OMC, §1A diff (2020 → 2021)

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Economic Risks

Adverse economic conditions, a reduction in client spending, a deterioration in the credit markets or a delay in client payments could have a material effect on our business, results of operations and financial position.

Economic conditions have a direct impact on our business, results of operations and financial position. Adverse economic conditions, including those caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, severe and sustained inflation in countries that comprise our major markets, supply chain issues affecting the distribution of our clients’ products, or a disruption in the credit markets, pose a risk that clients may reduce, postpone or cancel spending on advertising, marketing and corporate communications projects. Such actions would reduce the demand for our services and could result in a reduction in our revenue, which would adversely affect our

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business, results of operations and financial position. A contraction in the availability of credit may make it more difficult for us to meet our working capital requirements. In addition, a disruption in the credit markets could adversely affect our clients liquidity and could cause them to delay payment for our services or take other actions that would negatively affect our working capital. In such circumstances, we may need to obtain additional financing to fund our day-to-day working capital requirements, which may not be available on favorable terms, or at all. Even if we take action to respond to adverse economic conditions, reductions in revenue and disruptions in the credit markets by aligning our cost structure and more efficiently managing our working capital, such actions may not be effective.

In an economic downturn, the risk of a material loss related to media purchases and production costs incurred on behalf of our clients could significantly increase, and methods for managing or mitigating such risk may be less available or unavailable.

In the normal course of business, our agencies enter into contractual commitments with media providers and production companies on behalf of our clients at levels that can substantially exceed the revenue from our services. These commitments are included in accounts payable when the services are delivered by the media providers or production companies. If permitted by local law and the client agreement, many of our agencies purchase media and production services for our clients as an agent for a disclosed principal. In addition, while operating practices vary by country, media type and media vendor, in the United States and certain foreign markets, many of our agencies’ contracts with media and production providers specify that our agencies are not liable to the media and production providers under the theory of sequential liability until and to the extent we have been paid by our client for the media or production services.

Where purchases of media and production services are made by our agencies as a principal or are not subject to the theory of sequential liability, the risk of a material loss as a result of payment default by our clients could increase significantly and such a loss could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial position.

In addition, our methods of managing the risk of payment default, including obtaining credit insurance, requiring payment in advance, mitigating the potential loss in the marketplace or negotiating with media providers, may be insufficient, less available, or unavailable during a severe economic downturn.

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted our business, results of operations and financial position, and the COVID-19 pandemic or other similar public health crises could adversely impact our business, results of operations and financial position in the future.

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted our business, results of operations and financial position in 2020 and through the first quarter of 2021, as most of our clients’ businesses were affected by the pandemic. As long as the COVID-19 pandemic, including any existing or new variants, remains a public health threat, global economic conditions will continue to be volatile and such uncertainty cuts across all clients, industries and geographies. Demand for certain of our service offerings may be adversely affected by new developments in the pandemic, including the emergence of new variants, or other similar public health crises. The extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, or other similar public health crises, on our business will depend on numerous factors that we are not able to accurately predict.

Business and Operational Risks

Clients periodically review and change their advertising, marketing and corporate communications requirements and relationships. If we are unable to remain competitive or retain key clients, our business, results of operations and financial position may be adversely affected.

We operate in a highly competitive industry. Key competitive considerations for retaining existing clients and winning new clients include our ability to develop solutions that meet client needs in a rapidly changing environment, the quality and effectiveness of our services and our ability to serve clients efficiently, particularly large multinational clients, on a broad geographic basis. While many of our client relationships are long-standing, from time to time clients put their advertising, marketing and corporate communications business up for competitive review. We have won and lost accounts as a result of these reviews. To the extent that we are not able to remain competitive or retain key clients, our revenue may be adversely affected, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial position.

Acquiring new clients and retaining existing clients depends on our ability to avoid and manage conflicts of interest arising from other client relationships, retaining key personnel and maintaining a highly skilled workforce.

Our ability to acquire new clients and retain existing clients may, in some cases, be limited by clients’ perceptions of, or policies concerning, conflicts of interest arising from other client relationships. If we are unable to maintain multiple agencies to manage multiple client relationships and avoid potential conflicts of interests, our business, results of operations and financial position may be adversely affected.

As a service business, our ability to attract and retain key personnel is an important aspect of our competitiveness. If we are unable to attract and retain key personnel, our ability to provide our services in the manner clients have come to expect may be

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adversely affected, which could harm our reputation and result in a loss of clients, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial position.

The loss of several of our largest clients could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial position.

In 2021, our 100 largest clients represented approximately 54% of our revenue. Clients generally are able to reduce or cancel current or future spending on advertising, marketing and corporate communications projects at any time on short notice for any reason. A significant reduction in spending on our services by our largest clients, or the loss of several of our largest clients, if not replaced by new clients or an increase in business from existing clients, would adversely affect our revenue and could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial position.

We rely extensively on information technology systems, and cybersecurity incidents could adversely affect us.

We rely on information technology systems and infrastructure to connect with our clients, people and others and store business and financial data. Increased cybersecurity threats and attacks, which are constantly evolving, pose a risk to our systems and networks. For example, in February 2021, we experienced a cybersecurity incident that resulted in the disruption of certain of our information technology systems at one of our networks. Based on our investigation, the incident did not have a material impact on our business, results of operations or financial position. However, cybersecurity threats and attacks in the future could be material. Security breaches, improper use of our systems and unauthorized access to our data and information by employees and others may pose a risk that sensitive data may be exposed to unauthorized persons or to the public. We also have access to sensitive or personal data or information that is subject to privacy laws and regulations. Our systems and processes may be unable to prevent future material security breaches, and such breaches could adversely affect our business and reputation.

