenders could proceed against the collateral securing such indebtedness. In the event our lenders or holders of the Senior Secured Notes accelerate the repayment of our borrowings, we and our subsidiaries may not have sufficient assets to repay that indebtedness.
Debt & Financing - Risk 7
Despite our substantial indebtedness, we may still be able to incur significantly more debt. This could intensify the risks described above.
We and our subsidiaries may be able to incur substantial indebtedness in the future. Although the ABL Credit Agreement and the indenture that governs the Senior Secured Notes contain restrictions on our and our subsidiaries' ability to incur additional indebtedness, these restrictions are subject to a number of important qualifications and exceptions, and the indebtedness incurred in compliance with these restrictions could be substantial.
The covenants under any future debt instruments could also allow us to incur a significant amount of additional indebtedness. In addition to any amounts that might be available to us for borrowing under the ABL Credit Agreement, subject to certain conditions, we will have the right to request an increase of aggregate commitments under the ABL Credit Agreement by an aggregate amount of up to $100.0 million by obtaining additional commitments either from one or more of the lenders under the ABL Credit Agreement or other lending institutions. The more leveraged we become, the more we will be exposed to certain risks described above under "-We have a substantial amount of indebtedness, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and our ability to obtain financing in the future and to react to changes in our business."
Debt & Financing - Risk 8
We have a substantial amount of indebtedness, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and our ability to obtain financing in the future and to react to changes in our business.
We have issued $400 million of Senior Secured Notes and are party to the ABL Credit Agreement that provides for borrowings of up to $650 million, subject to borrowing base availability. In fiscal 2024, we repaid $125.0 million of debt pursuant to the note issued to LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton Inc. (the "LVMH Note") that constituted a portion of the purchase price for the acquisition of DKNY and Donna Karan.
Our significant amount of debt and our debt service obligations could limit our ability to satisfy our obligations, limit our ability to operate our business and impair our competitive position.
For example, it could:
- make it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations under the Senior Secured Notes and the ABL Credit Agreement;- increase our vulnerability to adverse economic and general industry conditions, including interest rate fluctuations, because a portion of our borrowings are and will continue to be at variable rates of interest;- require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to payments on our debt, which would reduce the availability of our cash flow from operations to fund working capital, capital expenditures or other general corporate purposes;- limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and industry;- place us at a disadvantage compared to competitors that may have proportionately less debt;- limit our ability to obtain additional debt or equity financing due to applicable financial and restrictive covenants in our debt agreements; and - increase our cost of borrowing.
Legal & Regulatory
Total Risks: 6/30 (20%)Above Sector Average
Regulation2 | 6.7%
Regulation - Risk 1
We are subject to rules relating to the processing of credit card payments. Failure to comply with these rules could result in an ability to process payments which would adversely affect our retail business.
Because we process and transmit payment card information, we are subject to the Payment Card Industry ("PCI") Data Security Standard (the "Standard"), and card brand operating rules ("Card Rules"). The Standard is a comprehensive set of requirements for enhancing payment account data security that was developed by the PCI Security Standards Council to help facilitate the broad adoption of consistent data security measures. We are required by Card Rules to comply with the Standard, and our failure to do so may result in fines or restrictions on our ability to accept payment cards. Under certain circumstances specified in the Card Rules, we may be required to submit to periodic audits, self-assessments or other assessments of our compliance with the Standard. Such activities may reveal that we have failed to comply with the Standard. If an audit, self-assessment or other test determines that we need to take steps to remediate any deficiencies, such remediation efforts may distract the management team of our retail business and require it to undertake disruptive, costly and time-consuming remediation efforts. In addition, even if we comply with the Standard, there is no assurance that we will be protected from a security breach, which may materially affect our reputation and our ability to conduct our business. Further, changes in technology and processing procedures may result in changes to the Card Rules. Such changes may require us to make significant investments in operating systems and technology that may impact our business. Failure to keep up with changes in technology could result in the loss of business. Failure to comply with the Standard or Card Rules could result in losing certification under the PCI standards and an inability to process payments.
Regulation - Risk 2
We are subject to significant corporate regulation as a public company and failure to comply with applicable regulations could subject us to liability or negatively affect the market price of our securities.
