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SNDL (SNDL)
NASDAQ:SNDL
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Risk Overview Q4, 2020
Risk Distribution
31% Finance & Corporate
29% Legal & Regulatory
13% Production
12% Ability to Sell
9% Tech & Innovation
6% 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
SNDL Risk Factors
New Risk (0)
Risk Changed (0)
Risk Removed (0)
No changes from previous report
The chart shows the number of risks a company has disclosed. You can compare this to the sector average or S&P 500 average.
The quarters shown in the chart are according to the calendar year (January to December). Businesses set their own financial calendar, known as a fiscal year. For example, Walmart ends their financial year at the end of January to accommodate the holiday season.
The quarters shown in the chart are according to the calendar year (January to December). Businesses set their own financial calendar, known as a fiscal year. For example, Walmart ends their financial year at the end of January to accommodate the holiday season.
Risk Highlights Q4, 2020
Main Risk Category
Finance & Corporate
With 24 Risks
Finance & Corporate
With 24 Risks
Number of Disclosed Risks
78
+4
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 31
78
+4
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 31
Recent Changes
11Risks added
7Risks removed
7Risks changed
Since Dec 2020
11Risks added
7Risks removed
7Risks changed
Since Dec 2020
Number of Risk Changed
7
+7
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 3
7
+7
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 3
See the risk highlights of SNDL 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 78
Finance & Corporate
Total Risks: 24/78 (31%)Below Sector Average
Share Price & Shareholder Rights13 | 16.7%
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1
The price of our common shares in public markets has experienced and may in the future experience extreme volatility and you may lose some or all of your investment in our common shares as a result.Added
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2
The risk that you fail to resell our common shares at a price greater than you paid for them and lose some or all of your investment as a result will be further exacerbated if our shares experience a "short squeeze" and you purchase shares during a short squeeze.Added
Investors may purchase our common shares to hedge existing exposure in our common shares or to speculate on the price of our common shares. Speculation on the price of our common shares may involve long and short exposures. To the extent aggregate short exposure exceeds the number of our common shares available for purchase in the open market, investors with short exposure may have to pay a premium to repurchase our common shares for delivery to lenders of such common shares. Those repurchases may, in turn, dramatically increase the price of our common shares until investors with short exposure are able to purchase additional common shares to cover their short position. This phenomenon is often referred to as a "short squeeze". A short squeeze could lead to or exacerbate volatile price movements in our common shares that are not directly correlated to the performance or prospects of our Company. Once investors purchase the shares necessary to cover their short position, our share price will likely decline rapidly and substantially relative to its levels during the short squeeze, and may not return to levels at or above those during the short squeeze for a long time or at all. As a result, if you purchase our shares during a short squeeze, you will be at an increased risk of failing to sell our shares at a price greater than what you paid for them and losing some or all of your investment. While we currently have no reason to believe our shares would be the target of a short squeeze, there can be no assurance that we will not in the future be a target of a short squeeze, and you may lose a significant portion or all of your investment if you purchase our shares at a price that is significantly disconnected from the underlying value of our Company.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3
Any equity securities we issue will be subordinate to our future indebtedness, if any, and any common shares we issue will be subordinate to any preferred shares we issue.Added
Common shares are equity interests in our Company and do not constitute indebtedness. As such, our common shares will rank junior to our future indebtedness, if any, and other non-equity claims on our Company with respect to assets available to satisfy claims on our Company, including in a liquidation of our Company. Additionally, our board of directors is authorized to issue series of preferred shares without any action on the part of shareholders of our common shares. Holders of our common shares are subject to the prior dividend, liquidation preferences, terms of redemption, conversion rights and voting rights, if any, of any holders of our preferred shares or depositary shares representing such preferred shares then outstanding.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4
Any exercise of the New Warrants, the 2020 Series A Warrants, the New Investor Warrants or our other outstanding warrants, or the exchange of outstanding restricted share units and deferred share units, may result in significant dilution to our shareholders.Added
Our shareholders may experience significant dilution as a result of our issuance of common shares pursuant to the New Warrants, the 2020 Series A Warrants, the New Investor Warrants and our other outstanding warrants, restricted share units and deferred share units.
As of March 17, 2021, the New Warrants were exercisable into up to 98,333,334 common shares at an exercise price of US$1.50 per warrant; the 2020 Series A Warrants were exercisable into up to 500,000 common shares at an exercise price of US$0.75 and the New Investor Warrants were exercisable into up to 500,000 common shares at an exercise price of US$0.1766 per warrant, in each case subject to adjustment pursuant to the terms of the respective instrument. The New Warrants and the New Investor Warrants expire on the 42-month anniversary of the date on which the shares underlying such warrants become freely tradeable and the 2020 Series A Warrants expire on the fifth anniversary of issuance.
As of March 17, 2021, there were also 645,600 stock options and 4,803,800 warrants for the purchase of our common shares outstanding, of which 159,017 stock options and 3,091,267 warrants were vested and exercisable into an aggregate number of 3,250,284 common shares, at weighted average exercise prices of $2.14 and $2.25, respectively. In addition, 13,519,016 restricted share units and 4,573,263 deferred share units were outstanding and exchangeable for an equal number of common shares.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5
The New Warrants, the 2020 Series A Warrants and the New Investor Warrants have certain terms which may impede a takeover or similar transaction, which, under certain circumstances, could reduce the market price of our common shares.Added
The New Warrants, the New Investor Warrants, the 2020 Series A Warrants and the 2021 Series A Warrants prohibit us from engaging in Fundamental Transactions (as defined in such instruments), including specified transactions related to Change of Control (as defined in such instruments), unless the successor entity assumes all of our obligations under such instruments under a written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to, and approved by, the holder thereof. These restrictions could impede a merger, amalgamation, takeover or other business combination involving us or discourage a potential acquiror from making a tender offer for our common shares, which, under certain circumstances, could reduce the market price of our common shares.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 6
If we fail to meet applicable listing requirements, Nasdaq may delist our common shares from trading, in which case the liquidity and market price of our common shares could decline.Changed
Our common shares are listed on the Nasdaq. In order to maintain that listing, we must satisfy minimum financial and other requirements including, without limitation, a requirement that our closing bid price be at least US$1.00 per share. On May 12, 2020, we were notified by the Listing Qualifications Department of the Nasdaq that the closing bid price of our common shares for the last 30 consecutive business days from March 30, 2020 to May 11, 2020 did not meet the minimum bid price of US$1.00 per share as set forth in the minimum bid requirement. At that time, we had until December 28, 2020 to regain compliance with the minimum bid requirement. Effective December 21, 2020, we transferred our listing from the Nasdaq Global Select Market to the Nasdaq Capital Market, so as to take advantage of an additional period of 180 days during which to achieve compliance. Nasdaq granted us the foregoing extension on December 29, 2020. The extension allowed us to regain compliance with the Nasdaq minimum bid requirement if for a minimum of 10 consecutive business days before June 28, 2021 the bid price for our common shares closes at or above US$1.00 per share. On February 16, 2021, Nasdaq notified us that the Company regained compliance with the minimum bid requirement because the bid price for our common shares closed at or above US$1.00 per share for the 10 consecutive business days between February 1, 2021, and February 12, 2021.
If we fail to maintain compliance with the minimum bid price rule or fail to maintain compliance with any other applicable Nasdaq continued listing requirements, Nasdaq may determine to delist our common stock, at which time our common stock would be quoted on the over-the-counter markets. If we fail to comply with the applicable listing standards and Nasdaq delists our common shares, we and our shareholders could face significant material adverse consequences, including:
- a limited availability of market quotations for our common shares;- reduced liquidity for our common shares;- a determination that our common shares are "penny stock", which would require brokers trading in our common shares to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our common shares;- a limited amount of news about us and analyst coverage of us;- defaults or breaches of covenants in our financing agreements; and - a decreased ability for us to issue additional equity securities or obtain additional equity or debt financing in the future.
We cannot assure you that we will be able to maintain compliance with the continued listing standards of Nasdaq in the future.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 7
Holders of our common shares may be subject to dilution resulting from future offerings of securities, the conversion or exercise, as applicable, of our outstanding warrants and the issuance of equity-based compensation by us.Changed
We may raise additional funds in the future pursuant to a registration statement or otherwise, by issuing common shares, or securities exercisable or convertible into common shares, including preferred shares, warrants, rights or units comprising two or more of the foregoing securities. Holders of our common shares do not have preemptive rights in connection with such further issuances. Our board of directors has the discretion to determine if an issuance of securities is warranted, the price at which such issuance is effected and the other terms of any such future issuance. In addition, additional common shares may be issued by us in connection with the exercise of options and exchange of restricted share units ("RSUs") and deferred share units ("DSUs") granted by us or as part of an employee compensation plan or agreement. Such additional equity issuances have in the past, and could in the future, depending on the price at which such securities are issued, substantially dilute the interests of the holders of our common shares.
Additionally, as of March 3, 2021, there were 645,600 stock options and 4,803,800 warrants for the purchase of our common shares outstanding, of which 159,017 stock options and 3,091,267 warrants were vested and exercisable into an aggregate number of 3,250,284 common shares, at weighted average exercise prices of $2.14 and $2.25, respectively. In addition, 13,519,016 RSUs and 4,573,263 DSUs were outstanding and exchangeable for an equal number of common shares. Furthermore, as of March 3, 2021, (i) the outstanding warrants issued pursuant to a securities purchase agreement, dated June 5, 2020 (the "Securities Purchase Agreement") (the "New Investor Warrants") were exercisable into 500,000 common shares at an exercise price of US$0.1766; (ii) the Series A warrants issued in connection with a unit offering on August 18, 2020 (the "2020 Series A Warrants") were exercisable into 500,000 common shares at an exercise price of US$0.1766; and (iii) the warrants issued pursuant to the warrant exercise agreement dated February 19, 2021 (the "New Warrants") were exercisable into 98,333,334 common shares at an exercise price of US$1.50 per warrant. The conversion and exercise prices, as applicable, of the New Investor Warrants, the 2020 Series A Warrants and the New Warrants are subject to customary anti-dilution protections and certain other adjustments contained in such instruments.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 8
We may sell a substantial number of our common shares in the public market at any time. Such sales or the perception that they may occur could cause the market price of our common shares to drop significantly, even if our business is doing well.Changed
We may sell a substantial number of our common shares, or securities convertible or exercisable into our common shares, in the public market at any time, without consent of existing shareholders. Such sales, or the perception in the market that they may occur, could reduce the market price of our common shares rapidly and substantially. Accordingly, you may become unable to resell our shares at a price greater than you paid for them for a long time or at all, and may lose some or all of your investment. The foregoing could also impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 9
We are an emerging growth company and intend to take advantage of reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies, which could make our common shares less attractive to investors.We are an "emerging growth company" as defined in the JOBS Act. We will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest to occur of (i) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenue of US$1.07 billion or more; (ii) December 31, 2024 (the last day of the fiscal year ending after the fifth anniversary of the date of the completion of the our IPO); (iii) the date on which we have issued more than US$1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period or (iv) the last day of the fiscal year during which we are deemed to be a "large accelerated filer" under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").
For so long as we remain an emerging growth company, we are permitted to and intend to rely upon exemptions from certain disclosure requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies. These exemptions include:
- not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of SOX 404;- not being required to comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor's report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements (auditor discussion and analysis);- being permitted to present only two years of audited financial statements in contrast to other reporting companies that must provide audited financial statements for three fiscal years;- reduced disclosure about executive compensation arrangements; and - exemptions from the requirements to obtain a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute arrangements not previously approved.
