Item 1A. RISK FACTORS

Statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and elsewhere, that are forward-looking involve risks and uncertainties which may affect the Company’s actual results of operations. Certain of these risks and uncertainties which have affected and, in the future, could affect the Company’s actual results are discussed below. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements made due to new information or future events. Investors are cautioned not to place undue emphasis on these statements.

The following risk factors should be read carefully in connection with evaluation of the Company’s business and any forward-looking statements made in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and elsewhere. Any of the following risks or others discussed in this Annual Report on Form 10-K or the Company’s other SEC filings could materially adversely affect the Company’s business, operating results and financial condition.

Changes in economic conditions could negatively impact the Company’s revenues and earnings.

The Company’s biotechnology products are sold primarily to research scientists at pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and at university and government research institutions. Research and development spending by the Company’s customers and the availability of government research funding can fluctuate due to changes in available resources, mergers of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, spending priorities, general economic conditions and institutional and governmental budgetary policies. The U.S. and global economies have experienced a period of economic downturn. Such downturns, and other reductions or delays in governmental funding, could cause customers to delay or forego purchases of the Company’s products. The Company carries essentially no backlog of orders and changes in the level of orders received and filled daily can cause fluctuations in quarterly revenues and earnings.

The biotechnology and clinical control industries are very competitive, more so recently due to consolidation trends.

The Company faces significant competition across all of its product lines and in each market in which it operates. Competitors include companies ranging from start-up companies, which may be able to more quickly respond to customers’ needs, to large multinational companies, which may have greater financial, marketing, operational, and research and development resources than the Company. In addition, consolidation trends in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries have served to create fewer customer accounts and to concentrate purchasing decisions for some customers, resulting in increased pricing pressure on the Company. Moreover, customers may believe that consolidated businesses are better able to compete as sole source vendors, and therefore prefer to purchase from such businesses. The entry into the market by manufacturers in China and other low-cost manufacturing locations is also creating increased pricing and competitive pressures, particularly in developing markets. Failure to anticipate and respond to competitors’ actions may impact the Company’s future sales and earnings.

The Company’s future growth is dependent on the development of new products in a rapidly changing technological environment.

One element of the Company’s growth strategy is to increase revenues through new product releases. As a result, the Company must anticipate industry trends and develop products in advance of customer needs. New product development requires planning, designing and testing at both technological and manufacturing-process levels and may require significant research and development expenditures. There can be no assurance that any products now in development, or that the Company may seek to develop in the future, will achieve feasibility or gain market acceptance. There can also be no assurance that the Company’s competitors will not succeed in developing technologies and products in a more timely and cost effective manner than the Company. If the Company does not appropriately innovate and invest in new technologies, the Company’s technologies will become outdated, rendering the Company’s technologies and products obsolete or noncompetitive. To the extent the company fails to introduce new and innovative products, the Company may lose market share to its competitors, which may be difficult or impossible to regain.

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Acquisitions and divestures pose financial, management and other risks and challenges.

The Company routinely explores acquiring other businesses and assets. From time to time, the Company may also consider disposing of certain assets, subsidiaries, or lines of business. In early fiscal 2014, the Company finalized the acquisition of Bionostics. In the last quarter of fiscal 2014, the Company acquired PrimeGene and announced its investment in CyVek and its intention to acquire the remaining shares of CyVek in the event certain milestones were met. Subsequent to the close of fiscal 2014, the Company also acquired Novus and ProteinSimple. Acquisitions or divestitures present financial, managerial and operational challenges, including diversion of management attention, difficulty with integrating acquired businesses, integration of different corporate cultures or separating personnel and financial and other systems, increased expenses, assumption of unknown liabilities, indemnities, and potential disputes with the buyers or sellers, and the need to evaluate the financial systems of and establish internal controls for acquired entities. There can be no assurance that the Company will engage in any acquisitions or divestitures or that the Company will be able to do so on terms that will result in any expected benefits. In addition, acquisitions financed with borrowings could make the Company more vulnerable to business downturns and could negatively affect the Company’s earnings due to higher leverage and interest expense.

The Company is subject to risk associated with global operations.