As a publicly traded company, we are subject to a significant body of regulation, including the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the listing requirements of the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010. The Securities and Exchange Commission and Nasdaq regularly propose and adopt new regulatory requirements.
The internal control over financial reporting required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may not prevent or detect misstatements because of certain of its limitations, including the possibility of human error, the circumvention or overriding of controls, or fraud. As a result, even effective internal controls may not provide reasonable assurances with respect to the preparation and presentation of financial statements. We cannot provide assurance that, in the future, our management will not find a material weakness in connection with its annual review of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We also cannot provide assurance that we could correct any such weakness to allow our management to assess the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of the end of our fiscal year in time to enable our independent registered public accounting firm to state that such assessment will have been fairly stated in our Annual Report on Form 10-K or state that we have maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of the end of our fiscal year. Discovery and disclosure of a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting could have a material impact on our financial statements and could cause the market price of our securities to decline.
While we have developed and instituted corporate compliance programs and continue to update our programs in response to newly implemented or changing regulatory requirements, we cannot provide assurance that we are or will be in compliance with all potentially applicable corporate regulations. If we fail to comply with any of these regulations, we could be subject to a range of regulatory actions, fines or other sanctions or litigation.
Taxation & Government Incentives1 | 3.3%
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 1
Changes in tax legislation or exposure to additional tax liabilities could impact our business.
Changes to U.S. and international tax laws could have a negative impact on our results of operations. Although we believe our income tax estimates are reasonable, the ultimate outcomes may have a negative impact on our results of operations. Our domestic and international tax liabilities are dependent on the allocation of revenue and expenses in various jurisdictions. Significant judgment is required in determining our global provision for income taxes. Changes in the U.S. federal, state, and international tax legislations can have an adverse impact on our income tax liabilities and effective tax rate.
Our future effective tax rate could be adversely affected by a variety of factors, including changes in our business operations, changes in tax laws or rulings, or developments in government tax examinations. A number of countries are actively pursuing fundamental changes to the tax laws applicable to multinational companies. Furthermore, tax authorities may choose to examine or investigate our tax reporting or tax liability, including an examination of our existing transfer pricing policies. Adverse outcomes from examinations may lead to adjustments to our income tax liabilities or provisions for uncertain tax positions.
In December 2022, the Council of the European Union ("EU") announced that EU member states reached an agreement to implement the minimum tax component of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development's international tax reform initiative, known as Pillar Two. The Pillar Two Model Rules provide for a global minimum tax of 15% for multinational enterprise groups, and is expected to be effective for our fiscal year ending January 31, 2025. While the Company does not expect these rules to have a material impact on its effective tax rate or financial results, the Company continues to monitor evolving tax legislation in the jurisdictions in which it operates. A material change in tax laws or policies, or their interpretation, related to the Pillar Two Model Rules could result in a higher effective tax rate and have an adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.
We are required to pay taxes other than income taxes, such as payroll, sales, use, value-added, net worth, property, and goods and services taxes, in both the United States and various other jurisdictions. Tax authorities regularly examine these non-income taxes. The outcomes from these examinations, changes in the business, changes in applicable tax rules or other tax matters may have an adverse impact on our results of operations.
Environmental / Social3 | 10.0%
Environmental / Social - Risk 1
Laws on privacy continue to evolve, and place further limits on how we collect or use customer information could adversely affect our business.
We collect, store and process customer information primarily for marketing purposes and to improve the services we provide. There are numerous laws and regulations regarding privacy and the storage, sharing, use, processing, transfer, disclosure and protection of personal data, the scope of which is changing, subject to differing interpretations, and may be inconsistent between states within a country or between countries. For example, the European Union General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR") has caused significantly greater compliance burdens and costs for companies with users and operations in the European Union ("EU") and European Economic Area ("EEA"). Under GDPR, fines of up to 20 million Euros or 4% of a company's annual global revenues, whichever is greater, can be imposed for violations.
