INNOVATE Corp (VATE) Risk Factors

License Renewals. Broadcast television licenses are typically granted for standard terms of eight years. Most licenses for commercial and noncommercial TV broadcast stations, Class A TV broadcast stations, television translators and LPTV broadcast stations have expirations between 2028 and 2031; however, the Communications Act requires the FCC to renew a broadcast license if the FCC finds that the station has served the public interest, convenience and necessity and, with respect to the station, there have been no serious violations by the licensee of either the Communications Act or the FCC's rules and regulations and there have been no other violations by the licensee of the Communications Act or the FCC's rules and regulations that, taken together, constitute a pattern of abuse. The Company had 17 pending renewal applications at the end of 2023, and will have no applications due in 2024. Third parties may oppose license renewals. A station remains authorized to operate while its license renewal application is pending. License Assignments. The Communications Act requires prior FCC approval for the assignment or transfer of control of an FCC licensee. Third parties may oppose the Company's applications to assign, transfer or acquire broadcast licenses. Full Power and Class A Station Regulations. The Communications Act and FCC rules and regulations limit the ability of individuals and entities to have certain official positions or ownership interests, known as "attributable" interests, above specific levels in full power broadcast stations as well as in other specified mass media entities. Many of these limits do not apply to Class A stations, television translators and LPTV authorizations. In seeking FCC approval for the acquisition of a broadcast television station license, the acquiring person or entity must demonstrate that the acquisition complies with applicable FCC ownership rules or that a waiver of the rules is in the public interest. Additionally, while the Communications Act and FCC regulations have been modified to no longer strictly prohibit ownership of a broadcast station license by any corporation with more than 25 percent of its stock owned or voted by non-U.S. persons, their representatives or any other corporation organized under the laws of a foreign country, foreign ownership above such threshold is determined by the FCC on a case-by-case basis, which analysis is subject to the specific circumstances of each such request. The FCC has also adopted regulations concerning children's television programming, commercial limits, local issues and programming, political files, sponsorship identification, equal employment opportunity requirements and other requirements for full power and Class A broadcast television stations. The FCC's rules require operational full-power and Class A stations to file quarterly reports demonstrating compliance with these regulations. Low Power Television and TV Translator Authorizations. LPTV stations and TV Translators have "secondary spectrum priority" to full-service television stations. The secondary status of these authorizations prohibits LPTV and TV Translator stations from causing interference to the reception of existing or future full-service television stations and requires them to accept interference from existing or future full-service television stations and other primary licensees. LPTV and TV Translator licensees are subject to fewer regulatory obligations than full-power and Class A licensees, and there no limit on the number of LPTV stations that may be owned by any one entity. Obscenity and Indecency Regulations. Federal law and FCC regulations prohibit the broadcast of obscene material on television at any time and the broadcast of indecent material between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. local time. The FCC investigates complaints of broadcasts of prohibited obscene or indecent material and can assess fines of up to $0.35 million per incident for violation of the prohibition against obscene or indecent broadcasts and up to $3.3 million for any continuing violation based on any single act or failure to act. The FCC may also revoke or refuse to renew a broadcast station license based on a serious violation of the agency's obscenity and indecency rules.

The FCC regulates Broadcasting's broadcasting business. We must often times obtain the FCC's approval to obtain, renew, assign or modify, a license, purchase a new station, sell an existing station or transfer the control of one of Broadcasting's subsidiaries that hold a license. Broadcasting's FCC licenses are critical to Broadcasting's operations; we cannot operate without them. We cannot be certain that the FCC will renew these licenses in the future or approve new acquisitions in a timely manner, if at all. If licenses are not renewed or acquisitions are not approved, we may lose revenue that we otherwise could have earned and this would have an adverse effect on Broadcasting's business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, Congress and the FCC may, in the future, adopt new laws, regulations and policies regarding a wide variety of matters (including, but not limited to, technological changes in spectrum assigned to particular services) that could, directly or indirectly, materially and adversely affect the operation and ownership of Broadcasting's broadcast properties.

Scaled Cell is currently targeting chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy which uses immune cells called T cells that are genetically altered in a lab to enable them in locating and destroying cancer cells more effectively. Cellular therapies like CAR-T remain novel, have caused severe side effects, including death, and may not gain widespread acceptance by the public or the medical community. Additionally, adverse events in clinical trials of Scaled Cell candidates or in other companies' clinical trials could result in a decrease in demand for products developed by Scaled Cell. Advancing CAR-T therapy creates other challenges, including those related to the manufacture, sourcing, licensing, education, and regulation of such therapies. Additionally, responses by the FDA or other federal and state agencies to negative public perception or ethical concerns could result in increased regulation or legislation of CAR-T therapies.

