Stocks
ETFs
Options
Commodities
Crypto
Currency
Pro Newsletters
Research Tools
Daily Feeds
Calendars
Economic Indicators
Class Actions
Calculators
Education
About Us
Working with TipRanks
Follow Us
Motorsport Games (MSGM)
NASDAQ:MSGM
Holding MSGM?
Track your performance easily
Risk Overview Q3, 2024
Risk Distribution
40% Finance & Corporate
20% Tech & Innovation
19% Ability to Sell
9% Legal & Regulatory
9% Production
4% Macro & Political
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
This chart displays the stock's most recent risk distribution according to category. TipRanks has identified 6 major categories: Finance & corporate, legal & regulatory, macro & political, production, tech & innovation, and ability to sell.
Risk Change Over Time
S&P500 Average
Sector Average
Risks removed
Risks added
Risks changed
Motorsport Games 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.
The quarters shown in the chart are according to the calendar year (January to December). Businesses set their own financial calendar, known as a fiscal year. For example, Walmart ends their financial year at the end of January to accommodate the holiday season.
Risk Highlights Q3, 2024
Main Risk Category
Finance & Corporate
With 28 Risks
Finance & Corporate
With 28 Risks
Number of Disclosed Risks
70
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 31
70
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 31
Recent Changes
1Risks added
0Risks removed
4Risks changed
Since Sep 2024
1Risks added
0Risks removed
4Risks changed
Since Sep 2024
Number of Risk Changed
4
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 3
4
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 3
See the risk highlights of Motorsport Games 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 70
Finance & Corporate
Total Risks: 28/70 (40%)Below Sector Average
Share Price & Shareholder Rights12 | 17.1%
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1
Our Class A common stock may be delisted from NASDAQ, which could affect the market price and liquidity of our Class A common stock.Changed
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2
Driven Lifestyle controls a significant amount of our Class A common stock and all our Class B common stock and therefore it has the ability to exert significant control over the direction of our business, which could prevent other stockholders from influencing significant decisions regarding our business plans and other matters.Changed
Driven Lifestyle currently owns all of the shares of our Class B common stock and 1,480,385 shares of our Class A common stock, which together represents a significant combined voting power of both classes of our common stock as of November 14, 2024. Our Class B common stock has ten times the voting power of our Class A common stock. As long as Driven Lifestyle continues to control a majority of the voting power of our outstanding common stock, it will generally be able to determine the outcome of all corporate actions requiring stockholder approval, including the election and removal of directors. Even if Driven Lifestyle were to control less than a majority of the voting power of our outstanding common stock, it may be able to influence the outcome of such corporate actions so long as it owns a significant portion of our common stock. In the event Driven Lifestyle or its affiliates relinquish beneficial ownership of any of the Driven Lifestyle Initial Class A Shares at any time, one share of Class B common stock held by Driven Lifestyle will be cancelled for each such Driven Lifestyle Initial Class A Share no longer beneficially owned by Driven Lifestyle or its affiliates. If, however, Driven Lifestyle does not dispose of its Driven Lifestyle Initial Class A Shares, it could remain our controlling stockholder for an extended period of time or indefinitely.
Driven Lifestyle's interests may not be the same as, or may conflict with, the interests of our other stockholders. Moreover, Mike Zoi, who is the manager of Driven Lifestyle and has sole voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares of our common stock held by Driven Lifestyle, may also have interests that are not the same as, or may conflict with, the interests of our other stockholders. Holders of our Class A common stock will not be able to affect the outcome of any stockholder vote while Driven Lifestyle controls the majority of the voting power of our outstanding common stock. As a result, Driven Lifestyle will be able to control, directly or indirectly and subject to applicable law, all matters affecting us, including:
- any determination with respect to our business direction and policies, including the appointment and removal of officers and directors;- any determinations with respect to mergers, business combinations or the disposition of assets;- compensation and benefit programs and other human resources policy decisions;- the payment of dividends on our common stock; and - determinations with respect to tax matters.
Because Driven Lifestyle's interests may differ from ours or from those of our other stockholders, actions that Driven Lifestyle take with respect to us, as our controlling stockholder, may not be favorable to us or our other stockholders, including holders of our Class A common stock.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3
If Driven Lifestyle sells a controlling interest in our Company to a third party in a private transaction, you may not realize any change-of-control premium on shares of our Class A common stock. Further, we may become subject to the control of a presently unknown third party in such instance or in the event Driven Lifestyle pledges a controlling interest in our Company that is foreclosed upon.Driven Lifestyle has the ability, should it choose to do so, to sell some or all of its shares of our Class A common stock in a privately negotiated transaction, which, if sufficient in size, could result in a change of control of our Company. The ability of Driven Lifestyle to privately sell its shares of our Class A common stock, with no requirement for a concurrent offer to be made to acquire all of the outstanding shares of our Class A common stock, could prevent you from realizing any change-of-control premium on your shares of our Class A common stock that may otherwise accrue to Driven Lifestyle on its private sale of our Class A common stock. Additionally, if Driven Lifestyle either privately sells a controlling interest in our Company, or pledges such shares in the future and secured parties foreclose on the shares, then we may become subject to the control of a presently unknown third party. Such third party may have conflicts of interest with those of other stockholders. In addition, if Driven Lifestyle sells a controlling interest in our Company to a third party, any outstanding indebtedness may be subject to acceleration and our commercial agreements and relationships could be impacted, all of which may adversely affect our ability to run our business as described herein and may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4
We are a "controlled company" within the meaning of the NASDAQ rules and, as a result, qualify for and may rely on exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements of NASDAQ. Our stockholders will not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of other companies that are subject to such requirements.Driven Lifestyle currently controls a majority of the voting power of our outstanding common stock. As a result, we are a "controlled company" within the meaning of the NASDAQ Listing Rules. Under these rules, a listed company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, group or another company is a "controlled company" and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements, including, but not limited to:
- the requirement that a majority of our board of directors consist of independent directors; - the requirement that director nominees be selected, or recommended for our board of directors' selection, either by a majority of the independent directors or a nominating and corporate governance committee composed solely of independent directors; and - the requirement that our compensation committee be composed of at least two members, each of whom must be independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee's purpose and responsibilities.
While Driven Lifestyle controls a majority of the voting power of our outstanding common stock, we may decide in the future to avail ourselves of these controlled company exemptions in accordance with the NASDAQ Listing Rules. Accordingly, our stockholders will not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of NASDAQ. Additionally, our status as a controlled company and our reliance on NASDAQ's controlled company exemptions could make our Class A common stock less attractive to some investors or otherwise harm our stock price.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5
Substantial future sales of our Class A common stock, or the perception that such sales may occur, could depress the price of our Class A common stock.A substantial number of shares of our Class A common stock are freely tradable without restriction under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), except for any shares of our Class A common stock that may be held or acquired by our directors, executive officers and other affiliates (as that term is defined in the Securities Act), including Driven Lifestyle, which generally may not be sold in the public market unless the sale is registered under the Securities Act or an exemption from registration is available.
Further, Driven Lifestyle has registration rights, subject to certain conditions, to require us to file registration statements to register the resale of certain shares of our Class A common stock it holds or to include such shares for resale in registration statements that we may file for ourselves or other stockholders. Accordingly, sales of substantial amounts of our Class A common stock in the public market, or the perception that these sales could occur, including sales by Driven Lifestyle, could adversely affect the price of our Class A common stock and could impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional shares.
We have also filed a registration statement registering under the Securities Act the shares of our Class A common stock reserved for issuance under the Motorsport Games Inc. 2021 Equity Incentive Plan for the grants of equity-based awards to employees, directors and consultants. If these award recipients cause a large number of shares to be sold in the public market, such sales could also reduce the trading price of our Class A common stock and impede our ability to raise future capital.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 6
Our certificate of incorporation has limitations on the liability of our directors, and we may have to indemnify our officers and directors in certain instances.Our certificate of incorporation limits the liability of directors to the maximum extent permitted by Delaware law. Delaware law provides that directors of a corporation will not be personally liable for monetary damages for breach of their fiduciary duties as directors, except for liability for any:
- breach of their duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders; - act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; - unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions as provided in Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law; or - transactions for which the directors derived an improper personal benefit.
