NKE, §1A diff (2015 → 2016)

ITEM 1A. Risk Factors Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Analyst Reports Certain written and oral statements, other than purely historic information, including estimates, projections, statements relating to NIKE’s business plans, objectives and expected operating results and the assumptions upon which those statements are based, made or incorporated by reference from time to time by NIKE or its representatives in this report, other reports, filings with the SEC, press releases, conferences or otherwise, are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, any statement that may predict, forecast, indicate or imply future results, performance or achievements, and may contain the words “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “estimate,” “project,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result” or words or phrases of similar meaning. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties which may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in reports filed by NIKE with the SEC, including reports filed on Forms 8-K, 10-Q and 10-K, and include, among others, the following: international, national and local general economic and market conditions; the size and growth of the overall athletic footwear, apparel and equipment markets; intense competition among designers, marketers, distributors and sellers of athletic footwear, apparel and equipment for consumers and endorsers; demographic changes; changes in consumer preferences; popularity of particular designs, categories of products and sports; seasonal and geographic demand for NIKE products; difficulties in anticipating or forecasting changes in consumer preferences, consumer demand for NIKE products and the various market factors described above; difficulties in implementing, operating and maintaining NIKE’s increasingly complex information systems and controls, including, without limitation, the systems related to demand and supply planning and inventory control; interruptions in data and information technology systems; consumer data security; fluctuations and difficulty in forecasting operating results, including, without limitation, the fact that advance futures orders may not be indicative of future revenues due to changes in shipment timing, the changing mix of futures and at-once orders, and discounts, order cancellations and returns; the ability of NIKE to sustain, manage or forecast its growth and inventories; the size, timing and mix of purchases of NIKE’s products; increases in the cost of materials, labor and energy used to manufacture products; new product development and introduction; the ability to secure and protect trademarks, patents and other intellectual property; product performance and quality; customer service; adverse publicity; the loss of significant customers or suppliers; dependence on distributors and licensees; business disruptions; increased costs of freight and transportation to meet delivery deadlines; increases in borrowing costs due to any decline in NIKE's debt ratings; changes in business strategy or development plans; general risks associated with doing business outside the United States, including, without limitation, exchange rate fluctuations, import duties, tariffs, quotas, political and economic instability and terrorism; changes in government regulations; the impact of, including business and legal developments relating to, climate change, natural disasters, liability and other claims asserted against NIKE; the ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; the effects of NIKE's decision to invest in or divest of businesses and other factors referenced or incorporated by reference in this report and other reports. The risks included here are not exhaustive. Other sections of this report may include additional factors which could adversely affect NIKE’s business and financial performance. Moreover, NIKE operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time and it is not possible for management to predict all such risks, nor can it assess the impact of all such risks on NIKE’s business or the extent to which any risk, or combination of risks, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Investors should also be aware that while NIKE does, from time to time, communicate with securities analysts, it is against NIKE’s policy to disclose to them any material non-public information or other confidential commercial information. Accordingly, shareholders should not assume that NIKE agrees with any statement or report issued by any analyst irrespective of the content of the statement or report. Furthermore, NIKE has a policy against issuing or confirming financial forecasts or projections issued by others. Thus, to the extent that reports issued by securities analysts contain any projections, forecasts or opinions, such reports are not the responsibility of NIKE. Our products face intense competition. NIKE is a consumer products company and the relative popularity of various sports and fitness activities and changing design trends affect the demand for our products. The athletic footwear, apparel and equipment industry is highly competitive both in the United States and worldwide. We compete internationally with a significant number of athletic and leisure footwear companies, athletic and leisure apparel companies, sports equipment companies and large companies having diversified lines of athletic and leisure footwear, apparel and equipment. We also compete with other companies for the production capacity of independent manufacturers that produce our products. Product offerings, technologies, marketing expenditures (including expenditures for advertising and endorsements), pricing, costs of production, customer service and social media presence are areas of intense competition. This, in addition to rapid changes in technology and consumer preferences in the markets for athletic and leisure footwear and apparel and athletic equipment, constitute significant risk factors in our operations. If we do not adequately and timely anticipate and respond to our competitors, our costs may increase or the consumer demand for our products may decline significantly. Failure to maintain our reputation and brand image could negatively impact our business. Our iconic brands have worldwide recognition, and our success depends on our ability to maintain and enhance our brand image and reputation. Maintaining, promoting and growing our brands will depend on our design and marketing efforts, including advertising and consumer campaigns, product innovation and product quality. Our commitment to product innovation and quality and our continuing investment in design (including materials) and marketing may not have the desired impact on our brand image and reputation. We could be adversely impacted if we fail to achieve any of these objectives or if the reputation or image of any of our brands is tarnished or receives negative publicity. In addition, adverse publicity about regulatory or legal action against us, or by us, could damage our reputation and brand image, undermine consumer confidence in us and reduce long-term demand for our products, even if the regulatory or legal action is unfounded or not material to our operations. In addition, our success in maintaining, extending and expanding our brand image depends on our ability to adapt to a rapidly changing media environment, including our increasing reliance on social media