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Upland Software (UPLD)
NASDAQ:UPLD
Risk Overview Q4, 2024
Risk Distribution
43% Finance & Corporate
21% Tech & Innovation
17% Legal & Regulatory
11% Macro & Political
6% Ability to Sell
2% Production
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
This chart displays the stock's most recent risk distribution according to category. TipRanks has identified 6 major categories: Finance & corporate, legal & regulatory, macro & political, production, tech & innovation, and ability to sell.
Risk Change Over Time
S&P500 Average
Sector Average
Risks removed
Risks added
Risks changed
Upland Software 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, 2024
Main Risk Category
Finance & Corporate
With 20 Risks
Finance & Corporate
With 20 Risks
Number of Disclosed Risks
47
-1
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 32
47
-1
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 32
Recent Changes
2Risks added
3Risks removed
6Risks changed
Since Dec 2024
2Risks added
3Risks removed
6Risks changed
Since Dec 2024
Number of Risk Changed
6
+6
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 4
6
+6
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 4
See the risk highlights of Upland Software 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 47
Finance & Corporate
Total Risks: 20/47 (43%)Above Sector Average
Share Price & Shareholder Rights5 | 10.6%
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1
The market price of our common stock may be volatile, which could result in substantial losses for investors.Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2
The fundamental change redemption feature of our Series A Preferred Stock may make it more difficult for a party to take over our company or discourage a party from taking over our company.Upon a "Fundamental Change" (involving a change of control as further described in the certificate of designation governing our Series A Preferred Stock), each holder of Series A Preferred Stock shall have the right to require us to redeem all or any part of the holder's Series A Preferred Stock for an amount equal to greater of (i) the sum of 105% of the Liquidation Preference and a customary make-whole amount, and (ii) the amount that such Holder would have received had such Holder, immediately prior to such "Fundamental Change," converted the Holder's Series A Preferred Stock into common stock, without regard to the Issuance Limitation. The mandatory redemption option conferred to holders of our Series A Preferred Stock upon certain events constituting a Fundamental Change (involving a change of control) under the Series A Preferred Stock, may have the effect of discouraging a third party from making an acquisition proposal for our company or of delaying, deferring or preventing certain change of control transactions of our company under circumstances that otherwise could provide the holders of our common stock with the opportunity to realize a premium over the then-current market price or that stockholders may otherwise believe is in their best interests.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3
Pursuant to the terms of the Purchase Agreement (as defined herein), we have issued shares of our Series A Preferred Stock that ranks senior to our common stock in priority of distribution rights and rights upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up and has additional corporate governance rights.On July 14, 2022, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the "Purchase Agreement") with Ulysses Aggregator, LP (the "Purchaser"), an affiliate of HGGC, LLC, to issue and sell at closing 115,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share, at a price of $1,000 per share (the "Initial Liquidation Preference") for an aggregate purchase price of $115.0 million. As of December 31, 2024, we had 115,000 shares of designated Series A Preferred Stock outstanding. The holders of the Series A Preferred Stock are entitled to dividends payable quarterly in arrears, which may be paid, at our option, in cash or by increasing the Liquidation Preference (as defined below) of each share of Series A Preferred Stock by the amount of the applicable dividend. The holders of Series A Preferred Stock (each, a "Holder" and collectively, the "Holders") will be entitled to dividends (i) at the rate of 4.5% per annum until but excluding the seven year anniversary of the Closing, and (ii) at the rate of 7% per annum on and after the seven year anniversary of the Closing. Our ability to pay cash dividends is subject to the restrictions under our existing credit agreement. The Series A Preferred Stock has no mandatory conversion feature and is a perpetual security. Although we have the ability to redeem the shares of Series A Preferred Stock beginning on the date that is seven years from the Closing date, we may be unable to do so at that time, and we will be forced to pay the higher dividend rate of 7% per annum until the time that the holders of Series A Preferred Stock convert their shares into shares of common stock or we obtain sufficient capital to redeem the Series A Preferred Stock.
The Series A Preferred Stock ranks senior to our common stock with respect to distribution rights and rights upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, on parity with any class or series of our capital stock expressly designated as ranking on parity with the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to distribution rights and rights upon our upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, junior to any class or series of our capital stock expressly designated as ranking senior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to distribution rights and rights upon our upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up and junior in right of payment to our existing and future indebtedness. Further, upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of our Series A Preferred Stock will receive a distribution of our available assets before common stockholders in an amount equal to (i) the Initial Liquidation Preference, plus (ii) any accrued and unpaid dividends on such share of Series A Preferred Stock to, but excluding, the date of payment of such amounts (the "Liquidation Preference").
The holders of Series A Preferred Stock generally are entitled to vote with the holders of our common stock on all matters submitted for a vote of holders of our common stock (voting together with the holders of our common stock as one class) on an as-converted basis. In addition, so long as the Purchaser and its affiliates beneficially own in the aggregate at least 5% of the shares of our common stock on a fully diluted basis including the shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting as a single class, are entitled to nominate and elect one individual to serve on our board of directors. In addition, the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting as a separate class, will have the right to elect, for so long as the Purchaser and its affiliates own in the aggregate at least 10% of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock (or common stock into which it is convertible) outstanding as of the Closing, one non-voting observer to our board of directors. Such governance rights may grant the holders of our Series A Preferred Stock additional control rights, which may impact our ability to run our business, and may adversely affect the trading price of our common stock. Upon issuance of the Series A Preferred Stock, holders of our common stock will experience dilution of both economic and voting rights, and, because we may pay dividends in kind by increasing the liquidation value of each share of Series A Preferred Stock, holders of common stock will be further diluted at each regular dividend payment date.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4
Anti-takeover provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws, as well as provisions of Delaware law, might discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our company or changes in our board of directors or management and, therefore, depress the trading price of our common stock.Provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, as amended and restated, will contain provisions that may depress the market price of our common stock by acting to discourage, delay or prevent a merger, acquisition or other change in control that stockholders may consider favorable, including transactions in which you might otherwise receive a premium for your shares of our common stock. These provisions may also prevent or frustrate attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove members of our board of directors or our management. These provisions include the following:
- our certificate of incorporation provides for a classified board of directors with staggered three-year terms so that not all members of our board of directors are elected at one time;- directors may be removed by stockholders only for cause;- our board of directors has the right to elect directors to fill a vacancy created by the expansion of the board of directors or the resignation, death or removal of a director, which prevents stockholders from being able to fill vacancies on our board of directors;- special meetings of our stockholders may be called only by our Chief Executive Officer, our board of directors or holders of not less than the majority of our issued and outstanding capital stock limiting the ability of minority stockholders to take certain actions without an annual meeting of stockholders;- our stockholders may not act by written consent unless the action to be effected and the taking of such action by written consent are approved in advance by our board of directors and, as a result, a holder, or holders, controlling a majority of our capital stock would generally not be able to take certain actions without holding a stockholders' meeting;- our certificate of incorporation prohibits cumulative voting in the election of directors. This limits the ability of minority stockholders to elect director candidates;- stockholders must provide timely notice to nominate individuals for election to the board of directors or to propose matters that can be acted upon at an annual meeting of stockholders and, as a result, these provisions may discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer's own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us; and - our board of directors may issue, without stockholder approval, shares of undesignated preferred stock, making it possible for our board of directors to issue preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences that could impede the success of any attempt to acquire us.
