Item 1A. Risk Factors
The risk factors noted in this section, and other factors noted throughout this annual report, describe certain risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement and should be considered carefully in evaluating our company and our business.
In the ordinary course of our business, we face various strategic, operating, compliance and financial risks. These risks could have a material impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. We have implemented our Enterprise Risk Management ("ERM") process to identify and address significant risks. Our ERM process is a company-wide initiative that is designed with the intent of prioritizing risks and allocating appropriate resources to address such risks.
Management has identified and prioritized critical risks based on the severity and likelihood of each risk and assigned risk owners to address each major identified risk area and lead action plans to monitor and mitigate risks, where possible. Our Board provides oversight of the ERM process and regularly reviews identified critical risks. The Audit Committee of our Board also reviews major financial risk exposures and the steps management has taken to monitor and control them.
Our goal is to proactively manage risks in a structured approach and in conjunction with the strategic planning process, with the intent to preserve and enhance shareholder value. However, these and other risks and uncertainties could cause our results to vary materially from recent results or from our anticipated future results. The risk factors and uncertainties described below, together with information incorporated by reference or otherwise included elsewhere in this annual report, should be carefully considered. Although the risks are organized by headings, and each risk is discussed separately, many are interrelated. Additional risks and uncertainties of which we are currently unaware or that we currently believe to be immaterial may also adversely affect our business.
Risks Related to Economic and Market Conditions
U.S. policies, actions, or legislation could have a material adverse impact on our and our business partners’ operations and financial results.
Although we have global operations, our corporate headquarters and a significant portion of our facilities and workforce are located in the U.S. Approximately 37% of our Fiscal 2025 revenues were generated from customers in the U.S. and we have manufacturing, sales and service facilities across several states in the U.S. Accordingly, our business and results of operations, as well as the business and results of operations of many of our vendors and customers, are subject to risks associated with U.S. government policies, actions, and legislation, including, without limitation, risks related to:
• economic and political instability related to foreign relations policies and actions;
• the imposition of tariffs and other trade restrictions or embargoes and uncertainty related thereto, including inflationary and deflationary pressures and retaliatory actions;
• withdrawal of or changes in federal funding and support of organizations and programs that affect companies operating in the U.S. and their workforces, including those related to cyber security; and
• other changes to U.S. policies that may have a negative impact on U.S. economic conditions or us.
The likelihood and duration of such occurrences and their potential effect on us, our vendors and customers, are unpredictable and our efforts to minimize or eliminate the effects of these occurrences may not be successful. For example, recent U.S. tariff policies have been volatile and remain uncertain, making it difficult for us and our vendors to predict or act to mitigate negative impacts of the tariffs. While we have taken measures to help mitigate U.S. and retaliatory tariffs enacted in 2025, if we are unable to recoup cost increases resulting from current or future tariffs through our pricing strategies on a timely basis or at all, or are unable to offset these cost increases through other means, our operating margins and results of operations may be materially adversely affected. Moreover, we may be impacted by tariffs to a greater degree than our competitors who operate in countries that are not subject to tariffs or are subject to lesser tariffs, placing us at a disadvantage. Uncertainty with respect to tariffs and other U.S. foreign relations policies and actions has led to, and may continue to lead to, volatility in the global financial markets, which could negatively impact demand for our products and increase future costs of capital. Certain of these risks may be exacerbated if key trading partners enact or coordinate retaliatory efforts against the U.S. or U.S.-headquartered companies.
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We are subject to economic, political and other risks associated with international operations that could adversely affect our business and our strategy to capitalize on our global reach.
A substantial portion of our operations are conducted and located outside the U.S. For Fiscal 2025, approximately 63% of our net sales originated from outside of the U.S. We have manufacturing, sales and service facilities spanning six continents and sell to customers in over 130 countries. Accordingly, our business and results of operations, as well as the business and results of operations of our vendors and customers, are subject to risks associated with doing business internationally, including, without limitation:
• changing economic conditions in the global and regional end markets we serve, which could impact the level of demand for our products, as a portion of our revenues are derived from customers in cyclical industries that typically are adversely affected by downward economic cycles;
• macroeconomic factors beyond the Company’s control, such as recent significant volatility around inflation, material and logistics availability, supply chain, labor challenges, and our customers’ ability to access credit and ability to pay amounts due to us;
• political, social or economic instability, civil unrest, terrorist attacks, conflicts or war (such as the ongoing conflicts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East), public health crises (including pandemics), natural disasters (including as a result of climate change), widespread cybersecurity incidents, and other catastrophic events may disrupt economic activities (including demand for and production and distribution of our products) and our workforce in affected countries or globally;
• trade wars and the imposition of additional sanctions, tariffs or other trade restrictions or embargoes, as well as import and export licensing and control requirements;
• volatility of global financial markets, including interest rate fluctuations and hyperinflation or deflation in the countries in which we operate;
• exchange rate fluctuations, as well as currency restructurings, the imposition of currency restrictions, and limitations on repatriation of earnings, that could affect our ability to realize a profit or our ability to readily access global cash balances;
• partial or total expropriation by local, state or national governments;
• compliance with or effect of complying with complex and changing laws, regulations and policies of foreign governments, including differing and, in some cases, more stringent labor, sustainability, environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) and HSE-related regulations as well as limitations on our ability to enforce our legal rights and remedies;
• differing local product preferences and product requirements; and
• difficulties involved in staffing and managing widespread operations, including challenges in enforcing corporate policies, which may be different than the normal business practices of local cultures.
The likelihood of such occurrences and their potential effect on us vary from country to country and are unpredictable. Furthermore, increased economic and political volatility in our regions could result in significant or frequent fluctuations or declines in our sales and operating income, which could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations in future periods. While we have adopted certain operational and financial measures to reduce the risks associated with doing business internationally, such measures may not be successful and any one of the risks listed above may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
We may be unable to obtain raw materials or other manufacturing inputs at favorable prices in sufficient quantities, or at the time we require them.
We purchase our energy, steel, aluminum, rubber-based materials, chemicals, polymers and other key manufacturing inputs from outside sources. We do not traditionally have long-term pricing contracts with raw material suppliers. The costs of these raw materials have been volatile historically and are influenced by factors that are outside of our control, including the imposition of tariffs which may be unpredictable. In recent years, the prices and availability of energy, metal alloys, polymers and certain other of our raw
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materials have fluctuated significantly, exacerbated by inflation and global disruptions and conflicts. If we are unable to pass increases in the costs of our raw materials on to our customers on a timely basis or at all, maintain current pricing, or are otherwise unable to offset these cost increases, our operating margins and results of operations may be materially adversely affected.