and digital dissemination of advertising campaigns. Negative posts or comments about us on social networking websites could seriously damage our reputation and brand image. If we do not maintain, extend and expand our brand image, then our product sales, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. If we are unable to anticipate consumer preferences and develop new products, we may not be able to maintain or increase our revenues and profits. Our success depends on our ability to identify, originate and define product trends as well as to anticipate, gauge and react to changing consumer demands in a timely manner. However, lead times for many of our products may make it more difficult for us to respond rapidly to new or changing product trends or consumer preferences. All of our products are subject to changing consumer preferences that cannot be predicted with certainty. Our new products may not receive consumer acceptance as consumer preferences could shift rapidly to different types of performance products or away from these types of products altogether, and our future success depends in part on our ability to anticipate and respond to these changes. If we fail to anticipate accurately and respond to trends and shifts in consumer preferences by adjusting the mix of existing product offerings, developing new products, designs, styles and categories, and influencing sports and fitness preferences through aggressive marketing, we could experience lower sales, excess inventories or lower profit margins, any of which could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. In addition, we market our products globally through a diverse spectrum of advertising and promotional programs and campaigns, including social media and online advertising. If we do not successfully market our products or if advertising and promotional costs increase, these factors could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. We rely on technical innovation and high-quality products to compete in the market for our products. Technical innovation and quality control in the design and manufacturing process of footwear, apparel and athletic equipment is essential to the commercial success of our products. Research and development plays a key role in technical innovation. We rely upon specialists in the fields of biomechanics, chemistry, exercise physiology, engineering, industrial design, sustainability and related fields, as well as research committees and advisory boards made up of athletes, coaches, trainers, equipment managers, orthopedists, podiatrists and other experts to develop and test cutting edge performance products. While we strive to produce products that help to enhance athletic performance, reduce injury and maximize comfort, if we fail to introduce technical innovation in our products, consumer demand for our products could decline, and if we experience problems with the quality of our products, we may incur substantial expense to remedy the problems. Failure to continue to obtain or maintain high-quality endorsers of our products could harm our business. We establish relationships with professional athletes, sports teams and leagues to develop, evaluate and promote our products, as well as establish product authenticity with consumers. However, as competition in our industry has increased, the costs associated with establishing and retaining such sponsorships and other relationships have increased. If we are unable to maintain our current associations with professional athletes, sports teams and leagues, or to do so at a reasonable cost, we could lose the on-field authenticity associated with our products, and we may be required to modify and substantially increase our marketing investments. As a result, our brands, net revenues, expenses and profitability could be harmed. Furthermore, if certain endorsers were to stop using our products contrary to their endorsement agreements, our business could be adversely affected. In addition, actions taken by athletes, teams or leagues associated with our products that harm the reputations of those athletes, teams or leagues, could also seriously harm our brand image with consumers and, as a result, could have an adverse effect on our sales and financial condition. In addition, poor performance by our endorsers, a failure to continue to correctly identify promising athletes to use and endorse our products or a failure to enter into cost-effective endorsement arrangements with prominent athletes and sports organizations could adversely affect our brand, sales and profitability. Currency exchange rate fluctuations could result in lower revenues, higher costs and decreased margins and earnings. A majority of our products are manufactured and sold outside of the United States. As a result, we conduct purchase and sale transactions in various currencies, which increases our exposure to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates globally. Additionally, there has been, and may continue to be, volatility in currency exchange rates as a result of the United Kingdom's June 23, 2016 referendum in which voters approved the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union, commonly referred to as “Brexit.” Our international revenues and expenses generally are derived from sales and operations in foreign currencies, and these revenues and expenses could be affected by currency fluctuations, specifically amounts recorded in foreign currencies and translated into U.S. Dollars for consolidated financial reporting, as weakening of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. Dollar adversely affects the U.S. Dollar value of the Company's foreign currency-denominated sales and earnings. Currency exchange rate fluctuations could also disrupt the business of the independent manufacturers that produce our products by making their purchases of raw materials more expensive and more difficult to finance. Foreign currency fluctuations have adversely affected and could continue to have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. We may hedge certain foreign currency exposures to lessen and delay, but not to completely eliminate, the effects of foreign currency fluctuations on our financial results. Since the hedging activities are designed to lessen volatility, they not only reduce the negative impact of a stronger U.S. Dollar or other trading currency, but they also reduce the positive impact of a weaker U.S. Dollar or other trading currency. Our future financial results could be significantly affected by the value of the U.S. Dollar in relation to the foreign currencies in which we conduct business. The degree to which our financial results are affected for any given time period will depend in part upon our hedging activities. Global economic conditions could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition. The uncertain state of the global economy continues to impact businesses around the world, most acutely in emerging markets and developing economies. If global economic and financial market conditions do not improve or deteriorate, the following factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition: • Slower consumer spending may result in reduced demand for our products, reduced orders from retailers for our products, order cancellations, lower revenues, higher discounts, increased inventories and lower gross margins. • In the future, we may be unable to access financing in the credit and capital markets