As a Delaware corporation, we are also subject to provisions of Delaware law, including Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which limits the ability of stockholders owning in excess of 15% of our outstanding voting stock from engaging in certain business combinations with us.
Any provision of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws or Delaware law that has the effect of delaying or deterring a change in control could limit the opportunity for our stockholders to receive a premium for their shares of our common stock and could also affect the price that some investors are willing to pay for our common stock. The existence of the foregoing provisions and anti-takeover measures could limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock. They could also deter potential acquirers of our company, thereby reducing the likelihood that you could receive a premium for your common stock in an acquisition.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5
If securities or industry analysts do not publish, or cease publishing, research or reports about us, our business or our market, if they publish negative evaluations of our stock, or if we fail to meet the expectations of analysts, the price of our stock and trading volume could decline.The trading market for our common stock will be influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts may publish about us, our business, our market or our competitors. If few analysts commence coverage of us, the trading price of our stock would likely decrease if one or more of the analysts covering our business downgrade their evaluation of our stock, the price of our stock could decline. If one or more of these analysts cease to cover our stock, we could lose visibility in the market for our stock, which in turn could cause our stock price to decline. Furthermore, if our operating results fail to meet analysts' expectations our stock price would likely decline.
Accounting & Financial Operations8 | 17.0%
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1
Our ability to use our net operating loss carryforwards and certain other tax attributes may be limited.Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 2
If we are unable to implement and maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting in the future, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, and the market price of our common stock may be negatively affected.As a public company, we are required to maintain internal controls over financial reporting and to report any material weaknesses in such internal controls. Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires that we evaluate and determine the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting and that our independent registered public accounting firm issue an attestation report annually regarding the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. We have identified material weaknesses in our internal controls over financial reporting in the past and if we have a material weakness in our internal controls over financial reporting, we may not detect errors on a timely basis, and our financial statements may be materially misstated. For example, in 2024 we identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting related to a management review control over prospective financial information used in the Company's goodwill impairment assessment, and specifically, not sufficiently performing and documenting the reasonableness of significant assumptions used therein. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected and corrected on a timely basis. We may need additional finance and accounting personnel with certain skill sets to assist us with the reporting requirements we will encounter as a public company and to support our anticipated growth. In addition, implementing internal controls may distract our officers and employees, entail substantial costs to modify our existing processes, and take significant time to complete. For additional information, see "Item 9A. Controls and Procedures-Remediation of Prior Material Weakness in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting."
Effective internal controls are necessary to provide reliable financial reporting and prevent fraud. If we are unable to assert that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, or if our independent registered public accounting firm is unable to express an unqualified opinion as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, the market price of our common stock could be adversely affected and we could become subject to litigation or regulatory investigations. If we do not successfully remediate any material weakness, or if other material weaknesses or other deficiencies arise in the future, we may be unable to accurately report our financial results, specifically potential goodwill impairments, which could cause our financial results to be materially misstated. In such case, we may be unable to maintain compliance with securities law requirements regarding timely filing of periodic reports, which could adversely affect investor confidence in us, our business, results of operations and financial condition, the trading price of our common stock, and our ability to remain listed on Nasdaq.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 3
Our quarterly operating results may fluctuate in the future. As a result, we may fail to meet or exceed the expectations of research analysts or investors, which could cause our stock price to decline, and you may lose part or all of your investment.Our quarterly operating results may fluctuate as a result of a variety of factors, many of which are outside of our control. Accordingly, the results of any one quarter may not fully reflect the underlying performance of our business and should not be relied upon as an indication of future performance. If our quarterly operating results or outlook fall below the expectations of research analysts or investors, the price of our common stock could decline substantially.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 4
Certain of our operating results and financial metrics are difficult to predict as a result of seasonality.We have historically experienced seasonality in terms of when we enter into customer agreements. We sign a significantly higher percentage of agreements with new customers, and renew agreements with existing customers, in the fourth quarter of each calendar year as our customers tend to follow budgeting cycles at the end of the calendar year. Our cash flow from operations has historically been higher in the first quarter of each calendar year than in other quarters. This seasonality is reflected to a much lesser extent, and sometimes is not immediately apparent, in our revenue, due to the fact that we defer revenue recognition. In addition, seasonality may be difficult to observe in our financial results during periods in which we acquire businesses, as such results typically are most significantly impacted by such acquisitions. We expect this seasonality to continue, or possibly increase in the future, which may cause fluctuations in our operating results and financial metrics. If our quarterly operating results or outlook fall below the expectations of research analysts or investors, the price of our common stock could decline substantially.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 5
Because we do not expect to pay any dividends on our common stock for the foreseeable future, our investors may never receive a return on their investment.We do not anticipate that we will pay any cash dividends to holders of our common stock in the foreseeable future. Instead, we plan to retain any earnings to maintain and expand our existing operations. In addition, our ability to pay cash dividends is currently limited by the terms of our existing Credit Facility (as defined herein), which prohibits our payment of dividends on our capital stock without prior consent, and any future credit facility may contain terms prohibiting or limiting the amount of dividends that may be declared or paid on our common stock. Accordingly, investors must rely on sales of their common stock after price appreciation, which may never occur, as the only way to realize any return on their investment.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 6
In the past we have recorded, and in the future we may be required to record, charges to future earnings if our goodwill or intangible assets become impaired.Changed
Accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") require us to assess goodwill for impairment at least annually. In addition, we assess our goodwill and intangible assets for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. Depending on the results of our review, we could be required to record a significant charge to earnings in our consolidated financial statements during the period in which any impairment of our goodwill or intangible assets were determined, negatively impacting our results of operations. As a result of the decline of our stock price impacting our market capitalization during the quarters ended March 31, 2024, March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, we performed quantitative impairment evaluations, which resulted in goodwill impairments of $87.2 million, $128.8 million and $12.5 million during the quarters ended March 31, 2024, March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. We will continue to evaluate goodwill for impairment in 2025 and future impairments of goodwill could occur if our stock price declines.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 7