We may take advantage of some, but not all, of the available exemptions described above. We have taken advantage of reduced reporting burdens in this Annual Report. We cannot predict whether investors will find our common shares less attractive if we rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common shares less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common shares and our share price may be more volatile.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 10
Ownership of our common shares may be considered unlawful in some jurisdictions and holders of our common shares may consequently be subject to liability in such jurisdictions.Cannabis-related financial transactions, including investment in the securities of cannabis companies and receipt of any associated benefits, such as dividends, are currently subject to anti-money laundering and a variety of other laws that vary by jurisdiction, many of which are unsettled and still developing. While the interpretation of these laws are unclear, in some jurisdictions, such as the United Kingdom, financial benefit directly or indirectly arising from conduct that would be considered unlawful in such jurisdiction may be viewed to be within the purview of these laws, and persons receiving any such benefit, including investors in an applicable jurisdiction, may be subject to liability under such laws. Each prospective investor should therefore contact his, her or its own legal advisor regarding the ownership of our common shares and any related potential liability.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 11
If securities or industry analysts do not publish research, or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research, about our business, our share price and trading volume could decline.The trading market for our common shares will depend, in part, on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. We do not have any control over these analysts. Securities and industry analysts do not currently, and may never, publish research on our company. If no securities or industry analysts commence coverage of our company, the trading price for our shares would likely be negatively impacted. In the event securities or industry analysts initiate coverage, if one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade our shares or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our share price would likely decline. In addition, if our operating results fail to meet the forecast of analysts, our share price would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of our company or fail to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our shares could decrease, which might cause our share price and trading volume to decline.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 12
Our articles permit us to issue an unlimited number of common shares without additional shareholder approval.Our articles permit the issuance of an unlimited number of common shares, and shareholders will have no pre-emptive rights in connection with such further issuance. Additional issuances of our securities may involve the issuance of a significant number of common shares at prices less than the current market price for the common shares. Issuances of substantial numbers of common shares, or the perception that such issuances could occur, may adversely affect prevailing market prices of our common shares. Any transaction involving the issuance of previously authorized but unissued common shares, or securities convertible into common shares, would result in dilution, possibly substantial, to security holders.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 13
Our by-laws provide that any derivative actions, actions relating to breach of fiduciary duties and other matters relating to our internal affairs will be required to be litigated in Canada, which could limit investors' ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us.We have adopted a forum selection by-law that provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench of the Province of Alberta, Canada and appellate Courts therefrom (or, failing such Court, any other "court" as defined in the ABCA, having jurisdiction, and the appellate Courts therefrom), will be the sole and exclusive forum for (1) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf; (2) any action or proceeding asserting a breach of fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers or other employees to us; (3) any action or proceeding asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the ABCA or our restated articles or by-laws; or (4) any action or proceeding asserting a claim otherwise related to our "affairs" (as defined in the ABCA), provided that the by-law does not apply to any action brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or the Securities Act, including the respective rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, or any other claim under U.S. securities law for which the United States federal or state courts have exclusive jurisdiction. Our forum selection by-law also provides that our securityholders are deemed to have consented to personal jurisdiction in the Province of Alberta and to service of process on their counsel in any foreign action initiated in violation of our by-law. Therefore, it may not be possible for securityholders to litigate any action relating to the foregoing matters outside of the Province of Alberta.
Our forum selection by-law seeks to reduce litigation costs and increase outcome predictability by requiring derivative actions and other matters relating to our affairs to be litigated in a single forum. While forum selection clauses in corporate charters and by-laws are becoming more commonplace for public companies in the United States and have been upheld by courts in certain states, they are untested in Canada. It is possible that the validity of our forum selection by-law could be challenged and that a court could rule that such by-law is inapplicable or unenforceable. If a court were to find our forum selection by-law inapplicable to, or unenforceable in respect of, one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions and we may not obtain the benefits of limiting jurisdiction to the courts selected.
Accounting & Financial Operations5 | 6.4%
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1
It is not anticipated that any dividends will be paid to holders of our common shares for the foreseeable future.Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 2
We are a foreign private issuer and intend to take advantage of less frequent and detailed reporting obligations.We are a "foreign private issuer", as such term is defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, and are not subject to the same requirements that are imposed upon U.S. domestic issuers by the SEC. Under the U.S. Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), we will be subject to reporting obligations that, in certain respects, are less detailed and less frequent than those of U.S. domestic reporting companies. As a result, we will not file the same reports that a U.S. domestic issuer would file with the SEC, although we will be required to file or furnish to the SEC the continuous disclosure documents that we are required to file in Canada under Canadian securities laws. In addition, our officers, directors, and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and "short swing" profit recovery provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act. Therefore, our shareholders may not know on as timely a basis when our officers, directors and principal shareholders purchase or sell shares, as the reporting deadlines under the corresponding Canadian insider reporting requirements are longer.
As a foreign private issuer, we will be exempt from the rules and regulations under the Exchange Act related to the furnishing and content of proxy statements. We will also be exempt from Regulation FD, which prohibits issuers from making selective disclosures of material non-public information. While we will comply with the corresponding requirements relating to proxy statements and disclosure of material non-public information under Canadian securities laws, these requirements differ from those under the Exchange Act and Regulation FD and shareholders should not expect to receive the same information at the same time as such information is provided by U.S. domestic companies. In addition, we will have more time than U.S. domestic companies after the end of each fiscal year to file our annual report with the SEC and will not be required under the Exchange Act to file quarterly reports with the SEC.
In addition, as a foreign private issuer, we have the option to follow certain Canadian corporate governance practices, except to the extent that such laws would be contrary to U.S. securities laws, and provided that we disclose the requirements we are not following and describe the Canadian practices we follow instead. We may in the future elect to follow home country practices in Canada with regard to certain corporate governance matters. As a result, our shareholders may not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of U.S. domestic companies that are subject to all corporate governance requirements.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 3
We have had material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting and our management may not be able to successfully implement adequate internal control over financial reporting or disclosure controls and procedures.Changed
Proper systems of internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures are critical to the operation of a public company. However, we do not expect that our internal control over financial reporting or disclosure controls and procedures will prevent all errors and remove all risk of fraud. A control system, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the control system's objectives will be met. Furthermore, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of such controls must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, have been detected.
In connection with the audit of our consolidated financial statements for the fiscal periods ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, our management and independent auditors concluded that there was a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting as at December 31, 2020. A material weakness is a significant deficiency, or a combination of significant deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that it is reasonably possible that a material misstatement of the annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. The material weakness identified was a lack of segregation of duties related to the review and approval of journal entries. This material weakness was previously identified in the year ended December 31, 2019. During the year ended December 31, 2020, certain procedures were implemented to address the prior year material weakness through the addition of compensating controls; however, it was not fully remediated at December 31, 2020, and therefore remained as a material weakness as at December 31, 2020. The Company expects the remediation of this material weakness to be complete by December 31, 2021. Remediation may take longer than we expect, the costs to be incurred in connection with remediation may be higher than we expect, and our efforts may not prove to be successful in remediating this material weakness.
If we fail to establish and maintain adequate internal controls, including by remediating the aforementioned material weaknesses, we could suffer material misstatements in our financial statements and fail to meet our reporting obligations, which would likely cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information. As a result, we may be subject to costly litigation and shareholder actions, our access to the capital markets may be limited or adversely affected, our results of operations may be adversely affected and the trading price of our common shares may decline. Additionally, ineffective internal controls could expose us to an increased risk of fraud or misuse of corporate assets and subject us to potential delisting from the stock exchanges on which we list or to other regulatory investigations and civil or criminal sanctions. Furthermore, we may be the subject of negative publicity focusing on the restatement of our previously issued financial results and related matters, and may be adversely impacted by negative reactions from our shareholders, creditors, or others with whom we do business. This negative publicity may impact our ability to attract and retain customers, employees and suppliers.
Pursuant to Section 404 ("SOX 404") of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 ("SOX"), we are required, beginning with the this annual report, to furnish a report by our management on our internal control over financial reporting, which, after we are no longer an emerging growth company, must be accompanied by an attestation report on such internal controls issued by our independent auditors. In this regard, we need to continue to dedicate internal resources, potentially engage outside consultants and adopt a detailed work plan to assess and document the adequacy of our internal control over financial reporting, continue steps to improve control processes as appropriate, validate through testing that controls are functioning as documented and implement a continuous reporting and improvement process for internal control over financial reporting. Despite our efforts, there is a risk that in the future neither we nor our independent auditors will be able to conclude within the prescribed timeframe that our internal control over financial reporting is effective as required by SOX 404.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 4
We have a limited operating history and a history of net losses, and we may not achieve or maintain profitability in the future.We were incorporated in 2006, began cultivating cannabis in 2012, and started selling cannabis in 2018 after the federal legalization of adult-use cannabis in Canada. We have yet to generate an annual profit. We generated a net loss of $206.3 million and $142.7 million, for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and had negative operating cash flows for each of these periods. Our accumulated deficit as of December 31, 2020 was $564.6 million. Although we have announced business optimization initiatives and temporarily suspended construction of certain facilities, we will continue to expend significant funds to maintain our growing and production capacity, fund certain planned capital investments, invest in research and development, expand our marketing and sales operations and meet the increased compliance requirements associated with our operation as a public company. We expect the aggregate amount of our operating expenses will continue to increase, and we may not achieve or maintain profitability.
We are an early-stage company, and our efforts to grow our business may be more costly than we expect and we may not generate enough revenue to offset our operating expenses. We have incurred, and may in the future incur, significant losses for a number of reasons, including as a result of unforeseen expenses, difficulties, complications and delays in obtaining governmental licences and the other factors and risks described in this Annual Report. The amount of any future losses will depend, in part, on our ability to generate revenue on the one hand and any increases in our expenses on the other hand. If we continue to incur losses in the future, the net losses and negative cash flows incurred to date, together with any such future losses, will have an adverse effect on our shareholders' equity and working capital. Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with our business and industry, we are unable to accurately predict when, or if, we will be able to achieve profitability. Even if we achieve profitability at some point in the future, we may not be able to sustain profitability in subsequent periods. If we are unable to achieve and sustain profitability, the market price of our common shares may significantly decrease and our ability to raise capital, expand our business or continue our operations may be impaired. A decline in the value of our common shares may also cause you to lose all or part of your investment.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 5
The valuation of our biological assets is subject to certain assumptions and estimates.Pursuant to IFRS, we measure the value of our biological assets (consisting of plants in various stages of vegetation) at fair value less costs to sell up to the point of harvest. As market prices are generally not available for biological assets while they are growing, we are required to make assumptions and estimates relating to, among other things, expected harvest yields, selling prices and costs to sell. The assumptions and estimates used to determine the fair value of biological assets, and any changes to such prior estimates, directly affect our reported results of operations. If actual yields, prices, costs, market conditions or other results differ from our estimates and assumptions, there could be material adjustments to our results of operations. In addition, the use of these future estimated metrics differs from US GAAP. As a result, our financial statements and reported earnings are not directly comparable to those of similar companies in the United States.
