Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
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Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
(a) Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Management, including our Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), has evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act), as of the end of the period covered by this report. Based on such evaluation, our CEO and CFO concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of the end of such period because of the material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting described below.
Inherent Limitations on Effectiveness of Controls
Management does not expect that the internal control over financial reporting will prevent or detect all errors and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well-designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the control system’s objectives will be met. The design of any system of controls is based in part on certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions.
(b) Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(f). The internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
Management conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting based on the Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework). Based on the assessment by management, it was determined that the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was not effective due to the material weaknesses described below.
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We did not design and maintain effective controls over certain information technology general controls (“ITGCs”) for certain business systems related to the Company’s financial reporting processes. Specifically, the Company did not design sufficient controls to (i) manage user access to systems, (ii) ensure that program changes made to systems were authorized and approved, or (iii) identify and resolve system issues impacting the financial reporting process. Certain business process controls and IT interfaces that are dependent on the ineffective ITGCs, or that rely on data produced from systems impacted by the ineffective ITGCs, could have been adversely impacted, and were also deemed ineffective.
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We did not design and maintain (i) effective review controls, including the retention of evidence to support the design and operating effectiveness of controls and (ii) effective controls over the completeness and accuracy of information produced by the entity utilized in the performance of controls, including the retention of relevant evidence to support the design and operating effectiveness of controls. These deficiencies primarily affected controls over revenue and related accounts, income taxes and excess and obsolete inventory, and other controls as a part of our reporting and disclosure process.
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We did not design and maintain effective controls over the evaluation of standalone selling prices of performance obligations utilized in accounting for revenue, including review controls over the establishment and subsequent changes to standard pricing and discounting.
The effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting at the end of 2024 has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report.
(c) Remediation of Previously Reported Material Weaknesses
Remediation Plan for Material Weaknesses
Management, with the oversight of the Audit Committee, is currently taking actions to remediate the material weaknesses and is implementing additional processes and controls to address the underlying causes associated with the material weaknesses described above. These efforts include:
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We are in the process of finalizing the design and implementation of controls of certain ITGCs for business systems related to the Company’s financial reporting processes.
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We are in the process of updating our policies and practices related to maintaining evidence of review of business process controls, including the review of information used in the performance of controls.
- We are in the process of finalizing the design and implementation of controls over the evaluation of standalone selling prices of performance obligations utilized in accounting for revenue, including review controls over pricing and discounting.
The material weaknesses will not be considered remediated until the applicable remedial controls operate for a sufficient period of time and management has concluded, through testing, that these controls are operating effectively. We believe the measures described above will remediate the control deficiencies we have identified and strengthen our internal control over financial reporting. We are committed to continuing to improve our internal control processes and will continue to review, optimize, and enhance our financial reporting controls and procedures.
The process of designing and implementing an effective financial reporting system is a continuous effort that requires us to anticipate and react to changes in our business and the economic and regulatory environments, and to expend significant resources to maintain a financial reporting system that is adequate to satisfy our reporting obligations. As we continue to evaluate and take actions to improve our internal control over financial reporting, we may determine to take additional actions to address control deficiencies or determine to modify certain of the remediation measures described above.
(d) Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
In addition to the identified material weaknesses noted above, we are implementing a customer relationship management tool across our businesses as a strategic initiative that will replace many legacy systems and that could materially affect our internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rules 13a - 15(f) and 15d - 15(f) under the Exchange Act). Other than as described above, there have been no changes that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting during the period for which this report relates.
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