Perpetual license revenue is unpredictable, and a material increase or decrease in perpetual license revenue from period to period can produce substantial variation in the total revenue and earnings we recognize in a given period.Perpetual license revenue reflects the revenue recognized from sales of perpetual licenses relating to our workflow automation and enterprise content management applications to new customers and additional licenses for such applications to existing customers. We generally recognize the license fee portion of the arrangement at the time of delivery. Perpetual licenses of our workflow automation and enterprise content management applications are primarily sold through third-party resellers, and as such, the timing of sales of perpetual licenses is difficult to predict with the timing of recognition of associated revenue unpredictable. A material increase or decrease in the sale of perpetual licenses from period to period could produce substantial variation in the revenue we recognize. Accordingly, comparing our perpetual license revenue on a period to period basis may not be a meaningful indicator of a trend or future results.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 8
Because we generally recognize revenue from our customers over the terms of their agreements, downturns or upturns in our business may not be immediately reflected in our operating results.We recognize revenue from customer agreements over the terms of these agreements. As a result, a significant portion of the revenue we report in each quarter is generated from customer agreements entered into during previous periods, which is reflected as deferred revenue on our balance sheet. Consequently, a decline in new or renewed agreements, or a downgrade of renewed agreements to fewer seats or less minimum contracted volume, in any one quarter may not be fully reflected in our revenue in that quarter. Such a decline, however, will negatively affect our revenue in future quarters. Accordingly, the effect of significant downturns in sales and market acceptance of our applications, and potential changes in our pricing policies or rates of renewals, may not be fully reflected in our results of operations until future periods. Similarly, it would be difficult for us to rapidly increase our revenue through new sales, renewals, and upgrades of existing customer agreements, or through additional cross-selling opportunities, in a given period due to the timing of revenue recognition inherent in our subscription model.
Debt & Financing3 | 6.4%
Debt & Financing - Risk 1
Our loan facility matures in August 2026. We expect to renegotiate or refinance our loan facility, and we may be unable to do so on acceptable terms or at all and any additional financing may result in restrictions on our operations or substantial dilution to our stockholders.Changed
Debt & Financing - Risk 2
Our Credit Facility contains operating and financial covenants that may restrict our business and financing activities.Our obligations under our Credit Facility are secured by a security interest in substantially all of our assets and assets of the co-borrowers' and of any guarantors, including intellectual property. The terms of the Credit Facility limit, among other things, our ability to - Incur additional indebtedness or guarantee indebtedness of others;- Create liens on their assets;- Make investments, including certain acquisitions;- Enter into mergers or consolidations;- Dispose of assets;- Pay dividends and make other distributions on the Company's capital stock, and redeem and repurchase the Company's capital stock;- Enter into transactions with affiliates; and - Prepay indebtedness or make changes to certain agreements.
Furthermore, the operating and other restrictions and covenants in the Credit Facility, and in any future financing arrangements that we may enter into, may restrict our ability to finance our operations, engage in certain business activities, or expand or fully pursue our business strategies, or otherwise limit our discretion to manage our business. Our ability to comply with these restrictions and covenants may be affected by events beyond our control, and we may not be able to meet those restrictions and covenants. A breach of any of the restrictions and covenants could result in a default under the loan facility or any future financing arrangements, which could cause any outstanding indebtedness under the loan facility or under any future financing arrangements to become immediately due and payable, and result in the termination of commitments to extend further credit.
Debt & Financing - Risk 3
Our variable rate indebtedness subjects us to interest rate risk, which could cause our debt service obligations and interest expense to increase significantly.At December 31, 2024, the total outstanding indebtedness under our Credit Facility (as defined herein) was $293.7 million.
Interest rates may remain at existing levels or may further increase in the near term which could cause our debt service obligations and interest expense to increase even though the amount borrowed remains the same, and our net income and cash flows, including cash available for servicing our indebtedness, could correspondingly decrease.
We have floating-to-fixed interest rate swap agreements in order to reduce interest rate volatility in connection with $255.8 million of the outstanding term debt on our Credit Facility, but $37.9 million of our outstanding term debt is not currently subject to any interest rate instruments.
Corporate Activity and Growth4 | 8.5%
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1
Mergers of, or other strategic transactions by, our competitors could weaken our competitive position or reduce our revenue.Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 2
We continually assess the strategic fit of our existing businesses and may sunset and/or divest of certain underperforming or non-strategic assets that are deemed not to fit with our strategic plan or are not achieving the desired return on investment, and we cannot be certain that our business, operating results and financial condition will not be materially and adversely affected.Added
To successfully sunset or end-of-life an asset depends on ramping down customer and vendor contracts, product and labor spend, and development. A successful divestiture depends on various factors, including reaching an agreement with potential buyers on terms we deem attractive, as well as our ability to effectively transfer liabilities, contracts, facilities, and employees to any purchaser, identify and separate the intellectual property to be divested from the intellectual property that we wish to retain, reduce fixed costs previously associated with the divested assets or business, and collect the proceeds from any divestitures.
These efforts to sunset or divest require varying levels of management resources, which may divert our attention from other business operations. If we do not realize the expected benefits of any sunset or divestiture transaction, our consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows could be negatively impacted. In addition, sunsetting products and divestitures of businesses involve a number of risks, including significant costs and expenses, the loss of customer relationships and a decrease in revenues and earnings associated with the sunset asset or divested business. Furthermore, divestitures potentially involve significant post-closing separation activities, which could involve the expenditure of material financial resources and significant employee resources. Any sunset product or divestiture may result in a dilutive impact to our future earnings if we are unable to offset the dilutive impact from the loss of revenue associated with the divestiture, as well as significant write-offs, including those related to goodwill and other intangible assets, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 3
Our business strategy includes plans for organic growth, and our financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected if we fail to grow or fail to manage our growth effectively.Added
As part of our current general growth strategy, we expect to continue to primarily pursue organic growth, while also secondarily continuing to evaluate potential acquisitions and expansion opportunities that we believe provide a strategic or geographic fit with our business. We may be unable able to grow our business organically in the future. We believe that our future organic growth will depend on competitive factors and on the ability of our senior management to continue to maintain a robust system of internal controls and procedures and manage a growing number of customer relationships through our sales organization.