Debt & Financing2 | 2.6%
Debt & Financing - Risk 1
We may make investments into equity or debt securities of other companies, or provide credit to other companies, and we may not obtain the anticipated level of return on such investments, or any return at all.Added
Debt & Financing - Risk 2
We may be subject to credit risk.Credit risk is the risk that the counterparty to a financial instrument fails to meet its contractual obligations, resulting in a financial loss to us. We have credit risk exposure based on the balance of our cash, accounts receivable, subscriptions receivable, and taxes recoverable. There are no assurances that our counterparties or customers will meet their contractual obligations to us.
Corporate Activity and Growth4 | 5.1%
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1
We have implemented business optimization initiatives, which may distract from our operation of the business and may not the be successful.Changed
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 2
We may not realize all or any of the anticipated benefits of our investment in Zenabis.Added
On December 30, 2020, we completed an investment into Zenabis Investments Ltd., ("Zenabis") a subsidiary of Zenabis Global Inc. (the "Parent"), whereby we acquired $58.9 million in aggregate principal amount of senior secured debt of Zenabis (the "Senior Loan"). The Senior Loan bears interest at a rate of 14% per annum and has a maturity date of March 31, 2025, with principal repayments due under certain circumstances over time, including $7.0 million that was payable on December 31, 2020. Following this payment, as of December 31, 2020, $51.9 million is outstanding under the Senior Loan.
The Senior Loan is subject to liquidity, market value, credit, interest rate, reinvestment and certain other risks, which is increased because the Senior Loan is a below investment grade asset. As a non-investment grade loan, the Senior Loan is considered speculative in nature and may become a defaulted obligation for a variety of reasons. On December 31, 2020, pursuant to the terms of the Senior Loan, we delivered a notice of default to Zenabis with respect to certain defaults not related to principal non-payment, which Zenabis is disputing. Should the Senior Loan become a defaulted obligation as a result of the foregoing notice of default or otherwise in the future, it may become subject to either substantial workout negotiations or restructuring, which may entail, among other things, a substantial reduction in the interest rate, a substantial write-down of principal, and a substantial change in the terms, conditions and covenants of the Senior Loan. Such negotiations or restructuring may be quite extensive and protracted over time, which may detract the attention of our management from other matters and result in substantial uncertainty with respect to the ultimate recovery on the Senior Loan. In the event of default, the liquidity for the Senior Loan may be limited, and to the extent that it is sold, it is highly unlikely that the proceeds from such sale will be equal to the amount of unpaid principal and interest thereon.
The fact that the Senior Loan is secured does not guarantee that we will receive principal and interest payments according to its terms, or that we will be able to collect on the Senior Loan should we be forced to enforce our remedies. There is also a risk that the assets securing the Senior Loan may decrease in value over time, carry liabilities for which we may be responsible should we take possession of collateral, be difficult to appraise or liquidate and may fluctuate in value based upon the success of Zenabis' business and market conditions, including as a result of the inability of Zenabis to raise additional capital or otherwise as a result of deterioration of its financial condition and prospects.
Furthermore, pursuant to the terms of the Senior Loan, Zenabis will, on a quarterly basis for 32 quarters, also pay us a royalty (the "Royalty") based on quarterly sales revenue from its medical, recreational and wholesale cannabis lines, net of value added or sales taxes ("Net Cannabis Revenue"), at a rate that will vary from 3.5% to 2.0% based on the volume of such Net Cannabis Revenue in the quarter. The payment of the Royalty is subject to certain Net Cannabis Revenue targets and the maintenance by Zenabis of certain debt service ratios. If the Royalty is not payable in a given fiscal quarter because of failure to meet such targets, the term of the Royalty is extended for another quarter.
As a result, part of the value of our investment is dependent on Zenabis' ability to effectively maintain and grow sales of the products subject to the Royalty. Zenabis' ability to do so is subject to the risks applicable to its business and there can be no assurance that it will achieve the revenue targets required to trigger Royalty payments in the near-term or at all. Should Zenabis be unable to maintain or grow sales of its products, we may not be able to realize all or any anticipated revenues from the Royalty. In addition, Zenabis has filed a petition with the Supreme Court of British Columbia for a determination of the amount required to repay and terminate the Royalty.
Any of the foregoing could cause us not to realize all or any of the anticipated benefits of our investment in Zenabis and may result in our taking an impairment charge related to such investment, which may materially adversely affect our financial position, results of operations and prospects.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 3
We may seek to enter into extraction agreements, co-packing agreements, joint ventures, licensing arrangements or other relationships, or expand the scope of currently existing relationships, with third parties that we believe will have a beneficial impact on us, and there are risks that such strategic alliances or expansions of our currently existing relationships may not enhance our business in the desired manner.We currently have, and may expand the scope of, and may in the future enter into, extraction agreements, co-packing agreements, joint ventures, licensing arrangements or other relationships with third parties that we believe will complement or augment our existing business and create additional revenue streams, including leasing any unused or excess facility space to other licensed producers. Our ability to complete additional arrangements is dependent upon, and may be limited by, among other things, the availability of suitable candidates and capital. In addition, such third-party arrangements could present unforeseen integration obstacles or costs, may not enhance our business and may involve risks that could adversely affect us, including the investment of significant amounts of management time that may be diverted from operations in order to pursue and complete such transactions or maintain such relationships. Future third-party arrangements could result in the incurrence of debt, costs and contingent liabilities, cross-contamination, damage to our products or facilities and harm to our brand, and there can be no assurance that future such arrangements will achieve, or that our existing arrangements will continue to achieve, the expected benefits to our business or that we will be able to consummate future arrangements on satisfactory terms, or at all.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 4
We may not be able to successfully identify and execute future acquisitions or dispositions or to successfully manage the impacts of such transactions on our operations.We may seek strategic acquisitions in the future. Our ability to identify, consummate and integrate effectively any future potential acquisitions on terms that are favorable to us may be limited by the number of attractive acquisition targets, internal demands on our resources and, to the extent necessary, our ability to obtain financing on satisfactory terms, if at all. Any such activities may require, among other things, various regulatory approvals, licences and permits and there is no guarantee that all required approvals, licences and permits will be obtained in a timely fashion or at all. Acquisitions may expose us to additional risks including: difficulties in integrating administrative, financial reporting, operational and information systems; difficulties in managing newly acquired operations and improving their operating efficiency; difficulties in maintaining uniform standards, controls, procedures and policies through all our operations; difficulties entering into markets in which we have little or no direct experience; difficulties in retaining key employees of the acquired operations; and disruptions to our ongoing business. In addition, future acquisitions could result in the incurrence of additional debt, costs, and contingent liabilities. In the past, we have incurred substantial goodwill impairments related to prior acquisitions. We may also incur costs for and divert management attention to potential acquisitions that are never consummated. For acquisitions that are consummated, expected synergies may not materialize.
Legal & Regulatory
Total Risks: 23/78 (29%)Above Sector Average
Regulation15 | 19.2%
Regulation - Risk 1
The legal cannabis market is a relatively new industry (including the recent introduction of additional Canadian cannabis regulations, or Cannabis 2.0). As a result, the size of our target market is difficult to quantify, and investors will be reliant on their own estimates on the accuracy of market data.Regulation - Risk 2
We are constrained by law in our ability to market our products in Canada.The development of our business and operating results may be hindered by applicable restrictions on production, sales and marketing activities imposed on us and other licensed producers under the Cannabis Act by Health Canada. All products we distribute into the Canadian adult-use market are subject to restrictions with respect to product formats, product packaging and labelling. In addition, the Cannabis Act regulates our marketing activities, including prohibitions on testimonials and endorsements, lifestyle branding, and promotion that is appealing to young persons. Each Canadian province and territory has also enacted regulatory regimes for the distribution and sale of cannabis for adult-use purposes within its jurisdiction. As such, our portfolio of brands and products must be specifically tailored, and our marketing activities carefully structured, to comply with individual provincial and territorial rules and regulations. These restrictions may preclude us from establishing our branding, achieving pricing differentiation, effectively marketing our cannabis products or competing for market share, and may impose costs on us that cannot be absorbed through increased selling prices for our cannabis products.
Regulation - Risk 3
Legalization of cannabis in Canada may have an adverse impact on our ability to develop and grow a medical cannabis business in Canada.Adult-use cannabis was legalized in October 2018 and the full effect of that on the Canadian medical cannabis market remains unknown. If medical-use consumers decide to purchase products available in the adult-use market instead of continuing to purchase them under the medical use regime, our ability to develop and grow a medical cannabis business in Canada may be negatively affected.
Regulation - Risk 4
The vape market is a new market that is still evolving and is subject to significant uncertainty, including as a result of recent negative press and regulatory scrutiny of vape products in the United States.In connection with Cannabis 2.0, we have begun selling vape products in Canada. In Canada, vape products are regulated under the Cannabis Act and associated regulations, and such regulations were drafted prior to the recent reports of vaping-related deaths and illnesses in the United States. As a result, Health Canada or the individual provinces may amend or further review the rules governing vape products and restrict or prohibit sales of such products. For example, the AGLC delayed the legalization of vaping products in Alberta and, currently, vaping products are illegal in Quebec and Newfoundland. There can be no assurance that we will be able to meet any additional compliance requirements or regulatory restrictions or remain competitive in the face of unexpected changes in market conditions.
There is a limited history and volume of research on the health effects of vaping, electronic cigarettes and other similar products. If the medical community were to determine that vaping or use of any of related products caused or posed a risk of long-term health risks, market demand for these products and their use could materially decline. Such a determination could expose us to litigation and result in increased regulation. Furthermore, vaping products sold on the illicit market that contain harmful chemicals or other ingredients may adversely impact the demand for such products in the legal market and create the perception that such products were dangerous. In addition, regulators may prohibit the sale of vaping products all together or severely restrict their use. A decline in the market demand for our vaping products, product liability claims, and increased regulation could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Regulation - Risk 5
Cannabis for adult use only recently became legal in Canada. As a result, the industry and the regulations governing the industry are rapidly developing, and if they develop in ways that differ from our expectations, our business and results of operations may be adversely impacted.Bill C-45, An Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts (the "Cannabis Act"), federally legalized adult-use (non-medical) cannabis in Canada effective as of October 17, 2018. Under the Cannabis Act, each province and territory of Canada has the ability to separately regulate the distribution and sale of cannabis within such province or territory, and the laws (including associated regulations) adopted by each province and territory may vary significantly. Each Canadian province and territory has enacted and implemented regulatory regimes for the distribution and sale of cannabis for adult use; however, there is no guarantee that provincial and territorial legislation regulating the distribution and sale of cannabis for adult use, or the application and enforcement of such legislation, will not change in the future. Any such change could result in significant additional compliance or other costs and may make participation in such markets uneconomical. Since cannabis was only recently legalized in Canada, there may be inconsistencies in the interpretation and enforcement of the Cannabis Act and the Cannabis Regulations (SOR/2018-144) (the "Cannabis Regulations"), and associated provincial and territorial rules and regulations. In addition, Health Canada has experienced delays in approving applications for new licences, capacity expansions and employee security checks, including with respect to the expansion of our Olds Facility and the approval of certain members of our management to perform functions requiring regulatory approval. Additional inconsistencies, changes or delays could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
In particular, our business model is dependent on additional licensed dispensaries opening in the provinces in which we operate, most importantly Ontario. To the extent there continue to be delays in licensing and opening of legal dispensaries in Ontario and the other provinces, or the legal cannabis market fails to develop as planned, our ability to achieve our near term or long term business objectives would be materially adversely affected.
