Public companies are required to disclose risks that can affect the business and impact the stock. These disclosures are known as “Risk Factors”. Companies disclose these risks in their yearly (Form 10-K), quarterly earnings (Form 10-Q), or “foreign private issuer” reports (Form 20-F). Risk factors show the challenges a company faces. Investors can consider the worst-case scenarios before making an investment. TipRanks’ Risk Analysis categorizes risks based on proprietary classification algorithms and machine learning.
NEXTracker, Inc. Class A disclosed 60 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. NEXTracker, Inc. Class A reported the most risks in the “Finance & Corporate” category.
Risk Overview Q4, 2024
Risk Distribution
37% Finance & Corporate
23% Legal & Regulatory
13% Production
12% Tech & Innovation
8% Ability to Sell
7% 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
NEXTracker, Inc. Class A Risk Factors
New Risk (0)
Risk Changed (0)
Risk Removed (0)
No changes from previous report
The chart shows the number of risks a company has disclosed. You can compare this to the sector average or S&P 500 average.
The quarters shown in the chart are according to the calendar year (January to December). Businesses set their own financial calendar, known as a fiscal year. For example, Walmart ends their financial year at the end of January to accommodate the holiday season.
Risk Highlights Q4, 2024
Main Risk Category
Finance & Corporate
With 22 Risks
Finance & Corporate
With 22 Risks
Number of Disclosed Risks
60
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 31
60
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 31
Recent Changes
0Risks added
0Risks removed
2Risks changed
Since Dec 2024
0Risks added
0Risks removed
2Risks changed
Since Dec 2024
Number of Risk Changed
2
+1
From last report
S&P 500 Average: 2
2
+1
From last report
S&P 500 Average: 2
See the risk highlights of NEXTracker, Inc. Class A 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 60
Finance & Corporate
Total Risks: 22/60 (37%)Below Sector Average
Share Price & Shareholder Rights7 | 11.7%
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1
We are a holding company and our principal asset is our LLC common units in the LLC, and accordingly we are dependent upon distributions from the LLC to pay taxes and other expenses.
We are a holding company and, as a result of the Transactions and the IPO, our principal asset is our ownership of the LLC. The LLC is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, as such, is not subject to U.S. federal income tax. Instead, taxable income will be allocated to holders of its LLC common units, including us. We had no operations prior to the Transactions and had no independent means of generating revenue. As the managing member of the LLC, we intend to cause the LLC to make distributions to us according to the LLC Agreement to cover the taxes on our allocable share of the taxable income of the LLC, all applicable taxes payable by us, any payments we are obligated to make under the Tax Receivable Agreement and other costs or expenses. Distributions will generally be made on a pro rata basis among us and the other holders of LLC common units. However, certain laws and regulations may result in restrictions on the LLC's ability to make distributions to us or the ability of the LLC's subsidiaries to make distributions to it.
To the extent that we need funds and the LLC or its subsidiaries are restricted from making such distributions, we may not be able to obtain such funds on terms acceptable to us or at all and as a result could suffer an adverse effect on our liquidity and financial condition.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2
In certain circumstances, the LLC will be required to make distributions to us and the other holders of its common units, which may be substantial and in excess of our tax liabilities and obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreement.
As noted above, the LLC is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, as such, is not subject to U.S. federal income tax. Instead, taxable income is allocated to holders of its common units, including us. We anticipate that, pursuant to the tax rules under the Code and the regulations thereunder, in many instances these allocations of taxable income will not be made on a pro rata basis.
Notwithstanding that, pursuant to the LLC Agreement, the LLC generally is required from time to time to make pro rata cash distributions, or tax distributions, to the holders of LLC common units to help each of the holders of the LLC common units to pay taxes on such holder's allocable share of taxable income of the LLC. As a result of potential non pro rata allocations of net taxable income allocable to us and the other holders of LLC common units, the difference in tax rates applicable to corporations and individuals and the favorable tax benefits from the IPO, the subsequent follow-on offering in 2023, and certain related transactions, we expect that these tax distributions will be in amounts that exceed our tax liabilities and obligations to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement. To the extent, as currently expected, we do not distribute such cash balances as dividends on our Class A common stock and instead, for example, hold such cash balances or lend them to the LLC, the existing owners of the LLC would benefit from any value attributable to such accumulated cash balances as a result of an exchange of their LLC common units and corresponding shares of Class B common stock under the Exchange Agreement (as defined in Note 6 in the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in the Form 10-K).
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3
The price of our Class A common stock may continue to fluctuate substantially, and you could lose all or part of your investment.
The market price of our Class A common stock has since the IPO fluctuated substantially, is highly volatile and may continue to fluctuate substantially due to many factors, including those described in this "Risk Factors" section, many of which are beyond our control and may not be related to operating performance. These fluctuations could cause you to lose all or part of your investment in our Class A common stock. Factors that could cause fluctuations in trading price of our common stock include the following:
- volume and customer mix for our products;- the introduction of new products by us or others in our industry;- disputes or other developments with respect to our or others' intellectual property rights;- product liability claims or other litigation;- quarterly variations in our results of operations or those of others in our industry;- media exposure of our products or of those of others in our industry;- changes in governmental regulations or in the status of our regulatory approvals or applications;- changes in earnings estimates or recommendations by securities analysts;- general market conditions and other factors, including factors unrelated to our operating performance or the operating performance of our competitors; and - changes in our capital structure or dividend policy, including as a result of future issuances of securities, sales of large blocks of Class A common stock by our stockholders, TPG and our employees, or our incurrence of debt.
In recent years, the stock markets generally 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 may significantly affect the market price of our Class A common stock, regardless of our actual operating performance.
In addition, in the past, class action litigation has often been instituted against companies whose securities have experienced periods of volatility in market price. For example, in December 2024, a class action lawsuit alleging violations of federal securities laws was filed by a purported stockholder, naming as defendants us and certain of our officers, for allegedly making false and misleading statements about our business, financial results and prospects, and in January 2025, a derivative action was filed against our directors and certain of our officers based on the same factual allegations. We may be the target of additional litigation of this type in the future as well. Securities litigation brought against us following volatility in our stock price, regardless of the merit or ultimate results of such litigation, could result in substantial costs, which would harm our financial condition and operating results and divert management's attention and resources from our business.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4
We cannot predict the effect our multi-class share structure may have on the market price of our Class A common stock.
We cannot predict whether our multi-class share structure will result in a lower or more volatile market price of our Class A common stock, adverse publicity or other adverse consequences. For example, certain index providers have announced restrictions on including companies with multi-class share structures in certain of their indices. In July 2017, FTSE Russell announced that it would require new constituents of its indices to have greater than 5% of a company's voting rights in the hands of public stockholders. Under such policies, the multi-class structure of our common stock would make us ineligible for inclusion in certain indices and, as a result, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, and other investment vehicles that attempt to track those indices would not invest in our Class A common stock. It is unclear what effect, if any, these policies will have on the valuations of publicly traded companies excluded from such indices, but it is possible that they may depress valuations, as compared to similar companies that are included. Given the sustained flow of investment funds into passive strategies that seek to track certain indices, exclusion from certain stock indices would likely preclude investment by many of these funds and could make our Class A common stock less attractive to other investors. In addition, several stockholder advisory firms and large institutional investors oppose the use of multi-class share structures. As a result, our multi-class share structure may cause stockholder advisory firms to publish negative commentary about our corporate governance practices or otherwise seek to cause us to change our capital structure, and may result in large institutional investors not purchasing shares of our Class A common stock. As a result of the foregoing factors, the market price and trading volume of our Class A common stock could be adversely affected.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5
Securities analysts may not publish favorable research or reports about our business or may publish no information at all, which could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline.
The trading market for our Class A common stock may be influenced to some extent by the research and reports that industry or financial analysts publish about us and our business. We do not control these analysts. As a relatively new public company, the analysts who publish information about our Class A common stock may have relatively little experience with us, which could affect their ability to accurately forecast our results and could make it more likely that we fail to meet their estimates. If any of the analysts who cover us provide inaccurate or unfavorable research or issue an adverse opinion regarding our stock price, our stock price could decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of us or fail to publish reports covering us regularly, we could lose visibility in the market, which in turn could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 6
Provisions in our corporate charter documents and under Delaware law could make an acquisition of us more difficult and may prevent attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management.
Provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws may discourage, delay or prevent a merger, acquisition or other change in control of us that stockholders may consider favorable, including transactions in which stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares. These provisions could also limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our Class A common stock, thereby depressing the market price of our Class A common stock. In addition, 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. Because our board of directors is responsible for appointing the members of our management team, these provisions could in turn affect any attempt by our stockholders to replace current members of our management team.
Moreover, because we are incorporated in Delaware, we are governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL, which prohibits a person who owns in excess of 15% of our outstanding voting stock from merging or combining with us for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person acquired in excess of 15% of our outstanding voting stock, unless the merger or combination is approved in a prescribed manner.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 7
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware is the sole and 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 amended and restated certificate of incorporation specifies that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery does not have jurisdiction, another state court in Delaware or the federal district court for the District of Delaware) will be the sole and exclusive forum for most legal actions involving actions brought against us by stockholders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the exclusive forum provision will not apply to any claim to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the U.S. federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. We believe this exclusive forum provision benefits us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware law by chancellors 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. However, such provisions may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers. The enforceability of similar choice of forum provisions in other companies' certificates of incorporation has been challenged in legal proceedings, and it is possible that, in connection with any applicable action brought against us, a court could find the choice of forum provision contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in such action.
Accounting & Financial Operations4 | 6.7%
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1
If our estimates or judgments relating to our critical accounting policies are based on assumptions that change or prove to be incorrect, our operating results could fall below the expectations of securities analysts and investors, resulting in a decline in the market price of our Class A common stock.
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets, liabilities, equity, revenue and expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. It is possible that interpretation, industry practice and guidance may evolve over time. If our assumptions change or if actual circumstances differ from our assumptions, our operating results may be adversely affected and could fall below the expectations of securities analysts and investors, resulting in a decline in the market price of our Class A common stock.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 2
As a newly public company, we are subject to financial and other reporting and corporate governance requirements that may be difficult for us to satisfy, have resulted in increased costs and diverted resources and management attention from operating our business.
In February 2023, we completed our IPO. As a result, we are required to file with the SEC annual and quarterly information and other reports that are specified in the Exchange Act and SEC regulations. Thus, we will need to ensure that we have the ability to prepare, on a timely basis, financial statements that comply with SEC reporting requirements. We are also subject to other reporting and corporate governance requirements, including the listing standards of Nasdaq and the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the "Sarbanes-Oxley Act") and the regulations promulgated thereunder, which impose significant new compliance obligations upon us. As a public company, we are required, among other things, to:
- prepare and distribute periodic reports and other stockholder communications in compliance with our obligations under the federal securities laws and Nasdaq rules;- define and expand the roles and the duties of our board of directors and its committees;- institute more comprehensive compliance, investor relations and internal audit functions;- evaluate and maintain our system of internal control over financial reporting in compliance with the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and related rules and regulations of the SEC and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board; and - involve and retain outside legal counsel and accountants in connection with the activities listed above.
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires our management to certify financial and other information in our quarterly and annual reports and provide an annual management report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. We are also required to have our independent registered public accounting firm attest to, and issue an opinion on, the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. If we are unable to assert that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, or if, when required, our independent registered public accounting firm is unable to express an opinion on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, we could lose investor confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, which would cause the price of our Class A common stock to decline.
The changes necessitated by becoming a public company require a significant commitment of resources and management oversight that has increased and may continue to increase our costs and might place a strain on our systems and resources. As a result, our management's attention might be diverted from other business concerns.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 3
Because we do not intend to pay any cash dividends on our common stock in the near term, capital appreciation, if any, of our common stock will be your sole source of potential gain for the foreseeable future.
We do not intend to pay cash dividends on our common stock in the near term. We currently intend to retain all available funds and any future earnings for use in the operation and expansion of our future businesses and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Should we decide in the future to pay cash dividends on our common stock, as a holding company, our ability to pay dividends and meet other obligations depends upon the receipt of dividends or other payments from our subsidiaries. In addition, the Amended 2023 Credit Agreement restricts, and any future financing agreements may also restrict, our ability to pay dividends. In particular, the Amended 2023 Credit Agreement restricts our ability to pay dividends on our common stock except where certain conditions are met. As a result, capital appreciation, if any, of our common stock will be your sole source of potential gain for the foreseeable future.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 4
Our results of operations may fluctuate from quarter to quarter, which could make our future performance difficult to predict and could cause our results of operations for a particular period to fall below expectations.