The California Privacy Rights Act ("CPRA") and the California Consumer Privacy Act ("CCPA") regulate how we may collect, use, and process personal data of California residents, and provide California residents with certain rights regarding their personal data. To comply with the CPRA and CCPA, we updated our data processing practices and policies. However, these laws may require that we further modify our data processing practices and policies and incur substantial compliance-related costs and expenses. Other states have enacted similar data privacy laws and additional states may do so in the future as the U.S. state privacy landscape continues to evolve. Non-compliance with these laws could result in penalties or significant legal liability. Although we make reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable laws and regulations, there can be no assurance that we will not be subject to regulatory action, including fines, in the event of non-compliance. If we fail to comply with applicable laws and regulations, we may be subject to legal exposure, as well as financial and reputational damage, which could impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Any additional limitations imposed on the use of consumer information by federal, state, local or foreign governments, could have an adverse effect on our future marketing activities. Governmental focus on data security and/or privacy may lead to additional legislation or regulations. As a result, we may have to modify our business to further improve data security and privacy compliance, which would result in increased expenses and operating complexity, or in ways that negatively affect our or our third-party service providers' business, results of operations or financial condition. To the extent our, or our business partners', security procedures and protection of consumer information prove to be insufficient or inadequate, we may become subject to litigation or other claims, fines, penalties or other obligations, which could expose us to liability and cause damage to our reputation, brand and results of operations.
Environmental / Social - Risk 2
The national security law implemented in Hong Kong may result in disruptions to our business operations in Hong Kong and additional tariffs and trade restrictions.
In June 2020, a new security law was put into effect that changes the way Hong Kong has been governed since the territory was handed over by England to China in 1997. This law increases the power of the central government in Beijing over Hong Kong, limits the civil liberties of residents of Hong Kong and could restrict their ability to conduct business in the same way as in the past on a go forward basis. The U.S. State Department has announced the U.S. would no longer consider Hong Kong to have significant autonomy from China which could end some or all of the U.S. government's special trade and economic relations with Hong Kong. This may result in disruption to our offices and employees located in Hong Kong, as well as the shipment of our products from Hong Kong. The potential disruption to our business operations in Hong Kong and additional tariffs and trade restrictions resulting from this security law, as well as any future additional security laws, could have an adverse impact on our results of operations. To date, no such disruptions have occurred. In March 2024, a new security law was adopted by Hong Kong. In March 2024, a new, more restrictive security law was adopted by Hong Kong. The Company is not yet able to determine the effect, if any, this new security law may have on its business or results of operations.
Environmental / Social - Risk 3
The increased focus by stakeholders on corporate responsibility issues, including those associated with environmental, social and governance issues, as well as matters of significance related to sustainability, could result in additional costs or risks and adversely impact our reputation.
There is an increased focus from our stakeholders, including consumers, employees and institutional investors, on corporate social responsibility matters, which we refer to as CSR, associated with environmental, social and governance issues and sustainability practices. Although we have disclosed our corporate social responsibility strategy and increased focus on these issues, there can be no assurance that our stakeholders will agree with our strategy or that we will be successful in achieving our goals. If our CSR practices do not meet investor or other industry stakeholder expectations and standards, which continue to evolve, our brands, reputation and customer and employee retention may be negatively impacted. It is possible that stakeholders may not be satisfied with our CSR practices or the speed of adoption. We could also incur additional costs and require additional resources to monitor, report and comply with our CSR practices. In addition, our failure, or perceived failure, to meet the standards included in any sustainability disclosure could negatively impact our reputation, employee retention and the willingness of our customers and suppliers to do business with us. Our processes and controls for reporting CSR and sustainability matters across our operations and supply chain are evolving along with multiple disparate standards for identifying, measuring, and reporting related metrics, including related disclosures that may be required by the SEC, European and other regulators., Such standards may change over time, which could result in significant revisions to our current goals, reported progress in achieving such goals, or ability to achieve such goals in the future. New government regulations could also result in new or more stringent forms of oversight and expanded mandatory and voluntary reporting, diligence, and disclosure. Failure to comply with governmental regulations, implement our strategy or achieve our goals could damage our reputation, causing our investors or consumers to lose confidence in us and our brands, and negatively impact our operations.
Macro & Political
Total Risks: 6/30 (20%)Above Sector Average
Economy & Political Environment2 | 6.7%
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 1
Our expansion into the European market exposes us to uncertain economic conditions in the Euro zone.
Demand for our products depends in part on the general economic conditions affecting the countries in which we do business. We are attempting to expand our presence in the European markets, including for our DKNY, Donna Karan, Karl Lagerfeld, Vilebrequin and Sonia Rykiel businesses. The economy in Europe is uncertain and potentially adversely affected by the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. Financial instability in Europe could adversely affect our European operations and, in turn, could have a material adverse effect on us.