These limitations of liability will not apply to liabilities arising under the federal or state securities laws and will not affect the availability of equitable remedies such as injunctive relief or rescission. Our corporate bylaws provide that we will indemnify our directors, officers and employees to the fullest extent permitted by law. Our bylaws also provide that we are obligated to advance expenses incurred by a director or officer in advance of the final disposition of any action or proceeding. We believe that these bylaw provisions are necessary to attract and retain qualified persons as directors and officers. The limitation of liability in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against directors for a breach of their fiduciary duties. They may also reduce the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though an action, if successful, might provide a benefit to us and our stockholders. Our results of operations and financial condition may be harmed to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 7
Certain provisions in our charter documents and Delaware law could limit attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our board of directors or current management and limit the market price of our Class A common stock.Provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws may have the effect of delaying or preventing changes in our board of directors or management including, but not limited to:
- establishing an advance notice procedure for stockholder proposals to be brought before an annual meeting, including proposed nominations of persons for election to our board of directors; - creating a classified board of directors; - prohibiting cumulative voting in the election of directors; - permitting our board of directors to issue preferred stock without stockholder approval; and - reflecting two classes of common stock, as discussed above.
These provisions may frustrate or prevent any attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management by making it more difficult for stockholders to replace members of our board of directors, which is responsible for appointing the members of our management. In addition, because we are incorporated in Delaware, we are governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which generally prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in any of a broad range of business combinations with any "interested" stockholder for a period of three years following the date on which the stockholder became an "interested" stockholder.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 8
Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for substantially all disputes between us and our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders' ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers or employees.Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware is the exclusive forum for any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf; any action asserting a breach of fiduciary duty; any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law, our certificate of incorporation or our bylaws; or any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine; provided that, if and only if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware dismisses any such action for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, such action may be brought in another state or federal court sitting in the State of Delaware. Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws also provide that the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action against us or any of our directors, officers, employees or agents arising under the Securities Act. We believe these provisions may benefit us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware law and federal securities laws by chancellors and judges, as applicable, particularly experienced in resolving corporate disputes, efficient administration of cases on a more expedited schedule relative to other forums and protection against the burdens of multi-forum litigation. The choice of forum provision requiring that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware be the exclusive forum for certain actions would not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act. The choice of forum provision may limit a stockholder's ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and other employees.
There is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce such provisions, and the enforceability of similar choice of forum provisions in other companies' charter documents has been challenged in legal proceedings. While the Delaware courts have determined that such choice of forum provisions are facially valid, a stockholder may nevertheless seek to bring a claim in a venue other than those designated in the exclusive forum provisions, and there can be no assurance that such provisions will be enforced by a court in those other jurisdictions. If a court were to find these types of provisions to be inapplicable or unenforceable, and if a court were to find the exclusive forum provision in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving the dispute in other jurisdictions, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 9
We expect that the price of our Class A common stock will fluctuate substantially.The trading price of our Class A common stock is likely to be volatile due several factors, including those described in this "Risk Factors" section, many of which are beyond our control and may not be related to our operating performance. Factors that could cause fluctuations in the trading price of our Class A common stock include:
- changes to our industry, including demand and regulations; - our ability to compete successfully against current and future competitors; - our ability to develop and launch consumer-preferred electronic racing games and esports events; - competitive pricing pressures; - our ability to obtain liquidity to fund our operations and other working capital financing as required; - additions or departures of key personnel; - sales of our Class A common stock; - our ability to execute our business plan; - operating results that fall below expectations; - our loss of any strategic relationship, sponsor or licensor; - any major change in our management; - changes in accounting standards, procedures, guidelines, interpretations or principles; and - economic, geopolitical and other external factors.
In addition, the stock market in general, and the market for technology companies in particular, have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of those companies. Broad market and industry factors, as well as general economic, political and market conditions, such as recessions, or interest rate changes and financial market instability or disruptions to the banking system due to bank failures, particularly in light of the recent events that have occurred with respect to Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, may seriously affect the market price of our Class A common stock, regardless of our actual operating performance.
Historically, securities class action litigation has often been brought against a company following a decline in the market price of its securities. If we were to be sued, it could result in substantial costs and a diversion of management's attention and resources, which could harm our business.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 10
If securities industry analysts cease to publish research reports on us, or publish unfavorable reports on us, then the market price and market trading volume of our Class A common stock could be negatively affected.The trading market for our Class A common stock will be influenced in part by any research reports that securities industry analysts publish about us. We anticipate having limited analyst coverage and we may continue to have inadequate analyst coverage in the future. If one or more of such analysts downgrade our securities, or otherwise report on us unfavorably, or discontinue coverage of us, the market price and market trading volume of our Class A common stock could be negatively affected.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 11
The dual class structure of our common stock may adversely affect the trading market for our Class A common stock.In July 2017, S&P Dow Jones and FTSE Russell announced changes to their eligibility criteria for the inclusion of shares of public companies on certain indices, including the Russell 2000, the S&P 500, the S&P MidCap 400 and the S&P SmallCap 600, to exclude companies with multiple classes of shares of common stock from being added to these indices. As a result, our dual class capital structure would make us ineligible for inclusion in any of these indices, and mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and other investment vehicles that attempt to passively track these indices will not be investing in our common stock. Furthermore, we cannot assure you that other stock indices will not take a similar approach to S&P Dow Jones or FTSE Russell in the future. Exclusion from indices could make our Class A common stock less attractive to investors and, as a result, the market price of our Class A common stock could be adversely affected.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 12
We are an emerging growth company and a smaller reporting company, and we cannot be certain if the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to us will make our Class A common stock less attractive to investors.We are an "emerging growth company", as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (the "JOBS Act"), and we have availed ourselves of certain exemptions and relief from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies. In particular, while we are an emerging growth company, we are not required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the "Sarbanes-Oxley Act"); we are exempt from any rules that could be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board requiring mandatory audit firm rotations or a supplement to the auditor's report on financial statements; we are subject to reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements; and we are not be required to hold nonbinding advisory votes on executive compensation or stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.
In addition, while we are an emerging growth company, we can take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards. This allows an emerging growth company to delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have elected to take advantage of this extended transition period and, as a result, our operating results and financial statements may not be comparable to the operating results and financial statements of companies that have adopted the new or revised accounting standards.
We may remain an emerging growth company until the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the completion of our IPO, though we may cease to be an emerging growth company earlier under certain circumstances, including if (i) we have $1.235 billion or more in annual revenue in any fiscal year, (ii) we become a "large accelerated filer," as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act; or (iii) we issue more than $1.0 billion of non- convertible debt over a three-year period.
We are also a "smaller reporting company" as defined in the Exchange Act. We may continue to be a smaller reporting company even after we are no longer an emerging growth company. We may take advantage of certain of the scaled disclosures available to smaller reporting companies and will be able to take advantage of these scaled disclosures for so long as our voting and non-voting common stock held by non-affiliates is less than $250 million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter, or our annual revenue is less than $100 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and our voting and non-voting common stock held by non-affiliates is less than $700 million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter. Similar to emerging growth companies, smaller reporting companies that are non-accelerated filers are exempt from the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
We cannot predict if investors will find our Class A common stock less attractive if we choose to rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our Class A common stock less attractive as a result of any choices to reduce future disclosure, there may be a less active trading market for our Class A common stock and our stock price may be more volatile.
Accounting & Financial Operations7 | 10.0%
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1
We do not intend to pay dividends for the foreseeable future.Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 2
Our results of operations and financial condition are subject to management's accounting judgments and estimates, as well as changes in accounting policies.Financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP typically require the use of good faith estimates, judgments and assumptions that affect the reported amounts. The preparation of our financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions affecting the reported amounts of our assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses. If these estimates or assumptions are incorrect, it could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition. We have identified several accounting policies as being "critical" to the fair presentation of our financial condition and results of operations because they involve major aspects of our business and require us to make judgments about matters that are inherently uncertain. These policies are described in Part II, Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes in Part II, Item 8, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Report. The implementation of new accounting requirements or other changes to U.S. GAAP could have a material adverse effect on our reported results of operations and financial condition.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 3
We have incurred significant losses since our inception, and we expect to continue to incur losses for the foreseeable future. Accordingly, our financial condition raises substantial doubt regarding our ability to continue as a going concern.Changed
We had negative cash flows from operations of $0.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024. As of September 30, 2024, we had an accumulated deficit of $86.3 million and cash and cash equivalents of $0.8 million. We incurred a net loss of $14.3 million and had negative cash flows from operations of $12.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. As of December 31, 2023, we had an accumulated deficit of $87.4 million and cash and cash equivalents of $1.7 million. For the year ended December 31, 2023, we experienced an average net cash burn from operations of approximately $1.1 million per month. We expect to continue to have a net cash outflow from operations for the foreseeable future as we continue to develop our product portfolio and invest in developing new video game titles.