Our quarterly results of operations are difficult to predict and may fluctuate significantly in the future. Because we recognize revenue on projects as legal title to equipment is transferred from us to the customer, any delays in large projects from one quarter to another may cause our results of operations for a particular period to fall below expectations. We have experienced seasonal and quarterly fluctuations in the past as a result of fluctuations in our customers' businesses, changes in local and global market trends, as well as seasonal weather-related disruptions. For example, our customers' ability to install solar energy systems is affected by weather, such as during the winter months. Inclement weather may also affect our logistics and operations by causing delays in the shipping and delivery of our materials, components and products which may, in turn, cause delays in our customers' solar projects.
Further, given that we operate in a rapidly growing industry, the true extent of these fluctuations may have been masked by our recent growth rates and consequently may not be readily apparent from our historical results of operations and may be difficult to predict. Our financial performance, sales, working capital requirements and cash flows may fluctuate, and our past quarterly results of operations may not be good indicators of future performance or prospects. Any substantial fluctuation in revenues could have an adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and stock price for any given period. In addition, revenue and other operating results in future fiscal quarters may fall short of the expectations of investors and financial analysts, which could have an adverse effect on the price of our common stock.
Debt & Financing6 | 10.0%
Debt & Financing - Risk 1
Changed
An increase in interest rates, or a reduction in the availability of tax equity or project debt financing, could make it difficult for project developers and owners to finance the cost of a solar energy system and could reduce the demand for our products.
Many solar project owners depend on financing to fund the initial capital expenditure required to construct a solar energy project. As a result, an increase in interest rates, or a reduction in the supply of project debt or tax equity financing, could reduce the number of solar projects that receive financing or otherwise make it difficult for project owners to secure the financing necessary to construct a solar energy project on favorable terms, or at all, and thus lower demand for our products which could limit our growth or reduce our sales. In addition, we believe that a significant percentage of project owners construct solar energy projects as an investment, funding a significant portion of the initial capital expenditure with financing from third parties. An increase in interest rates could lower an investor's return on investment on a solar energy project,increase equity requirements or make alternative investments more attractive relative to solar energy projects, and, in each case, could cause these project owners to seek alternative investments.
Debt & Financing - Risk 2
Servicing our debt requires cash, and we may not have sufficient cash flow from our business to pay our debt.
The LLC's ability to make scheduled payments of the principal of, to pay interest on or to refinance our indebtedness, depends on our future performance, which is subject to economic, financial, competitive and other factors beyond our control. Our business may not continue to generate cash flow from operations in the future sufficient to service our debt and make necessary capital expenditures. If we are unable to generate such cash flow, we may be required to adopt one or more alternatives, such as selling assets, restructuring debt or obtaining additional equity capital on terms that may be onerous or highly dilutive. Our ability to refinance our indebtedness will depend on the capital markets and our financial condition at such time. We may not be able to engage in any of these activities or engage in these activities on desirable terms, which could result in a default on our debt obligations.
Debt & Financing - Risk 3
We may still incur substantially more debt or take other actions which would intensify the risks discussed above
We and our subsidiaries may be able to incur substantial additional debt in the future, subject to the restrictions contained in our debt instruments, some of which may be secured debt. Our Amended 2023 Credit Agreement restricts our ability to incur additional indebtedness, including secured indebtedness, but if the facility matures or is repaid, we may not be subject to such restrictions under the terms of any subsequent indebtedness.
Debt & Financing - Risk 4
Our indebtedness could adversely affect our financial flexibility, financial condition and our competitive position.
In connection with the Transactions, we incurred substantial indebtedness under the Amended 2023 Credit Agreement. The obligations of the borrower, the LLC, under the Amended 2023 Credit Agreement and related loan documents are severally guaranteed by us and certain of the LLC's existing and future direct and indirect wholly-owned domestic subsidiaries, subject to certain exceptions. Our level of indebtedness increases the risk that we may be unable to generate cash sufficient to pay amounts due in respect of our indebtedness. Our indebtedness could have other important consequences to you and significant effects on our business. For example, it could:
- increase our vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions;- require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to make payments on our indebtedness, thereby reducing the availability of our cash flow to fund working capital, capital expenditures and other general corporate purposes;- limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the industry in which we operate;- restrict us from exploiting business opportunities;- make it more difficult to satisfy our financial obligations, including payments on our indebtedness;- place us at a disadvantage compared to our competitors that have less debt; and - limit our ability to borrow additional funds for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of our business strategy or other general corporate purposes.
In addition, the Amended 2023 Credit Agreement contains, and the agreements evidencing or governing any other future indebtedness may contain, restrictive covenants that limit or will limit our ability to engage in activities that may be in our long-term best interests. Our failure to comply with those covenants could result in an event of default which, if not cured or waived, could result in the acceleration of all of our indebtedness. In addition, a default by us under the Amended 2023 Credit Agreement or an agreement governing any other future indebtedness may trigger cross-defaults under any other future agreements governing our indebtedness. Upon the occurrence of an event of default or cross-default under any of the present or future agreements governing our indebtedness, the lenders could elect to declare all amounts outstanding to be due and payable and exercise other remedies as set forth in the agreements. If any of our indebtedness were to be accelerated, there can be no assurance that our assets would be sufficient to repay this indebtedness in full, which could have a material adverse effect on our ability to continue to operate as a going concern.
The Amended 2023 Credit Agreement contains, and the agreements evidencing or governing any other future indebtedness may contain, financial restrictions on us and our subsidiaries, including restrictions on our or our subsidiaries' ability to, among other things:
- place liens on our or our subsidiaries' assets;- incur additional indebtedness;- change the nature of our business; and - change our or our subsidiaries' fiscal year or organizational documents.
Debt & Financing - Risk 5
Our indebtedness could adversely affect our financial condition.
Our indebtedness could limit our ability to obtain additional financing for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, stock repurchases or other purposes. It may also increase our vulnerability to adverse economic, market and industry conditions, limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business operations or to our industry overall, and place us at a disadvantage in relation to our competitors that have lower debt levels. Any or all of the foregoing events and/or factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Debt & Financing - Risk 6
We may raise additional capital, which could have a dilutive effect on the existing holders of our common stock and adversely affect the market price of our common stock.
We periodically evaluate opportunities to access capital markets, taking into account our financial condition, regulatory capital ratios, business strategies, anticipated asset growth and other relevant considerations. It is possible that future acquisitions, organic growth or changes in regulatory capital requirements could require us to increase the amount or change the composition of our current capital, including our common equity. For all of these reasons and others, and always subject to market conditions, we may issue additional shares of common stock or other capital securities in public or private transactions.
The issuance of additional common stock, debt, or securities convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock or that represent the right to receive common stock, or the exercise of such securities, could be substantially dilutive to holders of our common stock. Holders of our common stock have no preemptive or other rights that would entitle them to purchase their pro rata share of any offering of shares of any class or series and, therefore, such sales or offerings could result in dilution of the ownership interests of our stockholders.
Corporate Activity and Growth5 | 8.3%
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1
General risk factors If we fail to manage our future growth effectively, we may be unable to execute our business plan, maintain high levels of customer service or adequately address competitive challenges.
We have experienced significant growth in recent periods. We intend to continue to expand our business significantly within existing and new markets. This growth has placed, and any future growth may place, a significant strain on our management, operational and financial infrastructure. In particular, we will be required to expand, train and manage our growing employee base and scale and improve our IT infrastructure in tandem with that headcount growth. Our management will also be required to maintain and expand our relationships with customers, suppliers and other third parties and attract new customers and suppliers, as well as manage multiple geographic locations.
Our current and planned operations, personnel, IT and other systems and procedures might be inadequate to support our future growth and may require us to make additional unanticipated investment in our infrastructure. Our success and ability to further scale our business will depend, in part, on our ability to manage these changes in a cost-effective and efficient manner. If we cannot manage our growth effectively, we may be unable to take advantage of market opportunities, execute our business strategies or respond to competitive pressures. This could also result in declines in quality or customer satisfaction, increased costs, difficulties in introducing new offerings or other operational difficulties. Any failure to effectively manage growth could adversely impact our reputation and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 2
Future acquisitions, strategic investments, partnerships, or alliances could be difficult to identify and integrate, divert the attention of key management personnel, disrupt our business, dilute stockholder value and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
As part of our business strategy, we have, and in the future expect to continue to make, investments in and/or acquire complementary companies, services or technologies, such as our acquisitions of Ojjo and the foundations business of SPI. Our ability as an organization to acquire and integrate other companies, services or technologies in a successful manner in the future is not guaranteed. We may not be able to find suitable acquisition candidates, and we may not be able to complete such acquisitions on favorable terms, if at all. When we complete acquisitions, we may not ultimately strengthen our competitive position or ability to achieve our business objectives, and any acquisitions we complete could be viewed negatively by our end-customers or investors. In addition, our due diligence may fail to identify all of the problems, liabilities or other shortcomings or challenges of an acquired business, product or technology, including issues related to intellectual property, product quality or product architecture, regulatory compliance practices, revenue recognition or other accounting practices or issues with employees or customers. If we are unsuccessful at integrating such acquisitions, or the technologies associated with such acquisitions, into our company, the revenue and results of operations of the combined company could be adversely affected. Any integration process may require significant time and resources, and we may not be able to manage the process successfully. We may not successfully evaluate or utilize the acquired technology or personnel, or accurately forecast the financial impact of an acquisition transaction, causing unanticipated write-offs or accounting charges. We may have to pay cash, incur debt or issue equity securities to pay for any such acquisition, each of which could adversely affect our financial condition and the market price of our Class A common stock. The sale of equity or issuance of debt to finance any such acquisitions could result in dilution to our stockholders. The incurrence of indebtedness would result in increased fixed obligations and could also include covenants or other restrictions that would impede our ability to manage our operations.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 3
Changed
We have only operated as a separate, publicly traded company since our IPO and significant changes occurred in our cost structure, management, financing and business operations as a result of operating as a company separate from Flex.
Prior to the Transactions (as defined in Note 6 in the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in the Form 10-K), our business was operated by Flex as part of its broader corporate organization, rather than as a separate, publicly traded company.
Flex or one of its affiliates performed various business functions for us such as legal, finance, treasury, accounting, auditing, tax, human resources, investor relations, corporate affairs, compliance support, logistics and bonding support, procurement and planning services, as well as the provision of leased facilities and business software and IT systems. Our cost related to such functions have increased relative to costs prior to the IPO date, and may continue to increase as we reduce our reliance on Flex business functions going forward.
Additionally, certain aspects of our business were historically integrated with the other businesses of Flex and we have shared economies of scope and scale in costs, employees and vendor relationships. Although we have entered into transition agreements with Flex and continue to rely on Flex for certain business functions pursuant to such agreements, these arrangements may not fully capture the benefits that we have enjoyed as a result of being integrated with Flex and may result in us paying higher charges than in the past for these services. Further, such agreements will eventually terminate given the completion of the Spin Transactions (as defined in Note 6 in the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in the Form 10-K) and we will need to provide the services provided under such agreements internally or obtain them from unaffiliated third parties, which may divert management's attention from other aspects of our business operations. This could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition relative to periods prior to the IPO. In addition, Flex entities are the direct contracting parties with respect to our business in Brazil and we receive the benefits of those arrangements from the relevant Flex entity. If we are unable to continue to operate our business in Brazil through Flex and its subsidiaries, we would need to establish alternative arrangements, and any such alternative arrangements, if available, may cause us to incur additional costs relating to that business.
Moreover, our working capital requirements and capital for our general corporate purposes, including acquisitions and capital expenditures, were historically satisfied as part of the corporate-wide cash management policies of Flex. In connection with the Transactions, we incurred a substantial amount of indebtedness in the form of senior credit facilities comprised of (i) a term loan in an aggregate principal amount of $150.0 million, and (ii) the Amended 2023 Credit Agreement (as defined in Note 7 in the notes to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report). See the section entitled "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations-Liquidity and Capital Resources-Credit Facilities.". In addition, we may need to obtain additional financing from banks, through public offerings or private placements of debt or equity securities, strategic relationships or other arrangements.
