ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
Set forth below and elsewhere in this report are descriptions of certain risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the results contemplated by the forward-looking statements in this report. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we presently deem less significant may also adversely affect our business. For more information, see the section titled “Note About Forward-Looking Statements” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Risks Related to our Business, Operations, Industry and Partners
Global political and economic uncertainty and adverse conditions related to our international operations could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We have significant operations and manufacturing facilities outside the United States, including in Ireland, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia. A significant portion of our revenue is derived from customers in international markets, and we expect that international sales will continue to account for a significant portion of our revenue in the future. As a result of our international operations, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be negatively impacted by, among others, the following factors:
• political, legal and economic changes, crises or instability and civil unrest that may impact markets in which we do business, such as macroeconomic weakness related to trade and political disputes between the United States and Europe or China, tensions across the Taiwan Strait that may adversely affect our operations in Taiwan, our customers and the technology industry supply chain, and the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and tensions in Israel and the Middle East;
• trade policy, commercial, travel, export or taxation disputes or restrictions, import, export or sector-based tariffs, changes to export classifications or other restrictions imposed by the U.S. government or by the governments of the countries in which we do business, particularly with respect to China;
• compliance requirements of customs and export regulations, including the Export Administration Regulations and the International Traffic and Arms Regulations;
• currency conversion risks and exchange rate and interest rate fluctuations and uncertainty;
• instability of global credit and financial markets due to uncertainty and adverse macroeconomic conditions such as inflation, tariffs and trade restrictions, high interest rates, bank failures and slower economic growth or recession that could, among other impacts, affect our ability to timely access external financing sources on acceptable terms or lead to financial difficulties or uncertainty of our customers, suppliers and distributors exposing us to late payments, cancelled orders and inventory challenges;
• sanctions imposed by the U.S. government or by the governments in countries in which we do business, which could adversely impact our business by preventing us from performing existing contracts, recognizing revenue, pursuing new business opportunities or receiving payment for products already supplied to customers;
• complex, varying and changing government regulations and legal standards and requirements, particularly with respect to tax, price protection, competition practices, export control, customs, immigration, anti-boycott, AI, data privacy, cyber and product security, sustainability, climate and other ESG matters, intellectual property, anti-corruption, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and environmental compliance;
• economic disruption from terrorism and threats of terrorism and the response to them by the United States and its allies;
• increased managerial complexities, including different employment practices and labor issues;
• changes in immigration laws, regulations and procedures and enforcement practices of various government agencies;
• greater difficulty enforcing intellectual property rights and weaker laws protecting such rights;
• natural disasters, public health emergencies or other catastrophic events;
• transportation disruptions and delays and increases in labor and transportation costs;
• fluctuations in raw material costs and energy costs due to general market factors and conditions such as inflationary pressures and supply chain constraints;
• greater difficulty in accounts receivable collections and longer collection periods; and
• increased costs associated with our foreign defined benefit pension plans.
Many of these factors and risks are present and may be exacerbated within our business operations in China. For example, changes in U.S.-China relations, the political environment or international trade policies could result in further revisions to laws or regulations or their interpretation and enforcement, increased taxation, trade sanctions, the imposition of
additional import or export duties and tariffs, restrictions on imports or exports, currency revaluations or retaliatory actions, which have had and may continue to have an adverse effect on our business plans and operating results. In addition, export restrictions limit our ability to sell to certain Chinese companies and to third parties that do business with those companies. These restrictions, which have continued to expand over the past several years, have impacted our revenues and results of operations in China and elsewhere. These and similar restrictions have created, and may continue to create, uncertainty and caution with our current or prospective customers and may cause them to amass large inventories of our products, replace our products with products from another supplier that is not subject to the export restrictions or focus on building indigenous semiconductor capacity to reduce reliance on U.S. suppliers. Furthermore, if these export restrictions cause our current or potential customers to view U.S. companies as unreliable, we could suffer reputational damage or lose business to foreign competitors who are not subject to such export restrictions, and our business could be materially . We continue to evaluate the impact of these restrictions on our business as they are updated and expanded, and we expect that they may continue to have direct and indirect impacts on our revenues and results of operations in China and elsewhere. In addition, our may be affected by China’s continuously evolving policies, laws and regulations, including those relating to imports and exports, rare earth materials, , AI, cybersecurity, data protection and data privacy, the environment, indigenous , the promotion of a domestic semiconductor industry, intellectual property rights and enforcement and protection of those rights.
Recently announced and future tariffs and other trade restrictions could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
In 2025, the U.S. government announced a series of tariffs, including tariffs targeting a broad range of imports and targeted tariffs on goods from specific countries and industries. In response, many countries imposed reciprocal tariffs and other trade restrictions on the United States. Although many of these tariffs, countermeasures and other trade restrictions have since been eased or paused, their initial announcements triggered considerable volatility in global markets and heightened economic uncertainty, and the global trade situation, particularly between the United States and China, continues to be highly dynamic. Further, throughout 2025 the U.S. government has initiated numerous investigations into products and industries under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. For example, in April 2025, the Department of Commerce launched an investigation into the national security impacts of imported semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment. While the results of this investigation remain unknown, it is expected to result in additional tariffs and trade restrictions that may adversely impact our business. Similar investigations on other industries or products, including automotive, copper, steel, aluminum, critical minerals and aircraft, may also impact the semiconductor industry and our business. These changes have, and similar changes in the future may continue to, increase the cost or reduce the availability of raw materials and supplies we need to operate, cause customers to advance, , reduce, or orders, shift buying patterns, impact demand in our end markets, demand forecasting for us and our customers, increase supply chain complexity and contribute to , a broader economic or . Any of these impacts or changes could materially and affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The markets for semiconductor products are cyclical, and increased production may lead to overcapacity and lower prices, and conversely, we may not be able to satisfy unexpected demand for our products.
The cyclical nature of the semiconductor industry has resulted in periods when demand for our products has increased or decreased rapidly. The demand for our products may vary based on market conditions in our major end markets. Demand in these end markets can fluctuate significantly based upon, for example, consumer spending, consumer preferences, the development of new technologies and macroeconomic conditions, including impacts related to tariffs and other trade restrictions. If we overbuild inventory in a period of decreased demand, or we expand our operations and workforce too rapidly or procure excessive resources in anticipation of increased demand for our products, and that demand does not materialize at the pace at which we expect, or declines, our operating results may be adversely affected as a result of underutilization of capacity, charges related to obsolete inventory, asset impairment or inventory write-downs, increased operating expenses or reduced margins. For example, we have experienced, and may in the future experience, periods of customer inventory adjustments and other customer behaviors that may adversely affect our operating results. Further, any capacity expansions by us or other semiconductor manufacturers could also lead to in our target markets which could lead to price that could impact our operating results. Conversely, during periods of rapid increases in demand, our available capacity may not be sufficient to the demand. In addition, we may not be to expand our workforce and operations in a sufficiently timely manner, procure adequate resources and raw materials, locate suitable third-party suppliers or respond effectively to changes in demand for our existing products or to demand for new products requested by our customers, and our current or future business could be materially and affected.