As a result of our financial condition, management has concluded that there is substantial doubt in our ability to continue as a going concern. Our unaudited financial statement for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 were prepared under the assumption that we will continue as a going concern; however, we have incurred losses from operations to date, and due to the lack of available cash on hand to fund our operations over the next year and the continuing uncertainty surrounding our ability to raise funding in the form of potential capital financing, there is substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern for one year after the financial statements are issued. Our unaudited financial statements for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 contain an explanatory paragraph with respect to this uncertainty. The report of our independent registered public accountant on our financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 also includes explanatory language describing the existence of substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. There have been no adjustments to the accompanying financial statements to reflect this uncertainty. See Part I, Item 2 "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Liquidity and Going Concern" of his Report, Part II, Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Liquidity and Going Concern" of our 2023 Form 10-K and Note 1 – Business Organization, Nature of Operations and Risks and Uncertainties in our consolidated financial statements for additional information.
If we are unable to satisfy our capital requirements, we could be required to adopt one or more of the following alternatives:
- delaying the implementation of or revising certain aspects of our business strategy; - further reducing or delaying the development and launch of new products and events; - further reducing or delaying capital spending, product development spending and marketing and promotional spending; - selling additional assets or operations; - seeking additional capital contributions and/or loans from Driven Lifestyle, our other affiliates and/or third parties; - further reducing other discretionary spending; - entering into financing agreements on unattractive terms; and/or - significantly curtailing or discontinuing operations.
There can be no assurance that we would be able to take any of the actions referred to above because of a variety of commercial or market factors, including, without limitation, market conditions being unfavorable for an equity or debt issuance or similar transactions, additional capital contributions and/or loans not being available from Driven Lifestyle or affiliates and/or third parties, or that the transactions may not be permitted under the terms of our various debt instruments then in effect, such as due to restrictions on the incurrence of debt, incurrence of liens, asset dispositions and related party transactions. In addition, such actions, if taken, may not enable us to satisfy our capital requirements if the actions that we are able to consummate do not generate a sufficient amount of additional capital. If we are ultimately unable to satisfy our capital requirements, we would likely need to dissolve and liquidate our assets under the bankruptcy laws or otherwise.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 4
Our limited operating history makes it difficult to evaluate our current business and future prospects, and we may not be able to effectively grow our business or implement our business strategies.Motorsports Games was formed and started operating in August 2018 in connection with the acquisition by Motorsport Games of a controlling interest in 704Games. As such, Motorsports Games does not have a long history operating as a commercial company. Due to this and other factors, our operating results are not predictable, and our historical results may not be indicative of our future results. We believe that our ability to grow our business will depend on many risks and uncertainties, including our ability to:
- increase the number of players of our games; - continue developing innovative technologies, tournaments and competitions in response to shifting demand in esports and online gaming; - develop new sources of revenues; - expand our brand awareness; or - further improve the quality of our product offerings, features and complementary products and services, and introduce high-quality new products, services and features.
There can be no assurance that we will meet these objectives. Addressing these risks and uncertainties will require significant capital expenditures and allocation of valuable management and employee resources. We will need to improve our operational, financial and management controls as well as our reporting systems and procedures. Additionally, we will require significant capital expenditures and the allocation of valuable management resources to grow and change in these areas without undermining our corporate culture. If we cannot manage our growth effectively, our business could be harmed, and our results of operations and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 5
Impairment of our intangible assets has had, and in the future could have, a material adverse impact on our results of operations.As of December 31, 2023, we had intangible assets, net of $5.8 million. We are required under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP") to review our intangible assets when events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. Some factors that may be considered events or changes in circumstances that would require our intangible assets to be reviewed for impairment include, among other, general economic conditions, industry and market considerations, cost factors, overall financial performance, entity-specific factors such as changes to our product road map and restructuring changes, and changes in our share price. We may be required to record non-cash impairment charges during any period in which we determine that our goodwill and/or other intangible assets are impaired, which has had, and in the future could have, a material adverse impact on our results of operations. For example, for the year ended December 31, 2023, we recorded impairment of intangible assets of $4.0 million and for the year ended December 31, 2022, we recorded impairment of intangible assets of $4.8 million and impairment of goodwill of $4.8 million.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 6
We have identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting. If we are unable to remediate these material weaknesses, or if we identify additional material weaknesses in the future, we may not be able to accurately or timely report our financial condition or results of operations, which may adversely affect our business and the trading price of our Class A common stock.A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected and corrected on a timely basis. In connection with the audit of our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023, we identified certain material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting that continue to exist. The material weaknesses identified relate to (i) our failure to design and maintain effective monitoring procedures and controls to evaluate the effectiveness of our individual control activities and (ii) a lack of sufficient number of personnel with an appropriate level of accounting knowledge, training and experience to appropriately analyze, record and disclose accounting matters timely.
If we are unable to successfully remediate our existing or any future material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, or identify any additional material weaknesses, the accuracy and timing of our financial reporting may be adversely affected, we may be unable to maintain compliance with securities law requirements regarding timely filing of periodic reports and applicable listing requirements, investors may lose confidence in our financial reporting, and the share price of our Class A common stock may decline as a result. In addition, we could become subject to investigations by Nasdaq, the SEC or other regulatory authorities, which could require additional financial and management resources. See Part II, Item 9A – "Controls and Procedures – Management's Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting" of this Report for further information on material weaknesses and our remediation plans.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 7
If we fail to maintain proper and effective internal control over financial reporting, our ability to produce accurate and timely financial statements could be impaired.We are subject to a requirement, pursuant to Section 404(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, to conduct an annual review and evaluation of our internal control over financial reporting and furnish a report by management on, among other things, our assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting each fiscal year. However, for as long as we are an emerging growth company or a non-accelerated filer, our independent registered public accounting firm will not be required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404(b). Ensuring that we have adequate internal control over financial reporting in place so that we can produce accurate financial statements on a timely basis is a costly and time-consuming effort that must be evaluated frequently. Establishing and maintaining these internal controls will be costly and may divert management's attention.
In addition to the material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting that we have identified, we may discover additional weaknesses in our disclosure controls and internal control over financial reporting in the future. If we fail to achieve and maintain the adequacy of our internal control over financial reporting, as such standards are modified, supplemented or amended from time to time, we may not be able to ensure that we can conclude, on an ongoing basis, that we have effective internal control over financial reporting in accordance with Section 404(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We cannot be certain as to the timing of completion of our evaluation, testing and any remediation actions or the impact of the same on our operations. If we do not adequately implement or comply with the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, we may be subject to sanctions or investigation by regulatory authorities, such as the SEC, or suffer other adverse regulatory consequences, including penalties for violation of NASDAQ rules. As a result, there could be a negative reaction in the financial markets due to a loss of confidence in the reliability of our financial statements. In addition, we may be required to incur costs to improve our internal control system, including the costs of the hiring of additional personnel. Any such action could negatively affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows and could also lead to a decline in the price of our Class A common stock.
Debt & Financing3 | 4.3%
Debt & Financing - Risk 1
Limits on our borrowing capacity under the $12 million Line of Credit may affect our ability to finance our operations.Debt & Financing - Risk 2
We will require additional capital to meet our financial obligations, and this capital might not be available on acceptable terms or at all.We expect to continue to incur losses for the foreseeable future as we continue to incur significant expenses. Accordingly, as a result of our financial condition, we will need to engage in equity and/or debt financing arrangements or similar transactions (collectively, "Capital Financing") to secure additional funds to continue our existing business operations and to fund our obligations. There are currently no commitments in place for future financing and there can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain funds on commercially acceptable terms, if at all.