We sell our applications primarily through a direct sales organization comprised of inside sales and field sales personnel. In addition, we have an indirect sales organization that sells through alliances with strategic partners that can leverage our applications with their complementary services and technologies. Growing sales to both new and existing customers is, in part, dependent on our ability to maintain, expand and enhance our sales force. Identifying, recruiting and training additional sales personnel requires significant time, expense, and attention. It can take several quarters or longer before our sales representatives are fully-trained and productive. Our business may be adversely affected if our efforts to expand and train our sales organization do not generate a corresponding increase in revenue. In particular, if we are unable to hire, develop, and retain sales personnel, or if our new sales personnel are unable to achieve expected sales productivity levels in a reasonable period of time or at all, our revenue may grow more slowly than expected or decline and our business may be harmed.
Our growth strategy may divert management from our existing business and may require us to incur additional expenditures to expand our administrative and operational infrastructure and, if we are unable to effectively manage our growth, including to the satisfaction of our regulators, we could be materially and adversely affected. In addition, acquiring other companies may involve risks such as exposure to potential asset quality issues, disruption to our normal business activities and diversion of management's time and attention due to integration and conversion efforts. Consequently, continued organic growth, if achieved, may place a strain on our administrative and operational infrastructure, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 4
In the past, we have made acquisitions a primary component of our growth strategy. As we have shifted to a focus on organic growth, we will continue to be opportunistic in our review of suitable acquisition candidates, but may not be able to find or consummate acquisitions on acceptable terms, or we may be unable to successfully integrate acquisitions, which could disrupt our operations and adversely impact our business and operating results.Changed
Previously, our growth strategy was focused on the acquisition of complementary businesses to grow our company. For example, we have completed 31 acquisitions since February 2012. We intend to continue to review acquisitions of complementary technologies, products, and businesses to enhance the features and functionality of our applications, expand our customer base, provide access to new markets, and increase benefits of scale, while focusing on our organic growth strategy. Acquisitions involve certain known and unknown risks that could cause our actual growth or operating results to differ from our expectations. Generally, our acquisition activity presents three areas of risk to our business, risks related to: identifying the correct candidates for acquisition, completing the acquisition of identified targets, and integrating acquired companies following closing of the acquisition.
We may not be able to identify suitable candidates for acquisition, or if we do identify suitable candidates in the future, we may not be able to complete transactions with such partners on commercially favorable terms, or at all. We may pursue international acquisitions, which inherently pose more risks than domestic acquisitions, and we may compete with others to acquire complementary products, technologies, and businesses, which may result in decreased availability of, or increased price for, suitable acquisition candidates. Additionally, we may not be able to obtain the necessary financing, on favorable terms, including as a result of rising interest rates, or at all, to finance any or all of our potential acquisitions, and we may realize that acquired technologies, products, or businesses may not perform as we expect, and we may fail to realize anticipated revenue and profits.
Acquisitions involve various inherent risks, such as: our ability to assess accurately the value, strengths, weaknesses, internal controls, contingent and other liabilities and potential profitability of acquisition candidates; difficulties in integrating acquired businesses, our potential inability to achieve identified financial, operating and other synergies anticipated to result from an acquisition, and integration issues associated with internal controls of acquired businesses; the diversion of management's attention from our existing businesses; the potential impairment of assets; potential unknown liabilities associated with a business that we acquire or in which we invest, including environmental liabilities; and production delays associated with consolidating acquired facilities and manufacturing operations. Any past or future acquisition could also result in such risks. Due diligence performed prior to closing acquisitions may not uncover certain risks or liabilities that could materially impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.
In addition, any acquisition strategy may divert management's attention away from our existing business, resulting in the loss of key customers or employees, and expose us to unanticipated problems or legal liabilities, including responsibility as a successor for undisclosed or contingent liabilities of acquired businesses or assets.
If we fail to adequately conduct due diligence on our potential targets effectively, we may not identify problems at target companies or fail to recognize incompatibilities or other obstacles to successful integration. Additionally, the consummation of acquisition transactions involves the coordination of multiple personnel within Upland and at the third party partners that assist those acquisitions. If we are unable to properly coordinate amongst these groups and individuals, our ability to effectively manage our acquisition activity may be compromised.
We may not successfully integrate business, operational, and financial activities such as internal controls, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended (the "Sarbanes-Oxley Act") compliance, cyber security measures, the GDPR and similar privacy laws and other corporate governance and regulatory matters, operations, personnel or products related to acquisitions we may make in the future. Our inability to successfully integrate future acquisitions could impede us from realizing all of the benefits of those acquisitions and could severely weaken our business operations. The integration process may disrupt our business and, if new technologies, products, or businesses are not implemented effectively, may preclude the realization of the full benefits expected by us and could harm our results or operations. In addition, the overall integration of new technologies, products, or businesses may result in unanticipated problems, expenses, liabilities, and competitive responses.
In addition, even if the operations of an acquisition are integrated successfully, we may not realize the full benefits of the acquisition, including the synergies, cost savings, or growth opportunities that we expect. These benefits may not be achieved within the anticipated time frame, or at all.
Tech & Innovation
Total Risks: 10/47 (21%)Above Sector Average
Innovation / R&D1 | 2.1%
Innovation / R&D - Risk 1
Our success depends on our ability to adapt to technological change and continue to innovate.Trade Secrets2 | 4.3%
Trade Secrets - Risk 1
We could incur substantial costs in protecting our intellectual property from infringement, and any failure to protect our intellectual property could impair our business.Trade Secrets - Risk 2
We could incur substantial costs as a result of any claim of infringement of another party's intellectual property rights.In recent years, there has been significant litigation involving patents and other intellectual property rights in our industry. Companies providing software are increasingly bringing and becoming subject to suits alleging infringement of proprietary rights, particularly patent rights, and to the extent we gain greater market visibility, we face a higher risk of being the subject of intellectual property infringement claims. We do not have a significant patent portfolio, which could prevent us from deterring patent infringement claims through our own patent portfolio, and our competitors and others may now and in the future have significantly larger and more mature patent portfolios than we have. The risk of patent litigation has been amplified by the increase in the number of a type of patent holder, which we refer to as a non-practicing entity, whose sole business is to assert such claims and against whom our own intellectual property portfolio may provide little deterrent value. We could incur substantial costs in prosecuting or defending any intellectual property litigation and may not have adequate insurance coverage for these types of actions. If we sue to enforce our rights or are sued by a third-party that claims that our applications infringe its rights, the litigation could be expensive and could divert our management resources. Moreover, future acquisitions could expose us to additional risk of intellectual property litigation as we acquire new businesses with diverse software offerings and intellectual property assets.