In both Pansend's U.S. and foreign markets, Pansend is affected by extensive laws, governmental regulations, administrative determinations, court decisions and similar constraints. Such laws, regulations and other constraints may exist at the federal, state or local levels in the U.S. and at analogous levels of government in foreign jurisdictions. In addition, the formulation, manufacturing, packaging, labeling, distribution, importation, sale and storage of Pansend's products are subject to extensive regulation by various federal agencies, including, but not limited to, the FDA and the FTC, State Attorneys General in the U.S., as well as by various other federal, state, local and international regulatory authorities in the countries in which Pansend's products are manufactured, distributed or sold. If Pansend or its manufacturers fail to comply with those regulations, Pansend could become subject to significant penalties or claims, which could harm its results of operations or its ability to conduct its business. In addition, the adoption of new regulations or changes in the interpretations of existing regulations may result in significant compliance costs or discontinuation of product sales and may impair the marketing of its products, resulting in significant loss of net sales. Pansend's failure to comply with federal or state regulations, or with regulations in foreign markets that cover its product claims and advertising, including direct claims and advertising by us, may result in enforcement actions and imposition of penalties or otherwise harm the distribution and sale of its products. Each medical device that Pansend wishes to market in the U.S. must first receive either 510(k) clearance or PMA from the FDA unless an exemption applies. Either process can be lengthy and expensive. The FDA's 510(k) clearance process may take from three to twelve months, or longer, and may or may not require human clinical data. The PMA process is much more costly and lengthy. It may take from eleven months to three years, or even longer, and will likely require significant supporting human clinical data. Delays in obtaining regulatory clearance or approval could adversely affect Pansend's revenues and profitability. R2 has obtained 510(k) clearances for its Glacial Rx system for various uses, including, but not limited to: the removal of benign lesions of the skin; the use of cooling technologies intended for the temporary reduction of pain; swelling; inflammation; hematoma for minor surgical procedures; general dermabrasion; scar revision; acne scar revision; tattoo removal; and minimization of pain, inflammation and thermal injury during laser and dermatological treatments. However, these approvals and clearances may be subject to revocation if post- marketing data demonstrates safety issues or lack of effectiveness. Many medical devices, such as medical lasers, are also regulated by the FDA as "electronic products." In general, manufacturers and marketers of "electronic products" are subject to certain FDA regulatory requirements intended to ensure the radiological safety of the products. These requirements include, but are not limited to, filing certain reports with the FDA about the products and defects/safety issues related to the products as well as complying with radiological performance standards. The medical device industry is now experiencing greater scrutiny and regulation by federal, state and foreign governmental authorities. Companies in the life sciences industry are subject to more frequent and more intensive reviews and investigations, often involving the marketing, business practices, and product quality management. Such reviews and investigations may result in civil and criminal proceedings; the imposition of substantial fines and penalties; the receipt of warning letters, untitled letters, demands for recalls or the seizure of Pansend's products; the requirement to enter into corporate integrity agreements, stipulated judgments or other administrative remedies, and result in Pansend's incurring substantial unanticipated costs and the diversion of key personnel and management's attention from their regular duties, any of which may have an adverse effect on Pansend's financial condition, results of operations and liquidity, and may result in greater and continuing governmental scrutiny of Pansend's business in the future. Additionally, federal, state and foreign governments and entities have enacted laws and issued regulations and other standards requiring increased visibility and transparency of Pansend's interactions with healthcare providers. For example, the U.S. Physician Payment Sunshine Act, now known as Open Payments, requires Pansend to report to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, payments and other transfers of value to all U.S. physicians and U.S. teaching hospitals, with the reported information made publicly available on a searchable website. Failure to comply with these legal and regulatory requirements could impact Pansend's business, and it has had and will continue to spend substantial time and financial resources to develop and implement enhanced structures, policies, systems and processes to comply with these legal and regulatory requirements, which may also impact Pansend's business and which could have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition, and results of operations. International regulatory approval processes may take more or less time than the FDA clearance or approval process. If Pansend fails to comply with applicable FDA and comparable non-U.S. regulatory requirements, it may not receive regulatory clearances or approvals or may be subject to FDA or comparable non-U.S. enforcement actions. Pansend may be unable to obtain future regulatory clearance or approval in a timely manner, or at all, especially if existing regulations are changed or new regulations are adopted. For example, the FDA clearance or approval process can take longer than anticipated due to requests for additional clinical data and changes in regulatory requirements. A failure or delay in obtaining necessary regulatory clearances or approvals would materially adversely affect Pansend's business, financial condition, and results of operations. Further, more stringent regulatory requirements or safety and quality standards may be issued in the future with an adverse effect on Pansend's business.