Additionally, our cost of capital for our businesses may be higher than Flex's cost of capital prior to the IPO.
For additional information about the past financial performance of our businesses and the basis of presentation, refer to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 4
Our continued expansion into new markets could subject us to additional business, financial, regulatory and competitive risks.
Part of our strategy is to continue to grow our revenues from international markets, including entering new geographic markets to expand our current international presence. Our products and services to be offered in these regions may differ from our current products and services in several ways, such as the consumption and utilization of local raw materials, components and logistics, the re-engineering of select components to meet region-specific requirements and region-specific customer training, site commissioning, warranty remediation and other technical services. Any of these differences or required changes to our products and services to meet the requirements of local laws and regulations may increase the cost of our products, reduce demand and result in a decrease in our gross margins. We may also face competition from lower cost providers in any new markets we enter which could decrease the demand for our products or cause us to reduce the cost of our products in order to remain competitive.
Any new geographic market could have different characteristics from the markets in which we currently sell products, and our success in such markets will depend on our ability to adapt properly to these differences. These differences may include differing regulatory requirements, including local manufacturing content requirements, tax laws, trade laws, labor regulations, corporate formation laws and requirements, tariffs, export quotas, customs duties or other trade restrictions, limited or unfavorable intellectual property protection, international political or economic conditions, restrictions on the repatriation of earnings, longer sales cycles, warranty expectations, product return policies and cost, performance and compatibility requirements. In addition, expanding into new geographic markets will increase our exposure to presently existing risks, such as fluctuations in the value of foreign currencies and difficulties and increased expenses in complying with U.S. and foreign laws, regulations and trade standards, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended (the "FCPA"), as well as relevant anti-money laundering laws.
Failure to develop new products successfully or to otherwise manage the risks and challenges associated with our continued expansion into new geographic markets could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 5
Our growth depends in part on the success of our strategic relationships with third parties on whom we rely for new projects and who provide us with valuable customer feedback that helps guide our innovation.
In order to continue to win business, we must maintain and enhance our long-term strategic relationships with leading EPCs, developers, owners and operators of solar projects. These relationships enable us to serve as strategic advisors to each of these stakeholders in a solar project, increasing the probability that our product will be selected by these stakeholders in future projects. These stakeholders also provide us with valuable customer feedback that allows us to innovate on our products to meet the demands of our customers.
Any loss of these relationships could result in the potential loss of new projects, and the potential loss of innovation guidance, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Legal & Regulatory
Total Risks: 14/60 (23%)Above Sector Average
Regulation5 | 8.3%
Regulation - Risk 1
Electric utility industry policies and regulations may present technical, regulatory and economic barriers to the purchase and use of solar energy systems that could significantly reduce demand for our products or harm our ability to compete.
Federal, state, local, and foreign government policies and regulations concerning the broader electric utility industry, as well as internal policies and regulations promulgated by electric utilities and organized electric markets with respect to fees, practices and rate design, heavily influence the market for electricity generation products and services. These policies and regulations often affect electricity pricing and the interconnection of generation facilities and can be subject to frequent modifications by governments, regulatory bodies, utilities and market operators. For example, changes in fee structures, electricity pricing structures and system permitting, regional market rules, interconnection and operating requirements can deter purchases of renewable energy products, including solar energy systems, by reducing anticipated revenues or increasing costs or regulatory burdens for would-be system purchasers. The resulting reductions in demand for solar energy systems could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.
A significant development in renewable-energy pricing policies in the United States occurred when the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC") issued a final rule amending regulations that implement the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act ("PURPA") on July 16, 2020, which FERC upheld on rehearing on November 19, 2020. Among other requirements, PURPA mandates that electric utilities buy the output of certain renewable generators, including qualifying solar energy facilities, below established capacity thresholds. PURPA also requires that such sales occur at a utility's "avoided cost" rate. FERC's PURPA reforms include modifications (1) to how regulators and electric utilities may establish avoided cost rates for new contracts, (2) that reduce from 20 MW to 5 MW the capacity threshold above which a renewable-energy qualifying facility is rebuttably presumed to have non-discriminatory market access, thereby removing the requirement for utilities to purchase its output, (3) that require regulators to establish criteria for determining when an electric utility incurs a legally enforceable obligation to purchase from a PURPA facility and (4) that reduce barriers for third parties to challenge PURPA eligibility. These new regulations took effect on February 16, 2021, but the net effect of these changes is uncertain, as they have only been effective for a short time, and some changes will not become fully effective until states and other jurisdictions implement the new authorities provided by FERC. In general, however, FERC's PURPA reforms have the potential to reduce prices for the output from certain new renewable generation projects while also narrowing the scope of PURPA eligibility for new projects. These effects could reduce opportunities and demand for PURPA-eligible solar energy systems, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
FERC is also taking steps to encourage the integration of new forms of generation into the electric grid and remove barriers to grid access, which could have positive impacts on the solar energy industry. For example, on July 28, 2023 FERC issued a final rule, designated as Order No. 2023, to reform procedures and agreements that electric transmission providers use to integrate new generating facilities into the existing transmission system.
Changes in other federal, state and local current laws or regulations applicable to us or the imposition of new laws, regulations or policies in the jurisdictions in which we do business could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Any changes to government, utility or electric market regulations or policies that favor non-solar generation or other market participants, remove or reduce renewable procurement standards and goals or that make construction or operation of new solar generation facilities more expensive or difficult, could reduce the competitiveness of solar energy systems and cause a significant reduction in demand for our products and services and adversely impact our growth. Moreover, there may be changes in regulations that impact access to supply chains related to cybersecurity threats to the electric grid that could have a disproportionate impact on solar energy system components. In addition, changes in export and import laws and implementing regulations may create delays in the introduction of new products in international markets, prevent our customers from deploying our products internationally or, in some cases, prevent the export or import of our products to certain countries altogether. Any such event could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Regulation - Risk 2
Failure to comply with current or future federal, state, local and foreign laws, regulations, rules and industry standards relating to privacy and data protection could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects
We are or may become subject to a variety of laws, regulations, rules and industry standards in the U.S. and abroad that involve matters central to our business, including privacy and data protection. Many of these laws, regulations, rules and industry standards are in considerable flux and rapidly evolving, and it is possible that they may be interpreted and applied in a manner that is inconsistent with our current operating practices. Existing and proposed laws, regulations, rules and industry standards can be costly to comply with and can delay or impede the development of new products and services, significantly increase our operating costs, require significant time and attention of management and technical personnel and subject us to inquiries or investigations, claims or other remedies, including fines or demands that we modify or cease existing business practices.
In addition to various privacy and data protection laws and regulations already in place, many jurisdictions are increasingly adopting laws and regulations imposing comprehensive privacy and data protection obligations, which may be more stringent, broader in scope, or offer greater individual rights with respect to personal information than existing laws and regulations, and such laws and regulations may differ from each other, which may complicate compliance efforts and increase compliance costs. See Item 1. "Business-Privacy and Data Protection Laws and Regulation" of the Form 10-K for more information regarding applicable privacy and data protection laws and regulations.
Further, while we strive to publish and prominently display privacy policies that are accurate, comprehensive and compliant with local laws, regulations, rules and industry standards, we cannot ensure that our privacy policies and other statements regarding our practices will be sufficient to protect us from claims, proceedings, liability or adverse publicity relating to privacy and data protection. Although we endeavor to comply with our privacy policies, we may at times fail to do so or be alleged to have failed to do so. If our public statements about our use, collection, disclosure and other processing of personal information, whether made through our privacy policies, information provided on our website, press statements or otherwise, are alleged to be deceptive, unfair or misrepresentative of our actual practices, we may be subject to potential government or legal investigation or action, including by the Federal Trade Commission or applicable state attorneys general.
Any failure, or perceived failure, by us to comply with our posted privacy policies or with any applicable privacy and data protection standards or contractual obligations, or any compromise of security that results in unauthorized access to, or unauthorized loss, destruction, use, modification, acquisition, disclosure, release or transfer of personal information may result in claims, fines, sanctions, penalties, investigations, proceedings or actions against us by governmental entities, customers, suppliers or others or other liabilities or may require us to change our operations and/or cease using certain data. Any of the foregoing could harm our reputation, brand and business, force us to incur significant expenses in defense of such claims, proceedings, investigations or actions, distract our management, increase our costs of doing business, result in a loss of customers or suppliers and result in the imposition of monetary penalties. We may also be contractually required to indemnify and hold harmless third parties from the costs and consequences of non-compliance with any laws, regulations or other legal obligations relating to privacy and data protection or any inadvertent or unauthorized use or disclosure of data that we store, handle or otherwise process as part of operating our business. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Regulation - Risk 3
We could be adversely affected by any violations of the FCPA and other foreign anti-bribery laws.
The FCPA generally prohibits companies and their intermediaries from making, promising, authorizing or offering improper payments or other things of value to foreign government officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. The FCPA also requires that we keep accurate books and records and maintain internal controls and compliance procedures designed to prevent any such actions. Other countries in which we operate also have anti-bribery laws, some of which prohibit improper payments to government and non-government persons and entities. Our policies mandate compliance with these anti-bribery laws. However, we currently operate in and intend to further expand into many parts of the world that have experienced governmental corruption to some degree and, in certain circumstances, strict compliance with anti-bribery laws may conflict with local customs and practices. It is possible that our third-party manufacturers, other suppliers, employees, subcontractors, customers, agents or partners may take actions in violation of our policies or applicable anti-bribery laws. Any such violation, even if unauthorized and prohibited by our policies, could subject us to investigations, settlements, criminal or civil penalties or other sanctions, or negative media coverage and cause harm to our reputation, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Regulation - Risk 4
International regulation of and incentives for solar projects vary by jurisdiction and may change or be eliminated.
The international markets in which we operate or may operate in the future may have or may put in place policies to promote renewable energy, including solar. These incentives and mechanisms vary from country to country. In seeking to achieve growth internationally, we may make investments that, to some extent, rely on governmental incentives and support in a new market.
There is no assurance that these governments will provide or continue to provide sufficient incentives and support to the solar industry or that the industry in any particular country will not suffer significant downturns in the future as the result of changes in public policies or government interest in renewable energy, any of which would adversely affect demand for our solar products.
Regulation - Risk 5
Our business, operating results and financial condition could be materially harmed by evolving regulatory uncertainty or obligations applicable to our products and services.
Changes in regulatory requirements applicable to the industries and sectors in which we operate, in the United States and in other countries, could materially affect the sales and use of our products and services. In particular, economic sanctions and changes to export and import control requirements may impact our ability to sell and support our products and services in certain jurisdictions. If we were to fail to comply with export controls laws and regulations, U.S. economic sanctions or other similar laws, including restrictions from the international community, or conflict mineral regulations, we could be subject to both civil and criminal penalties, including substantial fines, possible incarceration for employees and managers for willful violations and the possible loss of our export or import privileges.
Obtaining the necessary export license for a particular sale or transaction may not be possible and may be time-consuming and may result in the delay or loss of sales opportunities. Further, U.S. export control laws and economic sanctions in many cases prohibit the export of services to certain U.S. embargoed or sanctioned countries, governments and persons, as well as for prohibited end-uses. Even though we take precautions to ensure that we comply with all relevant export control laws and regulations, including restrictions from the international community, any failure to comply with such laws and regulations could have negative consequences for us, including reputational harm, government investigations and penalties.
Litigation & Legal Liabilities2 | 3.3%
Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 1
We are subject to risks relating to litigation and regulatory investigations and proceedings, which may have a material adverse effect on our business.
From time to time, we are involved in various claims, suits, investigations and legal proceedings. Such legal claims or regulatory matters could involve matters relating to commercial disputes, government regulatory and compliance, intellectual property, antitrust, tax, employment or shareholder issues, product liability claims and other issues on a global basis. If we receive an adverse judgment in any such matter, we could be required to pay substantial damages and cease certain practices or activities. Regardless of the merits of the claims, litigation and other proceedings may be both time-consuming and disruptive to our business. The defense and ultimate outcome of any lawsuits or other legal proceedings may result in higher operating expenses and a decrease in operating margin, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Any existing or future lawsuits could be time-consuming, result in significant expense and divert the attention and resources of our management and other key employees, as well as harm our reputation, business, financial condition or results of operations.
Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 2
Claims for indemnification by our directors and officers may reduce our available funds to satisfy successful third-party claims against us and may reduce the amount of money available to us.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we will indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Section 145 of the DGCL.
In addition, as permitted by the DGCL, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our indemnification agreements that we have entered into with our directors and officers provide that:
- we will indemnify our directors and officers for serving us in those capacities or for serving other business enterprises at our request, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. Such law provides that a corporation may indemnify such person if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to our best interests and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such person's conduct was unlawful;- we may, in our discretion, indemnify employees and agents in those circumstances where indemnification is permitted by applicable law;- we are required to advance expenses, as incurred, to our directors and officers in connection with defending a proceeding, except that such directors or officers shall undertake to repay such advances if it is ultimately determined that such person is not entitled to indemnification;- the rights conferred in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation are not exclusive, and we are authorized to enter into indemnification agreements with our directors, officers, employees and agents and to obtain insurance to indemnify such persons; and - we may not retroactively amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provisions to reduce our indemnification obligations to directors, officers, employees and agent.
Taxation & Government Incentives5 | 8.3%
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 1
Under the Tax Matters Agreement, Nextracker will be restricted from taking certain actions that could adversely affect the intended tax treatment of the Spin Distribution or the Mergers, and such restrictions could significantly impair Nextracker's ability to implement strategic initiatives that otherwise would be beneficial.
The Tax Matters Agreement entered into by us, Yuma and Flex immediately prior to the Spin Distribution, which governs the rights, responsibilities and obligations of such parties with respect to taxes (including taxes arising in the ordinary course of business and taxes incurred as a result of the Tax Distributions, as defined in Note 6 in the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in the Form 10-K (the "Distributions"), and the Mergers), tax attributes, tax returns, tax contests and certain other matters (the "Tax Matters Agreement"), generally imposes certain restrictions on Nextracker that could adversely affect the intended tax treatment of the Spin Distribution or the Mergers, subject to certain exceptions. As a result of these restrictions, Nextracker's, ability to engage in certain transactions, such as the issuance or purchase of stock or certain business combinations, may be limited.
If we take any enumerated actions or omissions, or if certain events relating to us occur that would cause the Spin Distribution or the Mergers to become taxable, we may be required to bear the cost of any resulting tax liability under the Tax Matters Agreement. Any such indemnification obligation likely would be substantial and likely would have a material adverse effect on us. These restrictions may reduce our ability to engage in certain business transactions that otherwise might be advantageous to us, which could adversely affect our business, result of operations or financial condition.
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 2
We are required to pay others for certain tax benefits that we are deemed to realize under the Tax Receivable Agreement, and the amounts we may pay could be significant.
We used all of the net proceeds from the IPO to purchase LLC common units from Yuma and we used all of the net proceeds from the subsequent follow-on offering to purchase LLC common units from Yuma and TPG Rise, an affiliate of TPG. Additionally, we may be required from time to time to acquire additional LLC common units together with a corresponding number of shares of our Class B common stock in exchange for our Class A common stock (or cash) pursuant to the Exchange Agreement. See Note 6 in the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in the Form 10-K. We expect that basis adjustments resulting from these transactions, if they occur, among other tax benefits resulting from the Transactions, will reduce the amount of income tax we would otherwise be required to pay in the future.
We entered into a Tax Receivable Agreement with the LLC, Yuma, Yuma Sub, TPG Rise and the TPG Affiliates in connection with our IPO. Prior to the Spin Transactions, Yuma and Yuma Sub assigned their respective rights under the Tax Receivable Agreement to an entity that remains an affiliate of Flex. The Tax Receivable Agreement provides for the payment by us to Flex's affiliate, TPG and the TPG Affiliates (or certain permitted transferees thereof) of 85% of the tax benefits, if any, that we are deemed to realize under certain circumstances as a result of (i) our allocable share of existing tax basis in tangible and intangible assets resulting from exchanges or acquisitions of the LLC common units, including as part of the Transactions or under the Exchange Agreement, (ii) increases in tax basis resulting from exchanges or acquisitions of outstanding LLC common units and shares of Class B common stock (including as part of the Transactions, the subsequent follow-on offering or under the Exchange Agreement), (iii) certain pre-existing tax attributes of certain blocker corporations affiliated with TPG that each merged with a separate direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of us, as part of the Transactions, and (iv) certain other tax benefits related to our entering into the Tax Receivable Agreement, including tax benefits attributable to payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement.
There may be a material negative effect on our liquidity if, as a result of timing discrepancies or otherwise, the payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement exceed the actual benefits we realize in respect of the tax attributes subject to the Tax Receivable Agreement or distributions to us by the LLC are not sufficient to permit us to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement after we have paid taxes. Furthermore, our obligations to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement could make us a less attractive target for an acquisition, particularly in the case of an acquirer that cannot use some or all of the tax benefits that are deemed realized under the Tax Receivable Agreement.
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 3
In certain cases, our payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement to others may be accelerated and/or significantly exceed the actual benefits we realize in respect of the tax attributes subject to the Tax Receivable Agreement.
The Tax Receivable Agreement provides that upon certain circumstances we will be required to make an immediate payment equal to the present value of the anticipated future tax benefits, including upon certain mergers, asset sales, other forms of business combinations or other changes of control (with certain exceptions, such as the Spin Distribution and the Mergers (as such terms are defined in Note 6 in the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in the Form 10-K)), if we materially breach any of our material obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreement, or if, at any time, we elect an early termination of the Tax Receivable Agreement. The amount of any such payment would be based on certain assumptions, including that we (or our successor) would have sufficient taxable income to fully utilize the deductions arising from the increased tax deductions and tax basis and other benefits related to entering into the Tax Receivable Agreement. As a result, we could be required to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement that are greater than or less than the percentage specified in the Tax Receivable Agreement of the actual benefits that we realize in respect of the tax attributes that are subject to the Tax Receivable Agreement and the upfront payment may be made years in advance of the actual realization of such future benefits (if any). Under certain circumstances, including an early termination of the Tax Receivable Agreement, our obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreement could have a substantial negative impact on our liquidity, as well as our attractiveness as a target for an acquisition. In addition, we may not be able to finance our obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreement.
Payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement will generally be based on the tax reporting positions that we determine except with respect to the agreed tax treatment provided for in the Tax Receivable Agreement. The Tax Receivable Agreement and a related side letter (the "TRA Side Letter,"), which is treated as part of the Tax Receivable Agreement, provide that the parties will treat payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement and TRA Side Letter that are attributable to certain tax benefits from exchanges of LLC common units under the Exchange Agreement and from the purchase of LLC common units from Yuma and TPG (with the net proceeds of the IPO and follow-on) as upward purchase price adjustments to the extent permitted by law and other than amounts treated as interest under the Code. We will not be reimbursed for any payments previously made under the Tax Receivable Agreement, even if the tax benefits underlying such payment are disallowed (although future amounts otherwise payable under the Tax Receivable Agreement may be reduced as a result thereof). In addition, the actual state or local tax savings we realize may be different than the amount of such tax savings we are deemed to realize under the Tax Receivable Agreement, which will be based on an assumed combined state and local tax rate applied to our reduction in taxable income as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of the Tax Receivable Agreement. As a result, in certain circumstances, payments could be made under the Tax Receivable Agreement in excess of the benefits that we actually realize in respect of the tax attributes subject to the Tax Receivable Agreement.
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 4
Tax authorities could challenge our historical and future tax positions
Our taxable income comes primarily from the allocation of taxable income from the LLC. We are subject to federal and state income taxes in the United States on the taxable income allocated to us from the LLC. In addition, while the majority of the LLC's income comes from United States sources and will not be subject to LLC level income tax, the LLC has taxable income in some foreign subsidiaries that is subject to foreign country's corporate income tax. We may be entitled to foreign tax credits in the United States for our shares of the foreign tax we paid. As the LLC operates in a number of countries and relies on intercompany transfer pricing benchmarking analysis, judgment is required in determining our provision for income taxes. In the ordinary course of the LLC's business, there may be transactions or intercompany transfer prices where the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. Additionally, calculations of income taxes payable currently and on a deferred basis are based on our interpretations of applicable tax laws in the jurisdictions in which we and the LLC are required to file tax returns.
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 5
The reduction, elimination or expiration of government incentives for, or regulations mandating the use of, renewable energy and solar energy specifically could reduce demand for solar energy systems and harm our business.
Federal, state, local and foreign government bodies provide incentives to owners, end users, distributors and manufacturers of solar energy systems to promote solar electricity in the form of tax credits, rebates, subsidies and other financial incentives. The range and duration of these incentives varies widely by jurisdiction. Our customers typically use our systems for grid-connected applications wherein solar power is sold under a power purchase agreement or into an organized electric market. This segment of the solar industry has historically depended in large part on the availability and size of government incentives supporting the use of renewable energy. Consequently, the reduction, elimination or expiration of government incentives for grid-connected solar electricity may negatively affect the competitiveness of solar electricity relative to conventional and non-solar renewable sources of electricity, and could harm or halt the growth of the solar electricity industry and our business. These reductions, eliminations or expirations could occur without warning. Any changes to the existing framework of these incentives could cause fluctuations in our results of operations.
The IRA made significant changes to the federal income tax credits available to solar energy projects, including the investment tax credit ("ITC") under Section 48 of the Internal Revenue Code (the "IRC") for certain energy property. Guidance issued by the U.S. Treasury Department regarding the availability of ITC has changed in the past and is subject to change in the future. Investments in certain solar projects may qualify for a domestic content bonus credit amount if the solar energy project satisfies certain "domestic content" requirements.
On May 12, 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS released Notice 2023-38 providing guidance with respect to the IRA's domestic content bonus credit. In Notice 2023-38, the Treasury Department and the IRS announced their intent to propose regulations in the future that will apply to taxable years ending after May 12, 2023, and provided that in the interim, taxpayers may rely on the rules described in Notice 2023-38 for the domestic content bonus credit requirements for any qualified solar energy project the construction of which begins before the date that is 90 days after the date of publication of the forthcoming proposed regulations in the Federal Register.
On June 21, 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS issued notices of proposed rulemaking and public hearing and temporary regulations providing initial guidance on the elective payment of applicable credits under Section 6417 of the IRC and the transfer of certain credits under Section 6418 of the IRC. The proposed Treasury regulations were subsequently finalized. The Section 6417 Treasury regulations became effective as of May 10, 2024, while the Section 6418 Treasury regulations became effective on July 1, 2024.
On December 15, 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS issued a notice of proposed rulemaking and public hearing providing initial guidance on the advanced manufacturing production credit under Section 45X of the IRC, established by the IRA (the "Section 45X Credit") which is a per-unit tax credit that is earned over time for each clean energy component domestically produced and sold by a manufacturer.
On May 16, 2024, the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS released Notice 2024-41 providing additional guidance with respect to the IRA's domestic content bonus credit, which provides a new elective safe harbor that taxpayers may elect to use to classify applicable project components and calculate the domestic cost percentage in an applicable project to qualify for the domestic content bonus credit amounts.
On January 16, 2025, the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS released Notice 2025-08 modifying Notice 2023-38 and Notice 2024-41 as well as introducing the first updated elective safe harbor for use in lieu of provisions of the adjusted percentage rule provided in Notice 2023-38 for calculating the domestic content bonus credit amounts applicable for certain qualified facilities and energy projects.
Generally, a qualified facility or energy project seeking a domestic content bonus credit must satisfy certain U.S. domestic sourcing or production requirements for iron, steel and manufactured products. In addition, the United States taxpayer reporting a domestic content bonus credit must satisfy certain certification, recordkeeping and substantiation requirements.
In lieu of the ITC, as a result of changes made by the IRA, United States taxpayers may also be allowed to elect to receive a production tax credit ("PTC") under Section 45 of the IRC for qualified solar facilities if the construction began before January 1, 2025 and the facility is placed in service for federal income tax purposes after 2021.