We also use third-party service providers, including cloud providers, to store, transmit and process data. These third-party service providers could also be subject to cybersecurity incidents that could adversely affect us.

In addition, through 2021, the overwhelming majority of our workforce temporarily transitioned to working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The increase in the number of our employees working from home may increase certain business and procedural control risks, including increased risk of cybersecurity incidents and exposure of sensitive business and client advertising and marketing information, as well as personal data or information.

Risks Related to International Operations

Currency exchange rate fluctuations have impacted, and in the future could impact, our business, results of operations and financial position.

In 2021, our international operations represented approximately 49% of our revenue. We operate in all major international markets including the Euro Zone, the United Kingdom, or the U.K., Australia, Brazil, Canada, China and Japan. Our agencies transact business in more than 50 different currencies. Substantially all of our foreign operations transact business in their local currency and, accordingly, their financial statements are translated into U.S. Dollars. As a result, both adverse and beneficial fluctuations in foreign exchange rates impact our business, results of operations and financial position. In addition, funds transferred to the United States can be adversely or beneficially impacted by changes in foreign currency exchange rates.

As a global business we face certain risks of doing business internationally, and we are exposed to risks from operating in high-growth markets and developing countries, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial position.

The operational and financial performance of our international businesses are affected by global and regional economic conditions, competition for new business and staff, currency exchange rate fluctuations, political conditions, differing tax and regulatory environments and other risks associated with extensive international operations. In addition, we conduct business in numerous high-growth markets and developing countries that tend to have longer billing collection cycles, currency repatriation restrictions and commercial laws that can be undeveloped, vague, inconsistently enforced, retroactively applied or frequently changed. The risks associated with our international operations could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial position. Additionally, our operations are subject to the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws and regulations. These laws and regulations are complex and stringent, and any changes and violations could have an adverse effect on our business and reputation. For financial information by geographic region, see Note 8 to the consolidated financial statements.

We have substantial operations in the U.K. and the Euro Zone. In 2020, the U.K. completed its separation from the European Union, or E.U., (commonly referred to as “Brexit”) and entered into an agreement, or Brexit Agreement, with the E.U. that defines the terms of their relationship, covering, among other things, trade and tariffs, services and travel. The uncertainties related to the impact of the Brexit Agreement have cross-border operational, financial and tax implications, among others, and any economic volatility that may arise in the U.K., the E.U. or elsewhere may adversely affect our business.

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Risks Related to Acquisitions

We may be unsuccessful in evaluating material risks involved in completed and future acquisitions.

We regularly evaluate potential acquisitions of businesses that are complementary to our businesses and client needs. As part of the process, we conduct business, legal and financial due diligence to identify and evaluate material risks involved in any particular transaction. Despite our efforts, we may be unsuccessful in ascertaining or evaluating all such risks. As a result, the intended advantages of any given acquisition may not be realized. If we fail to identify certain material risks from one or more acquisitions, our business, results of operations and financial position could be adversely affected.

Our goodwill is an intangible asset that may become impaired, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial position.

In accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, or U.S. GAAP or GAAP, we have recorded a significant amount of goodwill related to our acquisitions; a substantial portion of which represents the intangible specialized know-how of the acquired workforce. As discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, we review the carrying value of goodwill for impairment annually at June 30 and whenever events or circumstances indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. The estimates and assumptions about future results of operations and cash flows made in connection with the impairment testing could differ from future actual results of operations and cash flows. While we have concluded, for each year presented in the financial statements included in this report, that our goodwill is not impaired, future events could cause us to conclude that the intangible asset values associated with a given operation may become impaired. Any resulting non-cash impairment charge could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial position.

Regulatory Risks

Government regulation and consumer advocates may limit the scope and content of our services, which could affect our ability to meet our clients’ needs, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial position.

Government agencies and consumer groups directly or indirectly affect or attempt to affect the scope, content and manner of presentation of advertising, marketing and corporate communications services, through regulation or other governmental action, which could affect our ability to meet our clients’ needs. Such regulation may seek, among other things, to limit the tax deductibility of advertising expenditures by certain industries or for certain products and services. In addition, there has been a tendency on the part of businesses to resort to the judicial system to challenge advertising practices and claims, which could cause our clients affected by such actions to reduce their spending on our services. Any regulatory or judicial action that affects our ability to meet our clients' needs or reduces client spending on our services could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial position.

Further, laws and regulations related to user privacy, use of personal information and Internet tracking technologies have been proposed or enacted in the United States and a number of international markets. These laws and regulations could affect the acceptance of new communications technologies and the use of current communications technologies as advertising media. These actions could affect our business and reduce demand for certain of our services, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial position.

We could be affected by future laws or regulations enacted in response to climate change concerns and other actions.

Our businesses could be indirectly affected by increased prices for goods or services provided to us by companies that are directly affected by laws and regulations aimed at mitigating the impact of climate change. Specifically, these companies may seek to pass their increased costs through to their customers. If our clients are impacted by such laws or regulations, either directly or indirectly, their spending for advertising and marketing services may decline, which could adversely impact our business, results of operations and financial position. Additionally, to comply with potential future changes in environmental laws and regulations, we may need to incur additional costs, which could impact our business, results of operations and financial position.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

None.