Our operating results are dependent on the performance of independent distributors.
Sales to third-party distributors accounted for approximately 56% of our revenue in the year ended November 1, 2025. These independent distributors generally represent product lines offered by several companies and thus could reduce their sales
efforts for our products. Further, our distributors could terminate their representation of us with little advance notice or their representation of us could be negatively affected for other reasons. For example, our distributors could be adversely impacted by additional tariffs or export controls, which could limit our ability to conduct business with such distributors, increase our costs and adversely affect our reputation and operating results. In addition, we generally do not require letters of credit from our distributors, including our largest distributor, and are not protected against accounts receivable default or declarations of bankruptcy by these distributors. Our inability to collect open accounts receivable could adversely affect our operating results. Termination of a significant distributor or a group of distributors, whether at our initiative or the distributor’s initiative or through consolidation in the distribution industry, or the inability of a distributor to perform its obligations, could management’s attention and resources, result in , and settlement costs, increase risk that our products may be from authorized distribution channels and sold on the “gray market” and our business. Further, if we are to find suitable replacements with the appropriate scale and resources, our operating results could be affected.
We are required to estimate the effects of variable consideration including price protection and stock rotation provided to distributors and record revenue at the time of sale to the distributor. If our estimates of such liabilities are materially understated, it could cause subsequent adjustments that negatively impact our revenues and gross profits in a future period.
We rely on third parties for supply of raw materials and parts, semiconductor wafer foundry services, assembly and test services and transportation, among other things, and we generally cannot control their availability or conditions of supply or services.
We rely, and plan to continue to rely, on third-party suppliers and service providers, including raw material and components suppliers, semiconductor wafer foundries, assembly and test contractors and freight carriers (collectively, vendors), in manufacturing and shipping our products. This reliance involves several risks, including reduced control over availability, pricing, capacity utilization, delivery schedules, manufacturing yields, costs and supply chain allocations. We currently source more than half of our wafer requirements annually from third-party wafer foundries, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and others. These foundries often provide wafer foundry services to our competitors and therefore periods of increased industry demand may result in capacity constraints. With respect to TSMC in particular, tensions across the Taiwan Strait or other geopolitical events could disrupt TSMC’s operations, which would adversely affect our ability to manufacture certain products and as a result, could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
Our manufacturing processes require availability of certain raw materials and supplies. Limited or delayed access to these items, including as a result of global trade issues, supply chain constraints, difficulties obtaining import or export licenses, natural disasters, public health emergencies or changes in or new laws or regulations, could adversely affect our results of operations. Further, the imposition of tariffs or other trade restrictions may significantly increase the costs, and otherwise adversely impact the availability, of certain raw materials and supplies that we need to operate. In certain instances, one of our vendors may be the sole source of highly specialized processing services or materials. If such vendor is unable or unwilling to manufacture and deliver components to us on the time schedule and of the quality or quantity that we require, we may be forced to seek to engage an additional or replacement vendor, which could result in additional expenses and delays in product development or shipment of product to our customers. If additional or replacement vendors are not available, we may also experience in product development or shipment which could, in turn, result in reputational or the temporary or permanent of customers, and as a result could affect our business and results of operations.
A prolonged disruption of our or our third parties’ manufacturing operations could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
In addition to leveraging an outsourcing model for certain manufacturing operations, we also rely on our internal manufacturing operations located in the United States, Ireland, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia. A prolonged disruption, shut-down or inability to utilize one or more of our or our third parties’ manufacturing facilities due to natural or man-made disasters, cybersecurity incidents, civil unrest or other events outside of our control, such as loss of raw materials or damage to our or our third parties’ manufacturing equipment, widespread outbreaks of illness, or the failure to maintain our labor force at one or more of these facilities, may disrupt our operations, delay production, shipments and revenue and result in us being unable to timely customer demand. As a result, we could forgo revenue , potentially market share and our customer relationships, all of which could materially and affect our business, reputation, financial condition and results of operations.
Our industry faces challenges associated with products diverted from authorized distribution channels, which could result in reputational harm and have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
We market and sell our products directly and through third-party distributors. In the past, certain of our products have been, and there is a risk that our products may continue to be, diverted from our authorized distribution channels and sold on the “gray market” in ways that are not in accordance with our established agreements, controls, policies and procedures. Purchasers that acquire our products via the gray market or through other unauthorized channels may resell or otherwise use our products
for purposes for which they were not intended or that may be contrary to our ethical, legal and regulatory obligations. Organizations may also purchase counterfeit or substandard products, including products that have been altered, mishandled or damaged, or purchase used products presented as new, each of which could result in damage to property or persons and adversely affect our reputation and customer satisfaction. In addition, governments and regulatory bodies may inquire into our processes to mitigate risks related to product diversion. As new challenges and information arise, our processes and policies will evolve, and we may be required to incur additional costs to continue to enhance our compliance efforts, which may include costs associated with distributor audits or responding to inquiries from governments and regulatory bodies. These situations could have a material adverse effect on our reputation and business and operating results.
Our future success depends upon our ability to execute our business strategy, continue to innovate, improve our existing products, design, develop, produce and market new products and identify and enter new markets.
Our future success significantly depends on our ability to execute our business strategy, continue to innovate, improve our existing products and design, develop, produce and market innovative new products and system-level solutions, including those that may incorporate, or are based upon, software or AI technology. Product design, development, innovation and enhancement is often a complex, time-consuming and costly process involving significant investment in research and development with no assurance of return on investment. There can be no assurance that we will be able to develop and introduce new and improved products in a timely or efficient manner or that new and improved products, if developed, will achieve market acceptance. Our products generally must conform to various evolving and sometimes competing industry and regulatory standards, which may affect our ability to compete in certain markets or require us to incur significant costs. In addition, our customers generally impose very high quality and reliability standards on our products, which often change and may be or to . Any to customer quality and reliability standards or comply with industry and regulatory standards and technical requirements may affect demand for our products and our results of operations.
Our growth is also dependent on our ability to identify and penetrate new markets where we have limited experience yet require significant investments, resources and technological advancements in order to compete effectively, and there can be no assurance that we will achieve success in these markets. Further, there can be no assurance that the markets we serve and target based on our business strategy will grow in the future, that our existing and new products will meet the requirements of these markets, that our products, or the end-products in which our products are used, will achieve customer acceptance in these markets, that competitors will not force price reductions or take market share from us or that we can achieve or maintain adequate gross margins or profits in these markets.