Additionally, our businesses compete globally for raw materials and key production inputs. The availability of qualified suppliers and of key inputs may be disrupted by market disturbances or any number of geopolitical factors, including political unrest and significant weather events. Such disruptions may require additional capital or operating expenditures by us or force reductions in our production volumes. In the event of an industry-wide general shortage of certain raw materials or key inputs, or a shortage or discontinuation of certain raw materials or key inputs from one or more of our suppliers, we may not be able to arrange for alternative sources of certain raw materials or key inputs. Any such shortage may materially adversely affect our competitive position versus companies that are able to better or more cheaply source such raw materials or key inputs.
We may experience adverse changes in our relationships with, or the financial condition, performance, purchasing patterns or inventory levels of, key channel partners.
Certain of our businesses sell a significant amount of their products to key channel partners, including distributors, which have valuable relationships with end users. Some of these channel partners may also sell our competitors’ products, and if they favor competing products for any reason they may fail to market our products effectively. Adverse changes in our relationships with these channel partners, or adverse developments in their financial condition, performance or purchasing patterns, could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. The levels of inventory maintained by our distributors and other channel partners, and changes in those levels, such as destocking, can also significantly impact our results of operations in any given period.
Risks Related to Our Business and Industry
We are dependent on the continued operation of our manufacturing facilities, supply chains, distribution systems and information technology systems, and a major disruption or closure, including as a result of a catastrophic event, could have a material adverse effect on our business.
If any of our manufacturing facilities, supply chains, distribution systems or technology systems were to experience a catastrophic loss or ongoing closure or disruption due to adverse weather or natural disasters (including as a result of climate change), labor unrest, public health crises such as pandemics, terrorist attacks or armed conflicts, cyberattacks, power loss, telecommunications failure, significant mechanical failure of our equipment or other catastrophic event or government responses thereto, it could adversely affect our employees, data centers or critical business of information technology systems, our ability to produce and distribute our products or conduct normal business operations, and our reputation and, ultimately, result in a potential loss of customers and sales or significantly increased operating costs, including large repair and replacement expenses. These risks could be exacerbated to the extent our disaster recovery plans do not adequately address the event.
The third-party insurance coverage that we maintain will vary from time to time in both type and amount depending on cost, availability and our decisions regarding risk retention, and may be unavailable or insufficient to protect us against losses. Additionally, we have in the past and may in the future make investments in new or existing manufacturing facilities that could lead to disruption or closure, or to consolidate manufacturing facilities to adapt our production capacity to changing market conditions. The costs of such disruptions or closures may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may not be able to accurately forecast demand or meet significant increases in demand for our products.
Certain of our businesses operate with short lead times, and we order raw materials and supplies and plan production based on discussions with our customers and internal forecasts of demand. If we are unable to accurately forecast demand for our products, in terms of both volume and specific products, or react appropriately to abrupt changes in demand, we may experience delayed product shipments and customer dissatisfaction. If demand increases significantly from current levels, both we and our suppliers may have difficulty meeting such demand, particularly if such demand increases occur rapidly. Additionally, we may carry excess inventory if demand for our products decreases below projected levels. These risks may be heightened for new products supporting developing markets for which we do not have historical references, and are influenced by factors that are outside of our control, including the imposition of tariffs which may be unpredictable. Failure to accurately forecast demand or meet significant increases in demand could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and operating results.
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Our revenue growth may be dependent on market acceptance of new product introductions and product innovations.
The markets in which we operate, or seek to operate, are subject to technological change and, in some cases, developing. Our long-term operating results depend upon our ability to continually develop, introduce, and market new and innovative products, to modify existing products, to respond to technological change (such as artificial intelligence (“AI”) and machine learning), and to customize certain products to meet customer requirements and evolving sustainability and industry standards. The development of new product introductions and product innovations may require significant investment by us, including investment in our workforce and in competing for talent. There are numerous risks inherent in this process, including the risks that we will be unable to anticipate the direction of technological change (including those related to the utilization of AI) or that we will be unable to develop and market new products and applications in a timely fashion to satisfy customer demands. If we are unable to adapt to these changes, our business and results of operations may be adversely affected.
Longer lives of parts used in our end markets may adversely affect demand for some of our aftermarket products.
The average useful life of certain parts used in our end markets has increased in recent years due to innovations in technologies and manufacturing processes. Extending the life or durability of these parts may allow end users to replace parts less often depending on operating conditions. As a result, a portion of our sales in the aftermarket may be displaced. If this trend continues, it could adversely impact our aftermarket sales.
Increasing competition may limit our ability to grow or maintain our competitive position or margins.
We compete in a wide variety of end markets with a broad portfolio of products. Our ability to compete effectively in each end market depends on how successfully we anticipate and respond to various local competitive factors, such as product offerings, customer service and pricing. Additionally, our competitors may adopt new technologies, such as AI and machine learning, to pursue new products and approaches more quickly, successfully and effectively than us. If we are unable to successfully respond to these pressures, our revenues could be negatively impacted. In emerging markets such as areas of southeast Asia and eastern Europe, the aftermarket channels are still nascent as compared to those in more developed nations. In these markets, we have focused on establishing brand visibility, including by building an OEM presence in the end markets we serve. However, as the aftermarket channels in these regions grow, our products may not be selected as the aftermarket product based on local market requirements and other competitive factors, and there may be a material adverse effect on our aftermarket sales growth potential in these emerging markets. In addition, we generate strong margins by selling premium products at premium prices. Accordingly, our margins could suffer if our customers are no longer willing to pay a premium for our product and service offerings. We continue to face pricing pressure from our customers in OEM end markets as well as other end markets. Many manufacturers seek price reductions in both the initial bidding process and during the term of the award. If we are not able to offset price reductions through improved operating efficiencies, reduced expenditures, or new product introductions, those price reductions may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
We may pursue strategic transactions, including acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, strategic alliances or investments, which could create risks and present unforeseen integration obstacles or costs.
We consider strategic transactions on an ongoing basis, and regularly discuss potential acquisitions of complementary businesses or assets to expand our product portfolio and geographic presence, certain of which may be material. Strategic transactions, particularly investments in emerging or developing markets, involve legal, economic, operational and political risks. We also encounter risks in the selection of appropriate investment and disposal targets, negotiation and execution of transactions, and integration of acquired businesses or assets.
Our efforts to integrate acquired businesses or assets could be affected by a number of factors beyond our control, such as general economic conditions and increased competition. In addition, the process of integrating these businesses or assets could cause the interruption of, or loss of momentum in, the activities of our existing business, diversion of management’s attention, disruption as a result of infrastructure and information technology conversions, and other challenges, such as difficulty integrating key personnel and retaining customers and suppliers.