at reasonable rates in the event we find it desirable to do so. • We conduct transactions in various currencies, which increases our exposure to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates relative to the U.S. Dollar. Continued volatility in the markets and exchange rates for foreign currencies and contracts in foreign currencies could have a significant impact on our reported operating results and financial condition. • Continued volatility in the availability and prices for commodities and raw materials we use in our products and in our supply chain (such as cotton or petroleum derivatives) could have a material adverse effect on our costs, gross margins and profitability. • If retailers of our products experience declining revenues or experience difficulty obtaining financing in the capital and credit markets to purchase our products, this could result in reduced orders for our products, order cancellations, late retailer payments, extended payment terms, higher accounts receivable, reduced cash flows, greater expense associated with collection efforts and increased bad debt expense. • If retailers of our products experience severe financial difficulty, some may become insolvent and cease business operations, which could negatively impact the sale of our products to consumers. • If contract manufacturers of our products or other participants in our supply chain experience difficulty obtaining financing in the capital and credit markets to purchase raw materials or to finance capital equipment and other general working capital needs, it may result in delays or non-delivery of shipments of our products. Our business is affected by seasonality, which could result in fluctuations in our operating results. We experience moderate fluctuations in aggregate sales volume during the year. Historically, revenues in the first and fourth fiscal quarters have slightly exceeded those in the second and third fiscal quarters. However, the mix of product sales may vary considerably from time to time as a result of changes in seasonal and geographic demand for particular types of footwear, apparel and equipment and in connection with the timing of significant sporting events, including without limitation the Olympics and the European football championship. In addition, our customers may cancel orders, change delivery schedules or change the mix of products ordered with minimal notice. As a result, we may not be able to accurately predict our quarterly sales. Accordingly, our results of operations are likely to fluctuate significantly from period to period. This seasonality, along with other factors that are beyond our control, including general economic conditions, changes in consumer preferences, weather conditions, availability of import quotas, transportation disruptions and currency exchange rate fluctuations, could adversely affect our business and cause our results of operations to fluctuate. Our operating margins are also sensitive to a number of additional factors that are beyond our control, including manufacturing and transportation costs, shifts in product sales mix and geographic sales trends, all of which we expect to continue. Results of operations in any period should not be considered indicative of the results to be expected for any future period. Futures orders may not be an accurate indication of our future revenues. We make substantial use of our futures ordering program, which allows retailers to order five to six months in advance of delivery with the commitment that their orders will be delivered within a set period of time at a fixed price. Our futures ordering program allows us to minimize the amount of products we hold in inventory, purchasing costs, the time necessary to fill customer orders and the risk of non-delivery. We report changes in futures orders in our periodic financial reports. Although we believe futures orders are an important indicator of our future revenues, reported futures orders are not necessarily indicative of our expectation of revenues for any future period. This is due to year-over-year changes in shipment timing, changes in the mix of orders between futures and at-once orders and because the fulfillment of certain orders may fall outside of the schedule noted above. In addition, foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, as well as differing levels of order cancellations, discounts and returns can cause differences in the comparisons between futures orders and actual revenues. Moreover, a portion of our revenue is not derived from futures orders, including sales of at-once and closeout NIKE Brand footwear and apparel, all sales of NIKE Brand equipment, the difference between retail sales and internal orders from our Direct to Consumer in-line stores and e-commerce operations, and sales from Converse, NIKE Golf and Hurley. Our futures ordering program does not prevent excess inventories or inventory shortages, which could result in decreased operating margins, reduced cash flows and harm to our business. We purchase products from manufacturers outside of our futures ordering program and in advance of customer orders, which we hold in inventory and resell to customers. There is a risk we may be unable to sell excess products ordered from manufacturers. Inventory levels in excess of customer demand may result in inventory write-downs, and the sale of excess inventory at discounted prices could significantly impair our brand image and have an adverse effect on our operating results, financial condition and cash flows. Conversely, if we underestimate consumer demand for our products or if our manufacturers fail to supply products we require at the time we need them, we may experience inventory shortages. Inventory shortages might delay shipments to customers, negatively impact retailer and distributor relationships and diminish brand loyalty. The difficulty in forecasting demand also makes it difficult to estimate our future results of operations, financial condition and cash flows from period to period. A failure to accurately predict the level of demand for our products could adversely affect our net revenues and net income, and we are unlikely to forecast such effects with any certainty in advance. We may be adversely affected by the financial health of our customers. We extend credit to our customers based on an assessment of a customer’s financial condition, generally without requiring collateral. To assist in the scheduling of production and the shipping of seasonal products, we offer customers the ability to place orders five to six months ahead of delivery under our futures ordering program. These advance orders may be canceled, and the risk of cancellation may increase when dealing with financially unstable retailers or retailers struggling with economic uncertainty. In the past, some customers have experienced financial difficulties up to and including bankruptcies, which have had an adverse effect on our sales, our ability to collect on receivables and our financial condition. When the retail economy weakens, retailers may be more cautious with orders. A slowing economy in our key markets could adversely affect the financial health of our customers, which in turn could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. In addition, product sales are dependent in part on high quality merchandising and an appealing store environment to attract consumers, which requires continuing investments by retailers. Retailers that