DBMG is subject to licensure and holds licenses in each of the states in the United States in which it operates and in certain local jurisdictions within such states. While we believe that DBMG is in material compliance with all contractor licensing requirements in the various jurisdictions in which it operates, the failure to obtain, loss or revocation of any license or the limitation on any of DBMG's primary services thereunder in any jurisdiction in which it conducts substantial operations could prevent DBMG from conducting further operations in such jurisdiction and have a material adverse effect on DBMG's results of operations, cash flows or financial condition.

The regulatory permitting process for DBMG's projects requires significant investments of time and money by DBMG's customers and DBMG. There are no assurances that DBMG's customers or DBMG will obtain the necessary permits for these projects. Applications for permits may be opposed by governmental entities, individuals or special interest groups, resulting in delays and possible non-issuance of the permits.

DBMG is a provider of services to U.S. government agencies and is therefore exposed to risks associated with government contracting. Government agencies typically can terminate or modify contracts to which DBMG is a party at their convenience, due to budget constraints or various other reasons. As a result, DBMG's backlog may be reduced or it may incur a loss if a government agency decides to terminate or modify a contract to which DBMG is a party. DBMG is also subject to audits, including audits of internal control systems, cost reviews and investigations by government contracting oversight agencies. As a result of an audit, the oversight agency may disallow certain costs or withhold a percentage of interim payments. Cost disallowances may result in adjustments to previously reported revenue and may require DBMG to refund a portion of previously collected amounts. In addition, failure to comply with the terms of one or more of our government contracts or government regulations and statutes could result in DBMG being suspended or debarred from future government projects for a significant period of time, possible civil or criminal fines and penalties, the risk of public scrutiny of our performance, and potential harm to DBMG's reputation, each of which could have a material adverse effect on DBMG's results of operations, cash flows or financial condition. Other remedies that government agencies may seek for improper activities or performance issues include sanctions such as forfeiture of profit and suspension of payments. In addition to the risks noted above, legislatures typically appropriate funds on a year-by-year basis, while contract performance may take more than one year. As a result, contracts with government agencies may be only partially funded or may be terminated, and DBMG may not realize all of the potential revenue and profit from those contracts. Appropriations and the timing of payment may be influenced by, among other things, the state of the economy, competing political priorities, curtailments in the use of government contracting firms, budget constraints, the timing and amount of tax receipts and the overall level of government expenditures.

DBMG has been and may be, from time to time, named as a defendant in legal actions claiming damages in connection with fabrication and other products and services DBMG provides and other matters. These are typically claims that arise in the normal course of business, including employment-related claims and contractual disputes or claims for personal injury or property damage which occur in connection with services performed relating to project or construction sites. Contractual disputes normally involve claims relating to the timely completion of projects or other issues concerning fabrication and other products and services DBMG provides. There can be no assurance that any of DBMG's pending contractual, employment-related personal injury or property damage claims and disputes will not have a material effect on DBMG's future results of operations, cash flows or financial condition.

Pansend faces an inherent risk of product liability as a result of the marketing and sale of its products. For example, Pansend may be sued if its products cause or are perceived to cause injury or are found to be otherwise unsuitable during manufacturing, marketing or sale. Any such product liability claim may include allegations of defects in manufacturing, defects in design, a failure to warn of dangers inherent in the product, negligence, strict liability or breach of warranty. Pansend's products are highly complex, and some are used to treat delicate skin conditions on and near a patient's face. In addition, the clinical testing, manufacturing, marketing and use of certain of Pansend's products and procedures may also expose Pansend to product liability, FDA regulatory and/or legal actions, or other claims. If a physician elects to apply an off-label use and the use leads to injury, Pansend may be involved in costly litigation. In addition, the fact that Pansend trains technicians whom it does not supervise in the use of the Glacial Rx system during patient treatment may expose Pansend to third-party claims if it is accused of providing inadequate training. Pansend may also be subject to claims against it even if the apparent injury is due to the actions of others or the pre-existing health of the patient. For example, Pansend relies on physicians in connection with the use of its products on patients. If these physicians are not properly trained or are negligent, the capabilities and safety features of Pansend's products may be diminished or the patient may suffer critical injury. Pansend may also be subject to claims that are caused by the actions of Pansend's suppliers, such as those who provide it with components and sub-assemblies. A product liability claim or product recall may result in losses that could result in the FDA taking legal or regulatory enforcement action against Pansend and/or Pansend's products including recall, and could have a material adverse effect upon Pansend's business, financial condition and results of operations.