If we raise additional funds through future issuances of equity (including preferred stock) or convertible debt securities, our existing stockholders could suffer significant dilution, and any new equity securities we issue could have rights, preferences and privileges superior to those of holders of our Class A common stock, including, without limitation, in respect of the payment of dividends and the payment of liquidating distributions. Because our decision to issue debt or preferred securities in any future offering, or to borrow money from lenders, will depend in part on market conditions and other factors beyond our control, we cannot predict or estimate the amount, timing, or nature of any such future offerings or borrowings.
Holders of our Class A common stock will bear the risk of any such future offerings or borrowings. Further, any future debt financing could require compliance with restrictive covenants relating to our capital raising activities and other financial and operational matters, which may make it more difficult for us to obtain additional capital and to pursue business opportunities, including potential acquisitions. Debt financing must be repaid regardless of whether we generate revenues or cash flows from operations and may be secured by substantially all of our assets.
Even if we do secure additional Capital Financing, if the anticipated level of revenues are not achieved because of, for example, decreased sales of our products due to the disposition of key assets, such as the sale of our NASCAR License, further changes in our product roadmap and/or our inability to deliver new products for our various other licenses; less than anticipated consumer acceptance of our offering of products and events; less than effective marketing and promotion campaigns, decreased consumer spending in response to weak economic conditions or weakness in the overall electronic games category; adverse changes in foreign currency exchange rates; decreased sales of our products and events as a result of increased competitive activities by our competitors; changes in consumer purchasing habits, such as the impact of higher energy prices on consumer purchasing behavior; retailer inventory management or reductions in retailer display space; less than anticipated results from our existing or new products or from its advertising and/or marketing plans; or if our expenses, including, without limitation, for marketing, advertising and promotions, product returns or price protection expenditures, exceed the anticipated level of expenses, our liquidity position may continue to be insufficient to satisfy its future capital requirements.
Debt & Financing - Risk 3
We could be subject to unanticipated adverse effects arising from our inability to fully repay Luminis International B.V. and Technology In Business B.V., the sellers of Studio 397 B.V. ("Studio397"), relating to our acquisition of 100% of the share capital of Studio397 in April 2021.Added
On April 20, 2021 we acquired 100% of the share capital of Studio 397 B.V. ("Studio397") from Luminis International B.V. and Technology In Business B.V. (collectively, the "Sellers"). The purchase price originally consisted of a cash payment at closing and payments due at a later date. To date, we have not paid all of the payments due subsequent to the closing. Pursuant to the terms of agreements that we entered into, we are required to pay interest on the amounts owed but unpaid. The remaining balance owed as of September 30, 2024, was $0.6 million with unpaid accrued interest of $0.3 million. As security for payment of the amounts owed, we pledged stock of Studio397, the voting rights of which the seller could request to be transferred to it thirty days after such nonpayment.
Corporate Activity and Growth6 | 8.6%
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1
If we are no longer controlled by or affiliated with Driven Lifestyle, we may be unable to continue to benefit from that relationship, which may adversely affect our operations and have a material adverse effect on us and our business, results of operations and financial condition.Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 2
Our inability to resolve in a manner favorable to us any potential conflicts or disputes that arise between us and Driven Lifestyle or its subsidiaries with respect to our past and ongoing relationships may adversely affect our business and prospects.Potential conflicts or disputes may arise between Driven Lifestyle or its subsidiaries and us in a number of areas relating to our past or ongoing relationships, including:
- tax, employee benefit, indemnification and other matters arising from our relationship with Driven Lifestyle or its subsidiaries; - business combinations involving us; - business opportunities that may be attractive to us and Driven Lifestyle or its subsidiaries; - intellectual property or other proprietary rights; and - joint sales and marketing activities with Driven Lifestyle or its subsidiaries.
The resolution of any potential conflicts or disputes between us and Driven Lifestyle or its subsidiaries over these or other matters may be less favorable to us than the resolution we might achieve if we were dealing with an unaffiliated party.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 3
We may acquire other companies, technologies, or assets, which could divert our management's attention, result in additional dilution to our stockholders and otherwise disrupt our operations and harm our operating results.Our success will depend, in part, on our ability to grow our business in response to the demands of consumers and other constituents within the gaming industry and competitive pressures. In some circumstances, we may decide to grow through the acquisition of complementary businesses, technologies, and assets rather than through internal development. The identification of suitable acquisition candidates can be difficult, time-consuming, and costly, and we may not be able to successfully complete identified acquisitions. The risks we face in connection with acquisitions include:
- diversion of management time and focus from operating our business; - coordination of technology, research and development and sales and marketing functions; - transition of the acquired company's users to our website and mobile applications; - retention of employees from the acquired company; - cultural challenges associated with integrating employees from the acquired company into our organization; - integration of the acquired company's accounting, management information, human resources and other administrative systems; - the need to implement or improve controls, policies and procedures at a business that prior to the acquisition may have lacked effective controls, policies and procedures;- potential write-offs of intangibles or other assets acquired in such transactions that may have an adverse effect on our operating results; - known and unknown liability for activities of the acquired company before the acquisition, including patent and trademark infringement claims, violations of laws, commercial disputes, and tax liabilities; and - litigation or other claims resulting from the acquisition of the company, including claims from terminated employees, consumers, former stockholders, or other third parties.
Our failure to address these risks or other problems encountered in connection with our past or future acquisitions and investments could cause us to fail to realize the anticipated benefits of these acquisitions or investments and to incur unanticipated liabilities and otherwise harm our business. Future acquisitions could also result in dilutive issuances of our equity securities, the incurrence of debt, contingent liabilities, amortization expenses, or the write-off of goodwill, any of which could harm our financial condition. Also, the anticipated benefits of any acquisitions may not materialize. Any of these risks, if realized, could materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 4
The requirements of being a public company may require significant resources and divert management's attention.As an Exchange Act reporting company, we are subject to certain ongoing reporting requirements. Compliance with these requirements will increase our compliance costs, make some activities more difficult, time-consuming or costly and increase demands on our resources. The requirements may also make it more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance, and we may be required to accept reduced coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain coverage. These factors could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified members of our board of directors and qualified officers. Moreover, as a result of the disclosure of information in the public filings we make, our business operations, operating results and financial condition will become more visible, including to competitors and other third parties.
In addition, changing laws, regulations and standards relating to corporate governance and public disclosure are creating uncertainty for public companies, increasing legal and financial compliance costs and making some activities more time consuming. These laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying interpretations, in many cases due to their lack of specificity, and, as a result, their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidance is provided by regulatory and governing bodies. This could result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and higher costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to disclosure and governance practices.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 5
We may not be successful in identifying and implementing one or more strategic alternatives for our business, and any strategic alternative that we may consummate could have material adverse consequences for us.Due to the uncertainty surrounding our ability to raise funding in the form of potential Capital Financing, and in light of our liquidity position and anticipated future funding requirements, we continue to explore other strategic alternatives and potential options for our business (a "Strategic Transaction"), including, but not limited to, the sale or licensing of certain of our assets in addition to the sale of our NASCAR License to iRacing on October 3, 2023. Any Strategic Transaction that we consummate could harm our business, brand, operating results and financial condition. There can be no assurances that any particular Strategic Transaction, or series of Strategic Transactions, will be pursued, successfully consummated, lead to increased shareholder value, or achieve the anticipated results.
Any Strategic Transaction could involve a number of other risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to:
- the occurrence of significant costs related to the evaluation and consummation of any Strategic Transaction, such as legal and accounting fees and expenses and other related charges, as well as unanticipated expenses in connection with the process; - disposing of an asset at a price or on terms that are less desirable than we had anticipated; - uncertainties as to the timing of any Strategic Transaction and the risk that such transaction may not be completed in a timely manner or at all; - the possibility that any or all of the conditions to the consummation of any Strategic Transaction may not be satisfied or waived; - diversion of management's attention from our ongoing operations; - greater disruption to our remaining business than expected; - reputational harm with employees, suppliers, business partners and others, as well as the loss of brand recognition and customer loyalty; and - exposure to litigation or other claims resulting from any Strategic Transaction.