Pursuing strategic transactions could involve the use of a substantial amount of cash, assumption of liabilities and indemnification obligations, costly regulatory requirements, incurrence of a substantial amount of debt or issuance of a substantial amount of equity, and we may not be able to recoup our investment or achieve the synergies and economic benefits that we anticipated. Failure to successfully identify, consummate or integrate strategic transactions in a timely and cost-effective manner could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operation.
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We have investments in joint ventures that limit our ability to manage third-party risks associated with these ventures.
We have investments in joint ventures that may involve risks such as the possibility that a co-venturer in an investment might become bankrupt, be unable to meet its capital contribution obligations, have economic or business interests or goals that are inconsistent with our business interests or goals, or take actions that are contrary to our instructions or to applicable laws and regulations. Actions by a co-venturer or other third party could expose us to claims for damages, financial penalties and reputational harm, any of which could adversely affect our business and operations. In addition, we may agree to guarantee indebtedness incurred by a joint venture or provide standard indemnifications to lenders for loss liability or damage occurring as a result of our actions or actions of the joint venture. Such a guarantee or indemnity may be on a joint and several basis with a co-venturer, in which case we may be liable in the event that our co-venturer defaults on its guarantee obligation. The non-performance of a co-venturer’s obligations may cause losses to us in excess of the capital we have invested or committed. Although our joint ventures may generate positive cash flow, in some cases we may choose to leave cash in the joint venture rather than distribute it, either to support future investments within the joint venture or because it may be costly to distribute.
The loss or financial instability of any significant customer or customers could adversely affect our business.
A substantial part of our business is concentrated with a few customers, and we have certain customers that are significant to our business. During Fiscal 2025, our top ten customers accounted for approximately 24% of our consolidated net sales and accounted for approximately 29% of our trade accounts receivable balance as of December 31, 2025, and our largest customer accounted for approximately 9.6% and 13.7% of our Fiscal 2025 consolidated net sales and trade accounts receivable balance as of December 31, 2025, respectively. The loss of one or more of these customers or other major customers, a deterioration in our relationship with any of them, or their failure to pay amounts due to us could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
Our contracted backlog is comprised of future orders for our products from a broad number of customers. Defaults by any of the customers that have placed or may in the future place significant orders with us could have a significant adverse effect on our net sales, profitability and cash flow. Our customers may in the future default on their obligations to us due to bankruptcy, lack of liquidity, operational failure or other reasons deriving from the general economic environment or circumstances affecting those customers in particular. If a customer defaults on its obligations to us, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
We have taken, and continue to take, cost-reduction and other restructuring actions that may expose us to additional risk and we may not be able to maintain the level of cost reductions that we have achieved.
We have been implementing cost reduction and restructuring actions in all of our businesses, such as our ongoing footprint optimization plan, and have discontinued product lines, consolidated or relocated manufacturing operations and reduced our employee population in some locations. The impact of these cost-reduction and restructuring actions on our sales and profitability may be influenced by many factors and we may not be able to maintain the level of cost savings that we have achieved. In connection with the implementation and maintenance of our cost reduction and restructuring measures, we may face delays in anticipated workforce reductions, a decline in employee morale and a potential inability to meet operational targets due to an inability to retain or recruit key employees.
Societal responses to sustainability issues, including those related to climate change, could adversely affect our business and performance, including indirectly through impacts on our customers and value chain partners.
Concerns over sustainability issues, including the impacts of climate change, have led and will continue to lead to governmental, private, and consumer efforts around the world to reduce or mitigate those issues. We and our customers and suppliers will need to respond to new laws and regulations as well as changes in consumer and customer behaviors, which have added costs and could add substantial costs to our operations and those of our customers and partners. We may also experience a drop in demand for our products and services, particularly in certain sectors, and, if we are unable to meet our customers’ sustainability objectives, such as more-efficient, lower emissions products, our sales growth could be limited. We expect the impact on our customers to vary depending on their specific attributes, including reliance on or role in carbon-intensive activities. Moreover, there has been a rise in “anti-ESG” activism, particularly in the U.S., which could impact our efforts. In addition, our efforts to mitigate these risks, including by investing in sustainability initiatives, may not be successful in achieving their desired outcomes, which may include cost savings.
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We may not be able to maintain and enhance our strong brand on which we depend.
Our brand has worldwide recognition and our success may be linked to our ability to maintain and enhance our brand image and reputation. In particular, we believe that maintaining and enhancing the Gates brand is critical to maintaining and expanding our customer base. Maintaining, promoting and enhancing our brand may require us to make substantial investments in areas such as product innovation, product quality, intellectual property (“IP”) protection, marketing and employee training, and these investments may not have the desired impact on our brand image and reputation. Moreover, sustainability topics and activities have been the subject of increased focus by certain of our stakeholders and regulators. Our business could be adversely impacted if we fail to achieve any of these objectives or if the reputation or image of our brand is tarnished or receives negative publicity. In addition, adverse publicity about regulatory or legal action against us could damage our reputation and brand image and reduce long-term demand for our products, even if the regulatory or legal action is unfounded or not material to our operations. If we are unable to maintain or enhance the image of our brand, it could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Risks Related to Cybersecurity and Information Systems
Cybersecurity vulnerabilities, threats and more sophisticated and targeted computer crimes could pose a risk to our systems, networks, products, solutions, services and data.
Increased global cybersecurity vulnerabilities, threats, computer viruses and more sophisticated and targeted cyber-related attacks (such as the use of ransomware and social engineering, and the misuse or malicious use of AI), as well as cybersecurity failures resulting from human actions, catastrophic events, and technological errors, pose a risk to our systems (including third-party systems, such as cloud services, utilized by us), products and data as well as potentially to our employees’, customers', partners', suppliers' and third-party service providers' systems and data. Additionally, the rapid evolution and increased availability of AI may intensify cybersecurity risks by making targeted attacks more sophisticated and cybersecurity incidents more difficult to detect, contain, and mitigate. An attack on our systems or those of certain of our vendors could result in security breaches, theft, lost or corrupted data, misappropriation of sensitive, confidential or personal data or information, loss of trade secrets and commercially valuable information, production downtimes and operational disruptions. We defend against attempted cyber-attacks in the normal course of our business. We attempt to mitigate these risks by employing a number of measures, including employee training, monitoring and testing, and maintenance of protective systems and contingency plans, but we remain potentially vulnerable to additional known or unknown threats. There is no assurance the financial or operational impact from such threats will not be material.
Information systems failure may disrupt our business and result in financial loss and liability to our customers.
We rely on information technology networks and systems, including the cloud-computing and third-party service providers, to process, transmit and store electronic information, and to manage or support a variety of business processes and activities. These information technology networks and systems may be susceptible to damage, disruptions or shutdowns due to failures during the process of upgrading or replacing software, databases or components, power outages, hardware failures, malware and other vulnerabilities. If these information technology systems suffer severe damage or disruption and the issues are not resolved in a timely manner, our business, financial condition and operations could be materially adversely affected.