In addition, regulations are continuing to be developed for different aspects of the adult-use cannabis industry in Canada. For example, on June 26, 2019, Health Canada published amendments to the Cannabis Regulations to expand the permitted formats for products that contain or are derived from cannabis to include edible cannabis, cannabis extracts and cannabis topicals. These regulations came into force on October 17, 2019 and sales of edible cannabis, cannabis extracts and cannabis topicals commenced in December 2019. While we intend to continue to offer edible cannabis products in accordance with the final rules and regulations, the regulations and market for such products and adult-use cannabis generally may not develop or may not develop as we expect or on the timeline that we expect, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
The federal and provincial or territorial legislation and regulatory regimes for cannabis products also include excise duties payable by licensed cannabis producers on adult-use cannabis products, in addition to goods and services tax or harmonized sales tax in certain provinces and territories. The rate of the excise duties for cannabis products varies by province and territory. Any significant increase in the rate of excise duties on cannabis products in the future could reduce consumer demands for cannabis products and adversely impact the adult-use cannabis industry and market in general. In addition, any increase in the rate of excise duties on cannabis products in the future could reduce our margins and profitability in the event that we could not or chose not to pass along such increases to consumers.
Regulation - Risk 6
We are dependent upon regulatory approvals and licences for our ability to grow, process, package, store and sell cannabis and other products derived therefrom, and these regulatory approvals are subject to ongoing compliance requirements, reporting obligations and fixed terms requiring renewal.Our Canadian business operations are dependent on licences issued by Health Canada. Our licence for our Olds Facility expires on September 14, 2021, and our licence for our facility located in Rocky View, Alberta (the "Rocky View Facility"), expires on June 11, 2023. Each of these licences was issued for a period of three years. A holder of a cannabis licence under the Cannabis Act and Cannabis Regulations must apply to renew its licence on or before the licence expiry date. Following receipt of the renewal application, Health Canada will (i) confirm the security clearance status of all relevant individuals; (ii) confirm the status of fees paid (if applicable) and (iii) confirm the status of licences issued by the Canada Revenue Agency under the Excise Act, 2001 (if applicable). Health Canada may also conduct an inspection to verify compliance or ask the licence holder to provide additional information. A renewed licence with a new expiry date will be issued once Health Canada confirms that all requirements have been met. Cannabis licence holders can apply to renew their licence up to four months before the licence expires. Failure to comply with the requirements of the licences or any failure to renew the licences would have a material adverse impact on us. There can be no guarantee that Health Canada will renew our licences, or that such renewals will occur in a timely fashion or on terms similar to our existing licences or otherwise acceptable to us. Any new facilities or the expansion of our business at existing facilities requires the approval of Health Canada, and there is no guarantee that Health Canada will grant such approvals. Our ability to expand our production capacity depends on our ability to obtain such approvals. Health Canada requires new applicants for cannabis licences under the Cannabis Act to have a fully built site that meets all the requirements of the Cannabis Regulations at the time of their application, as well as satisfying other application criteria. Further, according to Health Canada, it will not substantively review our licence applications until the facilities associated with such licence applications are fully constructed and meet all the requirements of the Cannabis Regulations. Any delay in renewing or granting a licence, revocation of an existing licence, refusal to grant a licence or change in the terms of licence could materially adversely impact our expected future operations.
Pursuant to the Cannabis Act, only industrial hemp or cannabis used for medical or scientific purposes may be imported into or exported from Canada. Any such import or export requires a permit. In the future, we may seek permits to import or export cannabis and cannabis products. If we do not receive the required permits or receive licences with limitations that we do not expect, our ability to import and export cannabis and cannabis products could be materially adversely affected.
If we expand outside of Canada, our ability to operate and sell in foreign jurisdictions will be dependent on our ability to obtain and comply with the necessary regulatory licences and requirements. Additional government licences may be required in the future in connection with our operations, in addition to other known and unknown permits and approvals which may be required, including with respect to our Canadian and other foreign operations. To the extent such permits and approvals are required and not obtained, we may be prevented from operating or expanding our business.
Regulation - Risk 7
Any failure on our part to comply with applicable regulations could prevent us from being able to carry on our business, and there may be additional costs associated with any such failure.Our business activities are heavily regulated in all jurisdictions where we do business. Our operations are subject to various laws, regulations and guidelines by governmental authorities, including Health Canada, relating to the cultivation, processing, manufacture, marketing, management, distribution, transportation, storage, sale, packaging, labelling, pricing and disposal of cannabis and cannabis products. In addition, we are subject to laws and regulations relating to employee health and safety, insurance coverage and the environment. Laws and regulations, applied generally, grant government agencies and self-regulatory bodies broad administrative discretion over our activities, including the power to limit or restrict business activities as well as impose additional disclosure requirements on our products and services.
Health Canada inspectors routinely assess our facilities for compliance with applicable regulatory requirements. In addition, we have, and in the future may, self-report violations of regulatory requirements to Health Canada and other regulators. Any failure by us to comply with the applicable regulatory requirements could:
- require extensive changes to our operations;- result in regulatory or agency proceedings or investigations;- result in the revocation of our licences and permits, increased compliance costs;- result in damage awards, civil or criminal fines or penalties;- result in restrictions on our operations;- result in Health Canada or other regulators destroying or placing a hold on our inventory;- harm our reputation; or - give rise to material liabilities.
Further, our employees or other agents may, without our knowledge and despite our efforts, policies and procedures, engage in prohibited conduct under applicable regulatory requirements for which we may be held responsible.
There can be no assurance that any future regulatory or agency proceedings, investigations or audits will not result in substantial costs, a diversion of management's attention and resources or other adverse consequences to our business.
Achievement of our business objectives is contingent, in part, upon compliance with regulatory requirements enacted by governmental authorities and obtaining all necessary regulatory approvals for the cultivation, processing, production, storage, distribution, transportation, sale, import and export, as applicable, of our products. Any failure to comply with the regulatory requirements applicable to our operations may lead to possible sanctions, including:
- the revocation or imposition of additional conditions on licences to operate our business;- the suspension or expulsion from a particular market or jurisdiction or of our key personnel;- the imposition of additional or more stringent inspection, testing and reporting requirements;- product recalls or seizures; and - the imposition of fines and censures.
In addition, changes in regulations, government or judicial interpretation of regulations, or more vigorous enforcement thereof or other unanticipated events could require extensive changes to our operations, increase compliance costs or give rise to material liabilities or a revocation of our licences and other permits. Furthermore, governmental authorities may change their administration, application or enforcement procedures at any time, which may adversely impact our ongoing regulatory compliance costs. There is no assurance that we will be able to comply or continue to comply with applicable regulations.
Regulation - Risk 8
Our business is subject to a variety of U.S. and foreign laws, many of which are unsettled and still developing and which could subject us to claims or otherwise harm our business.In the United States, despite cannabis having been legalized for medical use or adult use in a number of states, cannabis and cannabis products, other than hemp and certain hemp-derived products, such as CBD, continue to be categorized at the federal level as a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act ("CSA"), and subject to the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act, as amended ("CSIEA"). Although we believe that we are not currently subject to the CSA or CSIEA, because we have no business operations in the United States, and we do not distribute any products in the United States, we may do so in the future. In any event, we are or may become subject to various other U.S. federal laws and regulations, including as result of the listing of our common shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market ("Nasdaq"), and violations of any U.S. federal laws or regulations, including the CSA and CSIEA, whether intentionally or inadvertently, could result in significant fines, penalties, administrative sanctions, convictions or settlements arising from civil proceedings initiated by either the U.S. federal government or private citizens or criminal charges, including disgorgement of profits, cessation of business activities or divestitures. Further, the status of cannabis as a Schedule I controlled substance may cause us, and our business, to be negatively perceived by prospective U.S. investors or other parties, who may incorrectly believe that the CSA or CSIEA apply to us, or who may have reputational or other concerns about dealings with a cannabis grower even if it is not conducting business in, or distributing any products in, the United States. The risks outlined in this risk factor would be accentuated if we were to invest, whether directly or indirectly, in a U.S. cannabis business or otherwise expand our operations into the United States.
We are, or may become, subject to a variety of laws and regulations in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and elsewhere that prohibit money laundering, including the Proceeds of Crime and Terrorist Financing Act (Canada), the Money Laundering Control Act (United States), as amended, the UK Bribery Act 2010, the UK Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, Directive (EU) 2015/849 and the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by governmental authorities in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union or any other jurisdiction in which we have or are developing business operations or to which we export. Although we believe that none of our activities implicate any applicable money laundering statutes, in the event that any of our business activities, any dividends or distributions therefrom, or any profits or revenue accruing thereby are found to be proceeds of crime under one or more of the statutes described above or any other applicable legislation, any persons, including investors, found to be aiding and abetting us in such violations could be subject to criminal or civil liability. Any violations of these laws, or allegations of such violations, could disrupt our operations, significantly distract management and involve significant costs and expenses, including legal fees. We could also suffer severe penalties, including criminal and civil penalties, disgorgement and other remedial measures.
Our business is also subject to Canadian laws which generally prohibit companies and employees from engaging in bribery or other prohibited payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. In addition, we are, or will become, subject to the anti-bribery laws of any other countries in which we conduct or will conduct business, and as a company listed on a national securities exchange in the United States, we are subject to the Federal Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended. Our employees or other agents may, without our knowledge and despite our efforts, policies and procedures, engage in prohibited conduct under anti-bribery laws for which we may be held responsible. Our policies mandate compliance with these anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws; however, there can be no assurance that our internal controls and procedures will protect us from liability for the recklessness, fraudulent behavior, dishonesty or other inappropriate acts of our affiliates, employees, contractors or agents. If our employees or other agents are found to have engaged in such practices, we could suffer severe penalties and other consequences.
Regulation - Risk 9
We will be exposed to risks relating to the laws of various countries as a result of any international expansion.We may expand our operations to various countries, including the United States, United Kingdom and other European countries. As a result of these expansions, we may become exposed to various levels of political, economic, legal, regulatory and other risks and uncertainties associated with operating in or exporting to these jurisdictions. These risks and uncertainties include changes in the laws, regulations and policies governing the production, sale and use of cannabis and cannabis-based products, political instability, currency controls, fluctuations in currency exchange rates and rates of inflation, labor unrest, changes in taxation laws, regulations and policies, restrictions on foreign exchange and repatriation and changing political conditions and governmental regulations relating to foreign investment and the cannabis business more generally.
Changes, if any, in the laws, regulations and policies relating to the advertising, production, sale and use of cannabis and cannabis-based products or in the general economic policies in these jurisdictions, or shifts in political attitude related thereto, may adversely affect the operations or profitability of our international operations in these countries. Specifically, our operations may be affected in varying degrees by government regulations with respect to labelling, branding, marketing, health warnings, production, price controls, export and import controls, controls on currency remittance, increased income taxes, restrictions on foreign investment, land and water use restrictions and government policies rewarding contracts to local competitors or requiring domestic producers or vendors to purchase supplies from a particular jurisdiction. Failure to comply strictly with applicable laws, regulations and local practices could result in additional taxes, costs, civil or criminal fines or penalties or other expenses being levied on our international operations, as well as other potential adverse consequences such as the loss of necessary permits or governmental approvals or the inability to grow our business in these jurisdictions.
