Public companies are required to disclose risks that can affect the business and impact the stock. These disclosures are known as “Risk Factors”. Companies disclose these risks in their yearly (Form 10-K), quarterly earnings (Form 10-Q), or “foreign private issuer” reports (Form 20-F). Risk factors show the challenges a company faces. Investors can consider the worst-case scenarios before making an investment. TipRanks’ Risk Analysis categorizes risks based on proprietary classification algorithms and machine learning.

VirTra disclosed 26 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. VirTra reported the most risks in the “Finance & Corporate” category.

Risk Overview Q4, 2023

Risk Distribution

46% Finance & Corporate

19% Ability to Sell

12% Tech & Innovation

8% Legal & Regulatory

8% Production

8% Macro & Political

Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy

This chart displays the stock's most recent risk distribution according to category. TipRanks has identified 6 major categories: Finance & corporate, legal & regulatory, macro & political, production, tech & innovation, and ability to sell.

Risk Change Over Time

2020

S&P500 Average

Sector Average

Risks removed

Risks added

Risks changed

VirTra Risk Factors

New Risk (0)

Risk Changed (0)

Risk Removed (0)

No changes from previous report

The chart shows the number of risks a company has disclosed. You can compare this to the sector average or S&P 500 average.

The quarters shown in the chart are according to the calendar year (January to December). Businesses set their own financial calendar, known as a fiscal year. For example, Walmart ends their financial year at the end of January to accommodate the holiday season.

Risk Highlights Q4, 2023

Main Risk Category

Finance & Corporate

With 12 Risks

Finance & Corporate

With 12 Risks

Number of Disclosed Risks

-1

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 31

-1

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 31

Recent Changes

0Risks added

1Risks removed

0Risks changed

Since Dec 2023

0Risks added

1Risks removed

0Risks changed

Since Dec 2023

Number of Risk Changed

-6

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 3

-6

From last report

S&P 500 Average: 3

See the risk highlights of VirTra 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 26

Finance & Corporate

Total Risks: 12/26 (46%)Above Sector Average

Share Price & Shareholder Rights7 | 26.9%

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1

The provisions of our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws may delay or prevent a takeover which may not be in the best interests of our stockholders.

The provisions of our Articles of Incorporation and our Bylaws may be deemed to have anti-takeover effects, which include when and by whom special meetings of our stockholders may be called, and may delay, defer or prevent a takeover attempt. In addition, certain provisions of the Nevada Revised Statutes also may be deemed to have certain anti-takeover effects which include that control of shares acquired more than certain specified thresholds will not possess any voting rights unless these voting rights are approved by a majority of a corporation's disinterested stockholders. Further, our Articles of Incorporation authorize the issuance of up to 2,500,000 shares of preferred stock with such rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by our Board of Directors at their sole discretion. Our Board of Directors may, without stockholder approval, issue additional series of preferred stock with dividends, liquidation, conversion, voting or other rights that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of our Common Stock.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2

Shares eligible for future sale may adversely affect the market.

From time to time, certain of our stockholders may be eligible to sell all or some of their shares of Common Stock by means of ordinary brokerage transactions in the open market pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, subject to certain limitations. In general, pursuant to Rule 144, non-affiliate stockholders may sell freely after six months, subject only to the current public information requirement. Affiliates may sell after six months, subject to the Rule 144 volume, manner of sale (for equity securities), current public information, and notice requirements. Of the approximately 11,109,730 shares of our Common Stock outstanding as of March 29, 2024, 7,500 shares are restricted subject to Rule 144 with the remaining shares tradable without restriction. Given the limited trading of our Common Stock, resale of even a small number of shares of our Common Stock pursuant to Rule 144 or an effective registration statement may adversely affect the market price of our Common Stock. Our equity incentive plan allows us to issue stock options and award shares in our Common Stock. We may in the future create additional equity incentive plans, which may at that time require us to file a registration statement under the Securities Act to cover the issuance of shares upon the exercise or vesting of awards granted or otherwise purchased under those plans. As a result, any shares issued or granted under the plans may be freely tradable in the public market. If equity securities are issued under the plans, if implemented, and it is perceived that they will be sold in the public market, then the price of our Common Stock could decline substantially. No holders of any shares of our Common Stock have the right to require us to file registration statements for the public resale of such shares.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3

Our issuance of additional Common Stock in exchange for services or to repay debt would dilute your proportionate ownership and voting rights and could have a negative impact on the market price of our Common Stock.