In addition, in most instances, we have agreed to indemnify our customers against claims that our applications infringe the intellectual property rights of third parties. Our business could be adversely affected by any significant disputes between us and our customers as to the applicability or scope of our indemnification obligations to them. Any intellectual property litigation to which we might become a party, or for which we are required to provide indemnification, may require us to do one or more of the following:
- cease selling or using applications that incorporate the intellectual property that we allegedly infringe;- make substantial payments for legal fees, settlement payments or other costs or damages;- obtain a license, which may not be available on reasonable terms or at all, to sell or use the relevant technology; or - redesign the allegedly infringing applications to avoid infringement, which could be costly, time-consuming or impossible.
If we are required to make substantial payments or undertake any of the other actions noted above as a result of any intellectual property infringement claims against us or any obligation to indemnify our customers for such claims, such payments or actions could harm our business.
Cyber Security1 | 2.1%
Cyber Security - Risk 1
Actual or perceived security vulnerabilities in our solutions and services or cyberattacks on our networks could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition.Technology6 | 12.8%
Technology - Risk 1
Any disruption of service at the data centers that house our equipment and deliver our applications or with our hosting service providers could harm our business.Technology - Risk 2
The failure to timely and accurately implement Artificial Intelligence ("AI"), and other new technologies, successfully in our product offerings could have a material adverse effect on our business, competitive position, results of operations, financial condition and prospects, and also result in reputational harm or liability.We currently incorporate AI capabilities into certain of our offerings, and our research into and continued development of such capabilities remain ongoing. As with many innovations, AI presents risks, challenges, and potential unintended consequences that could affect its adoption, and therefore our business. Many generative AI solutions and implementations rely on third-parties, where ineffective or inadequate AI development or deployment practices by us or others could result in incidents that impair the acceptance of AI solutions or cause harm to our customers, individuals or society. These deficiencies and other failures of AI systems could subject us to competitive harm, regulatory action, legal liability, and brand or reputational harm. If we enable or offer AI solutions that result in (i) potential bias or inaccuracy, or (ii) a negative impact on human rights, privacy, employment, or other social, economic, or political issues, we may experience competitive, brand, or reputational harm or legal and/or regulatory action.
However, failing to successfully adopt new technologies, including generative AI, may result in product offerings that are either unreliable or noncompetitive. If we are unable to develop and commercialize product offerings that are compatible with new technologies or competitors are successful in developing compatible technologies more quickly or efficiently than we can, our business, competitive position, results of operations, financial condition and prospects may be materially and adversely affected. Additionally, leveraging AI capabilities to potentially improve internal functions and operations presents further risks and challenges. While we aim to use AI ethically and attempt to identify and mitigate ethical or legal issues presented by its use, we may be unsuccessful in identifying or resolving issues before they arise. The use of AI in our products and to support business operations carries inherent risks related to data privacy and security, such as intended, unintended, or inadvertent transmission of proprietary or sensitive information. Further, dependence on AI without adequate safeguards to make certain business decisions may introduce additional operational vulnerabilities by impacting our relationships with customers, partners, and suppliers; by producing inaccurate outcomes based on flaws in the underlying data; or other unintended results.
Further, incorporating AI may increase IP, cybersecurity, operational, data protection and technological risks and result in new or enhanced governmental or regulatory scrutiny, litigation, ethical concerns, or other complications that could materially and adversely affect our business, as AI is an emerging technology for which the legal and regulatory landscape is not fully developed (including potential liability for breaching intellectual property or privacy rights or laws). As a result of the complexity and rapid development of new technologies, it is not possible to predict all of the legal, operational or technological risks related to use of such technologies. Furthermore, new technologies, such as AI, are the subject of evolving review by various governmental and regulatory bodies and agencies, and changes in laws, rules, directives and regulations governing the use of such technologies may adversely affect the ability of our business to develop and use such technologies.
Technology - Risk 3
We rely on third-party software that is required for the development and deployment of our applications, which may be difficult to obtain or which could cause errors or failures of our applications.We rely on software licensed from or hosted by third parties to offer our applications. In addition, we may need to obtain licenses from third parties to use intellectual property associated with the development of our applications, which might not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all. Any loss of the right to use any software required for the development, maintenance, and delivery of our applications could result in delays in the provision of our applications until equivalent technology is either developed by us or, if available, is identified, obtained and integrated, which could harm our business. Any errors or defects in third-party software could result in errors or a failure of our applications, which could harm our business.
Technology - Risk 4
If we fail to integrate our applications with other software applications and competitive or adjacent offerings that are developed by others, or fail to make our applications available on mobile and other handheld devices, our applications may become less marketable, less competitive or obsolete, and our operating results could be harmed.Our applications integrate with a variety of other software applications, and also with competing and adjacent third-party offerings. We need to continuously modify and enhance our platform to adapt to changes in cloud-enabled hardware, software, networking, browser and database technologies. Any failure of our applications to integrate effectively with other software applications and product offerings could reduce the demand for our applications or result in customer dissatisfaction and harm to our business. If we are unable to respond to changes in the applications and tools with which our applications integrate in a cost-effective manner, our applications may become less marketable, less competitive, or obsolete. Competitors may also impede our attempts to create integration between our applications and competitive offerings, which may decrease demand for our applications. In addition, an increasing number of individuals within organizations are utilizing devices other than personal computers, such as mobile phones, tablets and other handheld devices, to access the internet and corporate resources and to conduct business. If we cannot effectively make our applications available on these devices or be able to offer or integrate different messaging capabilities, we may experience difficulty attracting and retaining customers.
Technology - Risk 5
If our applications contain serious errors or defects, we may lose revenue and market acceptance, and we may incur costs to defend or settle product-related claims.Complex software applications such as ours often contain errors or defects, particularly when first introduced or when new versions or enhancements are released. Our current and future applications may contain serious defects.
The costs incurred in correcting any material errors or defects might be substantial and could adversely affect our operating results. Although our customer agreements typically contain provisions designed to limit our exposure to certain of the claims above, existing or future laws or unfavorable judicial decisions could negate these limitations. Even if not successful, a breach of warranty or other claim brought against us would likely be a distraction to management, time-consuming and costly to resolve, and could seriously damage our reputation in the marketplace, making it harder for us to sell our applications. Additionally, our errors and omissions insurance may be inadequate or may not be available in the future on acceptable terms, or at all, and our policy may not cover all claims made against us. Further, defending a suit, regardless of its merit, could be costly and divert management's attention.
