Item 1A.
Risk Factors
The factors discussed below are cautionary statements that identify important factors and risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements contained in this report. For more information regarding the forward-looking statements contained in this report, see the Table of Contents of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below, together with all of the other information included in this report, in considering our business and prospects. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones facing Amkor. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us may also impair our business operations. The occurrence of any of the following risks could affect our business, liquidity, results of operations, financial condition or cash flows.
Dependence on the Highly Cyclical Semiconductor Industry - We Operate in Volatile Industries and Industry Downturns and Declines in Global Economic and Financial Conditions Could Harm Our Performance.
Our business is impacted by market conditions in the semiconductor industry, which is cyclical by nature and impacted by broad economic factors, such as world-wide gross domestic product and consumer spending. The semiconductor industry has experienced significant and sometimes sudden and prolonged downturns in the past. For example, the financial crisis and global recession in 2008 and 2009 resulted in a downturn in the semiconductor industry that adversely affected our business and results of operations during those periods. The economic recovery since that time has been slow and uneven. If the industry or markets we compete in experience slower, or even negative growth, our business and results of operations may be adversely affected.
Since our business is, and will continue to be, dependent on the requirements of semiconductor companies for outsourced packaging and test services, any downturn in the semiconductor industry or any other industry that uses a significant number of semiconductor devices, such as telecommunications, consumer electronics, or computing, could have a material adverse effect on our business and operating results. During downturns, we have experienced, among other things, reduced demand, excess capacity and reduced sales. For example, generally soft economic conditions and a lack of compelling new mobile products constrained overall demand during 2015. Macroeconomic uncertainties and a cautious business climate are also expected to constrain the revenue growth in our business. It is difficult to predict the timing, strength or duration of any economic slowdown or subsequent economic recovery, which, in turn, makes it more challenging for us to forecast our operating results, make business decisions and identify risks that may affect our business, sources and uses of cash, financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, if industry conditions deteriorate, we could suffer significant losses, as we have in the past, which could materially impact our business, liquidity, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Fluctuations in Operating Results and Cash Flows - Our Operating Results and Cash Flows Have Varied and May Vary Significantly as a Result of Factors That We Cannot Control
.
Many factors, including the impact of adverse economic conditions, could have a material adverse effect on our net sales, gross profit, operating results and cash flows, or lead to significant variability of quarterly or annual operating results. Our profitability and ability to generate cash from operations is principally dependent upon demand for semiconductors, the utilization of our capacity, semiconductor package mix, the average selling price of our services, our ability to manage our capital expenditures and our ability to control our costs including labor, material, overhead and financing costs.
Our net sales, gross profit, operating income and cash flows have historically fluctuated significantly from quarter to quarter as a result of many of the following factors, over which we have little or no control and which we expect to continue to impact our business:
|
|
•
|
fluctuation in demand for semiconductors and conditions in the semiconductor industry generally, as well as by specific customers, such as inventory reductions by our customers impacting demand in key markets;
|
|
|
•
|
our ability to achieve our major growth objectives, including: transitioning second-wave customers to advanced packages; expanding our sales to customers in Greater China and, in particular, in the mid-level and entry-level tiers of the mobile device market; and increasing our share of the automotive market;
|
|
|
•
|
changes in our capacity and capacity utilization rates;
|
|
|
•
|
changes in average selling prices which can occur quickly due to the absence of long-term agreements on price;
|
|
|
•
|
changes in the mix of the semiconductor packaging and test services that we sell;
|
|
|
•
|
the development, transition and ramp to high volume manufacture of more advanced silicon nodes and evolving wafer, packaging and test technologies, may cause production delays, lower manufacturing yields and supply constraints for new wafers and other materials;
|
|
|
•
|
absence of backlog, the short-term nature of our customers’ commitments, double bookings by customers and deterioration in customer forecasts and the impact of these factors, including the possible delay, rescheduling and cancellation of large orders, or the timing and volume of orders relative to our production capacity;
|
|
|
•
|
changes in costs, quality, availability and delivery times of raw materials, components and equipment;
|
|
|
•
|
changes in labor costs to perform our services;
|
|
|
•
|
wage inflation and fluctuations in commodity prices, including gold, copper and other precious metals;
|
|
|
•
|
the timing of expenditures in anticipation of future orders;
|
|
|
•
|
changes in effective tax rates;
|
|
|
•
|
the availability and cost of financing;
|
|
|
•
|
intellectual property transactions and disputes;
|
|
|
•
|
high leverage and restrictive covenants;
|
|
|
•
|
warranty and product liability claims and the impact of quality excursions and customer disputes and returns;
|
|
|
•
|
costs associated with legal claims, indemnification obligations, judgments and settlements;
|
|
|
•
|
international events, such as the United Kingdom's vote to leave the European Union, political instability, civil disturbances or environmental or natural events, such as earthquakes like the recent ones in Japan, that impact our operations;
|
|
|
•
|
pandemic illnesses that may impact our labor force and our ability to travel;
|
|
|
•
|
costs of acquisitions and divestitures and difficulties integrating acquisitions;
|
|
|
•
|
our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel to support our global operations;
|
|
|
•
|
fluctuations in foreign exchange rates;
|
|
|
•
|
fluctuations in our manufacturing yields;
|
|
|
•
|
our ability to penetrate new end markets or expand our business in existing end markets;
|
|
|
•
|
dependence on key customers or concentration of customers in certain end markets, such as mobile communications and automotive and
|
|
|
•
|
restructuring charges, asset write-offs and impairments.