Additionally, even if we are successful in implementing one or more Strategic Transactions, we will continue to require additional funding and/or further cost reduction measures in order to continue operations, which includes further restructuring of our business and operations.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 6
We are subject to risks associated with operating in a rapidly developing industry and a relatively new market.Many elements of our business are unique, evolving and relatively unproven. In particular, our esports business and prospects depend on the continuing development of live streaming of competitive esports gaming. The market for esports and amateur online gaming competitions is relatively new and rapidly developing and is subject to significant challenges. Our business relies upon our ability to cultivate and grow an active gamer community, and our ability to successfully monetize such community, including, for example, through tournament fees, subscriptions for our esports gaming services, and advertising and sponsorship opportunities. In addition, our continued growth depends, in part, on our ability to respond to constant changes in the esports gaming industry, including rapid technological evolution, continued shifts in gamer trends and demands, frequent introductions of new games and titles and the constant emergence of new industry standards and practices. Developing and integrating new games, titles, content, products, services or infrastructure could be expensive and time-consuming, and these efforts may not yield the benefits we expect to achieve. We cannot assure you that we will succeed in any of these aspects or that the esports gaming industry will continue to grow as rapidly as it has in the past.
Tech & Innovation
Total Risks: 14/70 (20%)Above Sector Average
Innovation / R&D3 | 4.3%
Innovation / R&D - Risk 1
Our business is partly dependent on our ability to enter into successful software development arrangements with third parties.Innovation / R&D - Risk 2
If we do not consistently deliver popular products or if consumers prefer competing products, our business may be negatively impacted.In order to remain competitive, we must continuously develop new products or enhancements to our existing products. Consumer preferences for games are usually cyclical and difficult to predict, and even the most successful content remains popular for only a limited period of time unless refreshed or otherwise enhanced. These products or enhancements may not be well-received by consumers, even if well-reviewed and of high quality. Further, competitors may develop content that imitates or competes with our best-selling games, potentially taking sales away from us or reducing our ability to charge the same prices we have historically charged for our products. These competing products may take a larger share of consumer spending than anticipated, which could cause product sales to fall below expectations. If we do not continue to develop consistently high-quality and well-received games, if our marketing fails to resonate with our consumers, if consumers lose interest in a genre of games we produce, if the use of cross-promotion within our mobile games to retain consumers becomes less effective, or if our competitors develop more successful products or offer competitive products at lower prices, our revenues and profit margins could decline. For example, our NASCAR 21: Ignition game released in October 2021 was generally not well-received and, as a result, our revenues for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 were adversely affected due to lower game sales. Further, a failure by us to develop a high-quality product, or our development of a product that is otherwise not well-received, could potentially result in additional expenditures to respond to consumer demands, harm our reputation, and increase the likelihood that our future products will not be well- received. The increased importance of downloadable content to our business amplifies these risks, as downloadable content for poorly-received games typically generates lower-than-expected sales. In addition, our own best-selling products could compete with our other games, reducing sales for those other games.
Innovation / R&D - Risk 3
Our efforts to expand into new products and services may subject us to additional risks.We are exploring ways to capitalize on new trends to diversify our product mix, reduce our operating risks, and increase our revenue. There are risks and uncertainties associated with these efforts, particularly in instances where the markets are not fully developed. There is no assurance that we will be able to attract a sufficiently large number of customers or recover costs incurred in developing and marketing any of these new products or services. For example, we may offer games that do not attract sufficient purchases of subscriptions or DLCs, which may cause our investments to fail to realize the expected benefits. External factors, such as competitive alternatives and shifting market preferences, may also have an impact on the successful implementation of any new products or services. Failure to successfully manage these risks in the development and implementation of new products or services could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and operating results.
Trade Secrets6 | 8.6%
Trade Secrets - Risk 1
Failure to adequately protect our intellectual property, technology and confidential information could harm our business and operating results.Trade Secrets - Risk 2
The costs involved in enforcement of our intellectual property rights could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.We pursue the registration of our copyrights, trademarks, service marks, domain names, and patents in the U.S. and in certain locations outside the U.S. This process can be expensive and time-consuming, may not always be successful depending on local laws or other circumstances, and we also may choose not to pursue registrations in every location depending on the nature of the project to which the intellectual property rights pertain. We may, over time, increase our investments in protecting our creative works. Enforcement of our intellectual property rights to certain trademarks and service marks, such as Le Mans, will require reliance on enforcement efforts of third parties.
Litigation may be necessary to enforce our intellectual property rights, protect our trade secrets or determine the validity and scope of proprietary rights claimed by others. Any litigation of this nature, regardless of outcome or merit, could result in substantial costs, adverse publicity, and diversion of management and technical resources, any of which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. If we fail to maintain, protect and enhance our intellectual property rights, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be harmed.
Trade Secrets - Risk 3
We may be subject to claims of infringement of third-party intellectual property rights.From time to time, third parties may claim that we have infringed their intellectual property rights. For example, patent holding companies may assert patent claims against us in which they seek to monetize patents they have purchased or otherwise obtained. Although we take steps to avoid knowingly violating the intellectual property rights of others, it is possible that third parties still may claim infringement.
Existing or future infringement claims against us, whether valid or not, may be expensive to defend and divert the attention of our employees from business operations. Such claims or litigation could require us to pay damages, royalties, legal fees and other costs. We also could be required to stop offering, distributing or supporting our products, our gaming platform or other features or services, including esports events, which incorporate the affected intellectual property rights, redesign products, features or services to avoid infringement, or obtain a license, all of which could be costly and harm our business.
In addition, many patents have been issued that may apply to potential new modes of delivering, playing or monetizing interactive entertainment software products and services, such as those offered on our gaming platform or that we would like to offer in the future. We may discover that future opportunities to provide new and innovative modes of game play and game delivery to gamers may be precluded by existing patents that we are unable to license on reasonable terms, or at all.
Trade Secrets - Risk 4
Our technology, content, and brands are subject to the threat of piracy, unauthorized copying and other forms of intellectual property infringement.We regard our technology, content, and brands as proprietary. Piracy and other forms of unauthorized copying and use of our technology, content, and brands are persistent, and policing is difficult. Further, the laws of some countries in which our products are or may be distributed either do not protect our intellectual property rights to the same extent as the laws of the United States or are poorly enforced. Legal protection of our rights may be ineffective in such countries. In addition, although we take steps to enforce and police our rights, factors such as the proliferation of technology designed to circumvent the protection measures used by our business partners or by us, the availability of broadband access to the Internet, the refusal of Internet service providers or platform holders to remove infringing content in certain instances, and the proliferation of online channels through which infringing product is distributed all may contribute to an expansion in unauthorized copying of our technology, content, and brands.
Trade Secrets - Risk 5
We use open source software in connection with certain of our games and services, which may pose particular risks to our proprietary software, products, and services in a manner that could have a negative impact on our business.We use open source software in our platform and expect to use open source software in the future. The term of various open source licenses has not been interpreted by United States courts, and there is a risk that such licenses could be construed in a manner that imposes unanticipated conditions or restrictions on our ability to market our software and services. By the terms of certain open source licenses, we could be required to release the source code of our proprietary software, and to make our proprietary software available under open source licenses, if we combine our proprietary software with open source software in a certain manner. In the event that portions of our proprietary software are determined to be subject to an open source license, we could be required to publicly release the affected portions of our source code, or to re-engineer all or a portion of our technologies or otherwise be limited in the licensing of our technologies, each of which could reduce or eliminate the value of our technologies and services. In addition to risks related to license requirements, usage of open source software can lead to greater risks than use of third-party commercial software, as open source licensors generally do not provide warranties or controls on the origin of the software. Many of the risks associated with usage of open source software cannot be eliminated and could negatively affect our business and operating results.
Trade Secrets - Risk 6
Our ability to acquire and maintain licenses to intellectual property, especially for racing series, affects our revenue and profitability. Competition for these licenses may make them more expensive and increase our costs.Most of our products and services are based on or incorporate intellectual property owned by others. For example, we have obtained exclusive licenses to develop multi-platform games, as well as to create and organize esports leagues and events, for the 24 Hours of Le Mans race and the WEC. Competition for these licenses and rights is intense and could result in increased minimum guarantees and royalty rates payable to licensors and developers, which would significantly increase our costs and reduce our profitability. Furthermore, if we are unable to maintain these licenses and rights or obtain additional licenses or rights with significant commercial value, our ability to develop successful and engaging games and services may be adversely affected and our revenue, profitability and cash flows may decline significantly. For example, as discussed elsewhere in this Report, we sold our NASCAR License to iRacing on October 3, 2023 and our cash flows and results of operations will likely be materially adversely impacted as we anticipate the amount of revenue to be generated by our existing NASCAR products to decline over time. Additionally, our BTCC license agreement and INDYCAR license agreements were terminated by the respective licensors, effective November 2023.