The PTC is available for electricity produced by a qualifying solar project and sold to unrelated persons during the ten years following the qualifying solar project's placement in service and is equal to an inflation-adjusted amount of 3.00 cents per kilowatt hour during calendar year 2024 (for projects placed in service after 2021), for every kilowatt-hour of electricity produced by a qualifying solar project and sold to unrelated persons, which inflation-adjusted amount is updated annually. The available credit amount is increased by up to 10% if the domestic content requirements described above are satisfied. The amounts of any PTCs or ITCs are subject to change by order of the IRS.
Under the IRA, for certain qualifying projects placed in service after 2024, each of the ITC and PTC will be replaced by similar "technology neutral" tax credit incentives that mimic the ITC and PTC, but also require that projects satisfy a "zero greenhouse gas emissions" standard in order to qualify for the tax credits. This new tax credit regime will continue to apply to projects that begin construction prior to the end of 2033, at which point the credits will become subject to a phase-out schedule.
While these changes are intended to encourage investments in new solar projects, the impact these changes will have on our results of operations is unclear. For example, if we are unable to meet the domestic content requirements necessary for customers using our tracker products to qualify for the incremental domestic content bonus credit and our competitors are able to do so, we might experience a decline in sales for U.S. projects.
The U.S. Treasury Department has provided certain guidance on the domestic content requirements; however, further clarifications may be forthcoming and it is possible customers may impose certain domestic content requirements on us as a result. Such domestic content requirements may increase our production costs. Further, the timing and nature of the U.S. Treasury Department's eventual proposed and final implementing regulations, which are expected to supersede Notice 2023-38 and Notice 2024-41, remain uncertain. When final implementing regulations for domestic content requirements are released, we may not have an adequate supply of tracker products satisfying the domestic content requirements to meet customer demand. In addition, compliance with domestic content requirements may significantly increase our record-keeping, accounting and production costs. As a result of these risks, the domestic content requirements may have a material adverse impact on our U.S. sales, business and results of operations.
If our customers are unable to satisfy their respective prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements under the IRA, for projects that establish the beginning of construction on or after January 29, 2023, the tax credits available to the customers will be lower than the credits available prior to the IRA. If a significant portion of our customers are unable to satisfy prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements under the IRA, demand for our tracker products may be adversely impacted by the reduced tax credits available to our customers, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
On October 28, 2024, the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS published final Treasury regulations (the "45X Treasury regulations") regarding the Section 45X Credit, which become effective on December 27, 2024. The 45X Treasury regulations retain the same basic structure as the proposed Treasury regulations issued on December 15, 2023 with certain revisions. In particular, the 45X Treasury regulations confirm a solar tracker is not a solar energy component that is an eligible component under Section 45X of the IRC, but torque tubes and structural fasteners may qualify as eligible components. While we believe that certain of our products, namely our torque tubes and a portion of our structural fasteners, should qualify under Section 45X, our ability to ultimately benefit from Section 45X and other IRA tax credits is not guaranteed.
On January 7, 2025, the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS released final Treasury regulations which were published in the Federal Register on January 15, 2025 (the "Clean Electricity Treasury regulations") regarding the clean electricity production credit under Section 45Y of the IRC, established by the IRA (the "Section 45Y Credit") with respect to qualified facilities and the clean electricity investment credit under Section 48E of the IRC, established by the IRA (the "Section 48E Credit") with respect to qualified facilities, as applicable, that are placed in service after 2024. The Section 45Y Credit and Section 48E Credit provide incremental tax credits for U.S. solar projects satisfying domestic content requirements similar to the ITC and PTC. These incentives are subject to various qualification requirements and phase outs, which may adversely affect demand for our solar products.
Certain provisions of the IRA have been the subject of substantial public interest and have been subject to debate, and there are divergent views on potential implementation, guidance, rules and regulatory principles by a diverse group of interested parties. There can be no assurance that our products will fully qualify for the benefits under the IRA or that competitors will not disproportionately benefit or gain competitive advantages as a result of the IRA's implementation or interpretation. In addition, if our customers or suppliers incorrectly interpret the requirements of the IRA's tax credits and it is later determined that the tax credits were incorrectly claimed, we may be penalized.
As a result, the final interpretation and implementation of the provisions in the IRA could have a material adverse impact on us. Furthermore, future legislative enactments or administrative actions could limit, amend, repeal or terminate IRA policies or other incentives that we currently hope to leverage. Any reduction, elimination, or discriminatory application or expiration of the IRA may materially adversely affect our future operating results and liquidity.
Changes to tax laws and regulations that are applied adversely to us or our customers could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, including our ability to optimize those changes brought about by the passage of the IRA.
In addition, federal, state, local and foreign government bodies have implemented additional policies that are intended to promote or mandate renewable electricity generally or solar electricity in particular. For example, many U.S. states have adopted procurement requirements for renewable energy production and/or a renewable portfolio standard ("RPS") that requires regulated utilities to procure a specified percentage of total electricity delivered to customers in the state from eligible renewable energy sources, including utility-scale solar power generation facilities, by a specified date. While the recent trend has been for jurisdictions with RPSs to maintain or expand them, there have been certain exceptions and there can be no assurances that RPSs or other policies supporting renewable energy will continue. Proposals to extend compliance deadlines, reduce renewable requirements or solar set-asides, or entirely repeal RPSs emerge from time to time in various jurisdictions. Reduction or elimination of RPSs, as well as changes to other renewable-energy and solar-energy policies, could reduce the potential growth of the solar energy industry and materially and adversely affect our business.
Moreover, changes in policies of recent U.S. presidential administrations have created regulatory uncertainty in the renewable energy industry, including the solar energy industry, and have adversely affected and may continue to adversely affect our business. For example, in the span of less than six years, the United States joined, withdrew from, and then rejoined the 2015
Paris Agreement on climate change mitigation following changes in administration between U.S. Presidents Obama, Trump and Biden. To start his second term, U.S. President Trump signed numerous executive orders including for the U.S. to withdraw from the Paris Climate Treaty, to expedite deregulated oil and gas drilling, and revoke executive orders and actions from the previous administration related to, among other things, the implementation of the energy and infrastructure provisions of the IRA. Additionally, under President Trump, the U.S. Department of the Interior implemented a 60-day pause on new renewable energy projects on public land or in public waters which began on January 20, 2025. This pause, or a similar pause, on renewable energy project development, particularly if extended, could delay the timing of projects, and could a material adverse on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
In addition, the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on June 30, 2022 in West Virginia v. EPA, holding that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") exceeded its authority in enacting a subsequently repealed rule that would have allowed electric utility generation facility owners to reduce emissions with "outside the fence measures" may limit EPA's ability to address greenhouse gas emissions comprehensively without specific authorization from Congress. It is difficult to predict what further actions will be taken that may impact our business including revisions to the IRA and other federal incentives relating to renewable energy.
Environmental / Social2 | 3.3%
Environmental / Social - Risk 1
Our failure to maintain appropriate environmental, social and governance ("ESG") practices and disclosures could result in reputational harm, a loss of customer and investor confidence, and adversely affect our business and financial results.
Governments, customers, investors and employees are enhancing their focus on ESG practices and disclosures, and expectations in this area are rapidly evolving and increasing. Failure to adequately maintain appropriate ESG practices that meet diverse stakeholder expectations may result in an inability to attract customers, the loss of business, diluted market valuation, and an inability to attract and retain top talent. In addition, standards, processes and governmental requirements for disclosing sustainability metrics may change over time, resulting in inconsistent data, or could result in significant revisions to our sustainability commitments or our ability to achieve them. As governments impose greenhouse gas emission reporting requirements and other ESG-related laws, we are subject to at least some of these rules and concomitant regulatory risk exposure. ESG compliance and reporting could be costly, and we could be at a disadvantage compared to companies that do not have similar reporting requirements.
For example, recently published rules by the SEC could require significantly expanded climate-related disclosures in our periodic reporting, which may require us to incur significant additional costs to comply, including the implementation of significant additional internal controls regarding matters that have not been subject to such controls in the past. In addition, California recently enacted climate disclosure laws that may require companies to report on greenhouse gas emissions, climate-related financial risks, and the use of carbon offsets and emissions reduction claims. Similarly, we may be subject to the requirements of the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (and its implementing laws and regulations) and other EU and EU member state regulations, or disclosure requirements on various sustainability topics. These requirements vary across jurisdictions, which may result in increased complexity and cost, for compliance. Furthermore, industry and market practices continue to evolve, and we may have to expend significant efforts and resources to keep up with market trends and stay competitive among our peers, which could result in higher associated compliance costs and penalties for failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations.
Environmental / Social - Risk 2
We may incur obligations, liabilities or costs under environmental, health and safety laws, which could have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our suppliers' operations involve the use, handling, generation, storage, discharge and disposal of hazardous substances, chemicals and wastes. As a result, our suppliers are required to comply with national, state and local laws and regulations regarding the protection of the environment and health and safety. We are also required to comply with general national, state, local and foreign health and safety laws and regulations in every location that we have operations, employees and workers. Adoption of more stringent laws and regulations in the future, including restriction or prohibition on the use of raw materials currently utilized by our suppliers to manufacture products, could cause our suppliers to incur additional costs, which could increase the cost we pay for their products. Moreover, new environmental laws requiring changes to our suppliers' use of raw materials could adversely impact the quality or performance of products we currently purchase. In addition, violations of, or liabilities under, these laws and regulations by our suppliers could result in our being subject to adverse publicity, reputational damage, substantial fines, penalties, criminal proceedings, third-party property damage or personal injury claims, cleanup costs or other costs. Further, the facilities of our suppliers, including suppliers who manufacture our products, components and materials, are located on properties with a history of use involving hazardous materials, chemicals and wastes and may be contaminated. We may become liable under certain environmental laws and regulations for costs to investigate or remediate contamination at such properties and under common law for bodily injury or property damage claims arising from the alleged impact of such contamination. Liability under environmental laws and regulations for investigating and remediating contamination can be imposed on a joint and several basis and without regard to fault or the legality of the activities giving rise to the contamination conditions. In addition, future developments such as more aggressive enforcement policies from the U.S. federal government or relevant foreign authorities, or the discovery of presently unknown environmental conditions may require expenditures that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Production
Total Risks: 8/60 (13%)Above Sector Average
Manufacturing2 | 3.3%
Manufacturing - Risk 1
Defects or performance problems in our products could result in loss of customers, reputational damage and decreased revenue, and we may face warranty, indemnity and product liability claims arising from defective products.
Our products may contain undetected errors or defects, especially when first introduced or when new generations are released. Errors, defects or poor performance can arise due to design flaws, defects in raw materials or components or manufacturing difficulties, which can affect both the quality and the yield of the product. Any actual or perceived errors, defects or poor performance in our products could result in the replacement or recall of our products, shipment delays, rejection of our products, damage to our reputation, lost revenue, diversion of our engineering personnel from our product development efforts and increases in customer service and support costs, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Furthermore, defective components may give rise to warranty, indemnity or product liability claims against us that exceed any revenue or profit we receive from the affected products. Our limited warranties cover defects in materials and workmanship of our products under normal use and service conditions. As a result, we bear the risk of warranty claims long after we have sold products and recognized revenue. While we have accrued reserves for warranty claims, our estimated warranty costs for previously sold products may change to the extent the warranty claims profile of future products is not comparable with that of earlier generation products under warranty. Our warranty accruals are based on our assumptions and we do not have a long history of making such assumptions. As a result, these assumptions could prove to be materially different from the actual performance of our systems, causing us to incur substantial unanticipated expense to repair or replace defective products in the future or to compensate customers for defective products. Our failure to accurately predict future claims could result in unexpected volatility in, and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
If one of our products were to cause injury to someone or cause property damage, including as a result of product malfunctions, defects or improper installation, then we could be exposed to product liability claims. Any such claim could cause us to incur significant costs and could divert management's attention and harm our reputation.
Manufacturing - Risk 2
Delays in construction projects and any failure to manage our inventory could have a material adverse effect on us.
Many of our products are used in large-scale projects, which generally require a significant amount of planning and preparation and which can be delayed and rescheduled for a number of reasons, including customer or partner labor availability, difficulties in complying with environmental and other government regulations or obtaining permits, interconnection delays, financing issues, changes in project priorities, additional time required to acquire rights-of-way or property rights, unanticipated soil conditions, or health-related shutdowns or other work stoppages. These delays may result in unplanned downtime, increased costs and inefficiencies in our operations, and increased levels of excess inventory.