We may not be able to compete successfully in markets within the semiconductor industry in the future.
We face intense competition in the semiconductor industry, and we expect this competition to increase in the future, including from companies located outside of the United States. Competition is generally based on innovation, design, quality and reliability of products, product performance, features and functionality, product pricing, availability and capacity, technological service and support and the availability of integrated system solutions, with the relative importance of these factors varying among products, markets and customers. Many companies have sufficient financial, manufacturing, technical, sales and marketing resources to develop and market products that compete with our products. Some of our competitors may have more advantageous supply or development relationships with our current and potential customers or suppliers. Our competitors also include both emerging companies selling specialized products in markets we serve and companies outside of the United States, including entities associated with well-funded efforts by foreign governments to create indigenous semiconductor industries. From time to time, governments around the world may provide incentives or make other investments that could benefit and give competitive advantages to our competitors. For example, in August 2022, the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (CHIPS Act) was signed into law to provide financial incentives to the U.S. semiconductor industry. Government incentives, including any that may be offered in connection with the CHIPS Act, may not be available to us on acceptable terms or at all. Further, such programs typically require companies to adhere to various performance obligations, which we may not . If our competitors can from such government incentives and we cannot, it could our competitors’ relative position and have a material effect on our reputation and business. Existing or new competitors may develop products or technologies that more effectively address the demands of our customers and markets with performance, features and functionality, lower power requirements, levels of integration or lower cost, which may increase our or excess inventory and result in inventory write-offs. In addition, as we seek to expand our business, including the design and production of products and services for developing and emerging markets, we may encounter increased competition from our current and new competitors. Increased competition in certain markets has resulted in and may continue to result in average selling prices, reduced gross margins and of market share in those markets. There can be no assurance that we will be to compete in the future existing or new competitors, or that our operating results will not be affected by increased competition. In addition, the semiconductor industry has experienced significant consolidation over the past several years. Consolidation among our competitors could lead to a changing competitive landscape, which could impact our competitive position and market share and our results of operations.
Our future revenue, gross margins, operating results, net income and earnings per share are difficult to predict and may materially fluctuate.
Our future revenue, gross margins, operating results, net income and earnings per share are difficult to predict and may be materially affected by a number of factors, including:
• the effects of adverse economic or geopolitical conditions in the markets in which we sell our products, including inflationary pressures, which has resulted, and may continue to result, in increased interest rates, fuel prices, wages and other costs;
• changes in customer demand or order patterns for our products or for end products that incorporate our products;
• the timing, delay, reduction or cancellation of significant customer orders and our ability to manage inventory;
• our ability to accurately forecast distributor demand for our products;
• future distributor pricing credits or stock rotation rights;
• our ability to effectively manage our cost structure in both the short term and over a longer duration;
• changes in geographic, product or customer mix;
• changes in our effective tax rates, adverse tax decisions or new or revised tax legislation in the United States, Ireland or worldwide, including changes related to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act;
• the effects of issued, threatened or retaliatory government sanctions or economic restrictions; changes in law, regulations or other restrictions, including executive orders; and changes in import and export regulations, including restrictions on exports to certain companies or to third parties that do business with such companies, export classifications, tariffs, duties or trade barriers, including with respect to China;
• the timing of new product announcements or introductions, including products that may incorporate, or are based upon, software or AI technology, by us, our customers or our competitors and the market acceptance of such products;
• pricing decisions and competitive pricing pressures;
• fluctuations in manufacturing yields, adequate availability of wafers and other raw materials, and manufacturing, assembly and test capacity;
• the ability of our third-party suppliers, subcontractors and manufacturers to supply us with sufficient quantities of raw materials, products and components;
• a decline in infrastructure spending by foreign governments, including China;
• political changes in the United States, including those related to the current U.S. administration and executive offices of the U.S. government, a decline in the U.S. government defense budget, changes in spending or budgetary priorities, a prolonged U.S. government shutdown or delays in contract awards;
• a decline in our backlog;
• our ability to recruit, hire, retain and motivate adequate numbers of engineers and other qualified employees to meet the demands of our customers;
• our ability to generate new design opportunities and win competitive bid selection processes;
• the increasing costs of providing employee benefits worldwide, including health insurance, retirement and pension plan contributions and other retirement benefits;
• our ability to utilize our manufacturing facilities at efficient levels;
• fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates;
• litigation-related costs or product liability, warranty and indemnity claims, including those not covered by our suppliers or insurers;
• the difficulties inherent in forecasting future operating expense levels, including with respect to costs associated with labor, utilities, transportation and raw materials;
• the costs related to compliance with increasing worldwide complex government regulations and legal standards and requirements, including those related to ESG matters;
• new accounting pronouncements or changes in existing accounting standards and practices; and
• the effects of public health emergencies, civil unrest, natural disasters or other severe weather events, widespread travel disruptions, security risks, terrorist activities, international conflicts and other events beyond our control.
In addition, the semiconductor market has historically been cyclical and subject to significant economic upturns and downturns. Our business and certain of the end markets we serve are also subject to rapid technological changes and material
fluctuations in demand based on end-user preferences. There can be no assurance that products stocked in our inventory will not be rendered obsolete before we ship them or that we will be able to design, develop and produce products in a timely fashion to accommodate changing customer demand.
As a result of these and other factors, we may experience material fluctuations in future revenue, gross margins, operating results, net income and earnings per share on a quarterly or annual basis. Our historical financial performance and results of operations should not be relied upon as indicators of future performance or results. In addition, if our revenue, gross margins, operating results, net income and earnings per share results or expectations do not meet the expectations of securities analysts or investors, the market price of our common stock may decline.
If we are unable to recruit or retain our key personnel, our ability to execute our business strategy will be adversely affected.
Our continued success depends to a significant extent upon the recruitment, retention and effective succession of our key personnel, including our leadership team, management and technical personnel, particularly our experienced engineers. The competition for these employees is intense and the labor market is tight, which may be exacerbated by changes to U.S. immigration policies. The loss of key personnel or the inability to attract, timely hire and retain key employees with critical technical skills to achieve our strategy, including as a result of changes to immigration policies, could cause business disruptions, increased expenses to comply with such policies and address any disruptions and could have a material adverse effect on our business. We do not maintain any key person life insurance policy on any of our officers or other employees. The loss of members of our team, and to execute succession plans for our team, could also our business and results of operations.
We believe that a critical contributor to our success to date has been our corporate culture, which we have built to foster innovation, teamwork and employee satisfaction. As we grow, including from the integration of employees and businesses acquired in connection with previous or future acquisitions, we may find it difficult to maintain important aspects of our corporate culture, which could negatively affect our ability to retain and recruit personnel who are essential to our future success.