Technology - Risk 6
Our use of open source software could negatively affect the performance of our applications and our ability to sell our applications and subject us to possible litigation.Changed
A portion of our applications incorporate open source software, and we expect to continue to incorporate open source software in the future. Few of the licenses applicable to open source software have been interpreted by courts, and their application to the open source software integrated into our proprietary software may be uncertain. Moreover, we cannot provide any assurance that we have not incorporated additional open source software in our applications in a manner that is inconsistent with the terms of the license or our current policies and procedures. If we fail to comply with these licenses, we may be subject to certain requirements, including requirements that we offer our applications that incorporate the open source software for no cost, that we make available source code for modifications or derivative works we create based upon, incorporating or using the open source software, and that we license such modifications or derivative works under the terms of applicable open source licenses. If an author or other third party that distributes such open source software were to allege that we had not complied with the conditions of one or more of these licenses, we could be required to incur significant legal expenses defending against such allegations and could be subject to significant damages, enjoined from the sale of our applications that contained the open source software, and required to comply with the foregoing conditions, which could disrupt the distribution and sale of some of our applications. In addition, there have been claims challenging the ownership of open source software against companies that incorporate open source software into their products. As a result, we could be subject to suits by parties claiming infringement due to the reliance by our applications on certain open source software. Litigation could be costly for us to defend, have a negative effect on our operating results and financial condition, or require us to devote additional research and development resources to change our applications.
Legal & Regulatory
Total Risks: 8/47 (17%)Below Sector Average
Regulation1 | 2.1%
Regulation - Risk 1
Any failure to comply with governmental export and import control laws and regulations could adversely affect our business.Taxation & Government Incentives6 | 12.8%
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 1
Taxing authorities could reallocate our taxable income among our subsidiaries, which could increase our consolidated tax liability.Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 2
Tax laws, regulations, and compliance practices are evolving and may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flows and financial position.The U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the "Tax Act") was enacted in December 2017 and significantly affected U.S. tax law by changing how the United States imposes income tax on multinational corporations, and although it is understood that the U.S. Congress has been considering legislation that would extend certain provisions of the TCJA due to expire, the possibility that this will happen and the consequences of any resulting legislation are uncertain. The U.S. Department of Treasury has broad authority to issue regulations and interpretative guidance that may significantly impact how we will apply the law and impact our results of operations. As additional interpretative guidance is issued by the applicable authorities, we may need to revise our provision (benefit) for income taxes in future periods. These revisions could materially affect our results of operations, cash flow and financial position.
Further, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 was enacted in August 2022, which contained provisions effective January 1, 2023, including a 15% corporate alternative minimum tax and a 1% excise tax on certain stock repurchases by public corporations, both of which we do not expect to have a material impact on our results of operations, financial condition or cash flows. While we do not anticipate these changes to be significant, these revisions could materially affect our results of operations, cash flow and financial position.
Tax laws, regulations, and administrative practices in various jurisdictions are evolving and may be subject to significant changes due to economic, political and other conditions. There are many transactions that occur during the ordinary course of business for which the ultimate tax determination is uncertain, and significant judgment is required in evaluating and estimating our provision and accruals for these taxes. Governments are increasingly focused on ways to increase tax revenues, particularly from multinational corporations, which may lead to an increase in audit activity and harsher positions taken by tax authorities. We are currently subject to tax audits in various jurisdictions and these jurisdictions may assess additional tax liabilities against us.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ("OECD"), an international association of countries, including the United States, released the final reports from its Base Erosion and Profit Shifting ("BEPS") Action Plans, which aim to standardize and modernize global tax policies. The BEPS Action Plans propose revisions to numerous tax rules, including country-by-country reporting, permanent establishment, hybrid entities and instruments, transfer pricing, and tax treaties. The BEPS Action Plans have been or are being enacted by countries where we have operations. The European Commission ("EC") has conducted investigations in multiple countries focusing on whether local country tax rulings provide preferential tax treatment that violates European Union state aid rules and concluded that certain countries, including Ireland, have provided illegal state aid in certain cases. The EC and OECD have also been evaluating new rules on the taxation of the digital economy to provide greater taxing rights to jurisdictions where customers or users are located and to address additional base erosion and profits shifting issues. In addition, many countries have recently introduced new laws or proposals to tax digital transactions. These developments in tax laws and regulations, and compliance with these rules, could have a material adverse effect on our operating results, financial position and cash flows.
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 3
Our operating results could be adversely affected by an increase in our effective tax rate as a result of U.S. and foreign tax law changes, outcomes of current or future tax examinations, or by material differences between our forecasted and actual effective tax rates.Our operations are subject to income and transaction taxes in the United States and in multiple foreign jurisdictions, with a significant amount of our foreign earnings generated by our subsidiaries organized in Australia, Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Any significant change in our future effective tax rates could adversely impact our results of operations for future periods. Our future effective tax rates could be adversely affected by the following:
- changes in tax laws or the interpretation of such tax laws as applied to our business and corporate structure in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Romania and the United Kingdom, or other international locations where we have operations;- earnings being lower than anticipated in countries where we are taxed at lower rates as compared to the United States federal and state statutory tax rates;- an increase in expenses not deductible for tax purposes;- changes in tax benefits from stock-based compensation;- changes in the valuation allowance against our deferred tax assets;- changes in judgment from the evaluation of new information that results in a recognition, derecognition or change in measurement of a tax position taken in a prior period;- increases to interest or penalty expenses classified in the financial statements as income taxes;- new accounting standards or interpretations of such standards; or - results of examinations by the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS"), state, and foreign tax or other governmental authorities.
The IRS and other tax authorities regularly examine our income tax returns and other non-income tax returns, such as payroll, sales, use, value-added, net worth or franchise, property, goods and services, consumption, import, stamp, and excise taxes, in both the United States and foreign jurisdictions. The calculation of our provision for income taxes and our accruals for other taxes requires us to use significant judgment and involves dealing with uncertainties in the application of complex tax laws and regulations. In determining the adequacy of our provision for income taxes, we regularly assess the potential settlement outcomes resulting from income tax examinations. However, the final outcome of tax examinations, including the total amount payable or the timing of any such payments upon resolution of these issues, cannot be estimated with certainty. In addition, we cannot be certain that such amount will not be materially different from the amount that is reflected in our historical income tax provisions and accruals for other taxes. Should the IRS or other tax authorities assess additional taxes, penalties or interest as a result of a current or a future examination, we may be required to record charges to operations in future periods that could have a material impact on our results of operations, financial position or cash flows in the applicable period or periods.