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 2
Recent and future economic conditions, including volatility in the financial and credit markets, inflation and increases in interest rates, may adversely affect our business.
Economic conditions have affected, and in the future may adversely affect, the apparel industry and our major customers. Economic conditions have, at times, led to a reduction in overall consumer spending, which could have an adverse impact on sales of our products. A disruption in the ability of our significant customers to access liquidity could cause serious disruptions or an overall deterioration of their businesses which could lead to a significant reduction in their orders of our products and the inability or failure on their part to meet their payment obligations to us, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and liquidity. A significant adverse change in a customer's financial and/or credit position could also require us to sell fewer products to that customer, assume greater credit risk relating to that customer's receivables or could limit our ability to collect receivables related to previous purchases by that customer. As a result, our reserves for doubtful accounts and write-offs of accounts receivable may increase.
Inflationary pressures have impacted the entire economy, including our industry. We have experienced increased costs in many aspects of our business, including our product costs and freight. During fiscal 2023, we implemented price increases on many of our products in an effort to mitigate the effect of higher costs. In fiscal 2023, the historic high rates of inflation,including increased fuel and food prices, led to a softening of consumer demand and increased promotional activity in our categories, which continued into fiscal 2024. Continued high rates of inflation in the future could result in a reduction of consumer demand and increased promotional activity, as well as increases in our operating costs.
The Federal Reserve raised interest rates several times in fiscal 2024 in response to concerns about inflation. It is unclear whether the Federal Reserve will reduce interest rates or maintain the current high rates in fiscal 2025. Higher interest rates may increase the costs of our borrowing under our revolving credit facility, may increase economic uncertainty and may negatively affect consumer spending. Volatility in interest rates may adversely affect our business and our customers. If the equity and credit markets deteriorate, it may make any necessary debt or equity financing more difficult to obtain in a timely manner or on favorable terms.
International Operations1 | 3.3%
International Operations - Risk 1
We are subject to numerous risks associated with international operations.
Our ability to capitalize on the potential of our international operations, including to realize the benefits of our DKNY, Donna Karan, Karl Lagerfeld, Vilebrequin and Sonia Rykiel businesses and successfully expand into international markets, is subject to risks associated with international operations. These include:
- the burdens of complying with a variety of foreign laws and regulations, including trade and labor restrictions;- local product preferences and product requirements;- more stringent regulation relating to privacy and data protection, including with respect to the collection, use and processing of personal information, particularly in Europe;- more stringent regulation relating to privacy and data access to, or use of, commercial or personal information, particularly in Europe;- less rigorous protection of intellectual property;- compliance with United States and other country laws relating to foreign operations, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibits U.S. companies from making improper payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business;- unexpected changes in regulatory requirements; and - new tariffs or other barriers in international markets.
We are also subject to general political and economic risks in connection with our international operations, including:
- political instability and terrorist attacks;- changes in diplomatic and trade relationships; and - general and economic fluctuations in specific countries or markets.
Changes in regulatory, geopolitical, social or economic policies and other factors may have a material adverse effect on our international business in the future or may require us to exit a particular market or significantly modify our current business practices.
Natural and Human Disruptions1 | 3.3%
Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 1
The effects of war, including wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, acts of terrorism, natural disasters or public health crises could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
The current wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and the continued threat of terrorism, heightened security measures and military action in response to acts of terrorism or civil unrest has, at times, disrupted commerce and intensified concerns regarding the United States and world economies. The imposition of additional sanctions by the United States and/or foreign governments, as well as the sanctions already in place, could lead to restrictions related to sales and our supply chain for which the financial impact is uncertain. In addition, the continuation or escalation of these wars, including the potential for additional countries to declare ware against each other, may lead to further, broader unfavorable macroeconomic implications, including unfavorable foreign exchange rates, increases in fuel prices, food shortages, a weakening of the worldwide economy, lower consumer demand and volatility in financial markets. These implications of the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East could have a material adverse effect on our business and our results of operations.