Our customers typically do not make long-term product purchase commitments, and incorrect forecasts or reductions, cancellations or delays in orders for our products could adversely affect our operating results.
We typically do not have sales contracts with our customers that include long-term product purchase commitments. In certain markets where end-user demand may be particularly volatile and difficult to predict, some customers place orders that require us to manufacture product and have it available for shipment, even though the customer is unwilling to make a binding commitment to purchase all, or even any, of the product. In other instances, we manufacture products based on non-binding forecasts of customer demands, which may fluctuate significantly on a quarterly or annual basis and at times may prove to be inaccurate. Additionally, our U.S. government contracts and subcontracts may be funded in increments over a number of government budget periods and typically can be terminated by the government for its convenience. As a result of these and other factors, we often incur inventory and manufacturing costs in advance of anticipated sales, and we are subject to the risk of lower-than-expected orders or cancellations of orders, leading to a sharp reduction in sales and backlog. Further, if orders or forecasts for products that meet a customer’s unique requirements are or unrealized, we may be left with an inventory of products, causing potential inventory write-offs, and our ability to recover our costs. The foregoing risks may be in times of macroeconomic uncertainty, including as a result of tariffs, elevated inflation, high interest rates, bank and economic growth or . forecasts, or reductions, or in orders for our products, could affect our operating results.
Our products are complex and we may be subject to warranty, indemnity or product liability claims, which could result in significant costs and damage to our reputation and adversely affect customer relationships, the market acceptance of our products and our operating results.
Semiconductor products are highly complex and may contain defects that affect their quality or performance. Failures in our products and services or in the products of our customers could result in damage to our reputation for reliability and increase our legal or financial exposure to third parties. Certain of our products and services, including those that may incorporate, or are based upon, software or AI technology, could also contain security vulnerabilities, defects, bugs and errors, which could also result in significant data losses, security breaches and theft of intellectual property. We generally warrant that our products will meet their published specifications, and that we will repair or replace defective products, for one year from the date title passes from us to the customer. We invest significant resources in the testing of our products; however, if any of our products contain security vulnerabilities, defects, bugs or , we may be required to incur additional development and remediation costs pursuant to warranty and indemnification provisions in our customer contracts and purchase orders. These may our technical and other resources from other product development efforts and could result in us by our customers or others, including liability for costs and expenses associated with product , including , which may impact our reputation and operating results. We may also be subject to customer intellectual
property indemnity claims. Our customers have on occasion been sued, and may be sued in the future, by third parties alleging infringement of intellectual property rights, or damages resulting from use of our products. Those customers may seek indemnification from us under the terms and conditions of our sales contracts with them. In certain cases, our potential indemnification liability may be significant.
Further, we sell to customers in industries such as automotive (including autonomous vehicles), aerospace, defense, healthcare and industrial, where failure of the systems in which our products are integrated could cause damage to property or persons. We may be subject to product liability claims if our products, or the integration of our products, cause system failures. Any product liability claim, whether or not determined in our favor, could result in significant expense, divert the efforts of our technical and management personnel, and harm our business. In addition, if any of our products contain defects, or have reliability, quality or compatibility problems not capable of being resolved, our reputation may be damaged, which could make it more difficult for us to sell our products to customers and which could also adversely affect our operating results.
The fabrication of integrated circuits is highly complex and precise, and our manufacturing processes utilize a substantial amount of technology. Minute impurities, contaminants in the manufacturing environment, difficulties in the fabrication process, defects in the masks used in the wafer manufacturing process, manufacturing equipment failures, wafer breakage or other factors can cause a substantial percentage of wafers to be rejected or numerous dice on each wafer to be nonfunctional. While we have significant expertise in semiconductor manufacturing, it is possible that some processes could become unstable. This instability could result in manufacturing delays and product shortages, which could have a material adverse effect on our operating results.
Risks Related to Acquisitions and Strategic Transactions
To remain competitive, we may need to invest in or acquire other companies, purchase or license technology from third parties, or enter into other strategic transactions in order to introduce new products or enhance our existing products.
An element of our business strategy involves expansion through the acquisitions of businesses, assets, products or technologies that allow us to complement our existing product offerings, diversify our product portfolio, expand our market coverage, increase our engineering workforce, expand our technical skill sets or enhance our technological capabilities. We may not be able to identify businesses that have the technology or resources we need and, if we find such businesses, we may not be able to invest in, purchase or license the technology or resources on commercially favorable terms or at all. Acquisitions, investments and technology licenses are challenging to complete for a number of reasons, including difficulties in identifying potential targets, the cost of potential transactions, competition among prospective buyers and licensees, the need for regulatory approvals, and difficulties related to integration efforts. In addition, investments in companies are subject to risk of a partial or total loss of our investment. Both in the United States and abroad, governmental regulation of acquisitions, including antitrust and other regulatory reviews and approvals, has become more complex, increasing the costs and risks of undertaking, and may prevent us from consummating, significant acquisitions. In order to finance a potential transaction, we may need to raise additional funds by issuing securities or borrowing money. We may not be to obtain financing on terms, and the sale of our stock may result in the dilution of our existing shareholders or the issuance of securities with rights that are to the rights of our common shareholders.
Acquisitions also involve a number of challenges and risks, including:
• diversion of management’s attention in connection with both negotiating the transaction and integrating the acquired assets and businesses;
• difficulty or delay integrating acquired technologies, operations, processes, policies, procedures, systems, technologies, infrastructure and personnel with our existing businesses;
• strain on managerial and operational resources as management oversees larger or more complex operations;
• future funding requirements for acquired companies, including research and development costs, employee compensation and benefits, and operating expenses, which may be significant;
• servicing significant debt that may be incurred in connection with acquisitions;
• potential loss of key employees;
• exposure to unforeseen liabilities or regulatory compliance issues of acquired companies;
• higher than expected or unexpected acquisition or integration costs;
• difficulty realizing expected cost savings, operating synergies and growth prospects of an acquisition in a timely manner or at all; and
• increased risk of costly and time-consuming legal proceedings.
If we are unable to successfully address these risks, we may not realize some or all of the expected benefits of our acquisitions, which may have an adverse effect on our business strategy, plans and operating results.
Risks Related to Cyber, Artificial Intelligence, Intellectual Property, Legal and Regulatory
Our computer systems and networks are subject to attempted security breaches and other cyber incidents and a significant disruption in, or breach in security of, our information technology systems or certain products could materially and adversely affect our business or reputation.
