ITW, §1A diff (2018 → 2019)

ITEM 1A. Risk Factors The Company's business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows are subject to various risks, including, but not limited to, those set forth below, which could cause actual results to vary materially from recent results or from anticipated future results. These risk factors should be considered together with information included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The Company's results are impacted by global economic conditions. Downturns in the markets served by the Company could adversely affect its businesses, results of operations or financial condition. The Company's businesses are impacted by economic conditions around the globe. Slower economic growth, financial market instability, natural disasters, public health crises, high unemployment, government deficit reduction, sequestration and other austerity measures impacting the markets the Company serves can adversely affect the Company’s businesses by reducing demand for the Company's products and services, limiting financing available to the Company's customers, causing production delays, increasing order cancellations and the difficulty in collecting accounts receivable, increasing price competition, or increasing the risk that counterparties to the Company's contractual arrangements will become insolvent or otherwise unable to fulfill their obligations. The global nature of the Company's operations subjects it to political and economic risks that could adversely affect its business, results of operations or financial condition. Over 50% of the Company's net sales are derived from customers outside the United States, and the Company currently operates in 53 countries. The risks inherent in the Company's global operations include: • fluctuation in currency exchange rates; • limitations on ownership or participation in local enterprises; • price controls, exchange controls and limitations on repatriation of earnings; • transportation delays and interruptions; • political, social and economic instability and disruptions; • acts of terrorism; • the impact of widespread public health crises; • government embargoes or foreign trade restrictions; • the imposition of duties and tariffs and other trade barriers and retaliatory countermeasures; • government actions impacting international trade agreements; • import and export controls; • labor unrest and current and changing regulatory environments; • the potential for expropriation or nationalization of enterprises; • difficulties in staffing and managing multi-national operations; • limitations on its ability to enforce legal rights and remedies; and • potentially adverse tax consequences. The current global geopolitical and trade environment has resulted in raw material inflation and potential for increased escalation of domestic and international tariffs and retaliatory trade policies. Further changes in U.S. trade policy (including new or additional increases in duties or tariffs) and additional retaliatory actions by U.S. trade partners could result in a worsening of economic conditions. Additionally, in early 2020, an outbreak of the coronavirus occurred in China and other jurisdictions. The extent of the outbreak and its impact on the markets served by the Company and on its operations is uncertain. A prolonged outbreak could interrupt the operations of the Company and its customers and suppliers. If the Company is unable to successfully manage these and other risks associated with managing and expanding its international businesses, the risks could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, results of operations or financial condition. The benefits from the Company’s Enterprise Strategy may not be as expected and the Company's financial results could be adversely impacted, or the Company may not meet its long-term financial performance targets. As the Company continues to execute on its Enterprise Strategy initiatives, it remains focused on the core principles of portfolio discipline, 80/20 Front-to-Back practice excellence, and organic growth. Product line and customer base simplification activities, which are core elements of the Company’s 80/20 Front-to-Back process, continue to be applied by the Company’s operating divisions and are active elements of the Enterprise Strategy. Although these activities are expected to improve future operating margins and organic revenue growth, they are also expected to have a negative impact on the Company’s overall organic revenue growth in the short term. Additionally, other core activities of the Enterprise Strategy related to portfolio discipline and organic growth, including customer-back innovation and strategic sales excellence, may not have the desired impact on future operating results. If the Company is unable to realize the expected benefits from its Enterprise Strategy initiatives, the Company's financial results could be adversely impacted, or the Company may not meet its long-term financial performance targets. The timing and amount of the Company’s share repurchases are subject to a number of uncertainties. Share repurchases constitute a significant component of the Company’s capital allocation strategy. The Company funds its share repurchases with free cash flow and short-term borrowings. The amount and timing of share repurchases will be based on a variety of factors. Important factors that could cause the Company to limit, suspend or delay its share repurchases include unfavorable trading market conditions, the price of the Company's common stock, the nature of other investment opportunities presented to the Company from time to time, the ability to obtain financing at attractive rates and the availability of U.S. cash. The Company may incur fines or penalties, damage to its reputation or other adverse consequences if its employees, agents or business partners violate anti-bribery, competition, export and import, environmental or other laws. The Company has a decentralized operating structure under which its individual businesses are allowed significant decision-making autonomy within the Company’s strategic framework and internal financial and compliance controls. The Company cannot ensure that its internal controls will always protect against reckless or criminal acts committed by its employees, agents or business partners that might violate U.S. and/or non-U.S. laws, including anti-bribery, competition, export and import, and environmental laws. Any such improper actions could subject the Company to civil or criminal investigations, could lead to substantial civil or criminal monetary and non-monetary penalties against the Company or its subsidiaries, or could damage its reputation. A significant fluctuation between the U.S. Dollar and other currencies could adversely impact the Company's operating income. Although the Company's financial results are reported in U.S. Dollars, a significant portion of its sales and operating costs are realized in other currencies, with the largest concentration of foreign sales occurring in Europe. The Company's profitability is affected by movements of the U.S. Dollar against the Euro and other foreign currencies in which it generates revenues and incurs expenses. Significant long-term fluctuations in relative currency values, and in