Cyber Security2 | 2.9%
Cyber Security - Risk 1
Our revenue may be harmed by the proliferation of "cheating" programs and scam offers that seek to exploit our games and players, which may negatively affect players' game-playing experiences and our ability to reliably validate our audience metric reporting and may lead players to stop playing our games.Cyber Security - Risk 2
We may experience security breaches and cyber threats.We continually face cyber risks and threats that seek to damage, disrupt or gain access to our networks and our gaming platform, supporting infrastructure, intellectual property and other assets. In addition, we rely on technological infrastructure, including third-party cloud hosting and broadband, provided by third-party business partners to support the in-person and online functionality of our gaming platform. These business partners are also subject to cyber risks and threats. Such cyber risks and threats may be difficult to detect, and the techniques that may be used to obtain unauthorized access or disable, degrade, exploit or sabotage our networks and gaming platform change frequently and often are not detected. Our systems and processes to guard against cyber risks and to help protect our data and systems, and the systems and processes of our third-party business partners, may not be adequate. Any failure to prevent or mitigate security breaches or cyber risks, or respond adequately to a security breach or cyber risk, could result in interruptions to our gaming platform, degrade the gamer experience, cause gamers to lose confidence in our gaming platform and cease utilizing it, as well as significant legal and financial exposure. This could harm our business and reputation, disrupt our relationships with partners and diminish our competitive position.
Technology3 | 4.3%
Technology - Risk 1
We depend on servers and Internet bandwidth to operate our games and digital services with online features. If we were to lose server capacity or lack sufficient Internet bandwidth for any reason, our business could suffer.Technology - Risk 2
Our retail products, online gaming platform and games offered through our gaming platform may contain defects.Our retail products, online gaming platform and the games offered through our gaming platform are extremely complex and are difficult to develop and distribute. We have quality controls in place to detect defects in our retail products and gaming platform before they are released. Nonetheless, these quality controls are subject to human error, overriding, and resource or technical constraints. Further, we have not undertaken independent third-party testing, verification or analysis of our gaming platform and associated systems and controls. Therefore, our products, gaming platform and quality controls and the preventative measures we have implemented have not, and in the future may not, be effective in detecting all defects in our products and gaming platform. In the event a significant defect in our retail products, gaming platform and associated systems and controls is realized, we could be required to offer refunds, suspend the availability of our esports events and other gameplay, or expend significant resources to cure the defect, each of which could significantly harm our business and operating results.
Technology - Risk 3
Our business depends in part on the success and availability of platforms and mass media channels developed by third parties and our ability to develop commercially successful content, products, and services for those platforms.The success of our business is driven in part by the commercial success and adequate supply of third-party platforms for which we develop our products and services or through which our products and services are distributed or marketed, including our league tournaments and competitions, such as through Twitch. Our success also depends on our ability to accurately predict which channels, platforms and distribution methods will be successful in the marketplace, our ability to develop commercially successful content, products and services for these platforms, our ability to simultaneously manage products and services on multiple platforms, our ability to effectively transition our products and services to new platforms, and our ability to effectively manage the transition of our gamers from one generation or demographic to the next. We must make product development decisions and commit significant resources well in advance of the commercial availability of new platforms and channels, and we may incur significant expense to adjust our product portfolio and development efforts in response to changing consumer preferences. Additionally, we may enter into certain exclusive licensing arrangements that affect our ability to deliver or market products or services on certain channels and platforms. A platform for which we are developing products and services may not succeed as expected or new platforms may take market share and interactive entertainment consumers away from platforms for which we have devoted significant resources. If consumer demand for the channels or platforms for which we are developing products and services is lower than our expectations, we may be unable to fully recover the investments we have made in developing our products and services, and our financial performance will be harmed. Alternatively, a channel or platform for which we have not devoted significant resources could be more successful than we initially anticipated, causing us to not be able to take advantage of meaningful revenue opportunities.
Ability to Sell
Total Risks: 13/70 (19%)Above Sector Average
Competition2 | 2.9%
Competition - Risk 1
Driven Lifestyle's competitive position in certain markets may constrain our ability to build and maintain certain partnerships or relationships in the motorsport industry.Competition - Risk 2
Competition in the interactive entertainment industry is intense, and our existing and potential users may be attracted to competing products or other forms of entertainment.We compete with other publishers of interactive entertainment software, both within and outside the United States. Generally, some of our competitors include very large corporations with significantly greater financial, marketing and product development resources than we have. Our larger competitors may be able to leverage their greater financial, technical, personnel and other resources to provide larger budgets for development and marketing and make higher offers to licensors and developers for commercially desirable properties, as well as adopt more aggressive pricing policies to develop more commercially successful video game products than we do. In addition, competitors with large portfolios and popular games typically have greater influence with platform providers, retailers, distributors and other customers who may, in turn, provide more favorable support to those competitors' games.
Further, the esports gaming industry generally is highly competitive. For our esports business, our competitors range from established leagues and championships owned directly, as well as leagues franchised by, well-known and capitalized game publishers and developers, interactive entertainment companies and diversified media companies to emerging start-ups, and we expect new competitors to continue to emerge throughout the amateur esports gaming ecosystem. If our competitors develop and launch competing amateur city leagues, tournaments or competitions, or develop a more successful amateur online gaming platform for games similar to ours, then our revenue, margins, and profitability will decline.
Additionally, we compete with other forms of entertainment and leisure activities. As our business continues to expand in complexity and scope, we have increased exposure to additional competitors, including those with access to large existing user bases and control over distribution channels. Further, it is difficult to predict and prepare for rapid changes in consumer demand that could materially alter public preferences for different forms of entertainment and leisure activities. Failure to adequately identify and adapt to these competitive pressures could negatively impact our business.
Demand2 | 2.9%
Demand - Risk 1
We are exposed to seasonality in the sale of our retail products.Demand - Risk 2
Our business and products are highly concentrated in the racing game genre, and our operating results may suffer if consumer preferences shift away from this genre.All of our revenue is currently generated, and is expected to continue to be substantially generated, from products in the racing game genre. Accordingly, our future success will depend on the popularity of games in the racing game genre with consumers. Consumer preferences are difficult to predict and subject to frequent changes, and if interest in the racing game genre declines, even if our share of the racing game genre is stable or expands, our operating results could suffer. Additionally, our concentration in the racing game genre could place us at a disadvantage against other gaming companies that offer a more diverse selection of games.
Sales & Marketing7 | 10.0%
Sales & Marketing - Risk 1
If we do not provide high-quality products in a timely manner, our business operations, financial performance, financial condition, liquidity, cash flows and/or results of operations may be negatively impacted.Sales & Marketing - Risk 2
The success of our business relies on our marketing and branding efforts, and these efforts may not be accepted by consumers to the extent we planned.Because we are a consumer brand, we rely on marketing and advertising to increase brand visibility with potential customers. We currently advertise through a blend of direct and indirect advertising channels, including through activities on Facebook, Twitter, Twitch, YouTube and other online social networks, online advertising, public relations activity, print and broadcast advertising, coordinated in-store and industry promotions (including merchandising and point of purchase displays), participation in cooperative advertising programs, direct response vehicles, and product sampling through demonstration software distributed through the Internet or the digital online services provided by our partners. If we are unable to recover our marketing costs, or if our broad marketing campaigns are not successful or are terminated, it could have a material adverse effect on our growth, results of operations and financial condition.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 3
Some of our players may make sales or purchases of virtual items used in our games through unauthorized or fraudulent third-party websites, which may reduce our revenue.Virtual items in our games have no monetary value outside of our games. Nonetheless, some of our players may make sales and/or purchases of our virtual items through unauthorized third-party sellers in exchange for real currency. These unauthorized or fraudulent transactions are usually arranged on third-party websites. The virtual items offered may have been obtained through unauthorized means such as exploiting vulnerabilities in our games, scamming our players with fake offers for virtual items or other game benefits, or credit card fraud. We do not generate any revenue from these transactions. These unauthorized purchases and sales from third-party sellers could impede our revenue and profit growth by, among other things:
- decreasing revenue from authorized transactions; - creating downward pressure on the prices we charge players for our virtual currency and virtual items; - increasing chargebacks from unauthorized credit card transactions; - causing us to lose revenue from dissatisfied players who stop playing a particular game; - increasing costs we incur to develop technological measures to curtail unauthorized transactions; - resulting in negative publicity or harming our reputation with players and partners; and - increasing customer support costs to respond to dissatisfied players.