We rely on information technology systems throughout our company to keep financial records and customer data, process orders, manage inventory, coordinate shipments to customers, maintain confidential and proprietary information, assist in semiconductor engineering and other technical activities and operate other critical functions such as internet connectivity, network communications and email. In addition, we provide our confidential and proprietary information to our strategic partners in certain cases, who may maintain such information on their information technology systems. While in the past we have experienced cybersecurity attacks and incidents, we believe that they have not had a material impact on our business. Our security measures or those of our third-party service providers or strategic partners may not detect or prevent security breaches, cyberattacks, defects, bugs or errors. Further, geopolitical tensions and conflicts have escalated the volume and sophistication of cyberattacks. Because the tactics and techniques used by threat actors to obtain access to or systems change frequently and, in some cases, are not recognized until they are launched or even later, we may be to anticipate these techniques or to implement adequate preventative measures in advance, and security may remain for an extended period of time. Our use of AI may also increase to cybersecurity risks, including through use or of AI tools and inputs or logic or the introduction of code incorporated into AI generated code. AI and machine learning also may be used for certain cybersecurity attacks, or expanding the existing capabilities of actors in manners we cannot predict at this time, resulting in risks of security and . We and our third-party service providers or strategic partners are to security of information technology systems or certain products and other such as access, supply-chain attacks, exfiltration or of data, of service, viruses or other code, -ins or hacking, , phishing attempts and other forms of social engineering, malware, ransomware and other forms of cyber extortion and similar events. These may come from , cyberterrorists and hacktivists, nation-state and nation-state-supported actors (including advanced intrusions) and computer hackers. They also may result from the or acts of our employees, contractors or third-party providers. In the event of access to, or a security of, our systems or those of our third-party service providers or strategic partners, our operations may be and our proprietary information or that of our employees, contractors, partners, customers, suppliers or other third parties may be . In the event of a cybersecurity attack or , we could be to potential liability, , and regulatory action, as well as the of existing or potential customers, to our reputation and other financial . In addition, the cost and operational consequences of responding to and implementing remediation measures could be significant. Furthermore, the continuing and evolving of has resulted in increased regulatory focus and we may be required to invest significant additional resources to comply with evolving cybersecurity regulations. For example, the SEC adopted rules requiring the disclosure of cybersecurity that we determine to be “material,” to be made within four business days of such determination, which can be complex, requiring a number of assumptions based on several factors. It is possible that the SEC may not agree with our determinations, which could result in , civil or to our reputation.
Our information technology systems and those of our third-party service providers and strategic partners may also be susceptible to damage, disruptions or shutdowns due to power outages, hardware failures, telecommunication failures, user errors, catastrophes or other unforeseen events. A prolonged disruption in the information technology systems that involve our internal communications or our interactions with customers or suppliers could result in the loss of sales and customers and significant incremental costs, which could adversely affect our business.
We face risks related to the use of AI in our business operations, products and services.
We incorporate AI capabilities across our technologies, business operations, products and services to enhance performance and drive smarter, more efficient solutions. The development and deployment of AI involves significant competitive, legal, regulatory and other risks. The implementation of AI is costly, requires a significant amount of data and there can be no assurance that AI will enhance our products or services or be beneficial to our business, including our efficiency or profitability. In addition, we face significant competition from other companies that are incorporating AI into their products and technologies. These other companies may incorporate AI in products or technologies that are similar to, or that customers perceive as superior to, our technologies or are more cost-effective to develop and deploy. AI technology is complex and rapidly evolving, and if we are unable to innovate quickly enough to keep pace with these rapid technological developments, our business could be .
AI technology may also give rise to significant legal and regulatory compliance risk. Evolving rules, regulations and industry standards governing AI may require us to incur greater compliance costs and restrict the use of AI in our products or
technologies. Several jurisdictions where we operate are considering or have proposed or enacted legislation and policies regulating AI, including the European Union’s AI Act, and lack of consistency among different regulatory regimes may increase our regulatory and compliance burdens. Investigations and enforcement efforts related to the use of AI technology could increase our compliance costs and restrict our ability to use AI in the development of our products and services. As the use of AI in our products, technologies or our business operations changes, we may become subject to new rules, regulations and industry standards, which may exacerbate these risks. In addition, the use of AI in the development of our products and services, in our business operations or by our customers in end products that incorporate our products, could cause loss of intellectual property, or subject us to risks related to intellectual property infringement or misappropriation, data privacy or cybersecurity. AI algorithms or training methodologies may also be flawed, and datasets may contain irrelevant, insufficient or biased information. Further, AI technology has many applications, and our products could be used in applications that are not in accordance with our controls, policies and procedures. Any or perceived by us to comply with any legal or regulatory requirement could subject us to legal liabilities, our reputation or otherwise affect our business.
We may be unable to adequately protect our proprietary intellectual property rights, which may limit our ability to compete effectively.
Our future success depends, in part, on our ability to protect our intellectual property. We primarily rely on patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret laws, as well as nondisclosure agreements, information security practices and other methods, to protect our proprietary information, technologies and processes. Despite our efforts to protect our intellectual property, it is possible that competitors or other unauthorized parties may obtain or disclose our confidential information, reverse engineer or copy our technologies, products or processes, make unlicensed copies or engage in unapproved distributions of our technology for unauthorized uses, or otherwise misappropriate our intellectual property. Moreover, the laws of foreign countries in which we design, manufacture, market and sell our products may afford little or no effective protection of our intellectual property.
There can be no assurance that the claims allowed in our issued patents will be sufficiently broad to protect our technology. In addition, any of our existing or future patents may be challenged, invalidated or circumvented. As such, any rights granted under these patents may not prevent others from exploiting our proprietary technology. We may not be able to obtain foreign patents or pending applications corresponding to our U.S. patents and applications. Even if patents are granted, we may not be able to effectively enforce our rights. If our patents do not adequately protect our technology, or if our registrations expire prior to end of life of our products, our competitors may be able to offer products similar to ours. Our competitors may also be able to develop similar technology independently or design around our patents.
We generally enter into confidentiality agreements with our employees, consultants and strategic partners. We also try to control access to and distribution of our technologies, documentation and other proprietary information. Despite these efforts, internal or external parties may attempt to copy, disclose, obtain or use our products or technology without our authorization. Also, former employees may seek employment with our business partners, customers or competitors, and may improperly use our proprietary information at their employer.
If we fail to comply with U.S. and foreign laws related to privacy, data security and data protection, it could adversely affect our operating results and financial condition.
We are or may become subject to a variety of laws and regulations such as the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), China’s Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL), or California’s Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) regarding privacy, data protection and data security. These laws and regulations are continuously evolving and developing. The scope and interpretation of the laws that are or may be applicable to us are often uncertain and may be conflicting, particularly with respect to foreign laws.