Regulation - Risk 10
The hemp and CBD product markets are new and heavily regulated with rules subject to rapidly changing laws and uncertainty, compliance with which may come with significant cost.The markets for the production of hemp and CBD products are competitive and evolving. Continued development of the hemp and CBD product markets within the broader cannabis industry will be dependent upon new legislative authorization of such products. Any number of events or occurrences could slow or halt progress altogether in these industries. While the progress of the hemp and CBD product markets is currently encouraging, growth of such markets is not assured. Numerous factors may impact or negatively affect the lawmaking process within the various jurisdictions where we have business interests. Any one of these factors could slow or halt the use of hemp or CBD products, which could negatively impact our business and possibly cause us to discontinue the related operations as a whole.
In Canada, the new Industrial Hemp Regulations, or IHR, under the Cannabis Act replaced the previous Industrial Hemp Regulations under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act on October 17, 2018. The regulatory scheme for industrial hemp largely remains the same; however, the IHR permits the sale of hemp to federally licensed cannabis processors under certain circumstances, and licensing requirements were softened in accordance with the perceived lower risk posed by industrial hemp. The IHR defines industrial hemp as a cannabis plant, or any part of that plant, in which the concentration of THC is 0.3% by weight or less in the flowering heads and leaves. In Canada, cannabis products containing CBD are subject to the Cannabis Act and the Cannabis Regulations. Not every activity involving industrial hemp falls within the scope of the IHR. For example, the extraction of CBD or another phytocannabinoid from the flowering heads, leaves and branches of the plant falls under the Cannabis Regulations and requires a cannabis processing licence.
In the EU, legislative approaches to the regulation of CBD products vary country by country, including local regulations with respect to THC content, and continue to evolve; however, EU-wide rules require products to contain no more than 0.2% THC. There is no assurance that any EU country will authorize or continue to authorize exports, imports, cultivation or production of hemp or CBD products. If any of these local laws or regulations prevent or discourage us from achieving our business goals, they may have an adverse effect upon our operations or restrict our ability to produce or sell products in the future.
In the United States, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, or the Farm Bill, removed hemp-derived CBD containing less than 0.3% THC from the list of scheduled narcotics in December 2018 if certain conditions relating to its production are satisfied; however, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the "FDA"), and the United States Department of Agriculture have asserted their authority to regulate hemp-derived products in the United States. In addition, many states regulate hemp and hemp-derived products, including CBD. In particular, the FDA has declared that it is illegal under the U.S. Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to market or sell CBD products as dietary supplements or to market or sell food to which CBD has been added, absent the issuance of an authorizing regulation by the FDA. Until regulations surrounding hemp and hemp-derived products are clarified in the United States, there will be substantial uncertainty around hemp and hemp-derived CBD, and the viability of the market for any such products.
The shifting compliance environment with respect to the hemp and CBD products and the need to build and maintain robust systems to comply with different regulations in multiple jurisdictions increases the possibility that we may violate one or more of the requirements. If our operations are found to be in violation of any of such laws or any other governmental regulations that apply to us, we may be subject to penalties, including, without limitation, civil and criminal penalties, damages, fines or the curtailment or restructuring of our operations.
Regulation - Risk 11
We are subject to the risk of possibly becoming an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940.Added
To the extent we continue to make investments in the equity or debt securities of other companies, we run the risk of inadvertently becoming an "investment company" under Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act"), which may require us to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. Registered investment companies are subject to extensive, restrictive and potentially adverse regulations relating to, among other things, operating methods, management, capital structure, dividends and transactions with affiliates. Registered investment companies are not permitted to operate their business in the manner in which we operate our business, nor are registered investment companies permitted to have many of the relationships that we have with our affiliated companies.
To avoid becoming and registering as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we operate as an ongoing enterprise, along with an asset base from which to pursue investments. Because we monitor the value of our investments and structure transactions accordingly, we may structure transactions in a less advantageous manner than if we did not have Investment Company Act concerns, or we may avoid otherwise economically desirable transactions due to those concerns. In addition, adverse developments with respect to our ownership of certain of current or future investments, including significant appreciation or depreciation in the market value of certain publicly traded holdings, could result in our inadvertently becoming an investment company. If it were established that we were an investment company, there would be a risk, among other material adverse consequences, that we could become subject to monetary penalties or injunctive relief, or both, in an action brought by the SEC, that we would be unable to enforce contracts with third parties or that third parties could seek to obtain rescission of transactions with us undertaken during the period it was established that we were an unregistered investment company.
Regulation - Risk 12
The Canadian excise duty framework may affect profitability.Added
Canada's excise duty framework imposes an excise duty and various regulatory-like restrictions on certain cannabis products sold in Canada. We currently hold licenses issued by the Canada Revenue Agency ("CRA") required to comply with this excise framework. Any change in the rates or application of excise duty to cannabis products sold by us, and any restrictive interpretations by the CRA or the courts of the regulatory-like restrictions contained in the Excise Act, 2001 (Canada) (which may be different than those contained in the Cannabis Act) may affect our profitability and ability to compete in the market.
Regulation - Risk 13
We are incorporated in the Province of Alberta and enforcement of actions may be difficult.We are incorporated under the laws of the Province of Alberta and our head office is located in the Province of Alberta. All of our directors and officers and some of the experts named in this Annual Report are residents of Canada or otherwise reside outside of the United States, and a substantial portion of their assets and our assets are located outside the United States. Consequently, it may be difficult for investors in the United States to bring an action against such directors, officers or experts or to enforce against those persons or us a judgment obtained in a United States court predicated upon the civil liability provisions of U.S. federal securities laws or other laws of the United States.
Regulation - Risk 14
Our by-laws, and certain Canadian legislation, contain provisions that may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control.Certain provisions of our by-laws, together or separately, could discourage potential acquisition proposals, delay or prevent a change in control and limit the price that certain investors may be willing to pay for our common shares. For instance, our by-laws contain provisions that establish certain advance notice procedures for nomination of candidates for election as directors at shareholders' meetings. A non-Canadian must file an application for review with the minister responsible for the Investment Canada Act and obtain approval of the minister prior to acquiring control of a "Canadian business" within the meaning of the Investment Canada Act, where prescribed financial thresholds are exceeded. Furthermore, limitations on the ability to acquire and hold our common shares may be imposed by the Competition Act (Canada). This legislation permits the Commissioner of Competition to review any acquisition or establishment, directly or indirectly, including through the acquisition of shares, of control over or of a significant interest in us. Otherwise, there are no limitations either under the laws of Canada or Alberta, or in our articles on the rights of non-Canadians to hold or vote our common shares. Any of these provisions may discourage a potential acquirer from proposing or completing a transaction that may have otherwise presented a premium to our shareholders.
Regulation - Risk 15
The regulated nature of our business may impede or discourage a takeover, which could reduce the market price of our common shares.We require and hold various government licences to operate our business, which would not necessarily continue to apply to an acquiror of our business following a change of control. In addition, our directors, officers and certain other personnel are required to obtain, and maintain, security clearances from Health Canada. These licensing and security clearance requirements could impede a merger, amalgamation, takeover or other business combination involving us or discourage a potential acquiror from making a tender offer for our common shares, which, under certain circumstances, could reduce the market price of our common shares.
Litigation & Legal Liabilities3 | 3.8%
Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 1
We may be subject to product liability claims or regulatory action if our products are alleged to have caused significant loss, injury or death, which is exacerbated by the fact that cannabis use may increase the risk of serious adverse side effects.Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 2
We may be subject to liability claims as a result of positive testing for THC or banned substances.Our products are made from cannabis and contain varying levels of THC. THC is banned in many jurisdictions and heavily regulated in many others. Moreover, regulatory frameworks for legal amounts of consumed THC is evolving. Whether or not ingestion of THC (at low levels or otherwise) is permitted in a particular jurisdiction, there may be adverse consequences to end users who test positive for trace amounts of THC attributed to use of our products, including future CBD products. Positive tests may adversely affect the end user's reputation, ability to obtain or retain employment and participation in certain athletic or other activities. A claim or regulatory action against us based on such positive test results could adversely affect our reputation.
Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 3
We are, and may become, subject to litigation, regulatory or agency proceedings, investigations and audits.We are, and may in the future become, subject to litigation, regulatory or agency proceedings, investigations and audits from time to time, some of which may adversely affect our business. Should any litigation, regulatory or agency proceeding, investigation or audit in which we become involved be determined against us, such a decision could adversely affect our ability to continue operating, the value or market price for the common shares and could require the use of significant resources. Even if we are involved in litigation, regulatory or agency proceedings, investigations and audits and are ultimately successful, they can require the redirection of significant resources and may also create a negative perception of our brand.
For example, in 2019, we entered into a settlement agreement with another licensed cannabis producer in connection with our non-delivery of cannabis under a supply agreement and agreed to pay penalties in the amount of $1.7 million.
Additionally, we have received notice of a legal proceeding commenced against us in the province of Quebec by another licensed cannabis producer alleging breach of a supply agreement and have filed a statement of defence. We have recorded a reserve in the amount of $1.6 million at December 31, 2020 in respect of this matter. The matter is currently in discovery.
In connection with our initial public offering ("IPO"), we and certain of our current and former officers and directors, as well as the underwriters of our IPO, were named as defendants in several putative shareholder class action lawsuits filed between September 9, 2019 and November 1, 2019. The cases have been consolidated in two separate actions depending on the court in which they were first filed, one in the Supreme Court of New York, New York County, captioned In re Sundial Growers Inc. Securities Litigation, Index No. 655178/2019, and the other in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, captioned In re Sundial Growers Inc. Securities Litigation, Master Case No. 1:19-cv-08913-ALC. The complaints in each of the two consolidated actions assert claims under Sections 11, 12(a)(2), and 15 of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). They generally allege that we made material misstatements and omissions in the prospectus and registration statement in connection with the IPO with respect to, among other things, the failure to disclose systemic quality control issues as well as the return of cannabis and termination of the supply agreement by one of the Company's customers.
In addition, on May 7, 2020, the Company and certain of its current and former directors and officers were named as defendants in a lawsuit, captioned SUN, a Series of E Squared Investment Fund, LLC et al. v. Sundial Growers Inc. et al., Case No. 1:20-cv-03579. The complaint asserts claims for alleged violations of U.S. federal securities laws, including Sections 12(a)(2) and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as well as claims for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud in the inducement and negligent misrepresentation. Among other things, the complaint alleges that the company made misrepresentations regarding the licensing and ability of Bridge Farm to export hemp and CBD to Europe, as well as regarding the quality of the Company's cannabis and a return by one of the Company's customers.
While we intend to defend ourselves vigorously in all pending and future legal proceedings, we may settle certain matters for strategic reasons, as a part of a resolution of other matters or in order to avoid potentially worse consequences arising from inherently uncertain judicial or administrative processes. Moreover, regardless of the merits of our defenses, if we are unable to resolve certain legal proceedings or regulatory actions, indirect consequences arising from unproven allegations or appealable regulatory findings may have adverse consequences to us. The outcome of any litigation, regulatory or agency proceedings investigations and audits is inherently uncertain. Unfavorable rulings, judgments or settlement terms could have a material adverse impact on our business, liquidity and results of operations.
