FirstEnergy (FE) risk factors: FY2025 10-K

Item 1A of the 10-K for the period ending 2025-12-31, filed 2026-02-18. 45 risk factor headings as filed. Read Item 1A in full · The whole 10-K · What changed since FY2024

2new since FY2024
10reworded
4removed
33unchanged

Headings mentioning a theme: Tariffs 2 · AI 0 · Cybersecurity 1 · China 0 · Interest rates 1. Compare across the S&P 500.

Risks Associated with Damage to Our Reputation and Securities Class-Action Litigation

2
  1. Securities class-action litigation against us could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business, financial condition, results of operations, our ability to access capital, liquidity or cash flows.reworded
  2. Damage to our reputation may arise from numerous sources making us vulnerable to negative customer perception, adverse regulatory outcomes, or other consequences, which could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Read these in Item 1A · See the changes

Risks Associated with the Execution of Our Strategic Initiatives and the Regulation of Our Distribution and Transmission Businesses

7
  1. If our cost saving initiatives do not achieve the expected benefits, there could be negative impacts to FirstEnergy's business, results of operations and financial condition.
  2. Our ability to grow our distribution and transmission businesses is subject to numerous risks and events, many of which are outside of our control.
  3. State rate regulation may delay or deny full recovery of costs and impose risks on our operations. Any denial of or delay in cost recovery could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, liquidity, cash flows and financial condition.
  4. Federal rate regulation may delay or deny full recovery of costs and impose risks on our operations. Any denial or reduction of, or delay in cost recovery could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.
  5. External pressures beyond our control may increase customer rates and, when combined with state and federal regulatory action to mitigate bill impacts, may impair our ability to earn a fair and equitable return on our investments and execute our strategy.new
  6. Complex and changing federal, state and local government regulations and actions, including those associated with rates, could have a negative impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
  7. We could be subject to higher costs and/or penalties related to mandatory reliability standards set by NERC, FERC, and RFC or changes in the rules of organized markets, which could have an adverse effect on our financial condition.reworded

Read these in Item 1A · See the changes

Risks Related to Our Business Operations

18
  1. Demand for electricity within our service territory could exceed supply capacity, resulting in negative impacts to FirstEnergy’s reputation, results and financial condition, particularly if our systems are not performing as anticipated.
  2. The hazardous activities associated with generation and distribution of electricity could adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition.
  3. Our business is affected by variations in weather and severe weather conditions.
  4. Cyber-attacks, data security breaches and other disruptions to our information technology systems, or those of third parties we are connected to or do business with, could compromise our business operations, critical and proprietary information and employee and customer data, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and reputation.rewordedCybersecurity
  5. Our insurance coverage may not provide protection against all significant losses and our ability to obtain insurance coverage, as well as the terms of any available insurance coverage could be materially adversely affected by international, national, state or local events and company-specific events, as well as the financial condition of insurers.
  6. Macroeconomic conditions that are beyond our control, such as government fiscal policy, tariffs, recessions, inflation and interest rate pressures, may negatively impact our financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows.TariffsInterest rates
  7. Supply chain disruptions could have an adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flow and financial condition.reworded
  8. We are subject to financial performance risks from regional and general economic cycles as well as data centers and heavy industries such as shale gas, automotive, chemical and steel.
  9. FirstEnergy is subject to risks arising from the operation of its electric generation facilities and transmission and distribution equipment which could reduce revenues, increase expenses and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.reworded
  10. Capital investments and construction projects may not be completed within forecasted budget, schedule or scope parameters or could be canceled which could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
  11. Physical acts of war, terrorism, sabotage or other attacks on any of our facilities or other infrastructure could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.
  12. Failure to provide safe and reliable service and equipment could result in serious injury or loss of life that may harm our business reputation and adversely affect our operating results.
  13. The outcome of litigation, arbitration, mediation, and similar proceedings involving our business, or that of one or more of our operating subsidiaries, is unpredictable. An adverse decision in any material proceeding could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
  14. We face certain human resource risks associated with potential labor disruptions and/or with the availability of trained and qualified labor to meet our future staffing requirements.
  15. Significant increases in our operation and maintenance expenses, including our health care and pension costs, could adversely affect our future earnings and liquidity.
  16. Advances in and widespread adoption of distributed generation and regulatory policies may make our facilities significantly less competitive and adversely affect our results of operations.
  17. Energy companies are subject to adverse publicity that makes them vulnerable to negative regulatory and legislative outcomes, which could have an adverse impact on our business.
  18. Our results of operations could be adversely affected by events beyond our control, such as natural disasters, public health crises, government shutdowns, trade wars, recessions, political crises, negative global climate patterns, mine subsidence, or other catastrophic events.Tariffs