Global data privacy, data protection and data security requirements are complex, evolving, and may increase our costs to comply.
To conduct our operations, we regularly move data across national borders, and consequently we are subject to a variety of continuously evolving and developing laws and regulations in the U.S. (including new state laws) and abroad regarding data privacy, data protection and data security. The scope of the laws that may be applicable to us is often uncertain and may be conflicting, particularly with respect to foreign laws. For example, the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) adopted by the European Union (“EU”) greatly increased the jurisdictional reach of EU law and added a broad array of requirements for handling personal data, including the public disclosure of significant data breaches, and many other countries and several states in the U.S. have proposed or adopted similar legislation. Other countries such as China, India, Thailand, Brazil and Argentina have enacted or are enacting data privacy laws that restrict cross-border data transfers, as well as requiring that data subjects provide clear and concise consent on how collected data will be utilized. These evolving compliance and operational requirements impose significant costs that are likely to increase over time as the breadth and complexity of regulations continues to evolve internationally. We continue to monitor these developments and adjust our data processing practice in accordance with applicable law.
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Risks Related to Legal and Regulatory Matters
Existing or new laws and regulations, including but not limited to those relating to HSE, sustainability and product compliance matters, may prohibit, burden, restrict or make significantly more costly the sale of our products and the operation of our business.
Our operations, products and properties are subject to extensive foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations around the world. These laws and regulations are complex, have tended to be stricter over time, and may be inconsistent across jurisdictions. In addition, existing laws and regulations may be revised, reinterpreted or more strictly enforced and new laws and new regulations may be adopted or become applicable to us. Complying with, or preparing to comply with, anticipated emerging and changing laws and regulations may cause us to incur substantial costs or require us to change our business practices (such as changing our production methods or materials used in our manufacturing processes or products). We cannot predict the form any such new laws or regulations will take or the impact these laws and regulations will have on our business operations.
We are subject to numerous laws and regulations related to HSE, sustainability and product compliance matters. These laws vary by jurisdiction but generally govern emissions, wastewater discharges, material handling and transportation, waste management and disposal, product stewardship, biodiversity and packaging requirements, toxicity and hazardous substances, supplier due diligence and standards, and workplace health and safety, as well as the investigation and clean-up of contaminated sites. For example, we are subject to increasing legal requirements and global efforts to control emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, fluorinated and other GHGs in an effort to minimize the effect on climate change, which have the potential to influence the price of the energy and raw materials we purchase. This includes the recent enactment of the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, which is anticipated to increase the cost of production of certain of our products in the EU and could reduce the demand for such products. GHG regulations and carbon taxes could also reduce oil and gas production, which may negatively impact our sales in the Energy and Resources end market. In addition, many of our products are subject to evolving laws to restrict specific chemical substances in our products or impose labeling and other requirements, such as the EU’s Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemical Substances (“REACH”) Regulation, and rising global concerns around microplastics, extended producer responsibility, plastic packaging or hazardous chemicals such as per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which could result in significant costs to us or limit our access to certain markets. Failure to comply with such laws and regulations could have significant consequences on our business and operations, including the imposition of substantial fines and sanctions for violations, injunctive relief (including requirements that we limit or cease the manufacture or sale of certain products) and negative publicity.
We have incurred, and will continue to incur, both operating and capital costs to comply with HSE, sustainability and product compliance related and other laws and regulations, including costs associated with the investigation and clean-up of some of our current and former properties and offsite disposal locations. As the present and former operator of industrial properties that use and generate hazardous materials, we could be subject to additional liability for environmental contamination in the future, regardless of whether we caused such contamination.
Additionally, most U.S. states have passed laws that regulate or limit the use of aftermarket products in certain types of repair work. These laws include requirements relating to consumer disclosure, owner’s consent regarding the use of aftermarket products in the repair process, and the requirement to have aftermarket products certified by an independent testing organization. Additional legislation of this kind may be introduced in the future. Moreover, many major insurance companies recommend or require the use of aftermarket products only if they have been certified by an independent certifying organization. If additional laws prohibiting or restricting the use of aftermarket products are passed or if our certifications are revoked, it could have an adverse impact on our aftermarket products business.
Certain organizations test the quality and safety of vehicle aftermarket products. If these organizations decide not to test a particular vehicle product, or in the event that such organizations decide that a particular vehicle product does not meet applicable quality or safety standards, we may incur additional costs to meet such standards or experience a decrease in sales of such products, including as a result of a decision to discontinue sales of such product or insurance companies deciding to discontinue authorization of repairs using such product. Such events could adversely affect our business.
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We are also subject to new and proposed laws and regulations in various jurisdictions, such as the EU and the U.K., that require increased public disclosure of data related to sustainability and ESG issues and mandate additional requirements for sustainability and ESG related marketing claims. In addition, certain customers, investors, employees and other stakeholders are increasingly focused on these matters and related disclosures and marketing claims. At the same time, regulators have increasingly expressed or pursued opposing views, legislation and investment expectations with respect to sustainability and ESG initiatives, including the proposal or enactment of “anti-ESG” legislation or policies. These opposing views may also be adopted by certain of our investors. Conflicting regulations and expectations across the jurisdictions in which we operate may create enhanced compliance risks and costs. These changing and inconsistent rules, regulations and stakeholder expectations have resulted in, and are likely to continue to result in, increased general and administrative expenses and increased management time and attention to comply with or meet those regulations and expectations. For example, measuring and reporting information and metrics in compliance with the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, and monitoring updates to its implementation and effectiveness, has been, and we expect will continue to be, costly, difficult and time consuming. Our sustainability initiatives and goals could be difficult and expensive to implement, and we could be criticized for or subject to litigation related to the accuracy, adequacy, consistency or completeness of our sustainability disclosures and marketing claims or the scope or nature of our initiatives or goals or revisions thereto. Further, statements about our sustainability initiatives and goals, and progress against those goals, may be based on standards for measuring progress that are still developing, internal controls and processes that continue to evolve and assumptions that are subject to change in the future. If our sustainability related data, claims, processes and reporting are incomplete or inaccurate, or if we fail to achieve progress with respect to our sustainability goals on a timely basis, or at all, our reputation and financial results could be adversely affected and we could be exposed to litigation.
We may be subject to recalls or product liability claims, or may incur costs related to product warranties, which could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Meeting or exceeding many government-mandated product safety and stewardship standards is costly and requires manufacturers to remedy defects, including through recall campaigns if the products do not comply with applicable standards. If we, our customers or government regulators determine that a product is defective or does not comply with such standards prior to the start of production, the launch of a product could be delayed until such defect is remedied. Extended delays in product launches or a recall campaign to address defects in sold products could result in significant costs.