Taxation & Government Incentives2 | 2.6%
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 1
Tax and accounting requirements may change in ways that are unforeseen to us and we may face difficulty or be unable to implement or comply with any such changes.Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 2
We may become a passive foreign investment company, which could result in adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. investors.Based on the past and projected composition of our income and assets, and the valuation of our assets, including goodwill, we do not believe we are a passive foreign investment company ("PFIC"), for the most recent taxable year, and we do not expect to become a PFIC in the current taxable year, although there can be no assurance in this regard. The determination of whether or not we are a PFIC is made on an annual basis and will depend on the composition of our income and assets, from time to time. Specifically, for any taxable year, we will be classified as a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes if either: (i) 75% or more of our gross income in that taxable year is passive income, or (ii) the average percentage of our assets by value in that taxable year which produce or are held for the production of passive income is at least 50%. The calculation of the value of our assets is expected to be based, in part, on the quarterly market value of our shares, which is subject to change. See "Item 10E Taxation-Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations for U.S. Persons-PFIC Rules".
If we are or were to become a PFIC, such characterization could result in adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. investors. For example, if we are a PFIC, U.S. investors may become subject to increased tax liabilities under U.S. federal income tax laws and regulations and will become subject to burdensome reporting requirements. We cannot assure U.S. investors that we will not be a PFIC for the current taxable year or any future taxable year. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisor concerning the U.S. federal income tax consequences of holding and disposing shares of a PFIC, including the possibility of making any election that may be available under the PFIC rules (including a mark-to-market election) which may mitigate the adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences of holding shares of a PFIC. See "Item 10E Taxation-Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations for U.S. Persons-PFIC Rules".
Environmental / Social3 | 3.8%
Environmental / Social - Risk 1
If we are not able to comply with all safety, health and environmental regulations applicable to our operations and industry, we may be held liable for any breaches of those regulations.Environmental / Social - Risk 2
We are subject to various laws relating to the use of customer information and other personal and confidential information and any non-compliance may result in material adverse consequences to our business.We collect, process, maintain and use data, including sensitive personal information on individuals, available to us through online activities and other customer interactions with our business. Our current and future marketing programs may depend on our ability to collect, maintain and use this information, and our ability to do so is subject to evolving laws and enforcement trends in Canada and other jurisdictions. There are a number of laws protecting the confidentiality of certain patient health information, including patient records, and restricting the use and disclosure of that protected information. In particular, the privacy rules under the Personal
Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act ("PIPEDA"), and similar laws in other jurisdictions, protect medical records and other personal health information by limiting their use and the disclosure of health information to the minimum level reasonably necessary to accomplish the intended purpose. We collect and store personal information about our patients and are responsible for protecting that information from privacy breaches. A privacy breach may occur through a procedural or process failure, an IT malfunction or deliberate unauthorized intrusions. Theft of data for competitive purposes, particularly patient lists and preferences, is an ongoing risk whether perpetrated through employee collusion or negligence or through deliberate cyberattack. Moreover, if we are found to be in violation of the privacy or security rules under PIPEDA or other laws protecting the confidentiality of patient health information, including as a result of data theft and privacy breaches, we could be subject to sanctions and civil or criminal penalties, which could increase our liabilities and harm our reputation.
Certain of our marketing practices rely upon e-mail, social media and other means of digital communication to communicate with consumers on our behalf. We may face risk if our use of e-mail, social media or other means of digital communication is found to violate applicable laws. We post our privacy policy and practices concerning the use and disclosure of user data on our website. Any failure by us to comply with our posted privacy policy, anti-spam legislation or other privacy-related laws and regulations could result in proceedings which could potentially harm our business. In addition, as data privacy and marketing laws change, we may incur additional costs to ensure we remain in compliance. If applicable data privacy and marketing laws become more restrictive at the international, federal, provincial or state levels, our compliance costs may increase, our ability to effectively engage customers via personalized marketing may decrease, our investment in our e-commerce platform may not be fully realized, our opportunities for growth may be curtailed by our compliance burden and our potential reputational harm or liability for security breaches may increase.
Environmental / Social - Risk 3
Directors and certain key employees of a licensed producer must obtain and maintain a security clearance from Health Canada. Certain of our directors and key employees have not yet obtained such clearance. There is no assurance that any of our existing directors or employees who presently or may in the future require a security clearance will be able to obtain or renew such clearances in a timely manner or at all, or that new personnel who require a security clearance will be able to obtain one.Each director and certain key employees of a company that holds a licence for cultivation, processing or sale under the Cannabis Regulations is subject to the requirement to obtain and maintain a security clearance from Health Canada. Certain additional key personnel are also required to obtain and maintain a security clearance. Under the Cannabis Regulations, a security clearance cannot be valid for more than five years and must be renewed before the expiry of a current security clearance. All of our directors and executive officers have obtained security clearance from Health Canada with the exception of Zach George (our Chief Executive Officer and director). There is no assurance that any of our existing personnel who presently or may in the future require a security clearance will be able to obtain or renew such clearances in a timely manner or at all, or that new personnel who require a security clearance will be able to obtain one. A failure by an individual in a key operational position to maintain or renew his or her security clearance could result in a reduction or complete suspension of our operations or loss of our licences. In addition, if an individual in a key operational position leaves us, and we are unable to find a suitable replacement who is able to obtain a security clearance required by the Cannabis Act in a timely manner, or at all, we may not be able to conduct our operations at planned production volume levels or at all. Furthermore, the Cannabis Regulations require us to designate a qualified individual in charge who is responsible for supervising transactions with cannabis, which individual must meet certain educational and security clearance requirements. Moreover, depending on the activity, under current regulations a qualified person in charge or an individual with security clearance must be physically present in a space where other individuals are conducting activities with cannabis. If our current designated qualified person in charge fails to maintain his security clearance, or if our current designated qualified person in charge leaves us and we are unable to find a suitable replacement who meets these requirements, we may no longer be able to conduct activities with respect to the cultivation, production or sale of cannabis.
Production
Total Risks: 10/78 (13%)Below Sector Average
Manufacturing1 | 1.3%
Manufacturing - Risk 1
Our products may be subject to recalls or returns for a variety of reasons, which could require us to expend significant management and capital resources.Supply Chain8 | 10.3%
Supply Chain - Risk 1
Significant interruptions in our access to certain key inputs such as labor, raw materials, electricity, water and other utilities may impair our growing operations and materially affect our business.Supply Chain - Risk 2
We rely on third-party distributors to distribute our products, and those distributors may not perform their obligations.We rely on third-party distributors, including provincial regulatory boards and private retailers, and may in the future rely on other third parties, to distribute and sell our products to consumers. If these distributors do not successfully carry out their contractual duties, if there is a delay or interruption in the distribution of our products or if these third parties damage our products, it could negatively impact our revenue from product sales. Furthermore, any damage to our products, such as product spoilage, could expose us to potential product liability, damage our reputation and the reputation of our brands or otherwise harm our business and results of operations.
Supply Chain - Risk 3
Our contracts with other licensed producers may expose us to additional costs and negatively impact our results of operations.We derive a portion of our revenue from sales of cannabis flower to other licensed producers in Canada. Our supply contracts with these other licensed producers contain provisions governing, among other things, the quality and THC-content of the cannabis supplied and the manner, time and place of such delivery. We have experienced issues with such supply agreements, including a legal dispute with one of our customers resulting from our failure to timely deliver product and the provision of additional product at no cost to another customer due to a disagreement over the THC-content of product supplied. Issues with our contracts, including disagreements with our counterparties and any resulting publicity, and failure to comply with such agreements may have a material adverse impact on our results of operation and business. In addition, we are exposed to the credit risk of the licensed producers to which we sell. If any of our licensed producer-customers were to suffer financial difficulty, including bankruptcy, our business and liquidity may be materially adversely affected.
Supply Chain - Risk 4
We must rely on international advisors and consultants in the foreign countries in which we intend to operate.The legal and regulatory requirements in the foreign countries in which we intend to operate with respect to the cultivation and sale of cannabis, banking systems and controls, as well as local business culture and practices are different from those in Canada. Our officers and directors must rely, to a great extent, on local legal counsel and consultants in order to keep abreast of material legal, regulatory and governmental developments as they pertain to and affect our business operations, and to assist with governmental relations. We must rely, to some extent, on those members of management and the board of directors who have previous experience working and conducting business in these countries, if any, to enhance our understanding of and appreciation for the local business culture and practices. We also rely on the advice of local experts and professionals in connection with current and new regulations that develop in respect of the cultivation and sale of cannabis as well as in respect of banking, financing, labor, litigation and tax matters in these jurisdictions. Any developments or changes in such legal, regulatory or governmental requirements or in local business practices are beyond our control.
Supply Chain - Risk 5
Third parties with whom we do business may perceive themselves as being exposed to reputational risk as a result of their relationship with us.The parties with whom we do business, or would like to do business with, may perceive that they are exposed to reputational risk as a result of our business activities relating to cannabis, which could hinder our ability to establish or maintain business relationships or raise capital. These perceptions relating to the cannabis industry may interfere with our relationship with service providers in Canada and other countries.
Supply Chain - Risk 6
We are dependent upon a limited number of facilities that are integral to our business.As of the date of this Annual Report, all our cultivation and production activities are conducted at our Olds Facility and Rocky View Facility, and our licences from Health Canada are specific to those facilities. Disruptions at, or adverse changes or developments affecting, our Olds Facility or Rocky View Facility, including municipal rezoning, facility design errors, environmental pollution, equipment or process failures, production errors, disease or infestation of our crops, fires, breakdowns of our sewage system, explosions, power failures, natural disasters or security failures, have had and could have negative impacts on our production, the quality of our products, our reputation in the market and our financial results – any one of which could materially adversely impact our business. For example, a fire at our Olds Facility in December 2018 damaged a portion of our crops and caused some delays in our production cycle. In addition, any failure to comply with regulatory requirements under the Cannabis Act could result in the suspension or termination of our Health Canada licences and could have an adverse impact on our ability to renew such licences. On December 28, 2020, we announced a concentrates licensing agreement based out of our Rocky View facility. Within the agreement is a non-binding purchase agreement to sell the Rocky View facility for $5.0 million. The estimated recoverable amount of the Rocky View facility was determined to be its fair value less costs of disposal and an impairment of $0.7 million was recorded to write down the assets to their recoverable amount as of December 31, 2020.
Any expansion on current facilities or future development and construction of new facilities would increase our cultivation, growing, processing and distribution capacity; however, licensing or construction delays or cost over-runs in respect to the development of these facilities could delay, diminish or prevent our ability to produce cannabis at these facilities. Furthermore, we are required to fully construct such facilities or expansions and ensure that such facilities or expansions are compliant with the requirements of the Cannabis Regulations prior to receiving Health Canada approval. There is no guarantee that Health Canada will approve new development projects or future construction at any of our existing facilities and any delay or failure to receive approval could adversely affect our business and results of operations. The final costs relating to any development or construction of our facilities may be significantly greater than anticipated, in which case we may be required to curtail or delay such development or construction projects, which could reduce our planned production capacity. In addition, we may be required to raise additional capital, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all.