Employment / Personnel1 | 1.7%
Employment / Personnel - Risk 1
If we fail to retain our key personnel or if we fail to attract additional qualified personnel, we may not be able to achieve our anticipated level of growth and our business could suffer.
Our future success and ability to implement our business strategy depends, in part, on our ability to attract and retain key personnel, and on the continued contributions of members of our senior management team and key technical personnel, each of whom would be difficult to replace. All of our employees, including our senior management, are free to terminate their employment relationships with us at any time.
Competition for highly skilled individuals with technical expertise is extremely intense, and we face challenges identifying, hiring and retaining qualified personnel in many areas of our business. Integrating new employees into our team could prove disruptive to our operations, require substantial resources and management attention and ultimately prove unsuccessful. An inability to retain our senior management and other key personnel or to attract additional qualified personnel could limit or delay our strategic efforts, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Supply Chain3 | 5.0%
Supply Chain - Risk 1
We rely heavily on our suppliers and our operations could be disrupted if we encounter problems with our suppliers or if there are disruptions in our supply chain.
We purchase our components through arrangements with various suppliers located across the globe. We depend on our suppliers to source materials and manufacture critical components for our products. Our reliance on these suppliers makes us vulnerable to possible capacity constraints and reduced control over component availability, delivery schedules and costs which could disrupt our ability to procure these components in a timely and cost-efficient manner. Any shortages of components or raw materials for these products could affect our ability to timely deliver our products to our customers, which may result in liquidated damages or contractual disputes with our customers, harm our reputation and lead to a decrease in demand for our products.
For example, our products are manufactured from steel and, as a result, our business is significantly affected by the price of steel. When steel prices are higher, the prices that we charge customers for our products may increase, which may decrease demand for our products. Conversely, if steel prices decline, customers may demand lower prices and our competitors' responses to those demands could result in lower sale prices or lower sales volume and, consequently, negatively affect our profitability. A significant portion of the steel used to produce our products is derived directly or indirectly from steel mills located in China. At times, pricing and availability of steel can be volatile due to numerous factors beyond our control, including domestic and international economic conditions, global steel capacity, import levels, fluctuations in the costs of raw materials necessary to produce steel, sales levels, competition, consolidation of steel producers, labor costs, transportation costs, import duties and tariffs and foreign currency exchange rates. The volatility in the availability and cost of steel may impact our business.
Further, if any of our suppliers were unable or unwilling to manufacture the components that we require for our products in sufficient volumes or at sufficiently high quality levels or to renew existing terms under supply agreements, we would need to identify, qualify and select acceptable alternative suppliers. An alternative supplier may not be available to us when needed or may not be in a position to satisfy our quality or production requirements on commercially reasonable terms, including price. Any significant disruption to our ability to procure our components, and our suppliers' ability to procure materials to manufacture components for our products could increase the production cost of our products or reduce or delay our ability to perform under our contracts and could thereby adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
In addition, as noted above, the IRA provides incremental tax credits for U.S. solar projects satisfying domestic content requirements. While the impact of these requirements on us remains fluid and uncertain pending customer response and any future or final implementing regulations, if we are unable to provide our tracker products in a manner that satisfies applicable domestic content requirements, we might experience a decline in sales for U.S. projects, especially if our competitors are able to satisfy such domestic content requirements. In addition, compliance with these requirements may increase our production costs. In light of the foregoing, our U.S. sales, profitability and results of operations in the United States may be adversely affected by applicable domestic content requirements which must be satisfied in order for solar projects to be eligible for these incremental credits.
Further, disruption in our supply chain and transportation channels, including changes by carriers and transportation companies relating to delivery schedules, shortages in available cargo capacity or labor availability, payment terms and frequency of service and pricing as well as cargo ship, shipping channel disruptions or work stoppages or strikes could impact our ability to timely deliver our products to our customers or increase delivery costs. For example, many shipping companies have paused shipments through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea as a result of attacks against commercial vessels in the area, causing rerouting of commercial vessels. As a result, we may experience increased costs and delivery delays.
Supply Chain - Risk 2
We are dependent on certain critical suppliers for certain components for our products.
We are dependent on certain critical suppliers for certain components of our products. Our self-powered controller ("SPC") and network control unit ("NCU") used in our tracker products are predominately manufactured by Flex. We have an agreement with Flex for the manufacturing of these components, but we operate on a purchase order basis for pricing. The processes to manufacture these SPCs and NCUs are highly complex, specialized and proprietary. Although we have recently added two suppliers who manufacture our SPCs, if Flex is unable or unwilling to manufacture controllers for us, or increases its pricing substantially, a substantial portion of our supply of these critical components would be interrupted or delayed and we may not be able to source substitute parts easily. We would incur increased expenses in establishing new relationships with alternative manufacturers at market prices. We may not be able to source alternative components on term acceptable to us or in a timely and cost-effective manner which may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and profitability.
Supply Chain - Risk 3
Failure by our manufacturers or our component or raw material suppliers to use ethical business practices and comply with applicable laws and regulations may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We do not control our manufacturers or suppliers or their business practices. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee that they follow ethical business practices such as fair wage practices and compliance with environmental, safety, labor and other laws. A lack of demonstrated compliance could lead us to seek alternative manufacturers or suppliers, which could increase our costs and result in delayed delivery of our products, product shortages or other disruptions of our operations. If our suppliers, manufacturers, or retail partners fail to comply with applicable laws, regulations, safety codes, employment practices, human rights standards, quality standards, environmental standards, production practices, or other obligations, norms, or ethical standards, our reputation and brand image could be harmed, and we could be exposed to litigation, investigations, enforcement actions, monetary liability and additional costs that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Costs2 | 3.3%
Costs - Risk 1
A drop in the price of electricity sold may harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Decreases in the price of electricity, whether in organized electric markets or with contract counterparties, may negatively impact the owners of the solar energy projects, make the purchase of solar energy systems less economically attractive and would likely lower sales of our products. The price of electricity could decrease as a result of many factors, including but not limited to:
- construction of a significant number of new, lower-cost power generation plants;- relief of transmission constraints that enable distant, lower-cost generation to transmit energy less expensively or in greater quantities;- reductions in the price of natural gas or other fuels;- utility rate adjustment and customer class cost reallocation;- decreased electricity demand, including from energy conservation technologies, public initiatives to reduce electricity consumption or a reduction in economic activity due to a localized or macroeconomic downturn;- development of smart-grid technologies that lower the peak energy requirements;- development of new or lower-cost customer-sited energy storage technologies that have the ability to reduce a customer's average cost of electricity by shifting load to off-peak times; and - development of new energy generation technologies that provide less expensive energy.
Moreover, if the cost of electricity generated by solar energy installations incorporating our systems is high relative to the cost of electricity from other sources, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Costs - Risk 2
Summary of Risk Factors
- The demand for solar energy and, in turn, our products is impacted by many factors outside of our control, and if such demand does not continue to grow or grows at a slower rate than we anticipate, our business and prospects will suffer.
- Competitive pressures within our industry may harm our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.
- We face competition from conventional and other renewable energy sources that may offer products and solutions that are less expensive or otherwise perceived to be more advantageous than solar energy solutions.
- Delays in construction projects and any failure to manage our inventory could have a material adverse effect on us.
- Our results of operations may fluctuate from quarter to quarter, which could make our future performance difficult to predict and could cause our results of operations for a particular period to fall below expectations.
- The reduction, elimination or expiration of government incentives for, or regulations mandating the use of, renewable energy and solar energy specifically could reduce demand for solar energy systems and harm our business.
- International regulation of and incentives for solar projects vary by jurisdiction and may change or be eliminated.
- Our failure to maintain appropriate environmental, social and governance practices and disclosures could result in reputational harm, a loss of customer and investor confidence, and adversely affect our business and financial results.
- We rely heavily on our suppliers and our operations could be disrupted if we encounter problems with our suppliers or if there are disruptions in our supply chain.
- Economic, political and market conditions can adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
- Our business and industry, including our customers and suppliers, are subject to risks of severe weather events, natural disasters, climate change and other catastrophic events.
- Our business, operating results and financial condition could be materially harmed by evolving regulatory uncertainty or obligations applicable to our products and services.
- Changes in the global trade environment, including the imposition of import tariffs, could adversely affect the amount or timing of our revenues, results of operations or cash flows.
Tech & Innovation
Total Risks: 7/60 (12%)Below Sector Average
Innovation / R&D2 | 3.3%
Innovation / R&D - Risk 1
We invest significant time, resources and management attention to identifying and developing project leads that are subject to our sales and marketing focus and if we are unsuccessful in converting such project leads into binding purchase orders, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
The commercial contracting and bidding process for solar project development is long and has multiple steps and uncertainties. We closely monitor the development of potential sales leads through this process. Project leads may fail to be converted into binding purchase orders at any stage of the bidding process because either (i) a competitors' product is selected to fulfill some or all of the order due to price, functionality or other reasons or (ii) the project does not progress to the stage involving the purchase of tracker systems. If we fail to convert a significant number of project leads that are subject to our sales and marketing focus into binding purchase orders, our business or results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
Innovation / R&D - Risk 2
We may experience delays, disruptions or quality control problems in our product development operations.
Our product development and testing processes are complex and require significant technological expertise. Such processes involve a number of precise steps from design to production. Any change in our processes could cause one or more production errors, requiring a temporary suspension or delay in our suppliers' production lines until the errors can be researched, identified, and properly addressed and rectified. This may occur particularly as we introduce new products, modify our engineering techniques and/or expand our capacity. The commercialization of any new products may also fail to achieve market adoption or may experience downward pricing pressure, which would have a material impact on our gross margins and results of operations. Further, the installation of our products involves various risks and complications which may increase as our products evolve and develop, and any such increase in risks and complications may have a negative effect on our gross margins. In addition, our failure to maintain appropriate quality assurance processes could result in increased product failures, loss of customers, increased warranty reserve, increased production and logistics costs, and delays. Any of these developments could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Trade Secrets2 | 3.3%
Trade Secrets - Risk 1
If we fail to, or incur significant costs in order to, obtain, maintain, protect, defend or enforce our intellectual property, our business and results of operations could be materially harmed.
Our success depends to a significant degree on our ability to protect our intellectual property. We rely on a combination of patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret and unfair competition laws, as well as confidentiality and license agreements and other contractual provisions, to establish and protect our intellectual property. Such means may afford only limited protection of our intellectual property and may not (i) prevent our competitors or manufacturing suppliers from duplicating our processes or technology; (ii) prevent our competitors or manufacturing suppliers from gaining access to our proprietary information or technology; or (iii) permit us to gain or maintain a competitive advantage.
We generally seek or apply for patent protection as and if we deem appropriate, based on then-current facts and circumstances. We cannot guarantee that any of our pending patent applications or other applications for intellectual property registrations will be issued or granted or that our existing or future intellectual property rights will be sufficiently broad to protect our proprietary technology. Even if we are to obtain issuance of further patents or registration of other intellectual property, such intellectual property could be subject to attacks on ownership, validity, enforceability or other legal attacks. Any such impairment or other failure to obtain sufficient intellectual property protection could impede our ability to market our products, negatively affect our competitive position and harm our business and operating results, including forcing us to, among other things, rebrand or re-design our affected products.
In addition to patent protection, we rely heavily on nondisclosure agreements to protect our proprietary information, know-how, technology and trade secrets. However, we cannot guarantee that we have entered into such agreements with each party that has or may have had access to our proprietary information, know-how, technology and trade secrets, including employees, contractors, third-party manufacturers, other suppliers, customers, other stakeholders involved in solar projects, or other business partners or prospective partners. Moreover, no assurance can be given that these agreements will be effective in controlling access to, distribution, use, misuse, misappropriation or disclosure of our proprietary information, know-how, technology and trade secrets. Similarly, while it is our policy to require our employees and contractors who may be involved in the conception or development of intellectual property to execute agreements assigning such intellectual property to us, we may be unsuccessful in executing such an agreement with each party who, in fact, conceives or develops intellectual property that we regard as our own, such agreements may be breached or may not be self-executing, we may not have adequate remedies for any such breach, and we may be subject to claims that such employees or contractors misappropriated relevant rights from their previous employers.
In countries where we have not applied for patent protection or trademark or other intellectual property registration or where effective patent, trademark, trade secret, and other intellectual property laws and judicial systems may not be available to the same extent as in the United States, we may be at greater risk that our proprietary rights will be circumvented, misappropriated, infringed or otherwise violated.