particular, an increase in the value of the U.S. Dollar against foreign currencies, has had and could have an adverse effect on profitability and financial condition. If the Company is unable to successfully introduce new products, its future growth may be adversely affected. The Company's ability to develop new products based on innovation can affect its competitive position and sometimes requires the investment of significant time and resources. Difficulties or delays in research, development, production or commercialization of new products and services may reduce future revenues and adversely affect the Company's competitive position. If the Company is unable to create sustainable product differentiation, its organic growth may be adversely affected. If the Company is unable to adequately protect its intellectual property, its competitive position and results of operations may be adversely impacted. Protecting the Company's intellectual property is critical to its innovation efforts. The Company owns patents, trade secrets, copyrights, trademarks and/or other intellectual property rights related to many of its products, and also has exclusive and non-exclusive license rights under intellectual property owned by others. The Company's intellectual property rights may be challenged or infringed upon by third parties, particularly in countries where property rights are not highly developed or protected, or the Company may be unable to maintain, renew or enter into new license agreements with third-party owners of intellectual property on reasonable terms. Unauthorized use of the Company's intellectual property rights or inability to preserve existing intellectual property rights could adversely impact the Company's competitive position and results of operations. The Company's acquisition of businesses could negatively impact its profitability and returns. The Company has engaged in various acquisitions in the past, and could choose to acquire additional businesses in the future. Acquisitions involve a number of risks and financial, accounting, managerial and operational challenges, including the following, any of which could adversely affect the Company's profitability and returns: • The acquired business could under-perform relative to the Company’s expectations and the price paid for it, or not perform in accordance with the Company’s anticipated timetable. • The acquired business could cause the Company's financial results to differ from expectations in any given fiscal period, or over the long term. • Acquisition-related earnings charges could adversely impact operating results. • The acquired business could place unanticipated demands on the Company's management, operational resources and financial and internal control systems. • The Company may assume unknown liabilities, known contingent liabilities that become realized or known liabilities that prove greater than anticipated, internal control deficiencies or exposure to regulatory sanctions resulting from the activities of the acquired business. The realization of any of these liabilities or deficiencies may increase the Company's expenses, adversely affect its financial position or cause noncompliance with its financial reporting obligations. • As a result of acquisitions, the Company has in the past recorded significant goodwill and other identifiable intangible assets on its balance sheet. If the Company is not able to realize the value of these assets, it may recognize charges relating to the impairment of these assets. Divestitures pose the risk of retained liabilities that could adversely affect the Company's financial results. The Company had significant divestiture activity in 2012, 2013 and 2014 in accordance with its portfolio management initiative, and it divested additional businesses in 2019 as it continues portfolio refinements to maintain portfolio discipline. The Company has retained certain liabilities directly or through indemnifications made to the buyers against known and unknown contingent liabilities such as lawsuits, tax liabilities, product liability claims and environmental matters, which could adversely affect the Company's financial results. The Company has significant goodwill and other intangible assets, and future impairment of these assets could have a material adverse impact on the Company's financial results. The Company has recorded significant goodwill and other identifiable intangible assets on its balance sheet as a result of acquisitions. A number of factors may result in impairments to goodwill and other intangible assets, including significant negative industry or economic trends, disruptions to our business, increased competition and significant changes in the use of the assets. Impairment charges could adversely affect the Company's financial condition or results of operations in the periods recognized. Disruptions or volatility in global financial markets or changes in the Company's credit ratings could increase the Company's funding costs or reduce the availability of credit. Global economic conditions may cause volatility and disruptions in the financial markets. The Company’s continued ability to meet its cash requirements requires substantial liquidity and access to the financial markets. In addition, the Company’s borrowing costs can be affected by short and long-term ratings assigned by independent rating agencies. If conditions in the financial markets decline or the Company’s credit ratings are negatively impacted, its funding costs could be increased or the availability of credit could be diminished. Raw material price increases and supply shortages could adversely affect results. The supply of raw materials to the Company and to its component parts suppliers could be interrupted for a variety of reasons, including availability and pricing. Prices for raw materials necessary for production have fluctuated significantly in the past and significant increases could adversely affect the Company's results of operations and profit margins. In particular, changes in trade policies, the imposition of duties and tariffs, potential retaliatory countermeasures and severe weather events could adversely impact the price or availability of raw materials. Due to pricing pressure or other factors, the Company may not be able to pass along increased raw material and components parts prices to its customers in the form of price increases or its ability to do so could be delayed. Consequently, its results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected. Unfavorable tax law changes and tax authority rulings may adversely affect results. The Company is subject to income taxes in the U.S. and in various foreign jurisdictions. Domestic and international tax liabilities are based on the income and expenses in various tax jurisdictions. The Company's effective tax rate could be adversely affected by changes in the mix of earnings among countries with differing statutory tax rates, changes in the valuation allowance of deferred tax assets or changes in tax laws. The amount of income taxes is subject to ongoing audits by U.S. federal, state and local tax authorities and by non-U.S. authorities. If these audits result in assessments different from amounts recorded, future financial results may include unfavorable tax adjustments. In December 