We may generally issue shares of Common Stock and Common Stock issuable upon exercise of stock options and warrants to pay for debt or services, without further approval by our stockholders based upon such factors as our Board of Directors may deem relevant at that time. It is possible that we will issue additional shares of Common Stock under circumstances we may deem appropriate at the time.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4

Because our officers and Board of Directors will make all management decisions, you should only invest in our securities if you are comfortable entrusting our directors to make all decisions.

Our Board of Directors will have the sole right to make all decisions with respect to our management. Investors will not have an opportunity to evaluate the specific projects that will be financed with future operating income. You should not purchase our securities unless you are willing to entrust all aspects of our management to our officers and directors.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5

Our Common Stock price is likely to be highly volatile because of several factors, including limited public fluctuation.

The market price of our Common Stock has been volatile in the past and the market price of our Common Stock could be volatile in the future. You may not be able to resell shares of our Common Stock following periods of volatility because of the market's adverse reaction to volatility. Other factors that could cause such volatility may include, among other things: - actual or anticipated fluctuations in our operating results, including the loss of a large or key customer or vendor; - the absence of securities analysts covering us and distributing research and recommendations about us; - we may have a low trading volume for a few reasons, including that a large portion of our stock is closely held; - overall stock market fluctuations; - announcements concerning our business or those of our competitors; - actual or perceived limitations on our ability to raise capital when we require it, and to raise such capital on favorable terms;- conditions or trends in the industry; - litigation; - changes in market valuations of other similar companies; - future sales of Common Stock; - departure of key personnel or failure to hire key personnel; and - general market conditions. Any of these factors could have a significant and adverse impact on the market price of our Common Stock. In addition, the stock market in general has at times experienced extreme volatility and rapid decline that has often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of companies. These broad market fluctuations may adversely affect the trading price of our Common Stock, regardless of our actual operating performance.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 6

NASDAQ may delist our Common Stock from trading on its exchange, which could limit stockholders' ability to trade our Common Stock.

Our Common Stock is listed for trading on NASDAQ and requires us to meet certain financial, public float, bid price and liquidity standards on an ongoing basis to continue the listing of our Common Stock. If we fail to meet these continued listing requirements, our Common Stock may be subject to delisting. If our Common Stock is delisted and we are not able to list our Common Stock on another national securities exchange, we expect our securities would be quoted on an over-the-counter market. If this were to occur, our stockholders could face significant material adverse consequences, including limited availability of market quotations for our Common Stock and reduced liquidity for the trading of our securities. In addition, we could experience a decreased ability to issue additional securities and obtain additional financing in the future.

Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 7

As an "emerging growth company" under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the "JOBS Act"), we are permitted to rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements.

We qualify as an "emerging growth company" under the JOBS Act through December 31, 2023. As a result, we are permitted to, and intend to, rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements. For so long as we are an emerging growth company, we will not be required to: - have an auditor report on our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act;- comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor's report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements (i.e., an auditor discussion and analysis); - submit certain executive compensation matters to stockholder advisory votes, such as "say-on-pay" and "say-on-frequency"; and - disclose certain executive compensation related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the chief executive officer's compensation to median employee compensation. In addition, Section 102 of the JOBS Act also provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. The company has implemented new standards such as the lease and revenue standards without using the extended option. Our financial statements may therefore not be comparable to those of companies that comply with such new or revised accounting standards.

Accounting & Financial Operations4 | 15.4%

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1

If we are unable to implement and maintain effective internal control 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 decline.