We have initiated, and may in the future need to initiate, infringement claims or litigation in order to try to protect or enforce our intellectual property rights, but such litigation can be expensive and time-consuming and may divert the efforts of our management and other personnel, may provoke third parties to assert counterclaims against us and may not result in favorable outcomes.
Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Trade Secrets - Risk 2
We may need to defend ourselves against third-party claims that we are infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating others' intellectual property rights, which could divert management's attention, cause us to incur significant costs, and prevent us from selling or using the technology to which such rights relate.
Our competitors and other third parties hold numerous patents related to technology used in our industry, and may hold or obtain patents, copyrights, trademarks or other intellectual property rights that could prevent, limit, or interfere with our ability to make, use, develop, sell or market our products and services. From time to time we may be subject to claims of infringement, misappropriation or other violation of patents or other intellectual property rights and related litigation. Regardless of their merit, responding to such claims can be time consuming, can divert management's attention and resources, and may cause us to incur significant expenses in litigation or settlement and face negative publicity, and we cannot be certain that we would be successful in defending against any such claims in litigation or other proceedings. If we do not successfully defend or settle an intellectual property claim, we could be liable for significant monetary damages and could be prohibited from continuing to use certain technology, business methods, content or brands, and from making, selling or incorporating certain components or intellectual property into the products and services we offer. As a result, we could be forced to redesign our products and services, and/or to establish and maintain alternative branding for our products and services. To avoid litigation or being prohibited from marketing or selling the relevant products or services, we could seek a license from the applicable third party, which could require us to pay significant royalties, licensing fees, or other payments, increasing our operating expenses. If a license is not available at all or not available on reasonable terms, we may be required to develop or license a non-violating alternative, either of which could be infeasible or require significant effort and expense. If we cannot license or develop a non-violating alternative, we would be forced to limit or stop sales of our offerings and may be unable to effectively compete. Moreover, there could be public announcements of the results of hearings, motions or other interim proceedings or developments and if securities analysts or investors perceive these results to be negative, it could have a substantial adverse effect on the price of our Class A common stock. Any of the foregoing could result in substantial costs, negative publicity and diversion of resources and management attention, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Cyber Security1 | 1.7%
Cyber Security - Risk 1
Cybersecurity or other data security incidents could harm our business, expose us to liability and cause reputational damage.
Cybersecurity attacks designed to gain access to personal, sensitive or confidential information or disrupt our operations are constantly evolving, and high-profile cybersecurity breaches leading to unauthorized disclosure of confidential information, including trade secrets, as well as breaches of personal information, have occurred recently at a number of major U.S. companies, including in the energy, manufacturing and technology sectors. Our or our third-party vendors' computer systems and networks are potentially vulnerable to cybersecurity attacks and other data security incidents, including among other things, malicious intrusion, computer viruses, ransomware attacks, software errors, defects or bugs, acts of vandalism and theft, denial-of-service attacks, social engineering attacks, phishing attacks, fraud or malice on the part of our employees, contractors or service providers, human error and other system disruptions caused by unauthorized third parties, server malfunctions, software or hardware failures and other similar incidents, any of which may result in the misappropriation, corruption, unavailability, loss, unauthorized access to or release of personal, sensitive or confidential information or data assets or business interruption.
We increasingly rely on commercially available systems, software, sensors, tools (including encryption technology) and monitoring to provide security and oversight for the transmission, storage, protection and other processing of personal, sensitive and confidential information. Despite advances in security hardware, software and encryption technologies, and our own information security program and safeguards, there is no guarantee that our defenses and cybersecurity program will be adequate to safeguard against all cybersecurity attacks and other data security incidents. Moreover, because techniques used to obtain unauthorized access to personal, sensitive and confidential information or sabotage systems and networks change frequently and generally are not identified until they are launched against a target, we and our suppliers may be unable to anticipate these techniques or to implement adequate preventative or mitigation measures. We may also experience security breaches and other incidents that may remain undetected for an extended period and therefore may have a greater impact on our products and the networks and systems used in our business. Such threats and attacks also may see their frequency increased, and effectiveness enhanced by the use of artificial intelligence.
We regularly defend against and respond to data security incidents. We expect to incur significant costs in our efforts to detect and prevent cybersecurity attacks and other data security incidents, and we may face increased costs in the event of an actual or perceived cybersecurity attack or other data security incident. While we generally perform cybersecurity diligence on our key service providers, we do not control our service providers and vendors and our ability to monitor their cybersecurity is limited, so we cannot ensure the cybersecurity measures they take will be sufficient to protect any information we share with them. We cannot assure you that our vendors or other third-party service providers with access to our or our customers' or employees' personal, confidential or sensitive information in relation to which we are responsible will not breach contractual obligations imposed by us, or that they will not experience cybersecurity attacks or other data security incidents, which could have a corresponding effect on our business, including putting us in breach of our privacy and data protection obligations.
Additionally, we cannot be certain that our insurance coverage will be adequate for cybersecurity liabilities actually incurred, that insurance will continue to be available to us on economically reasonable terms, or at all, or that our insurer will not deny coverage as to any future claim.
A cybersecurity attack or other data security incident in our systems or networks (or in the systems or networks of third parties with which we do business) could result in the unauthorized release of personal information regarding employees or other individuals or other sensitive data, serious disruption of our operations, financial losses from containment and remedial actions, loss of business or potential liability, including possible punitive damages. As a result of cybersecurity attacks or other data security incidents, we could be subject to demands, claims and litigation by private parties, and investigations, related actions and penalties by regulatory authorities, along with potential costs of notification to impacted individuals. Finally, any perceived or actual unauthorized access to, or use or disclosure of, such information could harm our reputation, substantially impair our ability to attract and retain customers and have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Technology2 | 3.3%
Technology - Risk 1
We use "open source" software, and any failure to comply with the terms of one or more open source licenses could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our products and services use certain software licensed by its authors or other third parties under so-called "open source" licenses. Some of these open source licenses may contain requirements that we make available source code for modifications or derivative works that we create based upon the open source software, and that we license such modifications or derivative works under the terms of a particular open source license or other license granting third parties rights with respect to such software. In certain circumstances, if we combine our proprietary software with certain open source software, we could be required to release the source code for such proprietary software. Additionally, to the extent that we do not comply with the terms of the open source licenses to which we are subject, or such terms are interpreted by a court in a manner different than our own interpretation of such terms, then we may be required to disclose certain of our proprietary software or take other actions that could adversely impact our business. Further, the use of open source software can lead to vulnerabilities that may make our software susceptible to attack, and open source licenses generally do not provide warranties or controls on the origin of the software. While we attempt to utilize open source software in a manner that helps alleviate these risks, our attempts may not be successful. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Technology - Risk 2
Technological advances in the solar components industry or developments in alternative technologies could render our systems uncompetitive or obsolete
The solar industry is characterized by its rapid adoption and application of technological advances. Our competitors may develop technologies more advanced and cost-effective than ours, or broader solar panel design could change resulting in our products no longer being compatible. Additionally, significant developments in alternative technologies, such as advances in other forms of solar tracking systems, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. We will need to invest substantially in research and development to maintain our market position and effectively compete in the future.
Our failure to further refine or enhance our technologies, or adopt new or enhanced technologies or processes, could render our technologies uncompetitive or obsolete, which could reduce our market share and cause our revenues to decline.
In addition, we may invest in and implement newly developed, less-proven technologies in our project development or in maintaining or enhancing our existing projects. There is no guarantee that these new technologies will perform or generate customer demand as anticipated. The failure of our new technologies to perform as anticipated could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Ability to Sell
Total Risks: 5/60 (8%)Below Sector Average
Competition2 | 3.3%
Competition - Risk 1
Competitive pressures within our industry may harm our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.
We face intense competition from a large number of solar tracker companies in nearly all of the markets in which we compete. The solar tracker industry is currently fragmented. This may result in price competition which could adversely affect our revenue and margins.
Some of our competitors are developing or are currently manufacturing products based on different solar power technologies that may ultimately have costs similar to or lower than our projected costs. In addition, some of our competitors have or may in the future have lower costs of goods sold, lower operating costs, greater name and brand recognition in specific markets in which we compete or intend to sell our products, greater market shares, access to larger customer bases, greater resources and significantly greater economies of scale than we do. Additionally, new competitors may enter our market as a result of, among other factors, lower research and development costs.
We may also face adverse competitive effects from other participants in the solar industry. For example, the price for solar panels has experienced significant declines in several markets globally in recent periods. Substantial pricing declines for panels can make the returns on investment for tracker technology less competitive in comparison to fixed tilt racking systems. In addition, other risks include EPCs subjecting their subcontractors who compete for their business, such as us, to contractual clauses that carry higher contractual risk to us, such as "pay if paid" clauses that requires an EPC to pay us only when the EPC's end customer pays the EPC, higher liquidated damages amounts, increased contractual liabilities above 100% of the contract value and more limited force majeure clauses, among others.
In addition, part of our strategy is to continue to grow our revenues from international markets. Any new geographic market could have different characteristics from the markets in which we currently sell products, and our ability to compete in such markets will depend on our ability to adapt properly to these differences. We may also face competition from lower cost providers in any new markets we enter, which could decrease the demand for our products or cause us to reduce the cost of our products in order to remain competitive. Any of these factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Competition - Risk 2
We face competition from conventional and other renewable energy sources that may offer products and solutions that are less expensive or otherwise perceived to be more advantageous than solar energy solutions.
We face significant competition from providers of conventional and renewable energy alternatives such as coal, nuclear, natural gas and wind. We compete with conventional energy sources primarily based on price, predictability of price and energy availability, environmental considerations and the ease with which customers can use electricity generated by solar energy projects. If solar energy systems cannot offer a compelling value to customers based on these factors, then our business growth may be impaired.
Conventional energy sources generally have substantially greater financial, technical, operational and other resources than solar energy sources, and as a result may be able to devote more resources to research, development, promotion and product sales or respond more quickly to evolving industry standards and changes in market conditions than solar energy systems. Conventional and other renewable energy sources may be better suited than solar for certain locations or customer requirements and may also offer other value-added products or services that could help them compete with solar energy sources. In addition, the source of a majority of conventional energy electricity is non-renewable, which may in certain markets allow them to sell electricity more cheaply than electricity generated by solar generation facilities. Non-renewable generation is typically available for dispatch at any time, as it is not dependent on the availability of intermittent resources such as sunlight. The cost-effectiveness, performance and reliability of solar energy products and services, compared to conventional and other renewable energy sources, could materially and adversely affect the demand for our products and services, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Demand2 | 3.3%
Demand - Risk 1
The demand for solar energy and, in turn, our products is impacted by many factors outside of our control, and if such demand does not continue to grow or grows at a slower rate than we anticipate, our business and prospects will suffer.
Our future success depends on continued demand for utility-scale solar energy. Solar energy is a rapidly evolving and competitive market that has experienced substantial changes in recent years, and we cannot be certain that EPCs, developers, owners and operators of solar projects will remain active in the market or that new potential customers will pursue solar energy as an energy source at levels sufficient to grow our business. The demand for solar energy, and in turn, our products, may be affected by many factors outside of our control, including:
- availability, scale and scope of government subsidies, government and tax incentives and financing sources to support the development and commercialization of solar energy solutions;- levels of investment by project developers and owners of solar energy products, which tend to decrease when economic growth slows;- the emergence, continuance or success of, or increased government support for, other alternative energy generation technologies and products;- local, state and federal permitting and other regulatory requirements related to environmental, land use and transmission issues, each of which can significantly impact the feasibility and timelines for solar projects;- technical and regulatory limitations regarding the interconnection of solar energy systems to the electrical grid;- the cost and availability of raw materials and components necessary to produce solar energy, such as steel, polysilicon and semiconductor chips; and - regional, national or global macroeconomic trends, including further increased interest rates, or a reduction in the availability of tax equity or project debt financing, which could make it difficult for project developers and owners to finance the cost of a solar energy system and new projects.
If demand for solar energy fails to continue to grow, demand for our products will plateau or decrease, which would have an adverse impact on our ability to increase our revenue and grow our business. If we are not able to mitigate these risks and overcome these difficulties successfully, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
Demand - Risk 2
A loss of one or more of our significant customers, their inability to perform under their contracts, or their default in payment, could harm our business and negatively impact our revenue, results of operations and cash flows.