In particular, there are numerous U.S. federal, state, and local laws and regulations and foreign laws and regulations regarding privacy and the collection, sharing, use, processing, disclosure, and protection of personal data. Such laws and regulations often vary in scope, may be subject to differing interpretations, and may be inconsistent among different jurisdictions. For example, the GDPR and PIPL include operational requirements for companies that receive or process personal data of residents of the European Union or China, as applicable, that are broader and more stringent than those in many other jurisdictions around the world. The GDPR includes significant penalties for non-compliance, and China’s PIPL imposes additional operational requirements relating to processing personal information and provides comprehensive penalty and enforcement mechanisms. In the United States, California enacted the CCPA that requires covered companies to provide additional disclosures and data rights to data subjects, including employees. The California Privacy Rights Act expands the CCPA and establishes the California Privacy Protection Agency to enforce Californians’ privacy rights under the CCPA. Since the CCPA was enacted, several other states, including Oregon and Texas, have enacted or are in the process of enacting comprehensive privacy schemes.
The costs of compliance with, and other burdens imposed by, the GDPR, CCPA and similar laws may limit the use and adoption of our products and services and require us to incur substantial compliance costs, which could have an adverse impact on our business. Further, our product offerings in the digital healthcare solutions space, which include the collection and processing of sensitive personal information, subject us to heightened requirements under data privacy laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
Given that the scope, interpretation and application of these laws and regulations are often uncertain and may be in conflict across jurisdictions, it is possible that these obligations may be interpreted and applied in a manner that is inconsistent from one jurisdiction to another and may conflict with other rules or our practices. Any failure or perceived failure by us or third-party service providers to comply with our privacy or security policies or privacy-related legal obligations, or any compromise of security that results in the unauthorized release or transfer of personal data, may result in governmental enforcement actions, litigation or negative publicity, and could have an adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition.
We are occasionally involved in litigation, administrative proceedings, and regulatory proceedings, which could be costly to resolve and could require us to redesign products, pay significant royalties or fines or refrain from engaging in specific conduct.
From time to time, we are involved in various legal, administrative and regulatory proceedings, claims, demands and investigations relating to our business, including inquiries from and discussions with government entities regarding the compliance of our contracting and sales practices with laws and regulations, which may result in claims, fines or penalties with respect to commercial, trade, product liability, intellectual property, AI, cybersecurity, privacy, data protection, antitrust, breach of contract, employment, class action, whistleblower, mergers and acquisitions and other matters. We could also be subject to litigation or arbitration disputes arising under our contractual obligations, customer indemnity, warranty or product liability claims, or other matters that could lead to significant costs and expenses as we defend those claims or pay damage awards.
Further, the semiconductor industry is characterized by frequent claims and litigation involving patent and other intellectual property rights. Other companies or individuals have obtained patents covering a variety of semiconductor designs and processes, and we might be required to obtain licenses under some of these patents or be precluded from making and selling infringing products, if those patents are found to be valid and infringed by us. In the event a third party makes a valid intellectual property claim against us and a license is not available to us on commercially reasonable terms, or at all, we could be forced either to redesign or to stop production of products incorporating that intellectual property, and our operating results could be materially and adversely affected. Litigation may be necessary to enforce our patents or other of our intellectual property rights or to defend us against of .
These matters can be time-consuming, divert management’s attention and resources and cause us to incur significant expenses. Allegations made in the course of regulatory or legal proceedings may also harm our reputation, regardless of whether there is merit to such claims. Because litigation and the outcome of regulatory proceedings are inherently unpredictable, our business, financial condition or operating results could be materially affected by one or more of these proceedings, claims, demands or investigations. There can be no assurance that we are adequately insured to protect against all claims and potential liabilities, and we may elect to self-insure with respect to certain matters. An adverse outcome in litigation or arbitration could have a material adverse effect on our financial position or on our operating results or cash flows.
Expectations, requirements and attention to environmental, social and governance matters may have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations, and damage our brand and reputation.
ESG matters, including climate change and sustainability, human rights, support for local communities, workforce diversity, human capital management, employee health and safety practices, product quality, workers’ rights, supply chain management and corporate governance and transparency, continue to receive significant attention from a wide range of stakeholders, including regulators, investors, customers, employees and potential talent. If our ESG practices fail to meet our or the evolving and sometimes differing expectations of investors, customers, employees or other stakeholders, our reputation, brand and employee retention may be negatively impacted, and our customers and suppliers may not continue to do business with us. Certain current and prospective investors continue to utilize ESG data to inform their strategies, including investment and voting decisions, using a multitude of evolving scoring and rating frameworks. Further, certain customers utilize ESG data to inform their purchasing decisions. Additionally, public interest and legislative and regulatory pressure related to companies’ ESG practices continue to evolve. This may require us to align our programs to such expectations and disclose specific qualitative and quantitative information to demonstrate our position and progress and support our customers’ regulatory compliance. If we do not adapt our strategy or execute quickly enough to meet changing regulatory requirements or the expectations of our investors, customers, employees, regulators or other stakeholders, or if our ESG disclosures, including data input, processing and reporting, are or , our business, financial condition, results of operations, brand and reputation could be affected.
We are subject to environment, health and safety standards and hazards which have the potential to adversely affect our business, increase our expenses and adversely affect our reputation.
Our industry is subject to EHS requirements and laws, particularly those that control and restrict the sourcing, use, transportation, emission, discharge, storage and disposal of certain substances and materials and those that help promote the health and safety of our employees and the communities in which we operate. For certain facilities, we are required to obtain environmental permits from governmental authorities for our operations, which may limit or restrict our operations. In addition, our operations may be interrupted or restricted by the phase-out or ban of certain substances, materials or processes, which may impact the sourcing, supply and pricing of materials used in manufacturing our products. For example, several jurisdictions have sought or may seek to restrict the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which may be found in process chemicals, parts, components and other materials used in semiconductor manufacturing and have limited technically and commercially feasible alternatives. Any such restriction in our ability to access supplies may adversely affect our results of operations. Further, public attention to environmental and social responsibility remains high, and our customers routinely include stringent environmental and other standards in their contracts with us. Changes in EHS laws or regulations, uncertainties about those laws or regulations, or customer requirements may require us to invest in equipment, make manufacturing process or material changes or re-assess current and planned expenditures and initiatives, any of which could affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
In addition, we use hazardous and other regulated materials that subject us to risks of liability for damages caused by potential or actual releases of such materials. Any failure to control these materials adequately or to comply with existing or future EHS statutory or regulatory standards, requirements or contractual obligations could result in any of the following, each of which could have a material adverse effect on our business and operating results:
• liability for damages and remediation;
• the imposition of regulatory penalties and civil and criminal fines;
• the suspension or termination of the development, manufacture, sale or use of certain of our products;
• changes to our manufacturing processes or a need to substitute materials that may cost more or be less available;
• disruption to our operations and our ability to generate revenues;
• damage to our reputation; or
• increased expenses associated with compliance.