As a public company, we are required to maintain internal control over financial reporting and to report any material weaknesses in such internal control. Further, we are required to report any changes in internal controls on a quarterly basis. In addition, we are required to furnish a report by management on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended (the "Sarbanes-Oxley Act"). We will design, implement, and test the internal controls over financial reporting required to comply with these obligations. If we identify material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, if we are unable to comply with the requirements of Section 404 in a timely manner or assert that our internal control over financial reporting is ineffective, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports and the market price of the Common Stock could be negatively affected. We also could become subject to investigations by the stock exchange on which the securities are listed, the SEC, or other regulatory authorities, which could require additional financial and management resources.

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 2

We have never paid dividends on our Common Stock and have no plans to do so in the future.

Holders of shares of our Common Stock are entitled to receive such dividends as may be declared by our Board of Directors. To date, we have paid no cash dividends on our shares of Common Stock, and we do not expect to pay cash dividends on our Common Stock in the foreseeable future. We intend to retain future earnings, if any, to provide funds for the operations of our business. Therefore, any return investors in our Common Stock may have will be in the form of appreciation, if any, in the market value of their shares of Common Stock.

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 3

Disruptions could negatively impact revenue and results of operation.

Our ability to manufacture and/or sell our products may be impaired by damage or disruption to our manufacturing, warehousing or distribution capabilities, or to the capabilities of our suppliers, contract manufacturers, logistics service providers or independent distributors. This damage or disruption could result from execution issues, as well as factors that are hard to predict or are beyond our control, such as product or raw material scarcity, adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, fire, terrorism, pandemics, strikes, cybersecurity breaches, government shutdowns, disruptions in logistics, supplier capacity constraints or other events. Failure to take adequate steps to mitigate the likelihood or potential impact of such events, or to effectively manage such events if they occur, may adversely affect our business or financial results, particularly in circumstances when a product is sourced from a single supplier or location. Disputes with significant suppliers, contract manufacturers, logistics service providers or independent distributors, including disputes regarding pricing or performance, may also adversely affect our ability to manufacture and/or sell our products, as well as our business or financial results. We are actively monitoring the economic instability and its potential impact on our supply chain and operations. Although our products are manufactured in North America and we source the significant majority of our ingredients and raw materials from North America, due to current and potential future port closures and other restrictions resulting from the outbreak, global supply may become constrained, which may cause the price of certain ingredients and raw materials used in our products to increase and/or we may experience disruptions to our operations. While we do not expect that the virus will have a material adverse effect on our business or financial results at this time, we are unable to accurately predict the impact that the coronavirus will have due to various uncertainties, including the ultimate geographic spread of the virus, the severity of the disease, the duration of the outbreak, and actions that may be taken by governmental authorities.

Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 4

As an emerging growth company, our auditor is not required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal controls.

Our independent registered public accounting firm is not required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting while we are an emerging growth company or a smaller reporting company as defined under rules promulgated by the SEC. This means that the effectiveness of our financial reporting may differ from our peer companies in that they may be required to obtain independent registered public accounting firm attestations as to the effectiveness of their internal controls over financial reporting and we are not. While our management is required to attest to internal control over financial reporting and we will be required to detail changes to our internal controls on a quarterly basis, we cannot provide assurance that the independent registered public accounting firm's review process in assessing the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting, if obtained, would not find one or more material weaknesses or significant deficiencies. Further, once we cease to be an emerging growth company and no longer qualify as a smaller reporting company, we will be subject to independent registered public accounting firm attestation regarding the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting. Even if management finds such controls to be effective, our independent registered public accounting firm may decline to attest to the effectiveness of such internal controls and issue a qualified report.

Corporate Activity and Growth1 | 3.8%

Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1

We do incur significantly increased costs because of operating as a public company, and our management is required to devote substantial time to new compliance initiatives.