Any other acts of terrorism or new or extended hostilities may disrupt commerce and undermine consumer confidence, which could negatively impact our sales and results of operations. Similarly, the occurrence of one or more natural disasters, such as hurricanes, fires, floods or earthquakes, or public health crises, such as COVID-19, could result in the closure of one or more of our distribution centers, our corporate headquarters or a significant number of stores or impact one or more of our key suppliers. These types of events could result in additional increases in energy prices or shortages, the temporary or long-term disruption in the supply of product, disruption in the transport of product from overseas, delay in the delivery of product to our factories, our customers or our stores and disruption in our information and communication systems. Accordingly, these types of events could have a material adverse effect on our business and our results of operations.
Capital Markets2 | 6.7%
Capital Markets - Risk 1
We have foreign currency exposures relating to buying and selling in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, our functional currency.
We have foreign currency exposure related to foreign denominated revenues and costs, which must be translated into U.S. dollars. Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates may adversely affect our reported earnings and the comparability of period-to-period results of operations. In addition, while certain currencies (notably the Hong Kong dollar and Chinese Renminbi) are currently managed in value in relation to the U.S. dollar by foreign central banks or governmental entities, such conditions may change, thereby exposing us to various risks as a result.
Certain of our foreign operations purchase products from suppliers denominated in U.S. dollars and Euros, which may expose such operations to increases in cost of goods sold (thereby lowering profit margins) as a result of foreign currency fluctuations. Our exposures are primarily concentrated in the Euro. Changes in currency exchange rates may also affect the relative prices at which we and our foreign competitors purchase and sell products in the same market and the cost of certain items required in our operations. In addition, certain of our foreign operations have receivables or payables denominated in currencies other than their functional currencies, which exposes such operations to foreign exchange losses as a result of foreign currency fluctuations. Such fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. We are not currently engaged in any hedging activities to protect against currency risks. If there is downward pressure on the value of the dollar, our purchase prices for our products could increase. We may not be able to offset an increase in product costs with a price increase to our customers.
Capital Markets - Risk 2
Changes in trade policies and tariffs imposed by the United States government and the governments of other nations could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
Changes in laws and policies governing foreign trade, manufacturing, development and investment in the territories or countries where we currently sell our products or conduct our business could adversely affect our business. U.S. presidential administrations have instituted or proposed changes in trade policies that include the negotiation or termination of trade agreements, the imposition of higher tariffs on imports into the U.S., economic sanctions on individuals, corporations or countries, and other government regulations affecting trade between the U.S. and other countries where we conduct our business. It may be time-consuming and expensive for us to alter our business operations in order to adapt to or comply with any such changes.
In addition, changes or proposed changes in the trade policies of the U.S. or other countries may result in restrictions and economic disincentives to international trade. Tariffs and other changes in U.S. trade policy have in the past and could in the future trigger retaliatory actions by affected countries. Certain foreign governments have instituted or are considering imposing retaliatory measures on certain U.S. goods. Further, any emerging protectionist or nationalist trends either in the U.S. or in other countries could affect the trade environment. The Company, similar to other companies that conduct their business internationally, does a significant amount of business that would be impacted by changes to the trade policies of the U.S. and foreign countries (including governmental action related to tariffs, international trade agreements, or economic sanctions). Such changes have the potential to adversely impact the U.S. economy or certain sectors thereof or the economy of another country in which we conduct operations. They could also adversely affect our industry and the global demand for our products, and as a result, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Tech & Innovation
Total Risks: 3/30 (10%)Below Sector Average
Cyber Security3 | 10.0%
Cyber Security - Risk 1
Artificial intelligence presents risks and challenges that can impact our business including by posing security risks to our confidential information, proprietary information, and personal data.
Issues in the development and use of artificial intelligence, combined with an uncertain regulatory environment, may result in reputational harm, liability, or other adverse consequences to our business operations. As with many technological innovations, artificial intelligence presents risks and challenges that could impact our business. We may adopt and integrate generative artificial intelligence tools into our systems for specific use cases reviewed by legal and information security. Our vendors may incorporate generative artificial intelligence tools into their offerings without disclosing this use to us, and the providers of these generative artificial intelligence tools may not meet existing or rapidly evolving regulatory or industry standards with respect to privacy and data protection and may inhibit our or our vendors' ability to maintain an adequate level of service and experience. If we, our vendors, or our third-party partners experience an actual or perceived breach of privacy or security incident because of the use of generative artificial intelligence, we may lose valuable intellectual property and confidential information and our reputation and the public perception of the effectiveness of our security measures could be harmed. Further, bad actors around the world use increasingly sophisticated methods, including the use of artificial intelligence, to engage in illegal activities involving the theft and misuse of personal information, confidential information, and intellectual property. Any of these outcomes could damage our reputation, result in the loss of valuable property and information, and adversely impact our business.