2017, the U.S. government enacted comprehensive tax legislation that included significant changes to the taxation of business entities. The Company’s accounting for the tax effects of the Act may be subject to change due to subsequent clarification of the tax law which could adversely affect the Company's operating results or financial condition. The Company's defined benefit pension plans are subject to financial market risks that could adversely affect its results of operations and cash flows. The performance of financial markets and interest rates impact the Company's funding obligations under its defined benefit pension plans. Significant changes in market interest rates, decreases in the fair value of plan assets and investment losses on plan assets may increase the Company's funding obligations and adversely impact its results of operations and cash flows. Potential adverse outcomes in legal proceedings may adversely affect results. The Company's businesses expose it to potential toxic tort and other types of product liability claims that are inherent in the design, manufacture and sale of its products and the products of third-party vendors. The Company currently maintains insurance programs consisting of self-insurance up to certain limits and excess insurance coverage for claims over established limits. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to obtain insurance on acceptable terms or that its insurance programs will provide adequate protection against actual losses. In addition, the Company is subject to the risk that one or more of its insurers may become insolvent and become unable to pay claims that may be made in the future. Even if it maintains adequate insurance programs, claims could have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial condition, liquidity and results of operations and on its ability to obtain suitable, adequate or cost-effective insurance in the future. Uncertainty related to environmental regulation and industry standards, as well as physical risks of climate change, could impact the Company's results of operations and financial position. Increased public awareness and concern regarding environmental risks, including global climate change, may result in more international, regional and/or federal requirements or industry standards to reduce or mitigate global warming and other environmental risks. These regulations or standards could mandate even more restrictive requirements, such as stricter limits on greenhouse gas emissions and production of single use plastics, than the voluntary commitments that the Company has made or require such changes on a more accelerated time frame. There continues to be a lack of consistent climate legislation, which creates economic and regulatory uncertainty. In addition, the physical risks of climate change may impact the availability and cost of materials and natural resources, sources and supply of energy, product demand and manufacturing. If environmental laws or regulations or industry standards are either changed or adopted and impose significant operational restrictions and compliance requirements upon the Company or its products, or the Company's operations are disrupted due to physical impacts of climate change, the Company’s business, capital expenditures, results of operations, financial condition and competitive position could be negatively impacted. If the Company is unable to protect its information technology infrastructure against service interruptions, data corruption, cyber-based attacks or network security breaches, or if there is a violation of data privacy laws, there could be a negative impact on operating results or the Company may suffer financial or reputational damage. The Company relies on information technology networks and systems, including the Internet, to process, transmit and store electronic information, and to manage or support a variety of business processes and activities, including procurement, manufacturing, distribution, invoicing and collection. These 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; attacks by computer hackers; computer viruses; employee error or malfeasance. In addition, security breaches could result in unauthorized disclosure of confidential information or personal data belonging to our employees, partners, customers or suppliers. We are also subject to data privacy laws, including the EU General Data Protection Regulation, in the various countries in which we operate. If our information technology systems suffer severe damage, disruption, or shutdown, and business continuity plans do not effectively resolve the issues in a timely manner, or if we violate data privacy laws, there could be a negative impact on operating results or the Company may suffer financial or reputational damage. Forward-Looking Statements This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "believe," "expect," "plans," "intends," "may," "strategy," "prospects," "estimate," "project," "target," "anticipate," "guidance," "forecast," and other similar words, including, without limitation, statements regarding the expected performance of acquired businesses and impact of divested businesses, the impact of tariffs and raw material cost inflation, economic and regulatory conditions in various geographic regions, the timing and amount of share repurchases, the timing and amount of benefits from the Company's enterprise initiatives, the adequacy of internally generated funds and credit facilities to service debt and finance the Company's capital allocation priorities, the sufficiency of U.S. generated cash to fund cash requirements in the U.S., the impact of the recently enacted U.S. tax legislation, the cost and availability of additional financing, the Company's portion of future benefit payments related to pension and postretirement benefits, the availability of raw materials and energy, the expiration of any one of the Company's patents, the cost of compliance with environmental regulations, the likelihood of future goodwill or intangible asset impairment charges, the impact of failure of the Company's employees to comply with applicable laws and regulations, the impact of foreign currency fluctuations, the outcome of outstanding legal proceedings, the impact of adopting new accounting pronouncements, and the estimated timing and amount related to the resolution of tax matters. These statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Important risks that may influence future results include those risks described above. These risks are not all inclusive and given these and other possible risks and uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Any forward-looking statements made by ITW speak only as of the date on which they are made. ITW is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, subsequent events or otherwise. ITW practices fair disclosure for all interested parties. Investors should be aware that while ITW regularly communicates with securities analysts and other investment professionals, it is against ITW's policy to disclose to them any material non- public information or other confidential commercial information. Investors should not assume that ITW agrees with any statement or report issued by any analyst irrespective of the content of the statement or report. ITEM 1B.