As a public company with an obligation to file reports with the SEC under the Exchange Act, we do incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses that we would not incur as a private company. In addition, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act imposes various requirements on public companies including requiring establishment and maintenance of effective disclosure and financial controls. Our management and other personnel devote a substantial amount of time to these compliance initiatives. Moreover, these rules and regulations have increased and could continue to increase our legal and financial compliance costs and could make some activities more time-consuming and costly. For example, we expect that these rules and regulations may make it more difficult and more expensive for us to obtain directors' and officers' liability insurance, which could make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified members of our Board of Directors. We cannot predict or estimate the amount of additional costs we will incur to meet our additional disclosure obligations under the Exchange Act or the timing of such costs. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires, among other things, that we maintain effective internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures. We must perform system and process evaluation and testing of our internal control over financial reporting to allow management to report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, as required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. In addition, we are required to have our independent registered public accounting firm attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting the later of (i) our second annual report on Form 10-K, or (ii) the first annual report on Form 10-K following the date on which we are no longer an emerging growth company and no longer qualify as a smaller reporting company. Our compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act could require that we incur substantial accounting expense and expend significant management efforts including the potential of hiring additional accounting and financial staff with appropriate public company experience and technical accounting knowledge. If we are not able to comply with the requirements of Section 404 in a timely manner, or if we or our independent registered public accounting firm identify deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting that are deemed to be material weaknesses, the market price of our stock could decline and we could be subject to sanctions or investigations by the SEC or other regulatory authorities, which would require additional financial and management resources. Our ability to successfully implement our business plan and comply with Section 404 requires us to be able to prepare timely and accurate financial statements. We expect to continue improving the existing and implementing new operational and financial systems, procedures and controls to manage our business effectively. Any delay in the implementation of, or disruption in the transition to, new or enhanced systems, procedures or controls, may cause our operations to suffer and we may be unable to conclude that our internal control over financial reporting is effective and to obtain an unqualified report on internal controls from our auditors as required under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. This, in turn, could have an adverse impact on trading prices for our Common Stock, and could adversely affect our ability to access the capital markets.

Ability to Sell

Total Risks: 5/26 (19%)Above Sector Average

Competition3 | 11.5%

Competition - Risk 1

We operate in a highly competitive market and the size and resources of some of our competitors may allow them to compete more effectively than we can, resulting in a loss of our market share and a decrease in our revenues and gross profit.

The markets for law enforcement and military simulation training are highly competitive and include many new competitors as well as increased competition from established companies expanding their production and marketing of products. Despite owning patents, trademarks and copyrights, our current and future competitors could manufacture and sell products with performance characteristics and functionality like the products we sell and that we plan to sell. Some of our competitors are large companies with strong worldwide brand recognition that have significantly greater financial, distribution, marketing and other resources than we do (see Competition and Competitive Landscape section above). Some of our competitors have significant competitive advantages, including longer operating histories, larger sales forces, bigger advertising budgets, better brand recognition, greater economies of scale and long-term relationships with key military customers that are potentially highly valuable because of the significant volume that our competitors sell to them. As a result, these competitors may be better equipped than we are to influence customer preferences or otherwise increase their market share by: - quickly adapting to changes in customer requirements; - readily taking advantage of acquisition and other opportunities; - discounting excess inventory that has been written down or written off; - devoting resources to the marketing and sale of their products, including significant advertising, media placement and product endorsement; - adopting aggressive pricing policies; and - engaging in lengthy and costly intellectual property and other disputes.

Competition - Risk 2

We may face competition from providers of comparable products. Increased competition in those product categories could negatively affect our future revenues and operating results.

Since we will not be the only seller and since we have a limited number of patents, the introduction of comparable products designed to compete with our products may increase in the future. With so much focus on homeland security and terrorism, it is possible that more companies will enter our business and sell new and/or innovative training tools. One area of particular concern is new virtual reality (VR) hardware and software. If other companies are able to create new training tools that are more realistic or effective, we may not be able to compete effectively. Introduction by competitors of comparable products, a maturing product lifecycle or other factors could result in a decline in our revenues derived from these products. A significant decline in our sales of these products, without offsetting sales gains, would have a material adverse effect on our operating results, financial position and cash flow.

Competition - Risk 3

Intense competition could negatively impact on our sales and operating results.