The Company engages in business globally, with approximately 47% of the Company’s sales revenue in fiscal 2014 coming from outside the U.S. This subjects the Company to a number of risks, including international economic, political, and labor conditions; tax laws (including U.S. taxes on foreign subsidiaries); increased financial accounting and reporting burdens and complexities; unexpected changes in, or impositions of, legislative or regulatory requirements; failure of laws to protect intellectual property rights adequately; inadequate local infrastructure and difficulties in managing and staffing international operations; delays resulting from difficulty in obtaining export licenses for certain technology; tariffs, quotas and other trade barriers and restrictions; transportation delays; operating in locations with a higher incidence of corruption and fraudulent business practices; and other factors beyond the Company’s control, including terrorism, war, natural disasters, climate change and diseases.

The application of laws and regulations implicating global transactions is often unclear and may at times conflict. Compliance with these laws and regulations may involve significant costs or require changes in the Company’s business practices that result in reduced revenue and profitability. Non-compliance could also result in fines, damages, criminal sanctions, prohibitions business conduct, and damage to the Company’s reputation. The Company incurs additional legal compliance costs associated with its global operations and could become subject to legal penalties in foreign countries if it does not comply with local laws and regulations, which may be substantially different from those in the U.S.

The Company conducts and plans to grow its business in developing markets.

The Company’s efforts to grow its businesses depends, to a degree, on its success in developing market share in additional geographic markets including, but not limited to, China. In some cases, these countries have greater political and economic volatility and greater vulnerability to infrastructure and labor disruptions than the Company’s other markets. Operating and seeking to expand business in a number of different regions and countries exposes the Company to multiple and potentially conflicting cultural practices, business practices and legal and regulatory requirements.

In many foreign countries, particularly in those with developing economies, it may be common to engage in business practices that are prohibited by U.S. regulations applicable to the Company, such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Although the Company implements policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with these laws, there can be no assurance that all of the Company’s employees, contractors, and agents, as well as those companies to which the Company outsources certain aspects of its business operations, including those based in foreign countries where practices which violate such U.S. laws may be customary, will comply with the Company’s internal policies. Any such non-compliance, even if prohibited by the Company’s internal policies, could have an adverse effect on the Company’s business and result in significant fines or penalties.

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The Company is significantly dependent on sales made through foreign subsidiaries which are subject to changes in exchange rates and changes to the strength of foreign governments and economic conditions.

Approximately 30% of the Company’s net sales in fiscal 2014 were made through its foreign subsidiaries, which transact their sales in foreign currencies. Any adverse movement in foreign currency exchange rates could, therefore, negatively affect the Company’s revenues and earnings. Moreover, the financial crisis faced by several Eurozone countries, and the ongoing economic instability in that region, may lead to reduced spending on health care and research by Eurozone governments, which could adversely affect the Company’s European sales, as well as its revenues, financial condition and results of operations.

The Company may incur losses as a result of its investments in ChemoCentryx, Inc., CyVek, Inc. and other companies in which is does not have a majority interest, the success of which is largely out of the Company’s control.

The Company’s expansion strategies include collaborations and investments in joint ventures and companies developing new products related to the Company’s business. These strategies carry risks that objectives will not be achieved and future earnings will be adversely affected.

The Company has an approximate 14% equity investment in ChemoCentryx, Inc. (CCXI) that is valued at $37.1 million on the Company’s June 30, 2014 Consolidated Balance Sheet. CCXI is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing orally-administered therapeutics to treat autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases and cancers. The development of new drugs is a highly risky undertaking. CCXI is dependent on a limited number of products, must achieve favorable clinical trial results, obtain regulatory and marketing approval for these products and is reliant on a strategic alliance with GlaxoSmithKline. CCXI has also incurred significant losses and has yet to achieve profitability.

The ownership of CCXI shares is very concentrated, the share price is highly volatile and there is limited trading of the shares. These factors make it possible that the Company could experience future dilution or a decline in the $7.6 million unrealized gain it has on its CCXI investment and/or its original $29.5 million investment in CCXI. At August 22, 2014, the market value of the Company’s investment in CCXI was $30.9 million.