experience financial difficulties may fail to make such investments or delay them, resulting in lower sales and orders for our products. Consolidation of retailers or concentration of retail market share among a few retailers may increase and concentrate our credit risk and impair our ability to sell products. The athletic footwear, apparel and equipment retail markets in some countries are dominated by a few large athletic footwear, apparel and equipment retailers with many stores. These retailers have in the past increased their market share and may continue to do so in the future by expanding through acquisitions and construction of additional stores. These situations concentrate our credit risk with a relatively small number of retailers, and, if any of these retailers were to experience a shortage of liquidity, it would increase the risk that their outstanding payables to us may not be paid. In addition, increasing market share concentration among one or a few retailers in a particular country or region increases the risk that if any one of them substantially reduces their purchases of our products, we may be unable to find a sufficient number of other retail outlets for our products to sustain the same level of sales and revenues. Our Direct to Consumer operations have required and will continue to require a substantial investment and commitment of resources and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties. Our Direct to Consumer stores have required substantial fixed investment in equipment and leasehold improvements, information systems, inventory and personnel. We have entered into substantial operating lease commitments for retail space. Certain stores have been designed and built to serve as high-profile venues to promote brand awareness and marketing activities. Because of their unique design elements, locations and size, these stores require substantially more investment than other stores. Due to the high fixed-cost structure associated with our Direct to Consumer operations, a decline in sales or the closure or poor performance of individual or multiple stores could result in significant lease termination costs, write-offs of equipment and leasehold improvements and employee-related costs. Many factors unique to retail operations, some of which are beyond the Company’s control, pose risks and uncertainties. Risks include, but are not limited to: credit card fraud; mismanagement of existing retail channel partners; and inability to manage costs associated with store construction and operation. In addition, extreme weather conditions in the areas in which our stores are located could adversely affect our business. If the technology-based systems that give our customers the ability to shop with us online do not function effectively, our operating results, as well as our ability to grow our e-commerce business globally, could be materially adversely affected. Many of our customers shop with us through our e-commerce website and mobile commerce applications. Increasingly, customers are using tablets and smart phones to shop online with us and with our competitors and to do comparison shopping. We are increasingly using social media and proprietary mobile applications to interact with our customers and as a means to enhance their shopping experience. Any failure on our part to provide attractive, effective, reliable, user-friendly e-commerce platforms that offer a wide assortment of merchandise with rapid delivery options and that continually meet the changing expectations of online shoppers could place us at a competitive disadvantage, result in the loss of e-commerce and other sales, harm our reputation with customers, have a material adverse impact on the growth of our e-commerce business globally and could have a material adverse impact on our business and results of operations. Risks specific to our e-commerce business also include diversion of sales from our and our retailers' brick and mortar stores, difficulty in recreating the in-store experience through direct channels and liability for online content. Our failure to successfully respond to these risks might adversely affect sales in our e-commerce business, as well as damage our reputation and brands. Failure to adequately protect or enforce our intellectual property rights could adversely affect our business. We believe that our intellectual property rights are important to our brand, our success and our competitive position. We periodically discover products that are counterfeit reproductions of our products or that otherwise infringe on our intellectual property rights. If we are unsuccessful in enforcing our intellectual property, continued sales of these products could adversely affect our sales and our brand and could result in a shift of consumer preference away from our products. The actions we take to establish and protect our intellectual property rights may not be adequate to prevent imitation of our products by others or to prevent others from seeking to block sales of our products as violations of proprietary rights. We may be subject to liability if third parties successfully claim that we infringe on their intellectual property rights. Defending infringement claims could be expensive and time-consuming and might result in our entering into costly license agreements. We also may be subject to significant damages or injunctions against development, use, importation and/or sale of certain products. We take various actions to prevent the unauthorized use and/or disclosure of confidential information. Such actions include contractual measures such as entering into non-disclosure and non-compete agreements and providing confidential information awareness training. Our controls and efforts to prevent unauthorized use and/or disclosure of confidential information might not always be effective. Confidential information that is related to business strategy, new technologies, mergers and acquisitions, unpublished financial results or personal data could be prematurely or inadvertently used and/or disclosed, resulting in a loss of reputation, a decline in our stock price and/or a negative impact on our market position, and could lead to damages, fines, penalties or injunctions. In addition, the laws of certain countries may not protect or allow enforcement of intellectual property rights to the same extent as the laws of the United States. We may face significant expenses and liability in connection with the protection of our intellectual property rights, including outside the United States, and if we are unable to successfully protect our rights or resolve intellectual property conflicts with others, our business or financial condition may be adversely affected. We are subject to the risk that our licensees may not generate expected sales or maintain the value of our brands. We currently license, and expect to continue licensing, certain of our proprietary rights, such as trademarks or copyrighted material, to third parties. If our licensees fail to successfully market and sell licensed products, or fail to obtain sufficient capital or effectively manage their business operations, customer relationships, labor relationships, supplier relationships or credit risks, it could adversely affect our revenues, both directly from reduced royalties received and indirectly from reduced sales of our other products. We also rely on our licensees to help preserve the value of our brands. Although we attempt to protect our