We face an inherent risk of product liability claims if an alleged product failure results in a claim for injury or loss. Changes in our supplier network, such as low-cost country sourcing, may increase the likelihood of receiving defective materials, leading to product failures and associated liability claims. Litigation is inherently unpredictable and these claims, regardless of their outcome, may be costly, divert management attention and adversely affect our reputation. Although we have liability insurance, we cannot be certain that this insurance coverage will continue to be available to us at a reasonable cost or will be adequate. In addition, even if we are successful in defending against a claim relating to our products, claims of this nature could cause our customers to lose confidence in our products and us. Such costs and adverse reputational effects could have a material adverse effect on our business.
From time to time, we receive product warranty claims from our customers, pursuant to which we may be required to bear costs of repair or replacement of certain of our products. Vehicle manufacturers are increasingly requiring their outside suppliers to provide a warranty for the manufacturers’ products that contain such supplier’s components, and to share responsibility for the operation of these component products in new vehicles sold to consumers. Warranty claims may range from individual customer claims to full recalls of all products in the field. In some cases, these claims could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Failure to develop, obtain, adequately protect or enforce our IP rights could adversely affect our business, and third parties could allege that our products infringe on their IP rights, adversely affecting our business.
Our success depends on our ability to develop technologies and inventions used in our products and to brand such products to obtain IP rights and to protect and enforce such IP rights worldwide. In this regard, we rely on U.S. and foreign patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret laws, as well as license agreements, nondisclosure agreements, and confidentiality and other contractual provisions; however, procuring, enforcing, and defending IP rights on our products in all jurisdictions throughout the world would be prohibitively expensive, and the laws of certain foreign countries may not protect or allow enforcement of IP rights to the same extent as the laws of the U.S.
Even if we obtain IP rights in our new technologies and inventions, the scope of such rights may not be sufficiently broad to afford us any significant commercial advantage over our competitors. In addition, the technologies and inventions developed by our
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engineers in the future may not prove to be as valuable as those of competitors, or competitors may develop similar or identical technologies and inventions independently of us and before we do.
Competitors may also use our technologies in jurisdictions where we do not pursue and obtain patent or other IP protection to develop their own products and further, may export otherwise infringing products to territories where we have patent or other IP protection, but where the ability to enforce our patent or other IP rights is limited. These products may compete with our products, and our IP rights may not be effective or sufficient to prevent such competition.
Further, our efforts to enforce our IP rights and prevent misappropriation, infringement or other violation of our IP rights may prove unsuccessful and will generally be time consuming and expensive. Successful assertion of our IP rights depends on the judicial strength and willingness of the issuing jurisdictions to enact and enforce sufficient IP laws. To the extent we assert our IP rights against third parties, adequate remedies may not be available. If we are unsuccessful in challenging such products on the basis of patent, trademark or other IP misappropriation, continued sales of such imitating products may adversely affect our market share and impact customer perceptions and demand for our products. For example, although we routinely conduct anti-counterfeiting activities in multiple jurisdictions, we have encountered counterfeit reproductions of our products that infringe on our IP rights. We expect pirates to continue counterfeiting certain of our products using our trademarks, which has led to, and will likely continue to cause, loss of sales. It is difficult to police such counterfeiting, particularly on a worldwide basis, and the actions we take to stop such counterfeiting and to establish trademarks and other IP rights may not be adequate to prevent such counterfeiting activities by others. Conversely, third parties may assert infringement or other misappropriation claims against us based on their IP rights. For example, OEM manufacturers continue to seek and obtain utility and design patents to support claims of IP infringement against manufacturers and distributors of aftermarket products in efforts to restrict or eliminate the sale of aftermarket products.
In addition, certain of our markets are highly competitive, and competitors and other third parties may challenge the ownership, validity, and/or enforceability of our IP rights or claim that our products violate their IP rights. Any claim relating to IP infringement, misappropriation or other violation that is successfully asserted against us may require us to pay substantial damages, including treble damages (if we are found to be willfully infringing another party’s patents) for past use of the asserted IP, and royalties and other consideration going forward if we are forced to take a license. Further, if any such claim were successfully asserted against us, we could be restricted or prohibited from manufacturing, selling or otherwise commercializing certain of our products, product candidates or other technology. Even if infringement claims against us are without merit, we will likely incur significant expenses investigating and defending such claims and, even if we prevail, may divert management attention from other business concerns.
We are subject to anti-corruption laws in various jurisdictions, as well as other laws governing our international operations. If we fail to comply with these laws we could be subject to civil or criminal penalties, other remedial measures, and legal expenses.
Our operations are subject to one or more anti-corruption laws in various jurisdictions, such as the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended (the “FCPA”) and the U.K. Bribery Act of 2010 that generally prohibit employees and intermediaries from making improper payments for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business or gaining some other business advantage. We operate in a number of jurisdictions that pose a high risk of potential anti-corruption violations, and we participate in joint ventures and relationships with third parties whose actions could potentially subject us to liability under anti-corruption laws. We are subject to other laws and regulations governing our operations, including regulations administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, and various non-U.S. government entities, including applicable export control regulations, economic sanctions on countries and persons, customs requirements, currency exchange regulations, and transfer pricing regulations (collectively, “Trade Control Laws”). We are also subject to U.K. corporate criminal laws governing the failure to prevent the facilitation of tax evasion pursuant to the Criminal Finances Act 2017 (“Criminal Finances Act”).
We have instituted policies, procedures and ongoing training of employees designed to ensure that we and our employees engage in ethical business conduct and comply with anti-corruption laws, Trade Control Laws and the Criminal Finances Act. However, there is no assurance that our efforts have been and will be effective in ensuring compliance with all applicable anti-corruption laws or other legal requirements. If we are subject to an investigation of a potential violation or are found not in compliance with anti-corruption laws, Trade Control Laws or the Criminal Finances Act, we may incur legal expenses and experience reputational harm, and could be subject to criminal and civil penalties and sanctions that could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
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We are subject to risks from litigation, legal and regulatory proceedings and obligations, and our insurance may not provide coverage or may not fully cover future losses we may incur related to these proceedings and obligations or otherwise.
We face an inherent business risk of exposure to various types of claims, lawsuits and proceedings. We have been, and may in the future be, involved in tax, IP, product liability, product warranty, environmental and antitrust claims and lawsuits, and other legal, antitrust and regulatory proceedings arising in the ordinary course of our business. Although it is not possible to predict with certainty the outcome of every claim, lawsuit or proceeding and the range of probable loss, we believe these claims, lawsuits and proceedings will not individually or in the aggregate have a material impact on our results. However, we could, in the future, be subject to various claims, lawsuits and proceedings, and we may incur judgments or enter into settlements of lawsuits and proceedings that are not covered or not sufficiently covered by insurance. Further, the insurance we carry may not be adequate to protect against unforeseen and damaging events, such as work stoppages and damage to facilities, equipment or reputation. We supply products to industries that are subject to inherent risks, including equipment defects, malfunctions and failures, and natural disasters (including as a result of climate change), which could expose us to liability. These exposures could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Risks Related to Human Capital Management
If we lose our senior management or key personnel, our business may be materially and adversely affected.