On April 1, 2014, the Company invested $10 million in CyVek, Inc. in exchange for shares of CyVek’s common stock representing approximately 19.9% of the outstanding voting stock of CyVek. In connection with this investment, the Company also became a party to CyVek’s existing investor agreements and has an observer seat on CyVek’s board of directors. CyVek is an instrument company that has developed a microfluidics instrument platform and related reagents for performing immunoassays and other assays for the research market. Cyvek has incurred significant losses and has not yet achieved profitability. There is no assurance that the Company’s investment in CyVek will bring sufficient returns, and may in fact result in losses.

The Company’s success will be dependent on recruiting and retaining highly qualified personnel.

Recruiting and retaining qualified scientific, production and management personnel are critical to the Company’s success. The Company’s anticipated growth and its expected expansion into areas and activities requiring additional expertise will require the addition of new personnel and the development of additional expertise by existing personnel. The failure to attract and retain such personnel could adversely affect the Company’s business.

The Company is dependent on maintaining its intellectual property rights.

The Company’s success depends in part on its ability to protect and maintain its intellectual property, including trade secrets. The Company attempts to protect trade secrets in part through confidentiality agreements, but those agreements can be breached, and if they are, there may not be an adequate remedy. If trade secrets become publicly known, the Company could lose its competitive position.

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In addition, the Company’s success depends in part on its ability to operate without infringing the proprietary rights of others, and to obtain licenses where necessary or appropriate. The Company has obtained and continues to negotiate licenses to produce a number of products claimed to be owned by others. Since the Company has not conducted a patent infringement study for each of its products, it is possible that products of the Company may unintentionally infringe patents of third parties.

The Company has been and may in the future be sued by third parties alleging that the Company is infringing their intellectual property rights. These lawsuits are expensive, take significant time, and divert management’s focus from other business concerns. If the Company is found to be infringing the intellectual property of others, it could be required to cease certain activities, alter its products or processes or pay licensing fees. This would cause unexpected costs and delays which may have a material adverse effect on the Company. If the Company is unable to obtain a required license on acceptable terms, or unable to design around any third party patent, it may be unable to sell some of its products and services, which could result in reduced revenue. In addition, if the Company does not prevail, a court may find damages or award other remedies in favor of the opposing party in any of these suits, which may adversely affect the Company’s earnings.

The Company has entered into and drawn on a revolving credit facility. The burden of this additional debt could adversely affect the Company, make it more vulnerable to adverse economic or industry conditions, and prevent it from funding its expansion strategy.

In connection with the acquisition of ProteinSimple in July 2014, the Company entered into a revolving credit facility, governed by a Credit Agreement dated July 28, 2014. The Credit Agreement provides for a revolving credit facility of $150 million, which can be increased by an additional $150 million subject to certain conditions. Borrowings under the Credit Agreement bear interest at a variable rate. As of July 31, 2014, the Company had drawn $125 million under the Credit Agreement.

The terms of the Credit Agreement and the burden of the indebtedness incurred thereunder could have negative consequences for us, such as:

	•		limiting our ability to obtain additional financing to fund our working capital, capital expenditures, debt service requirements, expansion strategy, or other needs;

	•		increasing the Company’s vulnerability to, and reducing its flexibility in planning for, adverse changes in economic, industry and competitive conditions; and

	•		increasing the Company’s vulnerability to increases in interest rates.

The Credit Agreement also contains negative covenants that limit our ability to engage in specified types of transactions. These covenants limit our ability to, among other things, sell, lease or transfer any properties or assets, with certain exceptions; and enter into certain merger, consolidation or other reorganization transactions, with certain exceptions.

A breach of any of these covenants could result in an event of default under our credit facility. Upon the occurrence of an event of default, the lender could elect to declare all amounts outstanding under such facility to be immediately due and payable and terminate all commitments to extend further credit. In addition, the Company would be subject to additional restrictions if an event of default exists under the Credit Agreement, such as a prohibition on the payment of cash dividends.

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The Company’s business is subject to governmental laws and regulations.

The Company’s operations are subject to regulation by various US federal, state and international agencies. Laws and regulations enacted and enforced by these agencies impact all aspects of the Company’s operations including design, development, manufacturing, labeling, selling and the importing and exporting of products across international borders. Any changes to laws and regulations governing such activities could have an effect on the Company’s operations and ability to obtain regulatory clearance or approval of the Company’s products. If the Company fails to comply with any of these regulations, it may become subject to fines, penalties or actions that could impact development, manufacturing and distribution and/or increase costs or reduce sales. The approval process applicable to clinical control products of the type that may be developed by the Company may take a year or more. Delays in obtaining approvals could adversely affect the marketing of new products developed by the Company, and negatively affect the Company’s revenues.