brands through approval rights over the design, production processes, quality, packaging, merchandising, distribution, advertising and promotion of our licensed products, we cannot completely control the use of our licensed brands by our licensees. The misuse of a brand by a licensee could have a material adverse effect on that brand and on us. We are subject to data security and privacy risks that could negatively affect our results, operations or reputation. In addition to our own sensitive and proprietary business information, we collect transactional and personal information about our customers and users of our digital experiences, which include online distribution channels and product engagement and personal fitness applications. Hackers and data thieves are increasingly sophisticated and operate large-scale and complex automated attacks. Any breach of our network may result in the loss of valuable business data, misappropriation of our consumers’, users' or employees’ personal information or a disruption of our business, which could give rise to unwanted media attention, materially damage our consumers, customer relationships and our reputation and result in lost sales, lost users, fines, or lawsuits. We also may need to expend significant resources to protect against, respond to and/or redress problems caused by any breach. In addition, we must comply with increasingly complex and rigorous regulatory standards enacted to protect business and personal data. Compliance with existing and proposed laws and regulations can be costly, and any failure to comply with these regulatory standards could subject us to legal and reputational risks. Misuse of or failure to secure personal information could also result in violation of data privacy laws and regulations, proceedings against the Company by governmental entities or others, damage to our reputation and credibility and could have a negative impact on revenues and profits. Failure of our contractors or our licensees’ contractors to comply with our code of conduct, local laws and other standards could harm our business. We work with hundreds of contractors outside of the United States to manufacture our products, and we also have license agreements that permit unaffiliated parties to manufacture or contract for the manufacture of products using our intellectual property. We require the contractors that directly manufacture our products and our licensees that make products using our intellectual property (including, indirectly, their contract manufacturers) to comply with a code of conduct and other environmental, health and safety standards for the benefit of workers. We also require these contractors to comply with applicable standards for product safety. Notwithstanding their contractual obligations, from time to time contractors may not comply with such standards or applicable local law or our licensees may fail to enforce such standards or applicable local law on their contractors. Significant or continuing noncompliance with such standards and laws by one or more contractors could harm our reputation or result in a product recall and, as a result, could have an adverse effect on our sales and financial condition. Our international operations involve inherent risks which could result in harm to our business. Virtually all of our athletic footwear and apparel is manufactured outside of the United States, and the majority of our products are sold outside of the United States. Accordingly, we are subject to the risks generally associated with global trade and doing business abroad, which include foreign laws and regulations, varying consumer preferences across geographic regions, political unrest, disruptions or delays in cross-border shipments and changes in economic conditions in countries in which our products are manufactured or where we sell products. This includes, for example, the uncertainty surrounding the implementation and effect of Brexit, including changes to the legal and regulatory framework that apply to the United Kingdom and its relationship with the European Union. In addition, disease outbreaks, terrorist acts and military conflict have increased the risks of doing business abroad. These factors, among others, could affect our ability to manufacture products or procure materials, our ability to import products, our ability to sell products in international markets and our cost of doing business. If any of these or other factors make the conduct of business in a particular country undesirable or impractical, our business could be adversely affected. In addition, many of our imported products are subject to duties, tariffs or quotas that affect the cost and quantity of various types of goods imported into the United States and other countries. Any country in which our products are produced or sold may eliminate, adjust or impose new quotas, duties, tariffs, safeguard measures, anti-dumping duties, cargo restrictions to prevent terrorism, restrictions on the transfer of currency, climate change legislation, product safety regulations or other charges or restrictions, any of which could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. We could be subject to changes in tax rates, adoption of new tax laws or additional tax liabilities. We are subject to the tax laws in the United States and numerous foreign jurisdictions. Current economic and political conditions make tax rules in any jurisdiction, including the United States, subject to significant change. There have been proposals to reform U.S. and foreign tax laws that could significantly impact how U.S. multinational corporations are taxed on foreign earnings. Although we cannot predict whether or in what form these proposals will pass, several of the proposals considered, if enacted into law, could have an adverse impact on our income tax expense and cash flows. We earn a substantial portion of our income in foreign countries and are subject to the tax laws of those jurisdictions. If our capital or financing needs in the United States require us to repatriate earnings from foreign jurisdictions above our current levels, our effective income tax rates for the affected periods could be negatively impacted. Portions of our operations are subject to a reduced tax rate or are free of tax under various tax holidays and rulings that expire in whole or in part from time to time. These tax holidays and rulings may be extended when certain conditions are met, or terminated if certain conditions are not met. If the tax holidays and rulings are not extended, or if we fail to satisfy the conditions of the reduced tax rate, our future effective income tax rate would increase in the future. We are also subject to the examination of our tax returns by the United States Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and other tax authorities. We regularly assess the likelihood of an adverse outcome resulting from these examinations to determine the adequacy of its provision for income taxes. Although we believe our tax provisions are adequate, the final determination of tax audits and any related disputes could be materially different from our historical income tax provisions and accruals. The results of audits or related disputes could have an adverse effect on our financial statements for the period or periods for which the applicable final determinations are made. For example, the IRS has assessed additional tax liabilities for 2011 and 2012 related to a foreign tax credit