A portion of DBMG's employees are represented by labor unions, and 14.1% of DBMG's employees are covered under collective bargaining agreements that expire in less than one year, at which time they will be renegotiated. A lengthy strike or other work stoppage at any of its facilities could have a material adverse effect on DBMG's business. There is inherent risk that ongoing or future negotiations relating to collective bargaining agreements or union representation may not be favorable to DBMG. From time to time, DBMG also has experienced attempts to unionize its non-union facilities. Such efforts can often disrupt or delay work and present risk of labor unrest.

The specialized nature of Pansend's industry results in an inherent scarcity of experienced personnel in the field. Pansend's future success depends upon Pansend's ability to attract and retain highly skilled personnel, including scientific, technical, commercial, business, regulatory and administrative personnel, necessary to support Pansend's anticipated growth, develop Pansend's business and perform certain contractual obligations. Given the scarcity of professionals with the scientific knowledge that Pansend requires and the competition for qualified personnel among life science businesses, Pansend may not succeed in attracting or retaining the personnel Pansend requires to continue and grow its operations.

Our business requires a substantial number of personnel. Any failure to retain stable and dedicated labor by us may lead to disruption to our business operations. Although we have not experienced any labor shortages to date, we have observed an overall tightening and increasingly competitive labor market since 2021. We have experienced, and expect to continue to experience, increases in labor costs due to increases in salary and wages, social benefits and employee headcount. We compete with other companies in our industry and other labor-intensive industries for labor, and we may not be able to offer competitive remuneration and benefits compared to them. If we are unable to manage and control our labor costs, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

We may not be able to attract new personnel, including management and technical and sales personnel, necessary for future growth, or replace lost personnel. In particular, the activities of some of our operating subsidiaries require personnel with highly specialized skills. Competition for the best personnel in our businesses can be intense. Our financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected if we are unable to attract and/or retain qualified personnel.

DBMG relies on third-party suppliers, especially suppliers of steel and steel components, and subcontractors to assist in the completion of projects. To the extent these parties cannot execute their portion of the work and are unable to deliver their services, equipment or materials according to the agreed-upon contractual terms, or DBMG cannot engage subcontractors or acquire equipment or materials, DBMG's ability to complete a project in a timely manner may be impacted. Furthermore, when bidding or negotiating for contracts, DBMG must make estimates of the amounts these third parties will charge for their services, equipment and materials. If the amount DBMG is required to pay for third-party goods and services in an effort to meet its contractual obligations exceeds the amount it has estimated, DBMG could experience project losses or a reduction in estimated profit.

DBMG is subject to environmental laws and regulations, including those concerning emissions into the air, discharge into waterways, generation, storage, handling, treatment and disposal of waste materials and health and safety. DBMG's fabrication business often involves working around and with volatile, toxic and hazardous substances and other highly regulated pollutants, substances or wastes, for which the improper characterization, handling or disposal could constitute violations of U.S. federal, state or local laws and regulations and laws of other countries, and result in criminal and civil liabilities. Environmental laws and regulations generally impose limitations and standards for certain pollutants or waste materials and require DBMG to obtain permits and comply with various other requirements. Governmental authorities may seek to impose fines and penalties on DBMG, or revoke or deny issuance or renewal of operating permits for failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations. DBMG is also exposed to potential liability for personal injury or property damage caused by any release, spill, exposure or other accident involving such pollutants, substances or wastes. In connection with the historical operation of our facilities, substances which currently are or might be considered hazardous may have been used or disposed of at some sites in a manner that may require us to make expenditures for remediation. The environmental, health and safety laws and regulations to which DBMG is subject are constantly changing, and it is impossible to predict the impact of such laws and regulations on DBMG in the future. We cannot ensure that DBMG's operations will continue to comply with future laws and regulations or that these laws and regulations will not cause DBMG to incur significant costs or adopt more costly methods of operation. Additionally, the adoption and implementation of any new regulations imposing reporting obligations on, or limiting emissions of greenhouse gases from, DBMG's customers' equipment and operations could significantly impact demand for DBMG's services, particularly among its customers for industrial facilities. Any expenditures in connection with compliance or remediation efforts or significant reductions in demand for DBMG's services as a result of the adoption of environmental proposals could have a material adverse effect on DBMG's results of operations, cash flows or financial condition.