As a multinational corporation, the Company is subject to the tax laws and regulations of U.S. federal, state and local governments and of several international jurisdictions. From time to time, new tax legislation may be implemented which could adversely affect current or future tax filings or negatively impact the Company’s effective tax rate and thus increase future tax payments.

The Company relies heavily on internal manufacturing and related operations to produce, package and distribute its products.

The Company manufactures the majority of the products it sells at its Minneapolis, Minnesota facility. Quality control, packaging and distribution operations support all of the Company’s sales. Since the Company creates value for its customers through the development of high-quality products, any significant decline in quality or disruption of operations for any reason, particularly at the Minneapolis facility, could adversely affect sales and customer relationships, and therefore adversely affect the business. While the Company has taken certain steps to manage these operational risks, and while insurance coverage may reimburse, in whole or in part, for losses related to such disruptions, the Company’s future sales growth and earnings may be adversely affected by perceived disruption risks or actual disruptions.

The design and manufacture of products involves certain inherent risks. Manufacturing or design defects could lead to recalls, litigation or alerts relating to the Company’s products. A recall could result in significant costs and damage to the Company’s reputation which could reduce demand, particularly for certain of its regulated products.

Disruptions in the supply and cost of raw materials could reduce the Company’s earnings, cash flow, and ability to meet customers’ needs.

The Company’s products are made from a wide variety of raw materials that are generally available from alternate sources of supply. However, some of the Company’s products are available only from a single supplier. If such suppliers were to limit or terminate production or otherwise fail to supply these materials for any reason, such failures could have a material adverse impact on the Company’s product sales and business. In addition, price increases for raw materials could adversely affect the Company’s earnings and cash flow.

Increased exposure to product liability claims could adversely affect the Company’s earnings.

Product liability is a major risk in testing and marketing biotechnology and pharmaceutical products offered by the Company’s customers. Currently these risks are primarily borne by the Company’s customers. As the Company’s products and services are further integrated into customers’ production processes, the Company may become increasingly exposed to product liability and other claims in the event that the use of its products or services is alleged to have resulted in adverse effects. There can be no assurance that a future product liability claim or series of claims brought against the Company would not have an adverse effect on the Company’s business or the results of operations. The Company’s business may be materially and adversely affected by a successful product liability claim or claims in excess of any insurance coverage that it may have. In addition, product liability claims, regardless of their merits, could be costly, divert management’s attention, and adversely affect the Company’s reputation and demand for its products.

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Any such product liability claims brought against the Company could be significant and any adverse determination may result in liabilities in excess of the Company’s insurance coverage. Although the Company carries product liability insurance, it cannot be certain that current insurance will be sufficient to cover these claims or that it can be maintained on acceptable terms, if at all.

Cyber security risks and the failure to maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the Company’s computer hardware, software, and Internet applications and related tools and functions could result in damage to the Company’s reputation and/or subject the Company to costs, fines, or lawsuits.

The integrity and protection of the Company’s own data, and that of its customers and employees, is critical to the Company’s business. The regulatory environment governing information, security and privacy laws is increasingly demanding and continues to evolve. Maintaining compliance with applicable security and privacy regulations may increase the Company’s operating costs and/or adversely impact the Company’s ability to market its products and services to customers. Although the Company’s computer and communications hardware is protected through physical and software safeguards, it is still vulnerable to fire, storm, flood, power loss, earthquakes, telecommunications failures, physical or software break-ins, software viruses, and similar events. These events could lead to the unauthorized access, disclosure and use of non-public information. The techniques used by criminal elements to attack computer systems are sophisticated, change frequently and may originate from less regulated and remote areas of the world. As a result, the Company may not be able to address these techniques proactively or implement adequate preventative measures. If the Company’s computer systems are compromised, it could be subject to fines, damages, litigation, and enforcement actions, customers could curtail or cease using its applications, and the Company could lose trade secrets, the occurrence of which could harm its business.