Our products are sold in highly competitive markets with limited barriers to entry. We compete against established companies that provide similar products and services, some of which have financial, technical, marketing, sales, manufacturing, distribution and other resources significantly greater than ours. There are also companies whose products do not compete directly but are sometimes closely related to the products we offer (see Competition and Competitive Landscape Discussion in Item 1 above). We believe that our products and services are superior to those offered by our competitors based on our strength in developing higher quality software solutions, our patented accessories and our extensive library of training scenario content that would require a substantial investment of money and time by a competitor to offer a comparable product. The introduction by competitors of lower-priced or more innovative products could, however, result in a significant decline in our revenues and have a material adverse effect on our operating results, financial position and cash flow.

Demand1 | 3.8%

Demand - Risk 1

We depend on government contracts for substantially all of our revenues and the loss of government contracts or a delay or decline in funding of existing or future government contracts could decrease our backlog or adversely affect our sales and cash flows and our ability to fund our growth.

Our revenues from contracts, directly or indirectly, with foreign and U.S. Federal, state, regional and local governmental agencies represented substantially all of our total revenues in fiscal year 2023. Although these various government agencies are subject to common budgetary pressures and other factors, many of our various government customers exercise independent purchasing decisions. As a result of the concentration of business with governmental agencies, we are vulnerable to adverse changes in our revenues, income and cash flows if a significant number of our government contracts, subcontracts or prospects are delayed or canceled for budgetary or other reasons. The factors that could cause us to lose these contracts and could decrease our backlog or otherwise materially harm our business, prospects, financial condition or results of operations include: - budget constraints affecting government spending generally, or specific departments or agencies such as U.S. or foreign defense and transit agencies and regional transit agencies, and changes in fiscal policies or a reduction of available funding; - re-allocation of government resources as the result of actual or threatened terrorism or hostile activities or for other reasons; - increasing customers' demands for broad uncapped indemnifications provisions with no termination date and unwillingness to agree to request to remove such clauses when possible or negotiate caps and a defined end point to our obligations; - disruptions in our customers' ability to access funding from capital markets; - curtailment of governments' use of outsourced service providers and governments' in-sourcing of certain services; - the adoption of new laws or regulations pertaining to government procurement; - government appropriations delays or blanket reductions in departmental budgets;- suspension or prohibition from contracting with the government or any significant agency with which we conduct business; - increased use of shorter duration awards, which increases the frequency we may need to recompete for work; - impairment of our reputation or relationships with any significant government agency with which we conduct business; - decreased use of small business set asides or changes to the definition of small business by government agencies; - increased use of lowest-priced, technically acceptable contract award criteria by government agencies; - increased aggressiveness by the government in seeking rights in technical data, computer software, and computer software documentation that we deliver under a contract, which may result in "leveling the playing field" for competitors on follow-on procurements; - impairment of our ability to provide third-party guarantees and letters of credit; - delays in the payment of our invoices by government payment offices; and - national or international health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 public health pandemic.

Sales & Marketing1 | 3.8%

Sales & Marketing - Risk 1

If we are unable to anticipate customer preferences or to effectively identify, market and sell future products, our future revenues and operating results could be adversely affected.

Our future success depends on our ability to effectively identify, market and sell new products that respond to new and evolving customer preferences. Accordingly, our revenues and operating results may be adversely affected if we are unable to identify or acquire rights to new products that satisfy customer preferences. In addition, any new products that we market may not generate sufficient revenues to recoup their identification, development, acquisition, marketing, selling and other costs.

Tech & Innovation

Total Risks: 3/26 (12%)Above Sector Average

Trade Secrets3 | 11.5%

Trade Secrets - Risk 1

We may not be able to receive or retain the necessary licenses or authorizations required for us to export or re-export our products, technical data or services, or to transfer technology from foreign sources and to work collaboratively with them. Denials of such licenses and authorizations could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