Cyber Security - Risk 2
A data security or privacy breach could adversely affect our business.
We collect, process, transmit and store personal, sensitive and confidential information, including our proprietary business information and that of consumers (including users of our websites) and our wholesale partners, distributors, employees, suppliers and business partners. The protection of customer, employee and company data is critical to us. Customers have a high expectation that we will adequately protect their personal information from cyberattack or other security breaches. A significant breach of customer, employee, or company data could damage our reputation and result in lost sales, fines, or lawsuits. The secure processing, maintenance and transmission of this information is critical to our operations and business strategy. Despite our security measures, our information technology and infrastructure may be vulnerable to attacks by hackers or breaches due to employee error, malfeasance or other disruptions. Any such breach or attack could compromise our networks and the information stored there could be accessed, publicly disclosed, lost or stolen.
Because the methods used to obtain unauthorized access change frequently and may not be immediately detected, we may be unable to anticipate these methods or promptly implement preventative measures. Any such access, disclosure or other loss of information could result in legal claims or proceedings, liability under laws that protect the privacy of personal information, disrupt our operations and the services we provide to customers and damage our reputation, which could adversely affect our business, revenues and competitive position.
We are also reliant on the security practices of our third-party service providers. We require that third-party service providers implement reasonable security measures to protect our customers' identity and privacy. We do not, however, control these third-party service providers and cannot guarantee that no electronic or physical computer break-ins and security breaches will occur in the future. The services provided by these third parties have been, and will likely continue to be, subject to the same risk of outages, other failures and security breaches that we are subject to. If these third parties fail to adhere to adequate security practices, or experience a breach of their systems, the data of our employees and customers may be improperly accessed, used or disclosed. Any loss or interruption to our systems or the services provided by third parties, and the other risks from cybersecurity threats, could adversely affect our business, financial condition, or results of operations. Although the aggregate impact of cybersecurity breaches has not been material to date, we have been subject to cybersecurity incidents in the past, including within the last three years, and expect them to continue as cybersecurity threats evolve in sophistication. We cannot provide any assurances that such events will not occur and impacts therefrom will not be material in the future.
Cyber Security - Risk 3
Our systems, and those of our third-party vendors, containing personal information and payment data of our customers, employees, and other third parties could be breached, which could subject us to adverse publicity, costly government enforcement actions or private litigation, and expenses.
We rely heavily on information systems to manage operations, including a full range of financial, sourcing, retail and merchandising systems, and regularly make investments to upgrade, enhance or replace these systems. The reliability and capacity of our information systems is critical. The failure of our information technology systems to perform as we anticipate could disrupt our business and could result in transaction errors, processing inefficiencies and the loss of sales and customers, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations to suffer. Despite our preventative efforts, our systems are vulnerable from time to time to damage or interruption from, among other things, security breaches, cyber-attacks, computer viruses, ransomware, power outages, fire, natural disasters, systems failures and other technical malfunctions. Increased cyber-security threats pose a potential risk to the security and viability of our information technology systems, as well as the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the data stored on those systems. We have outsourced elements of our IT systems, including to cloud-based solution vendors, and use third-party vendors in other aspects of our operations and, as a result, a number of third-party vendors may or could have access to confidential information. Our third-party vendors have experienced service interruptions and cyber-attacks in the past, and we expect they will continue. If our information technology systems suffer severe damage, disruption or shutdown, by unintentional or malicious actions of employees and contractors or by cyber-attacks, and our business continuity plans do not effectively resolve the issues in a timely manner, we could experience business disruptions, reputational damage, transaction errors, processing inefficiencies, increased overhead costs, excess inventory, product shortages and a loss of important information, causing our business, financial condition and results of operations to be adversely affected. Any disruptions affecting our information systems could have a material adverse impact on the operation of our business. We could also be required to spend significant financial and other resources to remedy the damage caused by a security breach or to repair or replace networks and information systems. In addition, our ability to continue to operate our business without significant interruption in the event of a disaster or other disruption depends in part on the ability of our information systems to operate in accordance with our disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
Cyber criminals are constantly devising schemes to circumvent information technology security safeguards and other retailers have suffered serious data security breaches. The risk of a security breach or disruption, particularly through cyber-attacks or cyber intrusion, including by computer hackers, foreign governments, and cyber terrorists, has generally increased as the number, intensity, and sophistication of attempted attacks and intrusions from around the world have increased. We may not be able to anticipate all types of security threats, and we may not be able to implement preventive measures effective against all such security threats. The techniques used by cyber criminals change frequently, may not be recognized until launched, and can originate from a wide variety of sources, including outside groups such as external service providers, organized crime affiliates, terrorist organizations, or hostile foreign governments or agencies. It is possible that we or our third-party vendors may experience cybersecurity and other breach incidents that remain undetected for an extended period. Even when a security breach is detected, the full extent of the breach may not be determined immediately. The costs to us to mitigate network security issues, bugs, viruses, worms, malicious software programs and security vulnerabilities could be significant.