matter. We are currently contesting the matter in U.S. Tax Court. In addition to the risk of additional tax for these years, if this litigation is adversely determined and the IRS was to seek similar adjustments in subsequent years, we could be subject to significant additional tax liabilities. Additionally, we and our subsidiaries are engaged in a number of intercompany transactions across multiple tax jurisdictions. Although we believe we have clearly reflected the economics of these transactions and the proper local transfer pricing documentation is in place, tax authorities may propose and sustain adjustments that could result in changes that may impact our mix of earnings in countries with differing statutory tax rates. If one or more of our counterparty financial institutions default on their obligations to us or fail, we may incur significant losses. As part of our hedging activities, we enter into transactions involving derivative financial instruments, which may include forward contracts, commodity futures contracts, option contracts, collars and swaps with various financial institutions. In addition, we have significant amounts of cash, cash equivalents and other investments on deposit or in accounts with banks or other financial institutions in the United States and abroad. As a result, we are exposed to the risk of default by or failure of counterparty financial institutions. The risk of counterparty default or failure may be heightened during economic downturns and periods of uncertainty in the financial markets. If one of our counterparties were to become insolvent or file for bankruptcy, our ability to recover losses incurred as a result of default or our assets that are deposited or held in accounts with such counterparty may be limited by the counterparty’s liquidity or the applicable laws governing the insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings. In the event of default or failure of one or more of our counterparties, we could incur significant losses, which could negatively impact our results of operations and financial condition. We rely on a concentrated source base of contract manufacturers to supply a significant portion of our footwear products. NIKE is supplied by approximately 142 footwear factories located in 15 countries. We do not own or operate any of our own footwear manufacturing facilities and depend upon independent contract manufacturers to manufacture all of the footwear products we sell. In fiscal 2016, five footwear contract manufacturers each accounted for greater than 10% of fiscal 2016 footwear production and in aggregate accounted for approximately 69% of NIKE Brand footwear production in fiscal 2016. Our ability to meet our customers' needs depends on our ability to maintain a steady supply of products from our independent contract manufacturers. If one or more of our significant suppliers were to sever their relationship with us or significantly alter the terms of our relationship, we may not be able to obtain replacement products in a timely manner, which could have a material adverse effect on our sales, financial condition or results of operations. Additionally, if any of our primary contract manufacturers fail to make timely shipments, do not meet our quality standards or otherwise fail to deliver us product in accordance with our plans, there could be a material adverse effect on our results of operations. Our products are subject to risks associated with overseas sourcing, manufacturing and financing. The principal materials used in our apparel products - natural and synthetic fabrics and threads, specialized performance fabrics designed to efficiently wick moisture away from the body, retain heat or repel rain and/or snow as well as plastic and metal hardware - are available in countries where our manufacturing takes place. The principal materials used in our footwear products - natural and synthetic rubber, plastic compounds, foam cushioning materials, natural and synthetic leather, natural and synthetic fabrics and threads, nylon, canvas and polyurethane films - are also locally available to manufacturers. Both our apparel and footwear products are dependent upon the ability of our unaffiliated contract manufacturers to locate, train, employ and retain adequate personnel. NIKE contractors and suppliers buy raw materials and are subject to wage rates that are oftentimes regulated by the governments of the countries in which our products are manufactured. There could be a significant disruption in the supply of fabrics or raw materials from current sources or, in the event of a disruption, our contract manufacturers might not be able to locate alternative suppliers of materials of comparable quality at an acceptable price or at all. Further, our unaffiliated contract manufacturers have experienced and may continue to experience in the future, unexpected increases in work wages, whether government mandated or otherwise and increases in compliance costs due to governmental regulation concerning certain metals used in the manufacturing of our products. In addition, we cannot be certain that our unaffiliated manufacturers will be able to fill our orders in a timely manner. If we experience significant increases in demand, or reductions in the availability of materials, or need to replace an existing manufacturer, there can be no assurance that additional supplies of fabrics or raw materials or additional manufacturing capacity will be available when required on terms that are acceptable to us, or at all, or that any supplier or manufacturer would allocate sufficient capacity to us in order to meet our requirements. In addition, even if we are able to expand existing or find new manufacturing or sources of materials, we may encounter delays in production and added costs as a result of the time it takes to train suppliers and manufacturers in our methods, products, quality control standards and labor, health and safety standards. Any delays, interruption or increased costs in labor or wages, or the supply of materials or manufacture of our products could have an adverse effect on our ability to meet retail customer and consumer demand for our products and result in lower revenues and net income both in the short- and long-term. Because independent manufacturers make a majority of our products outside of our principal sales markets, our products must be transported by third parties over large geographic distances. Delays in the shipment or delivery of our products due to the availability of transportation, work stoppages, port strikes, infrastructure congestion or other factors, and costs and delays associated with consolidating or transitioning between manufacturers, could adversely impact our financial performance. In addition, manufacturing delays or unexpected demand for our products may require us to use faster, but more expensive, transportation methods such as air freight, which could adversely affect our profit margins. The cost of oil is a significant component in manufacturing and transportation costs, so increases in the price of petroleum products can adversely affect our profit margins. In addition, Sojitz America performs significant import-export financing services for the Company. During fiscal 2016, Sojitz America provided financing and purchasing services for NIKE Brand products sold in certain NIKE markets including Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Canada, India, South Africa and Thailand (collectively