The success of our business is largely dependent on our senior management team, as well as on our ability to attract and retain other qualified key personnel. In addition, there continues to be significant demand in our industry for skilled workers, the availability of which is limited in some of the locations in which we operate. It cannot be assured that we will be able to retain all our current senior management personnel and attract and retain other necessary personnel, including skilled workers, necessary for the development of our business. Further, in the event we do lose key personnel, the success of our business may depend on whether we have appropriate succession plans in place and can implement such plans to identify and integrate new personnel. The loss of the services of senior management and other key personnel or the failure to attract additional personnel and implement succession plans as required could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may be materially adversely impacted by work stoppages and other labor matters, including labor shortages and turnover.
Labor is a primary component of operating our business. As of December 31, 2025, we had approximately 13,000 full time employees worldwide. Certain of our employees are represented by various unions under collective bargaining agreements, or by various regional works councils. We cannot ensure that future issues with our labor unions or works councils, or with the labor unions of our customers and vendors will be resolved favorably or that we will not encounter future strikes, work stoppages, or other types of labor conflicts. Furthermore, increased unionization, new labor legislation or changes in regulations has disrupted and could further disrupt our operations, reduce our profitability, or interfere with the ability of our management to focus on executing our business strategies. Additionally, we have experienced, and may continue to experience, labor shortages, turnover and increased labor costs due to general macroeconomic factors. Any of these factors may have a materially adverse effect on us or may limit our flexibility in managing our workforce.
Certain of our defined benefit pension plans are underfunded, and additional cash contributions may be required.
Certain of our employees in the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Mexico, Germany and Japan are participants in defined benefit pension plans which we sponsor and/or to which we have contribution obligations. As of December 31, 2025, the net pension obligation of our underfunded defined benefit pension plans globally was $52.0 million on the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standards Codification Topic 715 “Compensation-Retirement Benefits” basis. The amount of our contributions to our underfunded plans will depend upon asset returns, funding assumptions, regulatory requirements and a number of other factors and, as a result, the amount we may be required to contribute to such plans in the future may vary. Such cash contributions to the plans will reduce the cash available for our business.
Risks Related to Tax Matters
Changes in our effective tax rate or additional tax liabilities could adversely impact our net income.
We are subject to income taxes as well as non-income based taxes in the U.K., the U.S. and various other jurisdictions in which we operate. The laws and regulations in these jurisdictions are inherently complex and the Company and its subsidiaries are obliged to make judgments and interpretations about the application of these laws and regulations to the Company and its subsidiaries and their
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operations and businesses, including those related to any restructuring of intercompany operations, holdings or financings; the valuation of intercompany services; cross-border payments between affiliated companies; and the related effects on income tax, value added tax and transfer tax. Further, our tax liabilities could be adversely affected by numerous other factors, including income before taxes being lower than anticipated in countries with lower statutory tax rates and higher than anticipated in countries with higher statutory tax rates, changes in the valuation of deferred income tax assets and liabilities, and changes in tax laws and regulations. We are regularly under audit by taxing authorities in certain of the jurisdictions in which we operate. Although we believe our tax estimates are reasonable, any changes in our judgments and interpretation of tax laws or any material differences as a result of the audits could result in unfavorable tax adjustments that have an adverse effect on our overall tax liability.
Changes in tax laws could result in additional tax liabilities.
Changes in tax laws can and do occur. Changes to tax laws may require the Company to make significant judgment in determining the appropriate provision and related accruals for these taxes; and, as a result, such changes could result in substantially higher taxes and a significant adverse effect on our results of operations, financial conditions and liquidity. In addition, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (“OECD”), which represents a coalition of member countries, has recommended fundamental tax reforms affecting the taxation of multinational corporations, including the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (“BEPS”) project, which in part aims to address international corporate tax avoidance. Countries have already enacted significant measures in this regard. The OECD has undertaken another project to address the tax challenges of the digitization of the economy. The broad objectives of this project are to reform international allocation of taxing rights by allocating a greater share of taxing rights to countries where consumers are located, regardless of the physical presence of a business (“Pillar One”), and to implement a global minimum tax (“Pillar Two”). In December 2022, the EU Commission adopted a Directive to implement Pillar Two in the EU and required all 27 EU member states to adopt local legislation during 2023 to implement Pillar Two rules, with effect in respect of the fiscal years beginning from December 31, 2023. The U.K. has implemented certain elements of the Pillar Two proposal with effect in relation to accounting periods commencing on or after December 31, 2023, and further elements were implemented with effect in relation to accounting periods commencing on or after December 31, 2024. The U.K. government announced as part of the 2025 Autumn Budget that further amendments would be made to the Pillar Two rules that have already been implemented. Such amendments are expected to largely take effect for accounting periods beginning on or after December 31, 2025. All sets of proposals are subject to exemptions and exclusions. Pillar One is generally intended to apply only to entities that are members of a consolidated group with an annual global turnover of at least €20 billion and profitability exceeding 10%, and Pillar Two is generally intended to apply only to entities that are members of a consolidated group with an annual revenue of at least €750 million. These legislative changes did not have a material impact in fiscal year 2025 and we do not expect a material impact in future years.
Moreover, a number of further proposals from the European Commission have been issued or adopted that further enhance and move beyond the work on the BEPS project. First, the “Proposal for a Council Directive on Business in Europe: Framework for Income Taxation” (“BEFIT”) (which seeks to produce a comprehensive solution for business taxation in the EU). was adopted by the European Commission on September 12, 2023. BEFIT aims to introduce a common set of rules for EU companies to calculate their taxable base while ensuring a more effective allocation of profits between EU countries. If adopted by the European Council, BEFIT is intended to come into force on July 1, 2028. BEFIT has the potential to alter taxing rights with the EU, and may include substantive changes to applicable tax rules. Second, the European Council has agreed to implement changes to the procedures used across the European Union in respect of withholding taxes (known as “FASTER”). Specifically, the changes are aimed to simplify the procedures for a refund or to apply for relief at the source; however, the changes could have broader implications. These withholding tax proposals are expected to come into effect from January 1, 2030. The details and timing of the implementation of BEFIT (if adopted) and FASTER and the impact on our group entities which operate in the EU are uncertain.
These and other developments to the tax regime in the countries in which we operate could materially affect our tax burden and/or have a negative impact on our ability to compete in the global marketplace.