We regularly implement business process improvement and information technology initiatives intended to optimize our operational and financial performance. Transitioning to these new or upgraded processes and systems requires significant capital investments and personnel resources. We may also experience difficulties in implementing or operating our new or upgraded business processes or information technology systems, including, but not limited to, ineffective or inefficient operations, significant system failures, system outages, delayed implementation and loss of system availability, which could lead to increased implementation and/or operational costs, loss or corruption of data, delayed shipments, excess inventory and interruptions of operations resulting in lost sales and/or profits.
While we devote significant resources to network security, backup and disaster recovery, enhanced training and other security measures to protect our systems and data, security measures cannot provide absolute security or guarantee that we will be successful in preventing or responding to every breach or disruption on a timely basis. In addition, due to the constantly evolving nature of security threats, we cannot predict the form and impact of any future incident, and the cost and operational expense of implementing, maintaining and enhancing protective measures to guard against increasingly complex and sophisticated cyber threats could increase significantly. If any of these risks materialize, our reputation and our ability to conduct our business may be materially adversely affected.
Ability to Sell
Total Risks: 3/30 (10%)Below Sector Average
Competition1 | 3.3%
Competition - Risk 1
The competitive nature of our industry may result in lower prices for our products and decreased gross profit margins.
The apparel business is highly competitive. We have numerous competitors with respect to the sale of apparel, footwear and accessories, including digital websites, distributors that import products from abroad and domestic retailers with established foreign manufacturing capabilities. Many of our competitors have greater financial and marketing resources and greater manufacturing capacity than we do. The general availability of contract manufacturing capacity also allows ease of access by new market entrants. The competitive nature of the apparel industry may result in lower prices for our products and decreased gross profit margins, either of which may materially adversely affect our sales and profitability. Sales of our products are affected by a number of competitive factors including style, price, quality, brand recognition and reputation, product appeal and general fashion trends.
Demand1 | 3.3%
Demand - Risk 1
The cyclical nature of the apparel industry and uncertainty over future economic prospects and consumer spending could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
The apparel industry is cyclical. Purchases of outerwear, sportswear, swimwear, footwear and other apparel and accessories tend to decline during recessionary periods and may decline for a variety of other reasons, including changes in fashion trends and the introduction of new products or pricing changes by our competitors. Retailers have also responded to the shift in the types of apparel purchased by consumers based on their adjusted lifestyle needs resulting from changes to the work environment and leisure activities caused by COVID-19. Uncertainties regarding future economic prospects, including as a result of concerns with respect to the possibility of a recession, the increase in interest rates or inflation, may affect consumer-spending habits and could have an adverse effect on our results of operations. Weak economic conditions have had a material adverse effect on our results of operations at times in the past and could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations in the future as well.
Sales & Marketing1 | 3.3%
Sales & Marketing - Risk 1
If major department, mass merchant and specialty store chains consolidate, continue to close stores or cease to do business, our business could be negatively affected.