In addition, we do not currently have extraction capabilities and, until we develop such capabilities, we will be reliant on third parties to extract THC and CBD for use in various product offerings. Such third-party extraction may cost more than we anticipate, which would negatively impact our margins. In addition, such third-party extraction may not be delivered on schedule, meet our standards of quality or comply with applicable regulatory requirements, any of which may cause inventory shortages and cause us to fail to deliver certain offerings on a timely basis or at all. Similarly, we may rely on third parties to manufacture vaporizers and other consumption accessories product offerings on our behalf (or we may license our brands to thirty-party manufacturers). Such third-parties may fail to deliver product offerings that meet our or our customers' expectations, and we may have difficulty obtaining satisfactory products in sufficient quantities or at all. Any interruption in the supply or consistency of these products may adversely impact our ability to deliver products to our customers, may harm our relationships and reputation with our customers, and may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Supply Chain - Risk 7
We currently rely on a limited number of suppliers for our extraction requirements.Although we have recently commenced extraction activities at our facility at Olds, we currently and may continue to depend on a limited number of suppliers for extracting THC and CBD for use in certain of our cannabis products. We cannot ensure that these suppliers will remain in business, have sufficient capacity or supply to meet our needs or that they will not be purchased by one of our competitors or another company that is not interested in continuing to work with us. Our use of single-source suppliers exposes us to several risks, including disruptions in supply, price increases or late deliveries. There are, in general, relatively few alternative sources of supply for substitute components. Our current vendors may be unable or unwilling to meet our future demands for our supply needs. Establishing additional or replacement suppliers for these components, materials and processes could take a substantial amount of time and it may be difficult to establish replacement suppliers who meet regulatory requirements. Any disruption in supply from any single-source supplier or service provider could lead to supply delays or interruptions, which would damage our business, financial condition, prospects and results of operations.
If we were to have to switch to a replacement supplier, the manufacture and delivery of our product candidates or components of our product candidates could be interrupted for an extended period, which could adversely affect our business. Furthermore, although we are developing our own extraction capabilities, there is no guarantee that we will be successful in doing so or that we will have sufficient capacity to meet our supply needs. We may not be able to quickly establish additional or replacement suppliers for our extraction needs, if required. If we are able to find a replacement supplier, the replacement supplier would need to be licensed by Health Canada, which might require additional regulatory authority approval, which could result in further delay. While we seek to maintain adequate inventory of the single source components and materials used in our products, any interruption or delay in the supply of components or materials or our inability to obtain components or materials from alternate sources at acceptable prices, or at all, in a timely manner, could impair our ability to meet the demand of our customers and cause them to cancel orders.
Our reliance on these suppliers, service providers and manufacturers subjects us to a number of risks that could harm our reputation, business, financial condition, prospects and results of operations, including, among other things:
- delays to the development timelines for our products;- interruption of supply resulting from modifications to or discontinuation of a supplier's operations;- delays in product shipments resulting from uncorrected defects, reliability issues or a supplier's variation in a component;- a lack of long-term supply arrangements for key components with our suppliers;- inability to obtain adequate supply in a timely manner or to obtain adequate supply on commercially reasonable terms;- difficulty and cost associated with locating and qualifying alternative suppliers for our components in a timely manner;- production delays related to the evaluation and testing of products from alternative suppliers and corresponding regulatory qualifications;- delay in delivery due to our suppliers prioritizing other customer orders over ours;- damage to our reputation caused by defective components produced by our suppliers; and - fluctuation in delivery by our suppliers due to changes in demand from us or their other customers.
If any of these risks materialize, our costs could significantly increase and our ability to meet demand for our products could be impacted.
Supply Chain - Risk 8
Any failure on our or our suppliers' part to comply with supplier standards established by provincial or territorial distributors could prevent us from accessing certain markets in Canada.Government-run provincial and territorial distributors in Canada require suppliers to meet certain service and business standards, and routinely assess their suppliers for compliance with these standards. For example, our current supply agreement with the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (the "AGLC"), permits the AGLC to inspect and test our products for compliance with a rigorous set of criteria, including packaging, labelling, timing and stated quality test results. We may pursue arrangements with third parties to produce cannabis on our behalf to supplement internal production. In addition, we use third parties to extract THC and hemp-derived cannabidiol ("CBD") for use in various product offerings, including for use in our vape products. Any failure by us or our third-party suppliers to comply with such standards could result in our being disqualified as a supplier and could lead to the termination or cessation of orders under existing or future supply contracts. Further, provincial and territorial purchasers, including the AGLC, may terminate or cease ordering under existing contracts at any time without cause. If any of the foregoing events were to occur, our access to such markets may be limited or eliminated.
Costs1 | 1.3%
Costs - Risk 1
We may not be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage in respect of the risks we and our business face, the premiums for such insurance may not continue to be commercially justifiable or there may be coverage limitations and other exclusions which may result in such insurance not being sufficient to cover potential liabilities that we face.Ability to Sell
Total Risks: 9/78 (12%)Below Sector Average
Competition2 | 2.6%
Competition - Risk 1
We face competition from the illegal cannabis market.Added
Competition - Risk 2
We may be unsuccessful in competing in the overall legal adult-use cannabis market in Canada and any other countries we intend to operate in.Our Canadian adult-use business faces enhanced competition from others who are licensed under the Cannabis Act to participate in the adult-use cannabis industry. The Cannabis Act has established a licensing regime for the cultivation, production, processing, testing, packaging, labelling, delivery, transportation, distribution, sale, possession and disposal of cannabis for adult use. Pursuant to transitional provisions in the Cannabis Act, existing holders of medical cannabis licences under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations have, subject to satisfying certain requirements, automatically been deemed licensed under the Cannabis Act for corresponding activities, and other individuals and corporations are now able to apply for such licences.
Subject to certain restrictions set out in the Cannabis Act, adults are permitted to cultivate, propagate, harvest and distribute up to four cannabis plants per household. If a significant number of individuals take advantage of the ability to cultivate and use their own cannabis, our success in the adult-use business may be limited and may not fulfill our expectations.
As of March 17, 2021, approximately 616 licences were issued by Health Canada. Certain of these competitors have longer operating histories and significantly greater financial, production, marketing, research and development and technical and human resources than we do. Some of these competitors have become public companies in the United States or Canada, giving them the ability to raise significant amount of capital quickly or use their publicly traded equity securities to conduct acquisitions. In addition, many other competitors have established retail locations. As a result, our competitors may be able to bring more and better products to market more quickly than us. Our commercial opportunity in the adult-use market could be reduced or eliminated if our competitors produce and commercialize products for the adult-use market that, among other things, are safer, more effective, more convenient, better quality or less expensive than the products that we produce, have greater sales, marketing and distribution support than our products, enjoy enhanced timing of market introduction and perceived effectiveness advantages over our products and receive more favorable publicity than our products. If our adult-use cannabis products do not achieve an adequate level of acceptance by the adult-use cannabis market, we may not generate sufficient revenue from these products, and our adult-use cannabis business may not become profitable. We expect that competition in the adult-use cannabis market and other cannabis markets in which we expect to participate will become more intense as current and future competitors begin to offer an increasing number of diversified products. As competition increases, we may experience downward price pressure on our cannabis products, loss of market share and increased marketing costs. To remain competitive, we will require a continued high level of investment in research and development, marketing, sales and client support, and we may not have sufficient resources to maintain such efforts.
We also face competition from the illicit cannabis market. Illegal dispensaries and ‘black market' operations and participants, despite not having a valid licence under the Cannabis Regulations, command a significant percentage of the total market for cannabis and cannabis products in Canada and may be able to (i) offer products with higher concentrations of active ingredients, including THC, than permitted by the Cannabis Act and Cannabis Regulations or offered in the legal market, (ii) use delivery methods, that licensed producers are prohibited from offering to individuals in Canada, (iii) brand products more explicitly, (iv) sell products at lower prices and (v) market and distribute products in ways not permissible by law. As these illicit market participants do not comply with the regulations governing the cannabis industry in Canada, their operations may also have significantly lower costs.
As well, the legal landscape for medical and adult-use cannabis is changing internationally. An increasing number of jurisdictions globally are passing laws that allow for the production and distribution of medical or adult-use cannabis. Increased international competition, including competition from suppliers in other countries who may be able to produce at lower cost, and limitations placed on us by Canadian or other regulations, might lower the demand for our products on a global scale.
Demand3 | 3.8%
Demand - Risk 1
Consumer preferences may change, and we may be unsuccessful in acquiring or retaining consumers and keeping pace with changing market developments.Demand - Risk 2
We experience significant customer concentration, with a limited number of customers accounting for a significant portion of our revenues.Our top five customers accounted for 69% for the year ended December 31, 2020. Of these customers, four customers have each accounted for more than 10% of our revenues for such period. Inherent risks exist when a large percentage of total revenues is concentrated with a limited number of customers.
It is not possible for us to predict the future level of demand for our products that will be generated by these customers or the future demand for the products of these customers in the consumer marketplace. In addition, revenues from these large customers may fluctuate from time to time based on market demand for our products among consumers, the level which may be affected by market conditions or other factors, some of which may be outside of our control. Further, our contracts with these large customers do not contain purchase commitments or otherwise obligate the purchasers to buy a minimum or fixed volume of products from us (and allow these customers to return product to us for a variety of reasons). If any of our major customers experience declining or delayed sales of our products to consumers due to market, economic or competitive conditions, we could be pressured to reduce the prices we charge for our products, reduce the volume of products we supply to such customers, we could lose the customer or have a substantial amount of product returned to us. Additionally, although historically, our reserves for doubtful accounts have not been material, if any of our large customers were to suffer financial instability, they could refuse or delay payment of outstanding receivables. Any such development may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Demand - Risk 3
The adult-use cannabis market in Canada has experienced, and may in the future experience, supply and demand fluctuations.Following legalization, there was a shortfall in supply in the Canadian adult-use cannabis market leading to increased prices, increases in out-of-stocks and the consumers opting to buy cannabis on the illicit market. We and other licensed producers responded by increasing capacity. The increase in production combined with slower than expected retail store growth has resulted in over-supply in 2020, a trend that has continued into 2021. As inventory levels become greater than consumer demand, we have had to, and may in the future have to, engage in sale of excess inventory at discounted prices or offer promotional pricing to move older product, which could significantly impair operating results and our brand image. Conversely, if we underestimate demand for our products, we may experience inventory shortages, which might delay shipments to customers, reduce revenue, negatively impact customer relationships and diminish brand loyalty. For example, we have experienced shortages and out-of-stocks in our vape products due to supply constraints. In addition, demand for cannabis and cannabis products is dependent on a number of social, political and economic factors that are beyond our control, including the novelty of legalization, which may wear off. A material decline in the economic conditions affecting consumers can cause a reduction in disposable income for the average consumer (as a result of the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic or otherwise), change consumption patterns and result in a reduction in spending on cannabis products or a switch to other products obtained through illicit channels. There can be no assurance that market demand for cannabis will continue to be sufficient to support our current or future production levels or that we will be able to generate sufficient revenue to be profitable.
Sales & Marketing2 | 2.6%
Sales & Marketing - Risk 1
We currently sell, and expect to continue to sell, a significant share of our product to provincial governments through supply contracts that may not generate orders as expected or which may not be renewed.Sales & Marketing - Risk 2
We may in the future lose our foreign private issuer status.We may in the future lose our foreign private issuer status if a majority of our shares are held in the United States and we fail to meet the additional requirements necessary to avoid loss of foreign private issuer status, such as if: (i) a majority of either our directors or executive officers, considered as separate groups, are either U.S. citizens or residents; (ii) a majority of our assets are located in the United States; or (iii) our business is administered principally in the United States. Although we have elected to comply with certain U.S. regulatory provisions, our loss of foreign private issuer status would make such provisions mandatory. The regulatory and compliance costs to us under U.S. securities laws as a U.S. domestic issuer will be significantly more than the costs incurred as a Canadian foreign private issuer. If we are not a foreign private issuer, we would not be eligible to use foreign issuer forms and would be required to file periodic and current reports and registration statements on U.S. domestic issuer forms with the SEC, which are generally more detailed and extensive than the forms available to a foreign private issuer. In addition, we may lose our ability to rely upon exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements on the Nasdaq that are available to foreign private issuers.