While Pansend currently does not believe it to be the case, third parties may claim that Pansend is employing their proprietary technology without authorization or that Pansend is infringing on their patents. If such claims were made, Pansend could incur substantial costs coupled with diversion of Pansend's management and key technical personnel in defending against these claims. Furthermore, parties making claims against Pansend may be able to obtain injunctive or other equitable relief which could effectively halt Pansend's ability to further develop, commercialize and sell products. In the event of a successful claim of infringement, courts may order Pansend to pay damages and obtain one or more licenses from third parties. Pansend may not be able to obtain these licenses at a reasonable cost, if at all. Defense of any lawsuit or failure to obtain any of these licenses could prevent Pansend from commercializing available products and have a material negative effect on Pansend's business.

Financial and economic conditions continue to be uncertain over the longer term and the continuation or worsening of such conditions could reduce consumer confidence and have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and/or financial condition. If consumer confidence were to decline, this decline could negatively affect our advertising customers' businesses and their advertising budgets. In addition, volatile economic conditions could have a negative impact on our industry or the industries of our customers who advertise on our stations, resulting in reduced advertising sales. Furthermore, it may be possible that actions taken by any governmental or regulatory body for the purpose of stabilizing the economy or financial markets will not achieve their intended effect. In addition to any negative direct consequences to our business or results of operations arising from these financial and economic developments, some of these actions may adversely affect financial institutions, capital providers, advertisers or other consumers on whom we rely, including for access to future capital or financing arrangements necessary to support our business. Our inability to obtain financing in amounts and at times necessary could make it more difficult or impossible to meet our obligations or otherwise take actions in our best interests.

A majority of our products are manufactured and sold inside of the United States, which increases our exposure to, among other things, domestic inflation and fuel price increases. Recent inflationary pressures have resulted in increased interest rates, fuel, wages, freight and container expenses and other costs which, if they continue for a prolonged period, may adversely affect our results of operations. If our costs remain subject to continuing significant inflationary pressures, we may not be able to fully offset such higher costs through price increases. Our inability or failure to do so could harm our business, financial condition, and results of operation.

The principal geographic and product markets DBMG serves are highly competitive, and this intense competition is expected to continue. DBMG competes with other contractors for commercial, industrial and specialty projects on a local, regional, or national basis. Continued service within these markets requires substantial resources and capital investment in equipment, technology and skilled personnel, and certain of DBMG's competitors have financial and operating resources greater than DBMG. Competition also places downward pressure on DBMG's contract prices and margins. Among the principal competitive factors within the industry are price, timeliness of completion of projects, quality, reputation, and the desire of customers to utilize specific contractors with whom they have favorable relationships and prior experience. While DBMG believes that it maintains a competitive advantage with respect to these factors, failure to continue to do so or to meet other competitive challenges could have a material adverse effect on DBMG's results of operations, cash flows or financial condition.

The medical technology, medical device, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical industries are characterized by intense and dynamic competition to develop new technologies and proprietary therapies. Pansend faces competition from a number of sources, such as pharmaceutical companies, medical device companies, generic drug companies, biotechnology companies, and academic and research institutions. Pansend may find itself in competition with companies that have competitive advantages over us, such as: - significantly greater name recognition;- established relations with healthcare professionals, customers, and third-party payers;- greater efficacy or better safety profiles;- established distribution networks;- additional lines of products, and the ability to offer rebates, higher discounts, or incentives to gain a competitive advantage;- greater experience in obtaining patents and regulatory approvals for product candidates and other resources;- greater experience in conducting research and development, manufacturing, clinical trials, obtaining regulatory approval for products, and marketing approved products; and - greater financial and human resources for product development, sales and marketing, and patent litigation. Pansend may also face increased competition in the future as new companies enter Pansend's markets and as scientific developments surrounding electro-signaling therapeutics continue to accelerate. While Pansend will seek to expand its technological capabilities to remain competitive, research and development by others may render its technology or product candidates obsolete or noncompetitive or result in treatments or cures superior to any therapy developed by us. In addition, certain of Pansend's product candidates may compete with other dermatological products, including over the counter (OTC) treatments, for a share of some patients' discretionary budgets and for physicians' attention within their clinical practices. Even if a generic product or an OTC product is less effective than Pansend's product candidates, a less effective generic or OTC product may be more quickly adopted by physicians and patients than Pansend's competing product candidates based upon cost or convenience. As a result, Pansend may not be able to compete effectively against current and potential future competitors or their devices and products.