Relevant tax authorities may no longer treat us as being exclusively a resident of the U.K. for tax purposes.
We are a company incorporated in the U.K. Current U.K. tax law provides that we will be regarded as being U.K. resident for tax purposes from incorporation and shall remain so unless (i) we are concurrently resident in another jurisdiction (applying the tax residence rules of that jurisdiction) that has a double tax treaty with the U.K., and (ii) there is a tiebreaker provision in that tax treaty which allocates exclusive residence to that other jurisdiction. Based upon our management and organizational structure, we believe that we should be regarded solely as resident in the U.K. from our incorporation for tax purposes. However, because this analysis is
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highly factual and may depend on future changes in our management and organizational structure, there can be no assurance regarding the final determination of our tax residence. Not being treated exclusively as a resident of the U.K. for tax purposes could result in adverse tax consequences to us.
Risks Related to Our Indebtedness
Our indebtedness and subsidiary structure could adversely affect our financial condition, our ability to raise additional capital to fund our operations, to operate our business, to capitalize on business opportunities, to react to changes in the economy or our industry, or to pay our debts, and could divert our cash flow from operations to debt payments.
As of December 31, 2025, the total principal amount of our debt was $2,240.1 million. Our level of debt could have important consequences, including the following:
• making it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations with respect to our debt;
• limiting our ability to obtain additional financing to fund future working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions or other general corporate requirements;
• requiring a significant portion of our cash flows to be dedicated to debt service payments instead of other purposes, thereby reducing the amount of cash flows available for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes;
• increasing our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions;
• exposing us to the risk of increased interest rates as certain of our borrowings are at variable rates of interest;
• limiting our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in the industry in which we compete;
• placing us at a disadvantage compared to other, less leveraged competitors; and
• increasing our cost of borrowing.
Additionally, the credit agreements that govern our senior secured term loan facilities and the indenture that governs our notes impose significant operating and financial restrictions on our subsidiaries. These restrictions limit the ability of certain of our subsidiaries to, among other things: incur or guarantee additional debt or issue disqualified stock or preferred stock; pay dividends and make other distributions on, or redeem or repurchase, capital stock; make certain investments; incur certain liens; enter into transactions with affiliates; merge or consolidate; or transfer or sell assets. As a result of these restrictions, we are limited as to how we conduct our business and we may be unable to raise additional debt or equity financing to compete effectively or to take advantage of new business opportunities. The terms of any future indebtedness we may incur could include similar or more restrictive covenants. We cannot ensure that we will be able to maintain compliance with these covenants in the future and, if we fail to do so, that we will be able to obtain waivers from the lenders or amend the covenants.
Further, our consolidated assets are owned by, and our business is conducted through, many of our subsidiaries. Earnings from these subsidiaries are a significant source of funds for debt payments and operating expenses. If our subsidiaries are restricted from making distributions, our ability to meet our debt service obligations or otherwise fund our operations may be impaired. Moreover, there may be restrictions on payments by subsidiaries to their parent companies under applicable laws, including laws that require companies to maintain minimum amounts of capital and to make payments to shareholders only from profits. As a result, although a subsidiary of ours may have cash, we may not be able to obtain that cash to satisfy our obligation to service our outstanding debt or fund our operations.
Our failure to comply with the restrictive covenants described above as well as other terms of our other indebtedness or the terms of any future indebtedness from time to time could result in an event of default, which, if not cured or waived, could result in our being required to repay these borrowings before their due date. If we are forced to refinance these borrowings on less favorable terms or are unable to refinance these borrowings, our results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected.
We may be able to incur substantially more debt and enter into other transactions which could further exacerbate the risks to our financial condition described above.
We may be able to incur significant additional indebtedness in the future to finance working capital, capital expenditures, investments, acquisitions, or for other purposes. Although certain of the agreements governing our existing indebtedness contain restrictions on the incurrence of additional indebtedness and entering into certain types of other transactions, these restrictions are
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subject to a number of qualifications and exceptions. Additional indebtedness incurred in compliance with these restrictions could be substantial. These restrictions also do not prevent us from incurring obligations, such as trade payables, that do not constitute indebtedness as defined under our debt instruments. To the extent new debt is added to our current debt levels, the substantial leverage risks described in the immediately preceding risk factor would increase.
Our variable rate indebtedness subjects us to interest rate risk, which could cause our indebtedness service obligations to increase significantly.
A significant portion of our debt is variable rate. Although the U.S. Federal Reserve recently decreased interest rates, interest rates remain relatively high and could be increased in the future. As a result, interest rates on our variable rate debt could be higher or lower than current levels. As of December 31, 2025, after taking into account our interest rate derivatives, $655.1 million (equivalent), or 29.2%, of our outstanding debt had variable interest rates. If interest rates increase, our debt service obligations on the variable rate indebtedness would increase even though the amount borrowed remained the same, and our net income and cash flows, including cash available for servicing our indebtedness, would correspondingly decrease.
Our failure to comply with the agreements relating to our outstanding indebtedness, including as a result of events beyond our control, could result in an event of default that could materially and adversely affect our results of operations and our financial condition.
If there were an event of default under any of the agreements relating to our outstanding indebtedness, the holders of the defaulted debt could cause all amounts outstanding with respect to that debt to be due and payable immediately. We cannot assure you that our assets or cash flows would be sufficient to fully repay borrowings under our outstanding debt instruments if accelerated upon an event of default. Further, if we are unable to repay, refinance or restructure our indebtedness under our secured debt, the holders of such debt could proceed against the collateral securing that indebtedness. In addition, any event of default or declaration of acceleration under one debt instrument could also result in an event of default under one or more of our other debt instruments.
Risks Related to the Ownership of our Ordinary Shares
Because we have no current plans to pay dividends on our ordinary shares, our shareholders may not receive any return on their investments unless they sell their ordinary shares for a price greater than that which they paid.
We have no current plans to pay dividends on our ordinary shares. The declaration, amount and payment of any future dividends on our ordinary shares will, subject to contractual, legal, tax and regulatory restrictions, be at the sole discretion of our Board. Our Board may take into account general economic conditions, our financial condition and results of operations, our available cash and current and anticipated cash needs, capital requirements and implications on the payment of dividends by us to our shareholders or by our subsidiaries to us, and such other factors as our Board may deem relevant. In addition, our ability to pay dividends is limited by our senior secured credit facilities and notes and may be limited by covenants of other indebtedness we or our subsidiaries incur in the future. As a result, our shareholders may not receive any return on an investment in our ordinary shares unless such shares are sold for a price greater than that which was paid for them.
Our shareholders may be diluted by the future issuance of additional ordinary shares in connection with our incentive plans, acquisitions or otherwise.