Forecasts of our annual effective tax rate are complex and subject to uncertainty because our income tax position for each year combines the effects of estimating our annual income or loss, the mix of profits and losses earned by us and our subsidiaries in tax jurisdictions with a broad range of income tax rates, as well as benefits from available deferred tax assets, the impact of various accounting rules, our interpretations of changes in tax laws and results of tax audits. Forecasts of our annual effective tax rate do not include the anticipation of future tax law changes. In addition, we report for certain tax benefits from stock-based compensation in the period the stock compensation vests or is settled, which may cause increased variability in our quarterly effective tax rates. If there were a material difference between forecasted and actual tax rates, it could have a material impact on our results of operations.
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 4
Taxing authorities may successfully assert that we should have collected or, in the future, should collect additional sales and use taxes, and we could be subject to liability with respect to past or future sales, which could adversely affect our results of operations.We have not historically filed sales and use tax returns or collected sales and use taxes in all jurisdictions in which we have sales, based on our belief that such taxes are not applicable. While operations of these jurisdictions are managed based on our interpretation of local regulations, a change in regulations or interpretations of legislation may result in an obligation that we are not aware of. Taxing authorities may seek to impose such taxes on us, including for past sales, which could result in penalties and interest. Any such tax assessments may adversely affect the results of our operations.
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 5
Unanticipated challenges by tax authorities could harm our future results.We are subject to income taxes in the United States and various non-U.S. jurisdictions. We may be subject to income tax audits by various tax jurisdictions throughout the world, many of which have not established clear guidance on the tax treatment of cloud-based companies. The application of tax laws in such jurisdictions may be subject to diverging and sometimes conflicting interpretations by tax authorities in these jurisdictions. Although we believe our income tax liabilities are reasonably estimated and accounted for in accordance with applicable laws and principles, an adverse resolution of one or more uncertain tax positions in any period could have a material impact on the results of operations for that period.
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 6
We have entered into the 2024 Tax Benefit Preservation Plan, which may not protect the future availability of the Company's tax assets in all circumstances and which could delay or discourage takeover attempts that some shareholders may consider favorable.Changed
As of December 31, 2024, we had approximately $244.5 million of NOLs as well as other tax attributes that could be available in certain circumstances to reduce future U.S. corporate income tax liabilities. Pursuant to Section 382 ("Section 382") of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and the Treasury Regulations issued thereunder, a corporation that undergoes an "ownership change" is subject to limitations on its use of its existing NOL and interest expense carryforwards and certain other tax attributes (collectively, "Tax Assets"), which can be utilized in certain circumstances to offset future U.S. tax liabilities. Generally, an "ownership change" occurs if the percentage of the Company's stock owned by one or more "five percent stockholders" increases by more than fifty percentage points over the lowest percentage of stock owned by such stockholders at any time during the prior three-year period or, if sooner, since the last "ownership change" experienced by the Company. In the event of such an "ownership change," Section 382 imposes an annual limitation on the amount of post-change taxable income a corporation may offset with pre-change Tax Assets. Similar rules apply in various U.S. state and local jurisdictions. However, with respect to the substantial majority of our Tax Assets potentially available for use (as described in the risk factor above "Our ability to use our net operating loss carryforwards and certain other tax attributes may be limited."), while we have in recent years experienced significant changes in the ownership of our stock, we do not believe we have undergone an "ownership change" that would limit our ability to use these Tax Assets. However, there can be no assurance that the Internal Revenue Service will not challenge this position.
As part of the 2024 Tax Benefit Preservation Plan, our Board declared a dividend of one preferred stock purchase right for each outstanding share of Common Stock payable as of June 15, 2024. See "Note 13. Stockholders' Equity" for additional information on the terms and operation of the 2024 Tax Benefit Preservation Plan. By adopting the 2024 Tax Benefit Preservation Plan, we are seeking to protect our ability to use our NOLs and other tax attributes to offset potential future income tax liabilities. Our ability to use such NOLs and other tax attributes would be substantially limited if we experience an "ownership change," as defined in Section 382. the 2024 Tax Benefit Preservation Plan is intended to make it more difficult for us to undergo an ownership change by deterring any person from acquiring 4.9% or more of the outstanding shares of stock without the approval of our Board. However, there can be no assurance that the 2024 Tax Benefit Preservation Plan will prevent an "ownership change" from occurring for purposes of Section 382, and events outside of our control and which may not be subject to the 2024 Tax Benefit Preservation Plan, such as sales of our stock by certain existing shareholders, may result in such an "ownership change" in the future. While we currently have a full valuation allowance against our NOLs and other historic Tax Assets for financial accounting purposes, if we have undergone or in the future undergo an ownership change that applies to our Tax Assets, our ability to use those Tax Assets could be substantially limited after the ownership change, and this limit could have a substantial adverse effect on our cash flows and financial position. The 2024 Tax Benefit Preservation Plan will expire on June 4, 2027, unless earlier terminated.
While the 2024 Tax Benefit Preservation Plan is not, and a future tax benefit preservation plan will not be, principally intended to prevent a takeover, it may have an anti-takeover effect because an "acquiring person" thereunder may be diluted upon the occurrence of a triggering event. Accordingly, the 2024 Tax Benefit Preservation Plan or a future tax benefit preservation plan may complicate or discourage a merger, tender offer, accumulations of substantial blocks of our stock, or assumption of control by a substantial holder of our securities. The 2024 Tax Benefit Preservation Plan or a future tax benefit preservation plan should not interfere with any merger or other business combination approved by the Board of Directors. Because the Board of Directors may consent to certain transactions, the 2024 Tax Benefit Preservation Plan gives, and a future tax benefit preservation plan is expected to give, our Board of Directors significant discretion to act in the best interests of shareholders.
Environmental / Social1 | 2.1%
Environmental / Social - Risk 1
New laws and increasing levels of regulation in the areas of privacy and protection of user data could harm our business.Macro & Political
Total Risks: 5/47 (11%)Above Sector Average
Economy & Political Environment2 | 4.3%
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 1
Adverse economic conditions may reduce our customers' ability to spend money on information technology or software, or our customers may otherwise choose to reduce their spending on information technology or software, which may adversely impact our business.Economy & Political Environment - Risk 2
We may be adversely affected by the effects of inflation.Inflation has the potential to adversely affect our liquidity, business, financial condition and results of operations by increasing our overall cost structure, particularly if we are unable to achieve commensurate increases in the prices we charge our customers. The existence of inflation in the economy has resulted in, and may continue to result in, higher interest rates and capital costs, shipping costs, supply shortages, increased costs of labor, weakening exchange rates and other similar effects. As a result of inflation, we have experienced and may continue to experience, cost increases. Although we may take measures to mitigate the impact of this inflation, if these measures are not effective, our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity could be materially adversely affected. Even if such measures are effective, there could be a difference between the timing of when these beneficial actions impact our results of operations and when the cost of inflation is incurred.
