A Dark Vector Cognition product

Item 1A. RISK FACTORS

8K characters. Original on sec.gov ·

Item 1A. RISK FACTORS

The description of certain risk factors described under “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A, of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2021 is supplemented in Item 1A of Part II of Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ending December 31, 2021 filed with the SEC on February 2, 2022. Other than as described in this Item 1A, there have been no other material changes to our risk factors from the risk factors previously disclosed in our 2021 Annual Report and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three-month period ended December 31, 2021.

The ability of suppliers to deliver raw materials, parts and components to our manufacturing facilities, and our ability to manufacture without disruption, could affect our results of operations.

We use a wide range of materials (primarily steel, copper and aluminum) and components (including semiconductors and other electronic components) in the global production of our products, which come from numerous suppliers around the world. Because not all of our business arrangements provide for guaranteed supply and some key parts may be available only from a single supplier or a limited group of suppliers, we are subject to supply and pricing risk. Our operations and those of our suppliers are subject to disruption for a variety of reasons, including COVID-19-related supplier plant shutdowns or slowdowns, transportation delays, work stoppages, labor relations, labor shortages, global geopolitical instability (including the Russia/Ukraine conflict), price inflation, governmental regulatory and enforcement actions, intellectual property claims against suppliers, financial issues such as supplier bankruptcy, information technology failures, and hazards such as fire, earthquakes,

flooding, or other natural disasters. For example, we expect to continue to be impacted by the following supply chain issues, due to economic, political and other factors largely beyond our control: increased input material costs and component shortages; supply chain disruptions and delays and cost inflation, all of which could continue or escalate in the future. In addition, some of our subcontractors have also experienced supply chain and labor disruptions, which have and are expected to continue to impact our ability to timely complete projects and convert our backlog. The effects of climate change, including extreme weather events, long-term changes in temperature levels, water availability, increased cost for decarbonizing process heating, supply costs impacted by increasing energy costs, or energy costs impacted by carbon prices or offsets may exacerbate these risks. Such disruptions have and could continue to interrupt our ability to manufacture or obtain certain products and components, thereby adversely impacting our ability to provide products to customers and convert our backlog into revenue and realize expected profit margins. Any significant disruption could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Material supply shortages and delays in deliveries, along with other factors such as price inflation, can also result in increased pricing. While many of our customers permit quarterly or other periodic adjustments to pricing based on changes in component prices and other factors, we may bear the risk of price increases that occur between any such repricing or, if such repricing is not permitted, during the balance of the term of the particular customer contract. The inability to timely convert our backlog due to supply chain disruptions has and is expected to continue to subject us to pricing risk due to cost inflation occurring between the generation of backlog and its conversion into revenue. If we are unable to effectively manage the impacts of price inflation and timely convert our backlog, our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows could materially and adversely be affected.

The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine may adversely affect our business and results of operations.

Due to the international scope of our operations, political, economic, and other conditions in foreign countries and regions, including geopolitical risks such as the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine, may adversely affect our business and results of operations. We have suspended our operations in Russia, which has not had and is not expected to have a material impact on our operating results. However, the broader consequences of this conflict, including heightened supply chain disruptions, inflation, economic instability and other factors have and could continue to adversely impact our results of operations. Other potential consequences arising from the conflict, which may include further sanctions, embargoes, regional instability, geopolitical shifts; potential retaliatory action by the Russian government against companies, including us, as a result of the suspension of operations in Russia; increased tensions among countries in which we operate; and the extent of the conflict’s effect on our business and results of operations as well as the global economy, cannot be predicted.

To the extent the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine adversely affects our business, it may also have the effect of heightening other risks disclosed in our Annual Report, any of which could materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations. Such risks include, but are not limited to, adverse effects on macroeconomic conditions, including inflation, supply chain disruptions and commodity price volatility; an increased likelihood that escalation of tensions could result in cyberattacks that could either directly or indirectly impact our operations; adverse changes in international trade policies and relations; decline in demand due to downturns in the industries we serve; our exposure to foreign currency fluctuations; and disruption or volatility in economic and financial markets.

ITEM 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS

In March 2021, the Company's Board of Directors approved a $4.0 billion increase to the Company's share repurchase authorization, adding to the $2.0 billion remaining as of December 31, 2020 under the prior share repurchase authorization approved in 2019. The share repurchase authorization does not have an expiration date and may be amended or terminated by the Board of Directors at any time without prior notice. During the three and six months ended March 31, 2022, the Company repurchased approximately $0.5 billion and $1.0 billion of its ordinary shares on an open market, respectively. As of March 31, 2022, approximately $4.0 billion remains available under the share repurchase authorization.

The following table presents information regarding the repurchase of the Company’s ordinary shares by the Company as part of its publicly announced program during the three months ended March 31, 2022.

PeriodTotal Number of Shares PurchasedAverage Price Paid per ShareTotal Number of Shares Purchased as Part of the Publicly Announced ProgramApproximate Dollar Value of Shares that May Yet be Purchased under the Programs
1/1/22 - 1/31/22
Purchases by Company2,635,094$75.312,635,094$4,330,507,609
2/1/22 - 2/28/22
Purchases by Company2,688,61668.302,688,6164,146,882,490
3/1/22 - 3/31/22
Purchases by Company1,988,45563.811,988,4554,019,992,983

During the three months ended March 31, 2022, acquisitions of shares by the Company from certain employees in order to satisfy employee tax withholding requirements in connection with the vesting of restricted shares were not material.

Previous: Item 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES · Next: Item 6. EXHIBITS