If we fail to comply with government contracting regulations, we could suffer a loss of revenue or incur price adjustments or other penalties.
Some of our revenue is derived from contracts with agencies of the United States government and subcontracts with its prime contractors. As a United States government contractor or subcontractor, we are subject to federal contracting regulations, including the Federal Acquisition Regulations, which govern the allowability of costs incurred by us in the performance of United States government contracts. Certain contract pricing is based on estimated direct and indirect costs, which are subject to change. Additionally, the United States government is entitled after final payment on certain negotiated contracts to examine all of our cost records with respect to such contracts and to seek a downward adjustment to the price of the contract if it determines that we failed to furnish complete, accurate and current cost or pricing data in connection with the negotiation of the price of the contract. Further, United States government contracts contain provisions and are subject to laws and regulations that may give the United States government rights and remedies not typically found in commercial contracts, including certain intellectual property rights and restrictions on future business.
In connection with our United States government business, we are subject to evolving procurement rules and regulations, as well as government audits and to review and approval of our policies, procedures, and internal controls for compliance with procurement regulations and applicable laws, such as the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification. In certain circumstances, if we do not comply with the terms of a government contract or with regulations or statutes, we could be subject to downward contract price adjustments or refund obligations or could in extreme circumstances be assessed civil and criminal penalties or be debarred or suspended from obtaining future contracts for a specified period of time. Any such suspension or debarment or other sanction could have an adverse effect on our business and reputation.
Under some of our government subcontracts, we are required to maintain secure facilities and to obtain security clearances for personnel involved in performance of the contract, which can be time-consuming and costly. If we are unable to comply with these requirements, or if personnel critical to our performance of these contracts are unable to obtain or maintain their security clearances, we may be unable to perform these contracts or compete for other projects of this nature, which could adversely affect our revenue.
Damage to our reputation can damage our business.
Our reputation is a critical factor in our relationships with customers, employees, governments, suppliers and other stakeholders. Our failure to address, or the appearance of our failure to address, issues that give rise to reputational risk, including those described in this Risk Factors section, could significantly harm our reputation and our brands. We may be subject to reputational risks and our brand loyalty may decline if others adopt the same or confusingly similar marks in an effort to misappropriate and profit on our brand name and do not provide the same level of quality as is delivered by our solutions and services. It may also limit our ability to be seen as an employer of choice when competing for highly skilled employees and repairing our reputation and brands may be difficult, time-consuming, and expensive. To the extent we fail to respond quickly and effectively to address corporate and brand crises, the ensuing negative public reaction could significantly our reputation and our brands, which could lead to increases in and asserted or subject us to regulatory actions or restrictions. If we to maintain, and protect our brands, if we incur expenses in this effort or if customers or potential customers are by others’ trademarks, our business, operating results and financial condition may be materially and affected.
Increases in our effective tax rate, exposure to additional tax liabilities, or substantial changes in domestic or international corporate tax policies, regulations or guidance may adversely impact our results of operations.
Our effective tax rate reflects the applicable tax rate in effect in the various tax jurisdictions around the world where our income is earned. Our effective tax rate for the fiscal year ended November 1, 2025 was below the U.S. federal statutory rate of 21%. This is primarily due to lower statutory tax rates applicable to our operations in the foreign jurisdictions in which we earn income.
A number of factors may increase our future effective tax rate, including: new or revised tax laws or legislation or the interpretation of such laws or legislation by governmental authorities; increases in tax rates in various jurisdictions; variation in the mix of jurisdictions in which our profits are earned and taxed; deferred taxes arising from basis differences in investments in foreign subsidiaries; any adverse resolution of ongoing tax audits or adverse rulings from taxing authorities worldwide; changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities; adjustments to income taxes upon finalization of various tax returns; increases in expenses not deductible for tax purposes, including executive compensation subject to the limitations of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code and amortization of assets acquired in connection with strategic transactions; decreased availability of tax deductions for stock-based compensation awards worldwide; and changes in available tax credits. Any significant increase in our future effective tax rate could adversely impact our net income during future periods.
Tax legislation and regulation may require the collection of information not regularly produced by us, and therefore necessitate the use of estimates in our Consolidated Financial Statements and the exercise of significant judgment in accounting for its provisions, which may subject us to additional tax liability, tax examination and other risks. As regulations and guidance evolve with respect to tax legislation and regulation, and as more information is gathered and analyzed, our results may differ from previous estimates and may materially affect our Consolidated Financial Statements. Further, we are subject to, and are under tax examination and audit in various jurisdictions, including an IRS income tax audit for the fiscal years ended October 30, 2021, November 2, 2019 (fiscal 2019) and November 3, 2018; an IRS income tax audit for Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.’s fiscal years ended June 27, 2015 through August 26, 2021; and various U.S. state and local tax audits and international audits, including an Irish corporate tax audit for fiscal 2021. Such jurisdictions may assess additional income tax against us. The final determination of tax audits or any administrative appeals relating thereto could be materially different from our income tax provisions and accruals. The ultimate result of any current or future audit could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and cash flows in the period or periods for which that determination is made.
We are also subject to laws and regulations in various jurisdictions that determine how much profit has been earned and when it is subject to taxation in that jurisdiction. In the United States, for example, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) imposes a 15% book minimum tax on corporations with three-year average annual adjusted financial statement income exceeding $1 billion. We do not believe that the minimum tax provided by the IRA will materially impact our effective tax rate. Corporate tax reform, anti-base-erosion rules and tax transparency continue to be high legislative or regulatory priorities in many jurisdictions. Changes in laws and regulations regarding these matters could impact the jurisdictions where we are deemed to earn income, which could in turn adversely affect our tax liability and results of operations. For example, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) Base Erosion and Profit Sharing Plans, which implement a minimum global effective tax rate of 15%, applied to us beginning in fiscal year 2025. We continue to monitor potential impacts related to this legislation as countries implement it and the OECD provides additional guidance. As additional jurisdictions enact such legislation, our effective tax rate and cash tax payments could increase.
Risks Related to Indebtedness, Financial Markets and Capital Return
We have substantial existing indebtedness and the ability to incur significant additional indebtedness, which could limit our operations and our use of our cash flow and negatively impact our credit ratings.