International Operations1 | 2.1%
International Operations - Risk 1
We face various risks associated with operating as a multinational corporation and our growth and long-term success depends, in part, on our ability to expand our international sales and operations.Natural and Human Disruptions1 | 2.1%
Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 1
An epidemic, pandemic or contagious disease and measures intended to prevent the spread of such an event could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.Capital Markets1 | 2.1%
Capital Markets - Risk 1
Fluctuations in the exchange rate of foreign currencies could result in losses on currency transactions.Ability to Sell
Total Risks: 3/47 (6%)Below Sector Average
Competition1 | 2.1%
Competition - Risk 1
The markets in which we participate are intensely competitive, and if we do not compete effectively, our operating results could be adversely affected.Sales & Marketing2 | 4.3%
Sales & Marketing - Risk 1
Our growth depends on our ability to retain existing customers and secure additional subscriptions and cross-sell opportunities from existing customers.Changed
Sales & Marketing - Risk 2
Our sales cycles can be lengthy and variable, which may cause changes in our operating results.Our sales cycle can vary substantially from customer to customer. A number of factors influence the length and variability of our sales cycles, including, for example:
- the need to educate potential customers about the uses and benefits of our applications;- the duration of the commitment customers make in their agreements with us, which are typically one to three years;- the discretionary nature of potential customers' purchasing and budget cycles and decisions;- the competitive nature of potential customers' evaluation and purchasing processes;- the functionality demands of potential customers;- fluctuations in the software needs of potential customers;- the announcement or planned introduction of new products by us or our competitors; and - the purchasing approval processes of potential customers.
Our sales cycles can make it difficult to predict the quarter in which revenue from a new customer may first be recognized. We may incur significant sales and marketing expenses and invest significant time and effort in anticipation of a sale that may never occur or only occur in a smaller amount or at a later date than anticipated. Delays inherent to our sales cycles could cause significant variability in our revenue and operating results for any particular period.
Production
Total Risks: 1/47 (2%)Below Sector Average
Employment / Personnel1 | 2.1%
Employment / Personnel - Risk 1
We depend on our senior management team and the loss of one or more key personnel, or an inability to attract and retain highly skilled personnel may impair our ability to grow our business.See a full breakdown of risk according to category and subcategory. The list starts with the category with the most risk. Click on subcategories to read relevant extracts from the most recent report.
FAQ
What are “Risk Factors”?
Risk factors are any situations or occurrences that could make investing in a company risky.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires that publicly traded companies disclose their most significant risk factors. This is so that potential investors can consider any risks before they make an investment.
They also offer companies protection, as a company can use risk factors as liability protection. This could happen if a company underperforms and investors take legal action as a result.
It is worth noting that smaller companies, that is those with a public float of under $75 million on the last business day, do not have to include risk factors in their 10-K and 10-Q forms, although some may choose to do so.
How do companies disclose their risk factors?
Publicly traded companies initially disclose their risk factors to the SEC through their S-1 filings as part of the IPO process.
Additionally, companies must provide a complete list of risk factors in their Annual Reports (Form 10-K) or (Form 20-F) for “foreign private issuers”.
Quarterly Reports also include a section on risk factors (Form 10-Q) where companies are only required to update any changes since the previous report.
According to the SEC, risk factors should be reported concisely, logically and in “plain English” so investors can understand them.
How can I use TipRanks risk factors in my stock research?
Use the Risk Factors tab to get data about the risk factors of any company in which you are considering investing.
You can easily see the most significant risks a company is facing. Additionally, you can find out which risk factors a company has added, removed or adjusted since its previous disclosure. You can also see how a company’s risk factors compare to others in its sector.
Without reading company reports or participating in conference calls, you would most likely not have access to this sort of information, which is usually not included in press releases or other public announcements.
A simplified analysis of risk factors is unique to TipRanks.
What are all the risk factor categories?
TipRanks has identified 6 major categories of risk factors and a number of subcategories for each. You can see how these categories are broken down in the list below.
1. Financial & Corporate
- Accounting & Financial Operations - risks related to accounting loss, value of intangible assets, financial statements, value of intangible assets, financial reporting, estimates, guidance, company profitability, dividends, fluctuating results.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights – risks related to things that impact share prices and the rights of shareholders, including analyst ratings, major shareholder activity, trade volatility, liquidity of shares, anti-takeover provisions, international listing, dual listing.
- Debt & Financing – risks related to debt, funding, financing and interest rates, financial investments.
- Corporate Activity and Growth – risks related to restructuring, M&As, joint ventures, execution of corporate strategy, strategic alliances.
2. Legal & Regulatory
- Litigation and Legal Liabilities – risks related to litigation/ lawsuits against the company.
- Regulation – risks related to compliance, GDPR, and new legislation.
- Environmental / Social – risks related to environmental regulation and to data privacy.
- Taxation & Government Incentives – risks related to taxation and changes in government incentives.
3. Production
- Costs – risks related to costs of production including commodity prices, future contracts, inventory.
- Supply Chain – risks related to the company’s suppliers.
- Manufacturing – risks related to the company’s manufacturing process including product quality and product recalls.
- Human Capital – risks related to recruitment, training and retention of key employees, employee relationships & unions labor disputes, pension, and post retirement benefits, medical, health and welfare benefits, employee misconduct, employee litigation.
4. Technology & Innovation
- Innovation / R&D – risks related to innovation and new product development.
- Technology – risks related to the company’s reliance on technology.
- Cyber Security – risks related to securing the company’s digital assets and from cyber attacks.
- Trade Secrets & Patents – risks related to the company’s ability to protect its intellectual property and to infringement claims against the company as well as piracy and unlicensed copying.
5. Ability to Sell
- Demand – risks related to the demand of the company’s goods and services including seasonality, reliance on key customers.
- Competition – risks related to the company’s competition including substitutes.
- Sales & Marketing – risks related to sales, marketing, and distribution channels, pricing, and market penetration.
- Brand & Reputation – risks related to the company’s brand and reputation.
6. Macro & Political
- Economy & Political Environment – risks related to changes in economic and political conditions.
- Natural and Human Disruptions – risks related to catastrophes, floods, storms, terror, earthquakes, coronavirus pandemic/COVID-19.
- International Operations – risks related to the global nature of the company.
- Capital Markets – risks related to exchange rates and trade, cryptocurrency.