the “Sojitz Markets”), excluding products produced and sold in the same country. Any failure of Sojitz America to provide these services or any failure of Sojitz America’s banks could disrupt our ability to acquire products from our suppliers and to deliver products to our customers in the Sojitz Markets. Such a disruption could result in canceled orders that would adversely affect sales and profitability. Our success depends on our global distribution facilities. We distribute our products to customers directly from the factory and through distribution centers located throughout the world. Our ability to meet customer expectations, manage inventory, complete sales and achieve objectives for operating efficiencies and growth, particularly in emerging markets, depends on the proper operation of our distribution facilities, the development or expansion of additional distribution capabilities and the timely performance of services by third parties (including those involved in shipping product to and from our distribution facilities). Our distribution facilities could be interrupted by information technology problems and disasters such as earthquakes or fires. Any significant failure in our distribution facilities could result in an adverse effect on our business. We maintain business interruption insurance, but it may not adequately protect us from adverse effects that could be caused by significant disruptions in our distribution facilities. We rely significantly on information technology to operate our business, including our supply chain and retail operations, and any failure, inadequacy or interruption of that technology could harm our ability to effectively operate our business. We are heavily dependent on information technology systems and networks, including the Internet and third-party hosted services (“information technology systems”), across our supply chain, including product design, production, forecasting, ordering, manufacturing, transportation, sales and distribution, as well as for processing financial information for external and internal reporting purposes, retail operations and other business activities. Our information technology systems are critical to many of our operating activities and our business processes and may be negatively impacted by any service interruption or shutdown. For example, our ability to effectively manage and maintain our inventory and to ship products to customers on a timely basis depends significantly on the reliability of these information technology systems. Over a number of years, we have implemented information technology systems in all of the geographical regions in which we operate. Our work to integrate, secure and enhance these systems and related processes in our global operations is ongoing and NIKE will continue to invest in these efforts. The failure of these systems to operate effectively, including as a result of security breaches, viruses, hackers or other causes, or our failure to properly maintain, protect, repair or upgrade our systems, or problems with transitioning to upgraded or replacement systems could cause delays in product fulfillment and reduced efficiency of our operations, could require significant capital investments to remediate the problem and may have an adverse effect on our reputation, results of operations and financial condition. We also use information technology systems to process financial information and results of operations for internal reporting purposes and to comply with regulatory financial reporting, legal and tax requirements. If our information technology systems suffer severe damage, disruption or shutdown and our business continuity plans do not effectively resolve the issues in a timely manner, we could experience delays in reporting our financial results, which could result in lost revenues and profits, as well as reputational damage. Furthermore, we depend on information technology systems and personal data collection and use for digital marketing, digital commerce, consumer engagement and the marketing and use of our digital products and services. We also rely on our ability to engage in electronic communications throughout the world between and among our employees as well as with other third parties, including customers, suppliers, vendors and consumers. Any interruption in our information technology systems may impede our ability to engage in the digital space and result in lost revenues, damage to our reputation, and loss of users. The market for prime real estate is competitive. Our ability to effectively obtain real estate to open new retail stores and otherwise conduct our operations, both domestically and internationally, depends on the availability of real estate that meets our criteria for traffic, square footage, co-tenancies, lease economics, demographics and other factors. We also must be able to effectively renew our existing real estate leases. In addition, from time to time, we seek to downsize, consolidate, reposition or close some of our real estate locations, which may require modification of an existing lease. Failure to secure adequate new locations or successfully modify leases for existing locations, or failure to effectively manage the profitability of our existing fleet of retail stores, could have an adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition. Additionally, the economic environment may at times make it difficult to determine the fair market rent of real estate properties domestically and internationally. This could impact the quality of our decisions to exercise lease options at previously negotiated rents and to renew expiring leases at negotiated rents. Any adverse effect on the quality of these decisions could impact our ability to retain real estate locations adequate to meet our targets or efficiently manage the profitability of our existing fleet of stores, which could have an adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition. Extreme weather conditions and natural disasters could negatively impact our operating results and financial condition. Extreme weather conditions in the areas in which our retail stores, suppliers, customers, distribution centers and vendors are located could adversely affect our operating results and financial condition. Moreover, natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes and tsunamis, whether occurring in the United States or abroad, and their related consequences and effects, including energy shortages and public health issues, could disrupt our operations, the operations of our vendors and other suppliers or result in economic instability that may negatively impact our operating results and financial condition. Our financial results may be adversely affected if substantial investments in businesses and operations fail to produce expected returns. From time to time, we may invest in technology, business infrastructure, new businesses, product offering and manufacturing innovation and expansion of existing businesses, such as our retail operations, which require substantial cash investments and management attention. We believe cost-effective investments are essential to business growth and profitability. However, significant investments are subject to typical risks and uncertainties inherent in developing a new business or expanding an existing business. The failure of any significant investment to provide expected returns or profitability could have a material adverse effect on our financial