In 2025, our shareholders adopted a resolution authorizing our Board to allot up to approximately 20% of our issued share capital as of April 8, 2025 and to grant rights to subscribe for or convert any security into such shares for the consideration and on the terms and conditions established by our Board in its sole discretion, whether in connection with acquisitions or otherwise. Additionally, we have reserved 19.0 million ordinary shares for issuance under our Omnibus Incentive Plan, including 6.5 million shares available for grant as of December 31, 2025. Any ordinary shares that we issue, including under our Omnibus Incentive Plan or other equity incentive plans that we may adopt in the future, would dilute the percentage ownership held by the holders of our ordinary shares.
We may issue a new class or classes of shares whose terms could adversely affect the voting power or value of our ordinary shares.
Our articles of association, as amended, authorize us to issue, subject to the limit therein on the authority of our Board to allot new shares of the Company, without the approval of the holders of our ordinary shares, a new class or classes of shares, including preference shares, with nominal value in any currency. Such shares may be issued with, or have attached to them, such powers, designations, preferences, voting rights, rights and terms of redemption, and relative participating, optional or other special rights and
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qualifications, limitations and restrictions as the Board may determine, including rights to (a) receive dividends (which may include rights to receive preferential or cumulative dividends), (b) distributions made on a winding up of the Company, and (c) be convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of any other class or classes or of any other series of the same or any other class or classes of shares, at such price or prices (subject to the Companies Act 2006 (“Companies Act”)) or at such rates of exchange and with such adjustments as may be determined by our Board.
The terms of one or more classes of shares could adversely impact the voting power of our ordinary shares. For example, we might grant holders of a new class of shares the right to elect some number of our directors in all events or on the happening of specified events or the right to veto specified transactions. Similarly, the repurchase or redemption rights or liquidation preferences we might assign to a new class of shares could affect the residual value of our ordinary shares.
U.S. investors may have difficulty enforcing civil liabilities against our Company, our directors or members of our senior management.
There is doubt as to whether English courts would enforce certain civil liabilities under U.S. securities laws in original actions or in judgments of U.S. courts based upon these civil liability provisions. In addition, awards of punitive damages in actions brought in the U.S. or elsewhere may be unenforceable in the U.K. An award for monetary damages under the U.S. securities laws would be considered punitive if it does not seek to compensate the claimant for loss or damage suffered and is intended to punish the defendant. The enforceability of any judgment in the U.K. will depend on the particular facts of the case as well as the laws and treaties in effect at the time. The U.S. and the U.K. do not currently have a treaty providing for recognition and enforcement of judgments (other than arbitration awards) in civil and commercial matters.
The rights of our shareholders may differ from the rights typically offered to shareholders of a U.S. corporation.
We are incorporated under English law. The rights of holders of our ordinary shares are governed by English law, including the provisions of the Companies Act, and by our Articles. These rights differ in certain respects from the rights of shareholders in typical U.S. corporations.
The U.K. City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the “Takeover Code”) applies, among other things, to an offer for a public company whose registered office is in the U.K. and whose securities are not admitted to trading on a regulated market in the U.K. if the company is considered by the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers (the “Takeover Panel”) to have its place of central management and control in the U.K. This is known as the “residency test.” Under the Takeover Code, the Takeover Panel will determine whether we have our place of central management and control in the U.K. by looking at various factors, including the structure of our Board, the functions of the directors and where they are resident. If at the time of a takeover offer, the Takeover Panel determines that we have our place of central management and control in the U.K., we would be subject to a number of rules and restrictions, including but not limited to the following: (i) our ability to enter into deal protection arrangements with a bidder would be extremely limited; (ii) we might not, without the approval of our shareholders, be able to perform certain actions that could have the effect of frustrating an offer, such as issuing shares or carrying out acquisitions or disposals; and (iii) we would be obliged to provide equality of information to all bona fide competing bidders. The Takeover Panel previously confirmed to our representatives that, on the basis of our Board, it does not consider the Takeover Code to apply to the Company, although that position is subject to change if our place of central management and control is subsequently found to move to the U.K.
Our Articles provide that the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction to determine shareholder and derivative disputes, which could limit our shareholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, former directors, officers or employees.
Our Articles provide that the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction to determine any dispute brought by a shareholder in that shareholder’s capacity as such, or related to or connected with any derivative claim in respect of a cause of action vested in the Company or seeking relief on behalf of the Company, against the Company and/or the Board and/or any of the directors, former directors, officers or other employees individually, arising out of or in connection with these Articles or (to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law) otherwise. This choice of forum provision may limit a shareholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that the shareholder believes is favorable for disputes with us or our directors, former directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage lawsuits against us and our directors, former directors, officers and employees. The rights of stockholders under Delaware law and shareholders under English law in relation to the bringing of shareholder suits differ in several significant respects. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in our ordinary shares shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of our governing documents described above, as they may be amended from time to time.
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Transfers of our shares outside DTC may be subject to stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax in the U.K., which would increase the cost of dealing in our shares.
We strongly encourage investors to hold ordinary shares in book-entry form through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) as transfers outside of DTC may be subject to U.K. stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax (“SDRT”) which would increase the cost of dealing in our shares. A transfer of title in the ordinary shares held within DTC to a purchaser out of DTC and any subsequent transfers that occur outside the DTC system, will generally attract a charge to U.K. stamp duty or SDRT at a rate of 0.5% of any consideration payable for such transfer, which is payable by the transferee of the ordinary shares. Any such duty must be paid and the relevant transfer document, if any, stamped by HM Revenue & Customs before the transfer can be registered in our company books. However, if those ordinary shares are redeposited into DTC or any other depositary receipt system or clearance service, the redeposit will generally attract stamp duty or SDRT, at the rate of 1.5% of the value of the shares, which will normally be paid by the transferor.
If our ordinary shares are not eligible for continued deposit and clearing within the facilities of DTC, then transactions in our securities may be disrupted and/or our ability to issue shares under our equity compensation plans may be restricted.
The facilities of DTC are a widely used mechanism that allow for rapid electronic transfers of securities between the participants in the DTC system, which include many large banks and brokerage firms. Our ordinary shares are currently eligible for deposit and clearing within the DTC system. DTC generally has discretion to cease to act as a depository and clearing agency for the ordinary shares including to the extent that any changes in U.K. law affect the stamp duty or SDRT position in relation to the ordinary shares. If DTC were to determine that our ordinary shares are not eligible for continued deposit and clearance within its facilities, our ordinary shares may not be eligible for continued listing on the NYSE and trading in our ordinary shares would be disrupted. While we would pursue alternative arrangements to preserve our listing and maintain trading, any such disruption could have a material adverse effect on the market price of our ordinary shares and our access to the capital markets.