We sell our products to major department, mass merchant and specialty store chains. Continued consolidation in the retail industry, as well as store closing or retailers ceasing to do business, could negatively impact our business. Various customers of ours, including Macy's and Kohl's, have reduced their store footprint and others have filed for bankruptcy. Macy's also recently announced that it planned to close an additional 150 stores over the next three years. Store closings could adversely affect our business and results of operations. Consolidation could reduce the number of our customers and potential customers. With increased consolidation in the retail industry, we are increasingly dependent on retailers whose bargaining strength may increase and whose share of our business may grow. As a result, we may face greater pressure from these customers to provide more favorable terms, including increased support of their retail margins. As purchasing decisions become more centralized, the risks from consolidation increase. A store group could decide to close stores, decrease the amount of product purchased from us, modify the amount of floor space allocated to apparel in general or to our products specifically or focus on promoting private label products or national brand products for which it has exclusive rights rather than promoting our products. Customers are also concentrating purchases among a narrowing group of vendors. These types of decisions by our key customers could adversely affect our business.
Production
Total Risks: 1/30 (3%)Below Sector Average
Supply Chain1 | 3.3%
Supply Chain - Risk 1
We are dependent upon foreign manufacturers.
We do not own or operate any manufacturing facilities. We also do not have long-term written agreements with any of our manufacturers. As a result, any of these manufacturers may unilaterally terminate its relationship with us at any time. Almost all of our products are imported from independent foreign manufacturers. The failure of these manufacturers to meet required quality standards could damage our relationships with our customers. In addition, the failure by these manufacturers to ship products to us in a timely manner could cause us to miss the delivery date requirements of our customers. The failure to make timely deliveries could cause customers to cancel orders, refuse to accept delivery of products or demand reduced prices.
Additionally, our arrangements with foreign manufacturers subject us to risks of engaging in business abroad, including currency fluctuations, political or labor instability and potential import restrictions, duties and tariffs. We do not maintain insurance for the potential lost profits due to disruptions of our overseas manufacturers. Because our products are produced abroad, most significantly in China and Vietnam, political or economic instability in China, Vietnam or elsewhere could cause substantial disruption in the business of our foreign manufacturers. Products sourced from China represented approximately 34.2% of our inventory purchased in fiscal 2024, 37.6% of our inventory purchased in fiscal 2023 and 34.2% of our inventory purchased in fiscal 2022. Products sourced from Vietnam represented approximately 35.7% of our inventory purchased in fiscal 2024, 31.4% of our inventory purchased in fiscal 2023 and 32.2% of our inventory purchased in fiscal 2022.
While we source our products from many different manufacturers, we rely on a few manufacturers for a significant amount of our products. In fiscal 2024, we sourced 28.3% and 22.8% of our purchases from two different vendors in Vietnam and in fiscal 2023, we sourced 25.7% and 15.2% of our purchases from two different vendors in Vietnam. In fiscal 2024, we sourced 13.6% of our purchases from one vendor in China and in fiscal 2023, we sourced 18.8% of our purchases from one vendor in China. The loss of key vendors or a disruption in receipt of products from key vendors could adversely affect our ability to deliver goods to our customers on time and in the requested quantities.
We are also dependent on these manufacturers for compliance with our policies and the policies of our licensors and customers regarding labor practices employed by factories that manufacture product for us. Any failure by these manufacturers to comply with required labor standards or any other divergence in their labor or other practices from those generally considered ethical in the United States and the potential negative publicity relating to any of these events, could result in a violation by us of our license agreements, and harm us and our reputation. In addition, a manufacturer's failure to comply with safety or content regulations and standards could result in substantial liability and harm to our reputation.
China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (the "XUAR") is a significant source of cotton and textiles for the global apparel supply chain. The United States' Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act ("UFLPA") empowers the United States Customs and Border Protection Agency (the "US CBP") to withhold release of items produced in whole or in part in the XUAR or produced by companies included on a government-created UFLPA entity list, creating a presumption that such goods were produced using forced labor. We have established controls designed to preclude sourcing any products or materials from the XUAR (either directly or indirectly through our suppliers), and we prohibit our vendors from doing business with facilities in the XUAR. If any of the vendors from which we purchase goods is found to have dealings, directly or indirectly, with entities operating in the XUAR, our products or materials (including potentially non-cotton materials) could be held or delayed by the US CBP, which could cause delays, impact our inventory levels and adversely affect our ability to timely deliver our products to our customers.
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.