As of November 1, 2025, we had approximately $8.6 billion in outstanding indebtedness, including $446.6 million of short-term commercial paper. In addition, we had the ability to incur approximately $2.6 billion of additional indebtedness in direct borrowings under our outstanding commercial paper facility based on amounts available under our unsecured revolving credit facility that were not being used to backstop our outstanding commercial paper balance. Our leverage could have negative consequences, including increasing our vulnerability to adverse economic and industry conditions, limiting our ability to obtain additional financing and limiting our ability to acquire new products and technologies through strategic acquisitions. Further, our net interest expense is exposed to changes in market interest rates. We may also incur additional debt, including debt with variable interest rates, in the future, which would exacerbate these risks.
Our ability to make payments of principal and interest on our indebtedness when due depends upon our future operating performance, which may be impacted by general economic conditions, industry cycles and other factors beyond our control. If we are unable to service or refinance our debt, we may be required to divert funds that would otherwise be invested in growing our business operations or returned to shareholders, repatriate earnings as dividends from foreign locations with potential negative tax consequences, or sell selected assets. Such measures might not be sufficient to enable us to service our debt, which could negatively impact our financial results. In addition, we may not be able to obtain any such financing, refinancing or complete a sale of assets on economically favorable terms. In the case of financing or refinancing, favorable interest rates will depend on conditions in the debt capital markets. In addition, if our credit ratings are downgraded or put on watch for a potential downgrade, the applicable interest rate on borrowings under our current revolving credit facility and commercial paper issuances may rise and our ability to obtain additional financing or refinance our existing debt may be affected.
Restrictions in our revolving credit facility and outstanding debt instruments may limit our activities.
Our current revolving credit facility and outstanding debt instruments impose, and future debt instruments to which we may become subject may impose, restrictions that limit our ability to engage in activities that could otherwise benefit us, including to undertake certain transactions, to create certain liens on our assets and to incur certain subsidiary indebtedness. Our ability to comply with these financial restrictions and covenants is dependent on our future performance, which is subject to prevailing economic conditions and other factors, including factors that are beyond our control such as changes in technology, government regulations and the level of competition in our markets. In addition, our revolving credit facility requires us to maintain compliance with specified financial ratios. If we breach any of the covenants under our revolving credit facility, the indentures governing our outstanding senior unsecured notes, or any future debt instruments to which we may become subject and do not obtain appropriate waivers, then, subject to applicable cure periods, our outstanding indebtedness thereunder could be declared immediately due and payable and we may be restricted from further borrowing under our revolving credit facility.
We may not meet expectations or targets in connection with our “green” financing arrangements, which could harm our reputation and business.
From time to time, we may enter into “green” financing arrangements that require us to use proceeds for environmental sustainability purposes or have targets related to environmental sustainability. For example, on October 5, 2021, we issued $750 million sustainability-linked senior notes (Sustainability-Linked Senior Notes). Our Sustainability-Linked Senior Notes initially bear interest at a rate of 1.7% per annum and are subject to an increase of an additional 30 basis points per annum from April 1, 2026 to their maturity on October 1, 2028 unless the Sustainability Performance Target (as defined in the Sustainability-Linked Senior Notes) has been satisfied. Failing to use the net proceeds under green financing arrangements that satisfies investor criteria and expectations regarding environmental impact or achieve targets related to environmental sustainability under such financing arrangements could result in reputational harm and our business and operating results could be negatively impacted.
If we are not able to meet our U.S. cash requirements, it may be necessary for us to consider repatriation of foreign earnings, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
We carry outside basis differences in certain of our subsidiaries, primarily arising from acquisition accounting adjustments and certain undistributed earnings that are considered indefinitely reinvested. We intend to reinvest these funds in our international operations, and our current plans do not demonstrate a need to repatriate these earnings to fund our U.S. cash requirements. However, we require a substantial amount of cash in the United States for operating requirements, stock repurchases, cash dividends and acquisitions. If we are not able to meet our U.S. cash requirements through operations, borrowings under our current revolving credit facility, issuances under our commercial paper program, future debt or equity offerings or other sources of cash obtained at an acceptable cost, it may be necessary for us to consider repatriation of earnings that are indefinitely reinvested, and we may be required to pay additional taxes under current tax laws, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
General Risk Factors
Our results of operations could be affected by natural disasters or other catastrophic events in the locations in which we or our key partners operate.
We, like many companies in the semiconductor industry, rely on supplies, services, internal manufacturing capacity, wafer fabrication foundries and other subcontractors in locations around the world that are susceptible to natural disasters and other significant disruptions. Earthquakes, fires, tsunamis, extreme precipitation and flooding, public health emergencies or other catastrophic events may disrupt local semiconductor-related businesses and adversely affect manufacturing capacity, availability and cost of key raw materials, utilities and equipment, and availability of key services, including transport of our products worldwide. Our insurance may not adequately cover losses resulting from such disruptions. Any prolonged inability to utilize one of our manufacturing facilities, or those of our subcontractors or third-party wafer fabrication foundries, or to access key raw materials, utilities and equipment as a result of fire, flood, natural disaster, of utilities or otherwise, could result in a temporary or permanent of customers for affected products, which could have a material effect on our results of operations, financial condition and reputation. In addition, global climate change may result in certain natural or other weather events occurring more frequently or with intensity, such as , wildfires, storms, sea-level rise, extreme temperatures and flooding, and could the availability of water necessary for the operation of our fabrication facilities and otherwise impact our results of operations. The long-term effects of climate change on the global economy and the semiconductor industry in particular are unclear, but could be .
Our stock price may be volatile.
The market price of our common stock may be volatile, as it may be significantly affected by factors including:
• global economic conditions generally;
• U.S. and foreign government actions, including with respect to trade, travel, export and taxation;
• crises in global credit, debt and financial markets;
• actual or anticipated fluctuations in our revenue and operating results;
• changes in financial estimates or other statements made by securities analysts or others in analyst reports or other publications, or our failure to perform in line with those estimates or statements or our published guidance;
• financial results and prospects of our customers;
• changes in market valuations of other semiconductor companies;
• rumors and speculation in the press, investment community or on social media about us, our customers or other companies in our industry;
• announcements by us, our customers or our competitors of significant new products, technical innovations, material transactions, acquisitions or dispositions, litigation, capital commitments, including share repurchases and dividend policies, or revised earnings estimates;
• departures of key personnel;
• alleged noncompliance with laws, regulations or ethics standards by us or any of our employees, officers or directors; and
• negative media publicity targeting us or our suppliers, customers or competitors.
The stock market has historically experienced volatility, especially within the semiconductor industry, that often has been unrelated to the performance of particular companies, such as the response to recently announced tariffs and other trade restrictions. These market fluctuations have, and may in the future, cause our stock price to fall regardless of our operating results.
Our directors and executive officers periodically buy or sell shares of our common stock in the market, including pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 trading plans. Regardless of the individual’s reasons for such purchases or sales, securities analysts and investors could view such transactions as positive or negative indicators and our stock price could be adversely affected as a result.