results and divert management attention from more profitable business operations. We are subject to periodic litigation and other regulatory proceedings, which could result in unexpected expense of time and resources. From time to time we are called upon to defend ourselves against lawsuits and regulatory actions relating to our business. Due to the inherent uncertainties of litigation and regulatory proceedings, we cannot accurately predict the ultimate outcome of any such proceedings. An unfavorable outcome could have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, any significant litigation in the future, regardless of its merits, could divert management’s attention from our operations and result in substantial legal fees. We depend on key personnel, the loss of whom would harm our business. Our future success will depend in part on the continued service of key executive officers and personnel. The loss of the services of any key individual could harm our business. Our future success also depends on our ability to recruit, retain and engage our personnel sufficiently, both to maintain our current business and to execute our strategic initiatives. Competition for employees in our industry is intense and we may not be successful in attracting and retaining such personnel. The sale of a large number of shares of common stock by our principal stockholder could depress the market price of our common stock. As of June 30, 2016, Swoosh, LLC beneficially owned more than 78% of our Class A Common Stock. If, on June 30, 2016, all of these shares were converted into Class B Common Stock, the commensurate ownership percentage of our Class B Common Stock would be approximately 16%. The shares are available for resale, subject to the requirements of the U.S. securities laws and the terms of the limited liability company agreement governing Swoosh, LLC. The sale or prospect of a sale of a substantial number of these shares could have an adverse effect on the market price of our common stock. Swoosh, LLC was formed by Philip H. Knight, our Chairman Emeritus, to hold the majority of his shares of Class A Common Stock. On June 30, 2016, Mr. Knight sold his voting interest in Swoosh, LLC to a trust controlled by his son and NIKE director, Travis Knight. Changes in our credit ratings or macroeconomic conditions may affect our liquidity, increasing borrowing costs and limiting our financing options. Our long-term debt is currently rated Investment Grade by Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s Investors Service. If our credit ratings are lowered, borrowing costs for future long-term debt or short-term credit facilities may increase and our financing options, including our access to the unsecured credit market, could be limited. We may also be subject to restrictive covenants that would reduce our flexibility to, among other things, incur additional indebtedness, make restricted payments, pledge assets as security, make investments, loans, advances, guarantees and acquisitions, undergo fundamental changes and enter into transactions with affiliates. Failure to comply with such covenants could result in a default, and as a result, the commitments of our lenders under our credit agreements may be terminated and the maturity of amounts owed may be accelerated. In addition, macroeconomic conditions, such as increased volatility or disruption in the credit markets, could adversely affect our ability to refinance existing debt. If our internal controls are ineffective, our operating results could be adversely affected. Our internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements because of its inherent limitations, including the possibility of human error, the circumvention or overriding of controls or fraud. Even effective internal controls can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to the preparation and fair presentation of financial statements. If we fail to maintain the adequacy of our internal controls, including any failure to implement required new or improved controls, or if we experience difficulties in their implementation, our business and operating results could be harmed and we could fail to meet our financial reporting obligations. If our estimates or judgments relating to our critical accounting policies prove to be incorrect, our operating results could be adversely affected. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, as provided in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” The results of these estimates form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets, liabilities and equity, and the amount of revenue and expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. Significant assumptions and estimates used in preparing our consolidated financial statements include those related to revenue recognition, allowance for uncollectible accounts receivable, inventories, contingent payments under endorsement contracts, accounting for property, plant and equipment and definite-lived assets and goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets. Our operating results may be adversely affected if our assumptions change or if actual circumstances differ from those in our assumptions, which could cause our operating results to fall below the expectations of securities analysts and investors, resulting in a decline in the price of our Class B Common Stock. Anti-takeover provisions may impair an acquisition of the Company or reduce the price of our common stock. There are provisions of our articles of incorporation and Oregon law that are intended to protect shareholder interests by providing the Board of Directors a means to attempt to deny coercive takeover attempts or to negotiate with a potential acquirer in order to obtain more favorable terms. Such provisions include a control share acquisition statute, a freeze-out statute, two classes of stock that vote separately on certain issues, and the fact that holders of Class A Common Stock elect three-quarters of the Board of Directors rounded down to the next whole number. However, such provisions could discourage, delay or prevent an unsolicited merger, acquisition or other change in control of our company that some shareholders might believe to be in their best interests or in which shareholders might receive a premium for their common stock over the prevailing market price. These provisions could also discourage proxy contests for control of the Company. We may fail to meet market expectations, which could cause the price of our stock to decline. Our Class B Common Stock is traded publicly, and at any given time various securities analysts follow our financial results and issue reports on us. These reports include information about our historical financial results as well as analysts’ estimates of our future performance. Analysts’ estimates are based upon their own opinions and are often different from our estimates or expectations. If our operating results are below the estimates or expectations of public market analysts and investors, our stock price could decline. In the past, securities class action litigation has been brought against NIKE and other companies following a decline in the market price of their securities. If our stock price is volatile, we may become involved in this type of litigation in the future. Any litigation could result in substantial costs and a diversion of management’s attention and resources that are needed to successfully run our business. ITEM 1B.