Brand / Reputation2 | 2.6%
Brand / Reputation - Risk 1
We, or the cannabis industry more generally, may receive unfavorable publicity or become subject to negative consumer or investor perception.Brand / Reputation - Risk 2
We may not be successful in maintaining consumers' brand recognition and loyalty to our products.Added
We compete in a market that relies on innovation and the ability to react to evolving consumer preferences in order to maintain existing consumer bases and consumer loyalty. Consumers in the cannabis market have demonstrated a degree of brand loyalty, but suppliers must continue to adapt their products in order to maintain their status among customers as the market evolves. Our continued success depends in part on our ability and our ability to continue to differentiate our brand names and maintain similarly high levels of recognition with target consumers. Trends within the cannabis industry change often and our failure to anticipate, identify or react to changes in these trends could, among other things, lead to reduced demand for our products.
Our ability to build and maintain brand recognition and loyalty is limited by current and potential future regulations that restrict our packaging, advertising and other branding efforts, making it more difficult to appeal to consumers or to leverage our brands. For example, the Canadian federal regulatory regime requires plain packaging on cannabis products and prohibits testimonials, lifestyle branding and packaging that is appealing to youth. These and similar limitations could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations, as they make it more difficult to establish and retain brand recognition and customer loyalty.
Furthermore, even if we are able to continue to distinguish our products, there can be no assurance that the sales, marketing and distribution efforts of our competitors will not be successful in persuading consumers of our products to switch to their products. Some of our competitors have greater access to resources than we do, which better positions them to conduct market research in relation to branding strategies or costly marketing campaigns. Any loss of consumer brand recognition or loyalty to our products or our inability to effectively brand our products in a recognizable way, whether as a result of regulation or otherwise, will have a material effect on our ability to continue to sell our products and maintain our market share, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Tech & Innovation
Total Risks: 7/78 (9%)Below Sector Average
Innovation / R&D3 | 3.8%
Innovation / R&D - Risk 1
There has been limited study on the health effects of cannabis and cannabis products, including vaping products, and future clinical research studies may lead to conclusions that dispute or conflict with our understanding and belief regarding the benefits, viability, safety, efficacy, dosing and social acceptance of such products.Innovation / R&D - Risk 2
Research and development and clinical trials may be protracted and require substantial resources.Clinical trials of cannabis-based medical products and treatments are novel and there is a limited or non-existant history of clinical trials relating to cannabis generally. Clinical trials relating to our current or future products are or will be, subject to extensive and rigorous review and regulation by numerous government authorities in Canada and in other countries where we intend to test our products and product candidates. The process of obtaining regulatory approvals for pre-clinical testing and clinical trials can take many months or years and require the expenditure of substantial resources. We are subject to the risk that a significant portion of these development efforts may not be successfully completed, required regulatory approvals may not be obtained, or our products are may not be commercially successful.
Innovation / R&D - Risk 3
We intend to continue to focus primarily on the premium segment of the adult-use cannabis market, which may not be sustainable, or in which we may not be able to develop or maintain a brand that attracts or retains customers.Changed
We focus primarily on users of cannabis in the Canadian adult-use cannabis market who are looking for premium products; however, such a market may not be sustainable. We may not be able to achieve or maintain attractive margins and our ability to achieve our near term or long-term business objectives would be materially adversely affected. Further, we may not be successful in creating and maintaining consumer perceptions of the value of our premium products. The promotion of cannabis is strictly regulated in Canada. For example, promotion is largely restricted to the place of sale and subject to prescribed conditions set out in the Cannabis Act and the Cannabis Regulations. Among other restrictions, the Cannabis Act prohibits testimonials and endorsements, lifestyle branding and promotion that is appealing to minors. Such restrictions on advertising, marketing and the use of logos and brand names, and other restrictions on advertising imposed by Canadian federal or provincial laws or regulations, or similar regulations imposed in other jurisdictions, may prevent us from creating and maintaining consumer perceptions in the value of our premium products and establishing ourselves as premium producers. If we cannot successfully enter into or compete in the premium market, we may face significant challenges in gaining or maintaining a market share in Canada or in other cannabis markets in which we intend to operate, or we may be forced to sell our products at a lower price, which may materially adversely affect our results of operations.
Our success depends, in part, on our ability to attract and retain customers who in turn sell to ultimate consumers of cannabis and cannabis-related products. To do this, we are dependent upon, among other things, continually producing desirable and effective products and the continued growth in the aggregate number of adult-use cannabis consumers. We have made significant investments in enhancing our brand to attract consumers. Subject to the applicable legal restrictions, we expect to continue to make significant investments to promote our current products to new consumers and new products to current and new consumers. Such campaigns can be expensive and may not result in increased sales. If we are unable to attract new consumers or retain existing customers, we may not be able to increase our sales or sustain our business.
Our business model, including our ability to successfully target the premium segment of the adult-use cannabis market and maintain our brand, is also dependent on being able to grow at scale different strains of cannabis with consistent yields and THC-levels by strain. To the extent we are unable to do so, or we are unable to achieve desired THC-levels, our ability to achieve our near term or long-term business objectives would be materially adversely affected.
Trade Secrets1 | 1.3%
Trade Secrets - Risk 1
We may be subject to risks related to the protection and enforcement of our intellectual property rights, or intellectual property we license from others, and may become subject to allegations that we or our licensors are in violation of intellectual property rights of third parties.Cyber Security1 | 1.3%
Cyber Security - Risk 1
We may not be able to store or transport our cannabis products to customers in a safe, timely and cost-efficient manner, and we may experience breaches of security at our facilities or loss as a result of theft of our products.Technology2 | 2.6%
Technology - Risk 1
Failure in our quality control systems may adversely impact our sales volume, market share and profitability.Technology - Risk 2
We may be subject to risks related to our information technology systems, including the risk that we may be the subject of a cyberattack and the risk that we may be in non-compliance with applicable privacy laws.We have entered into agreements with third parties for hardware, software, telecommunications and other information technology, or IT, services in connection with our operations. Our operations depend, in part, on how well we and our vendors protect networks, equipment, IT systems and software against damage from a number of threats, including, but not limited to, cable cuts, damage to physical plants, natural disasters, intentional damage and destruction, fire, power loss, hacking, computer viruses, vandalism or theft. Our operations also depend on the timely maintenance, upgrade and replacement of networks, equipment and IT systems and software, as well as preemptive expenses to mitigate the risks of failures. Any of these and other events could result in information system failures, delays or increases in capital expenses. The failure of information systems or a component of information systems could, depending on the nature of any such failure, adversely impact us.
Macro & Political
Total Risks: 5/78 (6%)Below Sector Average
Economy & Political Environment1 | 1.3%
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 1
The hemp and CBD product markets in Canada, the European Union, the United States and elsewhere are also subject to many of the same risks as the adult-use cannabis industry and market.Changed
Natural and Human Disruptions2 | 2.6%
Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 1
We are subject to risks inherent in an agricultural business, including the risk of crop failure.Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 2
Natural disasters, unusual weather, pandemic outbreaks such as COVID-19, boycotts and geo-political events or acts of terrorism could adversely affect our operations and financial results.The occurrence of one or more natural disasters, such as hurricanes, floods and earthquakes, unusually adverse weather, pandemic outbreaks of influenza and other highly communicable diseases or viruses, such as the COVID-19 virus, boycotts and geo-political events, such as civil unrest in countries in which our operations are located and acts of terrorism, or similar disruptions could adversely affect our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations. These events could result in physical damage to one or more of our properties, increases in fuel or other energy prices, the temporary or permanent closure of one or more of our facilities or our customers, the temporary lack of an adequate workforce in a market, the temporary or long-term disruption in the supply of products from suppliers, the temporary disruption in the transport of goods, delay in the delivery of goods to and from our facilities, and disruption to our information systems.
In March 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Alberta declared a state of emergency and ordered the closure of schools and certain other public facilities. Alberta also amended its rules around paid sick leave to allow full and part-time employees to take 14 days of job-protected leave if they are required to self-isolate or caring for a dependent that is required to self-isolate. In addition, we announced enhanced safety protocols at our Canadian facilities, staffing measure changes and implemented remote work procedures for its corporate staff. Such measures and government mandates may not be effective and one or more of our employees may get sick and may come to work infected, necessitating a short or long-term closure of the affected facilities, disrupting production. Such measures and mandates may also increase our expenses and otherwise impair our production levels or cause us to close or severely limit production at our facilities. Further, legal cannabis dispensaries in Canada may close voluntarily or be forced to close by the provincial governments, reducing our ability to distribute cannabis. Consumer demand for cannabis and our other products may be reduced as a result of reductions in consumers' disposable income associated with lay-offs and work or pay limitations due to mandatory social distancing and lockdown measures implemented by governments in the geographies where we operate. Production limitations, delays or stoppages, social distancing measures and other impediments affecting our suppliers, partners or producers of goods, such as vape hardware, should they materialize, may make it difficult, more costly, or impossible for Sundial to produce or distribute cannabis, conduct quality testing, extract cannabis oils, or otherwise market and sell its products. For example, we have experienced delays in shipment of vape cartridge hardware for our products from China. Limitations on the function of Health Canada and other regulators as a result of remote work of its employees or redeployment of its resources to addressing the pandemic may delay our communications with the regulatory authorities and delay renewal of our existing licences or the receipt of additional licences required for our operations, should such licences be sought. If macroeconomic conditions continue to worsen in Canada and the rest of the world, demand for cannabis and our other products may significantly decline and industry participants, including our customers and suppliers, may face financial hardship. In addition, the increased market volatility resulting from global business and economic disruption related to the pandemic and measures to contain it has made it more difficult for companies to access capital markets. Such volatility has hampered, and may in the future hamper, Sundial's efforts to secure additional financing. The duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic is currently unknown and the pandemic may continue for a significant period of time. Any of the foregoing may adversely affect our financial position, results of operations and liquidity. The longer the pandemic continues, the more severe such impacts may be. To date the COVID-19 pandemic has not had a material impact on Sundial's business or operations.
The future impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Canadian cannabis market is uncertain. Even after the pandemic subsides, our businesses could also be negatively impacted should the effects of COVID-19 lead to changes in consumer behavior, including as a result of a decline in discretionary spending due to the adverse impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the Canadian economy, financial markets and employment levels. During the past year, financial conditions for the cannabis industry have faced increased volatility. If such volatility continues, or there is a prolonged recession resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in declines of cannabis purchases by consumers, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows would be materially adversely affected.
Capital Markets2 | 2.6%
Capital Markets - Risk 1
Trade of cannabis for non-medical purposes within Canada may be restricted by the Canadian Free Trade Agreement.Capital Markets - Risk 2
Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates could harm our results of operations.We may be exposed to fluctuations of the Canadian dollar against certain other currencies because we publish our financial statements in Canadian dollars, while a portion of our assets, liabilities, revenues and costs have been or will be denominated in other currencies. Exchange rates for currencies of the countries in which we intend to operate in the future, which currently include countries located within the Eurozone, may fluctuate in relation to the Canadian dollar, and such fluctuations may have a material adverse effect on our earnings or assets when translating foreign currency into Canadian dollars.
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.