U.S. regulations concerning export controls require us to screen potential customers, destinations, and technology to ensure that sensitive equipment, technology and services are not exported in violation of U.S. policy or diverted to improper uses or users. For us to export certain products, technical data or services, we are required to obtain licenses from the U.S. government, often on a transaction-by-transaction basis. These licenses are generally required for the export of the military versions of our products and technical data and for defense services. We cannot be sure of our ability to obtain the U.S. government licenses or other approvals required to export our products, technical data and services for sales to foreign governments, foreign commercial customers or foreign destinations. In addition, for us to obtain certain technical know-how from foreign vendors and to collaborate on improvements on such technology with foreign vendors, we may need to obtain U.S. government approval for such collaboration through manufacturing license or technical assistance agreements approved by U.S. government export control agencies. The U.S. government has the right, without notice, to revoke or suspend export licenses and authorizations for reasons of foreign policy, issues over which we have no control. Failure to receive the required licenses or authorizations would hinder our ability to export our products, data and services and to use some advanced technology from foreign sources. This could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Trade Secrets - Risk 2

Our business is dependent on proprietary rights that may be difficult to protect and could affect our ability to compete effectively.

Our ability to compete effectively will depend on our ability to maintain the proprietary nature of our technology and content through a combination of patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret protection, non-disclosure agreements and licensing arrangements. Litigation, or participation in administrative proceedings, may be necessary to protect our proprietary rights. This type of litigation can be costly and time consuming and could divert company resources and management attention to defend our rights, and this could harm us even if we were to be successful in the litigation and there is no guarantee we would be successful in such litigation. In the absence of patent protection, and despite our reliance upon our proprietary confidential information, our competitors may be able to use innovations like those used by us to design and manufacture products directly competitive with our products. In addition, no assurance can be given that others will not obtain patents that we will need to license or design around. To the extent any of our products are covered by third-party patents, we could need to acquire a license under such patents to develop and market our products. Despite our efforts to safeguard and maintain our proprietary rights, we may not be successful in doing so. In addition, competition is intense, and there can be no assurance that our competitors will not independently develop or patent technologies that are substantially equivalent or superior to our technology. In the event of patent litigation, we cannot assure you that a court would determine that we were the first creator of inventions covered by our issued patents or pending patent applications or that we were the first to file patent applications for those inventions. If existing or future third-party patents containing broad claims were upheld by the courts or if we were found to infringe third-party patents, we may not be able to obtain the required licenses from the holders of such patents on acceptable terms, if at all. Failure to obtain these licenses could cause delays in the introduction of our products or necessitate costly attempts to design such patents, or could foreclose the development, manufacture or sale of our products. We could also incur substantial costs in defending ourselves in patent infringement suits brought by others and in prosecuting patent infringement suits against infringers. We also rely on trade secrets and proprietary know-how that we seek to protect, in part, through non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements with our customers, employees, consultants, and entities with which we maintain strategic relationships. We cannot assure you that these agreements will not be breached, that we will have adequate remedies for any breach or that our trade secrets will not otherwise become known or be independently developed by competitors.

Trade Secrets - Risk 3

Assertions by third parties of infringement or other violation by us of their intellectual property rights could result in significant costs and substantially harm our business and operating results.

Companies engaged in the sales of products are frequently subject to litigation based on allegations of infringement, misappropriation or other violations of intellectual property rights. Some companies, including some of our competitors, own large numbers of patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets, which they may use to assert claims against us. Third parties may in the future assert that we have infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated their intellectual property rights. Existing laws and regulations are evolving and subject to different interpretations, and various federal and state legislative or regulatory bodies may expand current or enact new laws or regulations. We cannot guarantee you that we are not infringing or violating any third-party intellectual property rights. We cannot predict whether assertions of third-party intellectual property rights or any infringement or misappropriation claims arising from such assertions will substantially harm our business and operating results. If we are forced to defend against any infringement or misappropriation claims, we may be required to expend significant time and financial resources on the defense of such claims, even if without merit, settled out of court, or determined in our favor. Furthermore, an adverse outcome of a dispute may require us to: pay damages, potentially including treble damages and attorneys' fees, if we are found to have willfully infringed a party's intellectual property; cease making, licensing or using products or services that are alleged to infringe or misappropriate the intellectual property of others; expend additional development resources to redesign our products; enter into potentially unfavorable royalty or license agreements in order to obtain the right to use necessary technologies or materials; or to indemnify our partners and other third parties. Royalty or licensing agreements, if required or desirable, may be unavailable on terms acceptable to us, or at all, and may require significant royalty payments and other expenditures. In addition, we do not carry broadly applicable patent liability insurance and any lawsuits regarding patent rights, regardless of their success, could be expensive to resolve and would divert the time and attention of our management and technical personnel.