There can be no assurance that our efforts to prevent or minimize these unauthorized or fraudulent transactions will be successful.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 4
The importance of retail sales to our business exposes us to the risks of that business model.While our customer base is increasingly purchasing our games as digital downloads, retail sales will remain important to our business. These physical gaming products have historically been sold through a distribution network with an exclusive partner who specializes in the distribution of games through mass-market retailers (e.g., Target, Wal-Mart), consumer electronics stores (e.g., Best Buy), discount warehouses, game specialty stores (e.g., GameStop) and other online retail stores (e.g., Amazon). The loss of, or a significant reduction in sales by, any of these retailers could have adverse consequences to our business and results of operations.
Moreover, the importance of retail sales to our business exposes us to the risk of price protection with respect to our distribution partners and retailers. Price protection, when granted, allows these distribution partners and retailers to receive a credit from us against amounts owed to us with respect to merchandise unsold by them. We typically grant price protection to distribution partners and retailers who meet certain conditions, which include compliance with applicable payment and marketing terms, delivery of weekly inventory and sales information and consistent participation in the launches of premium title releases. We may also consider other factors, including the facilitation of slow-moving inventory and other industry factors. Although we maintain a reserve for price protection, and although we may place limits on price protection, we may be required to provide substantial price protection to maintain our relationships with retailers and our distribution partners.
Further, retailers typically have a limited amount of "brick and mortar" shelf space and promotional resources, and there is intense competition for high-quality retail shelf space and promotional support from retailers. Similarly, for online retail sales, there is increasing competition for premium placement on websites. Competition for shelf space or premium online placement may intensify and require us to increase our marketing expenditures. Additionally, retailers with limited shelf space typically devote the most and highest quality shelf space to those products expected to be best sellers, such as those perceived to be "AAA" titles. We cannot be certain that our new products will achieve such "best seller" status. Due to increased competition for limited shelf space, retailers and distribution partners are in an increasingly strong position to negotiate favorable terms of sale, including price discounts, price protection and marketing and display fees, as applicable. Our products constitute a relatively small percentage of most retailers' sales volume. We cannot be certain that retailers will continue to purchase our products or provide those products with adequate levels of shelf space and promotional support on acceptable terms.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 5
We plan to continue to generate a portion of our revenues from advertising and sponsorship during our esports events. If we fail to attract more advertisers and sponsors to our gaming platform, tournaments or competitions, our revenues may be adversely affected.We plan to continue to generate a portion of our revenues from advertising and sponsorship during our esports events as online viewership of our esports gaming offerings expand. Our revenues from advertising and sponsorship partly depend on the continual development of the online advertising industry and advertisers' willingness to allocate budgets to online advertising in the esports gaming industry. In addition, companies that decide to advertise or promote online may utilize more established methods or channels, such as more established internet portals or search engines, over advertising on our gaming platform. If the online advertising and sponsorship market does not continue to grow, or if we are unable to capture and retain a sufficient share of that market, our ability to increase our current level of advertising and sponsorship revenue and our profitability and prospects may be materially and adversely affected.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 6
The increasing importance of free-to-play games to our business exposes us to the risks of that business model, including the dependence on a relatively small number of consumers for a significant portion of revenues and profits from any given game.Currently, only our NASCAR Heat Mobile title is a free-to-play game, but the success of our business is partially dependent on our ability to develop, enhance and monetize additional free-to-play games. As such, we are increasingly exposed to the risks of the free-to-play business model. For example, we may invest in the development of new free-to- play interactive entertainment products that do not achieve significant commercial success, in which case our revenues from those products likely will be lower than anticipated and we may not recover our development costs. Further, if: (1) we are unable to continue to offer free-to-play games that encourage consumers to purchase our virtual currency and subsequently use it to buy our virtual items; (2) we fail to offer monetization features that appeal to these consumers; (3) these consumers do not continue to play our free-to-play games or purchase virtual items at the same rate; (4) our platform providers make it more difficult or expensive for players to purchase our virtual currency; or (5) we cannot encourage significant additional consumers to purchase virtual items in our free-to-play games, our business may be negatively impacted.
Furthermore, as there are relatively low barriers to entry to developing mobile or online free-to-play or other casual games, we expect new competitors to enter the market and existing competitors to allocate more resources to developing and marketing competing games and applications. We compete, or may compete, with a vast number of small companies and individuals who are able to create and launch casual games and other content using relatively limited resources and with relatively limited start-up time or expertise. Competition for the attention of consumers on mobile devices is intense, as the number of applications on mobile devices has been increasing dramatically, which, in turn, has required increased marketing to garner consumer awareness and attention. This increased competition could negatively impact our business. In addition, a continuing industry shift to free-to-play games could result in a reprioritization of our other products by traditional retailers and distributors.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 7
We depend on a relatively small number of franchises for a significant portion of our revenues and profits.Changed
We follow a franchise model and a significant portion of our revenues has historically been derived from products based on a relatively small number of popular franchises, including our NASCAR products, which have historically accounted for the majority of our revenue. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, revenues associated with our NASCAR franchise accounted for approximately 71.6% and 62.9% of our total revenue, respectively. Revenues associated with our NASCAR franchise accounted for approximately 52.6% and 70.9% of our total revenue for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Following the sale of our NASCAR License and the execution of the NASCAR New Limited License, which allows us to sell our NASCAR games and DLCs that are currently in our product portfolio through December 31, 2024, we anticipate the amount of revenue to be generated by our existing NASCAR products to decline over time and to cease after December 31, 2024.
During the three months ended September 30, 2024, three customers accounted for 22.9%, 17.7% and 43.2% of our revenue and during the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the same three customers accounted for 25.1%, 28.7% and 19.8% of our revenue. In addition, the same customers represented 30.7%, 22.4% and 27.9% of our accounts receivable at September 30, 2024.
A reduction in sales from or loss of these customers, in a significant amount, will have a material adverse effect on the Company's results of operations and financial condition.
Due to this dependence on a limited number of franchises, the failure to achieve anticipated results by one or more products based on these franchises, or the loss of any franchise, could negatively impact our business. For example, with the consummation of the sale of our NASCAR License to iRacing on October 3, 2023, we are no longer the official video game developer and publisher for the NASCAR video game racing franchise and no longer have the exclusive right to create and organize esports leagues and events for NASCAR using our NASCAR racing video games. Accordingly, we no longer have the right to use the NASCAR brand for our products other than a limited non-exclusive right and license to, among other things, sell our NASCAR games and DLCs that are currently in our product portfolio through December 31, 2024. Similarly, our BTCC license agreement and INDYCAR license agreements were terminated by the respective licensors, effective November 2023. We believe this will require us to modify our existing business model and significantly alter the risk profile relating to our operations. As a result, we may encounter difficulties or challenges in continuing operations due to the sale of our NASCAR License and the termination of our BTCC license agreement and INDYCAR license agreements, and our cash flows and results of operations will likely be materially adversely impacted as we anticipate the amount of revenue to be generated by our existing NASCAR products to decline over time.
Additionally, if the popularity of a franchise declines, we may have to write off the unrecovered portion of the underlying intellectual property assets, which could negatively impact our business. In the future, we expect this trend to continue with a relatively limited number of franchises producing a disproportionately high percentage of our revenues and profits.