Read these in Item 1A · See the changes

Risks Associated with Climate Change, GHG Emissions and Other Environmental Matters

10
  1. Our aspirations and disclosures related to climate matters expose us to risks that could adversely affect our reputation and performance.
  2. MP has coal-fired generation capacity, which exposes it to risk from regulations relating to coal, GHGs and CCRs, which could lead to increased costs or the need to spend significant resources to defend allegations of violation. (Applies to FE)reworded
  3. We are or may be subject to environmental liabilities, including costs of remediation of environmental contamination at current or formerly owned facilities, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
  4. Concerns about GHG emissions and the potential risks associated with climate change have led to increased regulation and other actions that could impact our businesses.
  5. Costs of compliance with environmental laws are significant, and the cost of compliance with new environmental laws, including limitations on GHG emissions related to climate change, could adversely affect our cash flows and financial condition.
  6. The EPA may conduct NSR investigations at FirstEnergy’s electric generation facilities, which could result in the imposition of fines.reworded
  7. We could be exposed to private rights of action relating to environmental matters seeking damages under various state and federal law theories which could have an adverse impact on our results of operations, financial condition, cash flows and business operations.
  8. Transition risks associated with climate change, including those related to regulatory mandates could negatively impact our financial results.
  9. Financial and reputational risks associated with owning coal-fired generation may have an adverse impact on FE's business operations, financial condition and cash flows.reworded
  10. The physical risks associated with climate change may have an adverse impact on our business operations, financial condition and cash flows.

Read these in Item 1A · See the changes

Risks Associated with Markets and Financial Matters

8
  1. Our results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected by the volatility in pension and OPEB investments and obligations due to capital market performance and other changes.
  2. Failure to comply with debt covenants in our credit agreements or conditions could adversely affect our ability to execute future borrowings and/or require early repayment, and could restrict our ability to obtain additional or replacement financing on acceptable terms or at all.
  3. A credit rating downgrade could negatively affect our or our subsidiaries’ financing costs, ability to access capital and requirement to post collateral.
  4. In the event of volatility or unfavorable conditions in the capital and credit markets, our business, including the immediate availability and cost of short-term funds for liquidity requirements, our ability to meet long-term commitments and the competitiveness and liquidity of energy markets may be adversely affected, which could negatively impact our results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.
  5. Changes in local, state or federal tax laws applicable to us or adverse audit results or tax rulings, and any resulting increases in taxes and fees, may adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
  6. FE is a holding company and relies on cash from its subsidiaries to meet its financial obligations and therefore any restrictions on the Electric Companies and Transmission Companies’ ability to pay dividends or make cash payments to FE may adversely affect its cash flows and financial condition. (Applies to FE)reworded
  7. FE cannot assure its common shareholders that future dividend payments will be made, or if made, in what amounts they may be paid. (Applies to FE)reworded
  8. JCP&L may recognize impairments of recorded goodwill, which would result in write-offs of the impaired amounts and could have an adverse effect on its results of operations. (Applies to JCP&L)new

Read these in Item 1A · See the changes

No longer in Item 1A

4

Headings in the FY2024 10-K with no match this year.

  1. The HB 6 related state regulatory investigations could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity or cash flows.
  2. We have a minority ownership stake in a coal mine that requires governmental permits and approvals to operate, and a failure of the coal mine to renew and maintain such permits and approvals may adversely affect our results of operations and cash flow.
  3. Our results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected by certain risks related to our minority interest in a coal mine.
  4. The IRA of 2022 could change the rate of taxes imposed on us and could negatively affect our cash flows and financial condition.

Headings are the lines of Item 1A set wholly in bold or italics, as the parser reads them, without the introductory paragraph that opens the section. A heading is new when no heading in the prior 10-K matches it after ignoring case and punctuation, and reworded when it shares at least 60 percent of its words with one that went away. Source: the filing on sec.gov.