For the year ended March 31, 2024, our largest customer constituted 17% of our total revenues. The loss of any one of our significant customers, their inability to perform under their contracts, or their default in payment, could have a substantial effect on our revenues and profits. Further, our trade accounts receivable and unbilled receivable ("contract assets") are from companies within the solar industry, and, as such, we are exposed to normal industry credit risks. As of March 31, 2024, our largest customer constituted 15.5% of our total trade accounts receivable and contract assets balances. Accordingly, loss of a significant customer or a significant reduction in pricing or order volume from a significant customer could substantially reduce our revenue and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Sales & Marketing1 | 1.7%
Sales & Marketing - Risk 1
We may not be able to convert our orders in backlog into revenue.
Backlog can be subject to large variations from quarter to quarter and comparisons of backlog from period to period are not necessarily indicative of future revenue. The contracts comprising our backlog may not result in actual revenue in any particular period or at all, and the actual revenue from such contracts may differ from our backlog estimates. The timing of receipt of revenue, if any, on projects included in backlog could change because many factors affect the scheduling of projects. Cancellation of or adjustments to contracts may occur.
The failure to realize all amounts in our backlog could adversely affect our future revenue and gross margins. As a result, our backlog as of any particular date may not be an accurate indicator of our future financial performance.
Macro & Political
Total Risks: 4/60 (7%)Below Sector Average
Economy & Political Environment1 | 1.7%
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 1
Economic, political and market conditions can adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Macroeconomic developments, such as the global or regional economic effects resulting from the current Russia-Ukraine conflict and current Middle East instability, including the Israel-Hamas conflict (including the disruption of transporting goods through the Suez Canal), further increases in inflation and related economic curtailment initiatives, evolving trade policies or the occurrence of similar events that lead to uncertainty or instability in economic, political or market conditions, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Local political issues and conflicts could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition if they affect geographies in which we do business or obtain our components. A local conflict, such as the Ukraine-Russian War or the Middle East conflict, could also have a significant adverse impact on regional or global macroeconomic conditions, give rise to regional instability or result in heightened economic tariffs, sanctions and import-export restrictions in a manner that adversely affects us, including to the extent that any such actions cause material business interruptions or restrict our ability to conduct business with certain suppliers. Additionally, such conflict or sanctions may significantly devalue various global currencies and have a negative impact on economies in geographies in which we do business. The financial markets and the global economy may also be adversely affected by the impact or anticipated impact of the recent change in the U.S. presidential administration.
Adverse macroeconomic conditions, including slow growth or recession, high unemployment, labor shortages, ongoing or increasing inflation, tighter credit, higher interest rates and currency fluctuations, may cause current or potential customers to reduce or eliminate their budgets and spending, which could cause customers to delay, decrease or cancel projects with us.
Natural and Human Disruptions1 | 1.7%
Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 1
Our business and industry, including our customers and suppliers, are subject to risks of severe weather events, natural disasters, climate change and other catastrophic events.
Our headquarters and testing facilities, which conduct functional and reliability testing for our components and products, are located in the Bay Area of Northern California and our solar projects are located in the U.S. and around the world. A severe weather event or other catastrophe impacting our headquarters or testing facilities could cause significant damage and disruption to our business operations. In addition, a severe weather event or other catastrophe could significantly impact our supply chain by causing delays in the shipping and delivery of our materials, components and products which may, in turn, cause delays in our customers' solar projects. Our customers' ability to install solar energy systems is also affected by weather events, such as during the winter months, and other catastrophic events.
In addition, our operations and facilities and those of the third parties on which we rely are subject to the risk of interruption by fire, power shortages, nuclear power plant accidents and other industrial accidents, terrorist attacks and other hostile acts, cybersecurity attacks and other data security incidents, labor disputes, including labor shortages, public health issues, including pandemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and other events beyond our and their control. Any damage and disruption in any locations in which we have offices or in which our customers or suppliers operate, which are caused by severe weather events (such as extreme cold weather, hail, hurricanes, tornadoes and heavy snowfall), seismic activity, fires, floods and other natural disasters or catastrophic events could result in a delay or even a complete cessation of our worldwide or regional operations and could cause severe damage to our products and equipment used in our solar projects. Global climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of certain types of severe weather events. Even if our tracker products are not damaged, severe weather, natural disasters and catastrophic events may cause damage to the solar panels that are mounted to our tracker products, which could result in decreased demand for our products, loss of customers and the withdrawal of coverage for solar panels and solar tracking systems by insurance companies. Any of these events would negatively impact our ability to deliver our products and services to our customers and could result in reduced demand for our products and services, and any damage to our products and equipment used for our solar projects could result in large warranty claims which could, individually or in the aggregate, exceed the amount of insurance available to us, all of which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Capital Markets2 | 3.3%
Capital Markets - Risk 1
Changes in the global trade environment, including the imposition of import tariffs, could adversely affect the amount or timing of our revenues, results of operations or cash flows.
Escalating trade tensions, particularly between the United States and China, have led to increased tariffs and trade restrictions, including tariffs applicable to certain materials and components for our products such as steel, or for products used in solar energy projects more broadly, such as solar modules and solar cells.
More specifically, the United States has imposed tariffs and quotas on steel imports as well as tariffs on imported solar modules and cells. We use international suppliers of steel and the steel tariffs could result in interruptions in the supply chain and impact our costs and our gross margins.
There currently is a safeguard from most countries tariff on most imported solar modules pursuant to Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974. The Section 201 tariff on solar modules is set at 14.25% until February 6, 2025, at which point it will drop to 14% until February 6, 2026. The prior Section 201 tariff exemption for bifacial modules has been revoked, subjecting bifacial modules to the Section 201 tariff.
There also are tariffs on various solar equipment, including solar cells and modules, inverters and power optimizers, imported from China under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.
Effective September 27, 2024, Section 301 tariffs on certain Chinese steel products increased to 25%, Section 301 tariffs on Chinese solar cells and modules increased to 50%, and Section 301 tariffs on parts of lead-acid storage batteries (including separators thereof) increased to 25%. Effective January 1, 2026, Section 301 tariffs on Chinese lithium-ion non-EV batteries are scheduled to increase to 25%.
Our products contain steel and certain steel tariffs imposed pursuant to Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 and Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 are applicable to us. Nextracker products also include proprietary crystalline solar photovoltaic ("CSPV") modules that sit on each tracker row to power batteries providing electricity to our controller. Such modules are impacted by Section 201 tariffs on solar modules and could be impacted by Section 301 tariffs on solar modules. Such tariffs also may indirectly affect us by increasing the costs of components of solar energy projects, thereby adversely impacting the financial viability of solar energy projects in which our products are used, which could lead to decreased demand for our products.
Under the second Trump administration, trade policies affecting materials and components for our products such as steel or for products used in solar energy projects more broadly, such as solar modules and lithium-ion batteries, are subject to change. Previously, the Biden Administration announced that the Department of Energy and the Department of Commerce ("Commerce") would closely monitor solar module import patterns to ensure the U.S. market does not become oversaturated and would explore all available measures to take action against unfair practices. Consequently, U.S. trade policies continue to be in flux, and trade policies implemented by the Trump Administration could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
On August 18, 2023, Commerce issued final affirmative determinations of circumvention with respect to certain CSPV cells and modules produced in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam using parts and components from China. As a result, certain CSPV cells and modules from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam are now subject to antidumping duty and countervailing duty ("AD/CVD") orders on CSPV cells and modules from China that have been in place since 2012. Subject to certain certification and utilization conditions, imports of CSPV cells and modules covered by the circumvention determinations that entered the United States during the two-year period prior to June 6, 2024 were not subject to AD/CVD cash deposit or duty requirements. Imports of CSPV cells and modules from the four Southeast Asian countries covered by the circumvention determination that entered the United States on or after June 6, 2024 are subject to AD/CVD cash deposit requirements of the China AD/CVD orders and, possibly, final AD/CVD duty liability. Cash deposit rates for CSPV modules covered by the China AD/CVD orders vary significantly depending on the producer and exporter of the modules and may amount to over 250% of the entered value of the imported merchandise.
In December 2024, in connection with the circumvention final determination, U.S. Customs and Border Protection ("CBP") instructed us to pay AD/CVD cash deposits totaling approximately $1 million, relating to a small number of our imports of CSPV modules from Malaysia and Thailand prior to June 6, 2024, representing 250% of the entered value of such imports. These CSPV modules are Nextracker's proprietary modules that sit on each tracker row to power batteries providing electricity to our controller. CBP based its instruction to make the cash deposit payment due to alleged deficiencies with respect to certifications regarding the imports. If CBP were to instruct us to make AD/CVD cash deposit payments relating to other past imports of our proprietary CSPV modules covered by the circumvention determinations, which are much larger in volume than the number of imports related to the $1 million cash deposits, we could be required to pay additional cash deposits, and these cash deposits could be material and may not be ultimately refunded to us.
AD/CVD cash deposits and duties collected on imports of CSPV cells and modules could adversely impact our business either by their applicability to our proprietary module providing back-up power as described above or by adversely impacting the projects. Such impacts may include the timing and economics of customer project delays or cancellations.
Imports of solar modules produced in China or incorporating cells or other materials produced in whole or in part in China may be detained at CBP under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (Public Law No. 117-78). To the extent that such detentions occur, solar modules may not reach project sites, which may result in significant delays in the development and entry into operation of solar energy projects.
The ultimate severity or duration of the expected solar panel supply chain disruption or its effects on our clients' solar project development and construction activities, and associated consequences on our business, is uncertain. More broadly, recent revisions to U.S. regulations governing AD/CVD proceedings may make it easier for domestic companies to obtain affirmative determinations in such proceedings, which could result in future successful petitions and administrative decisions that limit imports from Asia and other regions. Meanwhile, the Trump Administration has threatened increased tariffs on a variety of products and countries that could affect our business.
Existing tariffs and duties, the possibility of additional or increased tariffs or duties in the future, and the detention by CBP of solar modules all have created uncertainty in the solar industry. If the price of solar systems increases, the use of solar systems could become less economically feasible and could reduce our gross margins or reduce the demand for solar systems, which in turn may decrease demand for our products.
Additionally, existing or future tariffs and CBP detentions of solar modules may negatively affect key customers and suppliers, and other supply chain partners. Such outcomes could adversely affect the amount or timing of our revenues, results of operations or cash flows, and continuing uncertainty could cause sales volatility, price fluctuations or supply shortages or cause our customers to advance or delay their purchase of our products. It is difficult to predict what further trade-related actions governments may take, which may include additional or increased tariffs and trade restrictions, and we may be unable to quickly and effectively react to such actions. While we have taken actions with the intention of, among other things, mitigating the effect of steel tariffs on our business by reducing our reliance on China-origin steel, we may not be able to do so broadly or on attractive terms.
Any of the foregoing risks could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Capital Markets - Risk 2
Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates could increase our operating costs and impact our business.
The majority of our sales and cash are denominated in U.S. dollars, however we do have certain contracts with third parties that are denominated in, or otherwise affected by, other currencies. Therefore, fluctuations in exchange rates, particularly between the U.S. dollar and the Brazilian real, Mexican peso, Australian dollar, Chilean peso and euro, may result in foreign exchange gains or losses for us. As a result, we are exposed to fluctuations in these currencies impacting our operating results.
Currency exchange rates fluctuate daily as a result of a number of factors, including changes in a country's political and economic policies. The primary impact of currency exchange fluctuations is on cash, payables and expenses related to transactions in currencies denominated in other than the U.S. dollar. As part of our currency hedging strategy, we may use financial instruments such as forward exchange, swap contracts and options to hedge our foreign currency exposure in order to reduce the short-term impact of foreign currency rate fluctuations on our operating results. If our hedging activities are not successful or if we change or reduce these hedging activities in the future, we may experience unexpected fluctuations in our operating results as a result of changes in exchange rates.
Furthermore, volatility in foreign exchange rates affects our ability to plan our pricing strategy. To the extent that we are unable to pass along increased costs and other financial effects resulting from exchange rate fluctuations to our customers, our profitability may be adversely impacted. As a result, fluctuations in non-U.S. dollar currencies and the U.S. dollar could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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.