Brand / Reputation2 | 2.9%
Brand / Reputation - Risk 1
A significant disruption in service on our website or platforms could damage our reputation and result in a loss of traffic and visitors, which could harm our business, brand, operating results and financial condition.Brand / Reputation - Risk 2
We are subject to risks related to corporate and social responsibility and reputation.Many factors influence our reputation, including the perception held by our customers, business partners and other key stakeholders. Our business faces increasing scrutiny related to environmental, social and governance activities. We risk damage to our reputation if we fail to act responsibly in a number of areas, such as diversity and inclusion, environmental stewardship, supply chain management, climate change, workplace conduct, human rights and philanthropy. Any harm to our reputation could impact employee engagement and retention and the willingness of customers and our partners to do business with us, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and cash flows.
Legal & Regulatory
Total Risks: 6/70 (9%)Below Sector Average
Regulation2 | 2.9%
Regulation - Risk 1
Government regulations applicable to us may negatively impact our business.Regulation - Risk 2
Our games are subject to scrutiny regarding the appropriateness of their content. If we fail to receive our target ratings for certain titles, or if our retailers refuse to sell such titles due to what they perceive to be objectionable content, it could have a negative impact on our business.Certain of our gaming products are subject to ratings by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (the "ESRB"), a self-regulatory body based in the United States that provides U.S. and Canadian consumers of interactive entertainment software with ratings information, including information on the content in such software, such as violence, nudity, or sexual content, along with an assessment of the suitability of the content for certain age groups. Certain other countries have also established content rating systems as prerequisites for product sales in those countries. In addition, certain stores use other ratings systems, such as Apple's use of its proprietary "App Rating System" and Google Play's use of the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC) rating system. If we are unable to obtain the ratings we have targeted for our products, it could have a negative impact on our business. In some instances, we may be required to modify our products to meet the requirements of the rating systems, which could delay or disrupt the release of any given product, or may prevent its sale altogether in certain territories. Further, if one of our games is "re-rated" for any reason, a ratings organization could require corrective actions, which could include a recall, retailers could refuse to sell it and demand that we accept the return of any unsold or returned copies or consumers could demand a refund for copies previously purchased.
Additionally, although lawsuits seeking damages for injuries allegedly suffered by third parties as a result of video games have generally been unsuccessful in the courts, claims of this kind may be asserted and be successful in the future.
Litigation & Legal Liabilities1 | 1.4%
Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 1
We may be subject to various legal proceedings, claims, litigation, governmental investigations or inquiries and other disputes from time to time. If the outcomes of any of these actions are adverse to us, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.Taxation & Government Incentives1 | 1.4%
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 1
Unanticipated changes in effective tax rates or adverse outcomes resulting from examination of our income or other tax returns could adversely affect our operating results and financial condition.Environmental / Social2 | 2.9%
Environmental / Social - Risk 1
Our business could be adversely affected if our data privacy and security practices are inadequate, or are perceived as being inadequate, to prevent data breaches, or under the applicable data privacy and security laws generally.Environmental / Social - Risk 2
We may be held liable for information or content displayed on, retrieved from or linked to our gaming platform, or distributed to our users.Our interactive live streaming platform enables gamers to exchange information and engage in various other online activities. Although we require our gamers to register under their real names, we do not require user identifications used and displayed during gameplay to contain any real-name information, and hence we are unable to verify the sources of all the information posted by our gamers. In addition, because a majority of the communications on our online and in- person gaming platform is conducted in real time, we are unable to examine the content generated by gamers before it is posted or streamed. Therefore, it is possible that gamers may engage in illegal, obscene or incendiary conversations or activities, including publishing of inappropriate or illegal content. If any content on our platform is deemed illegal, obscene or incendiary, or if appropriate licenses and third-party consents have not been obtained, claims may be brought against us for defamation, libel, negligence, copyright, patent or trademark infringement, other unlawful activities or other theories and claims based on the nature and content of the information delivered on or otherwise accessed through our platform. Moreover, the costs of compliance may continue to increase when more content is made available on our platform as a result of our growing base of gamers, which may adversely affect our results of operations.
Additionally, we currently generate, and intend to generate in the future, revenue through offering advertising within certain of our franchises. The content of in-game advertisements is generally created and delivered by third-party advertisers without our pre-approval, and, as such, objectionable content may be published in our games by these advertisers. This objectionable third party-created content may expose us to regulatory action or claims related to content, or otherwise negatively impact our business.
Production
Total Risks: 6/70 (9%)Below Sector Average
Employment / Personnel2 | 2.9%
Employment / Personnel - Risk 1
We may not successfully manage the transitions associated with certain of our executive officers, which could have an adverse impact on us.Employment / Personnel - Risk 2
We are reliant on the retention of certain key personnel and the hiring of strategically valuable personnel, and we may lose or be unable to hire one or more of such personnel.Our success depends in part on the continued service of our senior management team, key technical employees and other highly skilled personnel and on our ability to identify, hire, develop, motivate, retain and integrate highly qualified personnel for all areas of our organization. Certain employees, such as game designers, product managers and engineers, are in high demand, and we devote significant resources to identifying, hiring, training, and successfully integrating and retaining these employees. We have historically hired a number of key personnel through acquisitions, and as competition with several other game companies increases, we may incur significant expenses in continuing this practice. If we are unable to attract and retain the necessary personnel, particularly in critical areas of our business, we may not achieve our strategic goals.
Supply Chain4 | 5.7%
Supply Chain - Risk 1
Third-party platform providers may be able to influence our products and costs.Supply Chain - Risk 2
We primarily depend on a single third-party distribution partner to distribute our games for the retail channel, and our ability to negotiate favorable terms with such partner and its continued willingness to purchase our games is critical for our business.As discussed above, our physical gaming products have historically been sold through a distribution network with an exclusive partner who specializes in the distribution of games through mass-market retailers, consumer electronics stores, discount warehouses, game specialty stores and other online retail stores. Due to our modified product release schedule, we recognized minimal revenue from sales of physical gaming products for the year ended December 31, 2023. However, we expect to continue to use a limited number of distribution partners in the future for sales of our physical gaming products. This concentration of sales to a single distribution partner could lead to a disruption to our business if this partner significantly reduces its purchases or ceases to offer our products. We also could be more vulnerable to collection risk if this partner experiences a deterioration of its business or declares bankruptcy. Having a significant portion of our retail sales concentrated through a single distribution partner could also reduce our negotiating leverage. Accordingly, if we are unable to negotiate favorable terms with our existing or future distribution partners, our business and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Supply Chain - Risk 3
Our business partners may be unable to honor their obligations to us or their actions may put us at risk.We rely on various business partners, including third-party service providers, vendors, licensing partners, development partners, and licensees in many areas of our business. Their actions may put our business and our reputation and brand at risk. For example, we may have disputes with our business partners that may impact our business and/or financial results. In many cases, our business partners may be given access to sensitive and proprietary information in order to provide services and support to our teams, and they may misappropriate our information and engage in unauthorized use of it. In addition, the failure of these third parties to provide adequate services and technologies, or the failure of the third parties to adequately maintain or update their services and technologies, could result in a disruption to our business operations. Further, disruptions in the financial markets, economic downturns, poor business decisions, insolvency, or reputational harm may adversely affect our business partners, and they may not be able to continue honoring their obligations to us or we may cease our arrangements with them. Alternative arrangements and services may not be available to us on commercially reasonable terms, or we may experience business interruptions upon a transition to an alternative partner or vendor. If we lose one or more significant business partners, including due to their insolvency or business failure, our business could be harmed and our financial results could be materially affected.
Supply Chain - Risk 4
We rely on third-party technology to complete critical business functions. If that technology becomes unavailable or fails to adequately serve our needs and we cannot find alternatives, it may negatively impact our operating results.We rely on third-party technology for certain of our critical business functions, including game engines such as Unreal and Unity™, among others, as well as our back-office tools and technologies, such as enterprise resource planning, finance, development and analytics tracking systems. If these technologies fail, or otherwise become unavailable, or we cannot maintain our relationships with the technology providers and we cannot find suitable alternatives, our financial condition and operating results may be adversely affected.
Macro & Political
Total Risks: 3/70 (4%)Below Sector Average
Economy & Political Environment1 | 1.4%
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 1
Declines in consumer spending and other adverse changes in economic, market and geopolitical conditions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and operating results.International Operations1 | 1.4%
International Operations - Risk 1
Our international operations are subject to increased challenges and risks.Natural and Human Disruptions1 | 1.4%
Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 1
Catastrophic events may disrupt our business.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.