Legal & Regulatory

Total Risks: 2/26 (8%)Below Sector Average

Regulation1 | 3.8%

Regulation - Risk 1

Our failure to comply with export control rules could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Our failure to comply with the export control rules described above could expose us to significant criminal or civil enforcement action by the U.S. government, and a conviction could result in denial of export privileges, as well as contractual suspension or debarment under U.S. government contracts, either of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Litigation & Legal Liabilities1 | 3.8%

Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 1

Failure to comply with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act could subject us to penalties and other adverse consequences.

We are subject to the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which generally prohibits United States companies from engaging in bribery or other prohibited payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. Corruption, extortion, bribery, pay-offs, theft and other fraudulent practices occur from time to time in the foreign countries where we sell our products and services. We can make no assurance, however, that our employees or other agents will not engage in such conduct for which we might be held responsible. If our employees or other agents are found to have engaged in such practices, we could suffer severe penalties and other consequences that may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Production

Total Risks: 2/26 (8%)Below Sector Average

Manufacturing1 | 3.8%

Manufacturing - Risk 1

Some of the components of our products pose potential safety risks which could create potential liability exposure for us.

Some of the components of our products contain elements that may pose potential safety risks. In addition to these risks, there can be no assurance that accidents in the facilities that use our products will not occur. Any accident, whether occasioned using all or any part of our products or technology or by our customers' operations, could adversely affect commercial acceptance of our products and could result in claims for damages resulting from injuries or death. Any of these occurrences would materially adversely affect our operations and financial condition. If our products fail to perform as specified, users of these products may assert claims for substantial amounts. These claims could have a materially adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. There is no assurance that the amount of the general product liability insurance that we maintain will be sufficient to cover potential claims or that the present amount of insurance can be maintained at the present level of cost, or at all.

Employment / Personnel1 | 3.8%

Employment / Personnel - Risk 1

We depend on our executive officers, the loss of whom could materially harm our business.

We rely upon the accumulated knowledge, skills and experience of our executive officers and significant employees. Our Executive Chairman of the Board, Robert Ferris, built our business from inception and, along with other members of the management team, are responsible for many of the products and clients that we have today. Our Chief Executive Officer, John Givens, has unique expertise and long-standing relationships in the military simulation market that could have a material impact on our company's future. If they were to leave us or become incapacitated, we might suffer in our planning and execution of business strategy and operations, impacting our financial results. We also do not maintain any key man life insurance policies for any of our employees.

Macro & Political

Total Risks: 2/26 (8%)Below Sector Average

Economy & Political Environment2 | 7.7%

Economy & Political Environment - Risk 1

Government spending priorities and terms may change in a manner adverse to our businesses.

A significant percentage of our revenue comes from domestic or foreign police and military forces. If these government entities must cut their budgets, it is possible that we will lose this source of revenue, which could materially adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition or results of operations. We are working on diversifying our business so that we are not as dependent, but there is no assurance that we will be successful at doing so.

Economy & Political Environment - Risk 2

Decline in federal, state, or local government spending would likely negatively affect our product revenues and earnings.

The success of each of the products we plan to sell depends substantially on the amount of funds budgeted by federal, state and local government agencies that make up our current and potential customers. Global credit and financial markets have experienced extreme disruptions in the recent past, including severely diminished liquidity and credit availability, declines in consumer confidence, declines in economic growth, increases in unemployment rates and uncertainty about economic stability. There can be no assurance that similar disruptions will not occur in the future. Deterioration in general economic conditions may result in lower tax revenues that could lead to reductions in government spending, especially spending for discretionary simulation training products such as ours. Poor economic conditions could in turn lead to substantial decreases in our net sales or have a material adverse effect on our operating results, financial position and cash flows.

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.

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