|
It is often difficult to predict the impact of these factors upon our results for a particular period. The downturn in the global economy and the semiconductor industry in 2009 increased the risks associated with the foregoing factors as customer forecasts became more volatile, and there was less visibility regarding future demand and significantly increased uncertainty regarding the economy, credit markets and consumer demand. The slow rate of economic growth in the U.S. and elsewhere and economic uncertainty worldwide could continue to cause volatility in customer forecasts and reduce our visibility regarding future demand in the semiconductor industry. These factors may have a material and adverse effect on our business, liquidity, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows or lead to significant variability of quarterly or annual operating results. In addition, these factors may adversely affect our credit ratings which could make it more difficult and expensive for us to raise capital and could adversely affect the price of our securities.
Absence of Backlog - The Lack of Contractually Committed Customer Demand May Adversely Affect Our Sales.
Our packaging and test business does not typically operate with any material backlog. Our quarterly net sales from packaging and test services are substantially dependent upon our customers’ demand in that quarter. None of our customers have committed to purchase any significant amount of packaging or test services or to provide us with binding forecasts of demand for packaging and test services for any future period, in any material amount. In addition, we sometimes experience double booking by customers and our customers often reduce, cancel or delay their purchases of packaging and test services for a variety of reasons including industry-wide, customer-specific and Amkor-specific reasons. This makes it difficult for us to forecast our capacity utilization and net sales in future periods. Since a large portion of our costs is fixed and our expense levels are based in part on our expectations of future sales, we may not be able to adjust costs in a timely manner to compensate for any sales shortfall. If we are unable to adjust costs in a timely manner, our margins, operating results, financial condition and cash flows would be adversely affected.
High Fixed Costs - Due to Our High Percentage of Fixed Costs, We Will Be Unable to Maintain Satisfactory Gross Margins if We Are Unable to Achieve Relatively High Capacity Utilization Rates.
Our operations are characterized by relatively high fixed costs. Our profitability depends in part not only on pricing levels for our packaging and test services, but also on the efficient utilization of our human resources and packaging and test equipment. Increases or decreases in our capacity utilization can significantly affect gross margins. In periods of low demand, we experience relatively low capacity utilization in our operations, which leads to reduced margins during that period. Transitions between different packaging technologies, such as the transition from gold wirebond to flip chip and copper wirebond packages, can also impact our capacity utilization if we do not efficiently redeploy our equipment for other packaging and test opportunities. For example, in 2011 the migration of some customer demand from wirebond to flip chip packages resulted in under-utilized wirebond assets which negatively impacted our capacity utilization and gross margin. We cannot assure you that we will be able to achieve consistently high capacity utilization, and if we fail to do so, our gross margins will be negatively impacted. If our gross margins decrease, our business, liquidity, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows could be materially adversely affected.
In addition, our fixed operating costs have increased in recent years in part as a result of our efforts to expand our capacity through significant capital expenditures. Forecasted customer demand for which we have made capital investments may not materialize, especially if industry conditions deteriorate. As a result, our sales may not adequately cover fixed costs resulting in reduced profit levels or causing significant losses, both of which may adversely impact our business, liquidity, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Guidance - Our Failure to Meet Our Guidance or Analyst Projections Could Adversely Impact the Trading Prices of Our Securities.
We periodically provide guidance to investors with respect to certain financial information for future periods. Securities analysts also periodically publish their own projections with respect to our future operating results. As discussed above under “
Fluctuations in Operating Results and Cash Flows - Our Operating Results and Cash Flows Have Varied and May Vary Significantly as a Result of Factors That We Cannot Control
,” our operating results and cash flows vary significantly and are difficult to accurately predict. Volatility in customer forecasts and fluctuations in global consumer demand make it particularly difficult to predict future results. To the extent we fail to meet or exceed our own guidance or the analyst projections for any reason, the trading prices of our securities may be adversely impacted. Moreover, even if we do meet
or exceed that guidance or those projections, if analysts and investors do not react favorably, or if analysts were to discontinue providing coverage of our company, the trading prices of our securities may be adversely impacted.
Declining Average Selling Prices - Historically There Has Been Downward Pressure on the Prices of Our Packaging and Test Services.
Prices for packaging and test services have generally declined over time, and sometimes prices can change significantly in relatively short periods of time. We expect downward pressure on average selling prices for our packaging and test services to continue in the future, and this pressure may intensify during downturns in business. If we are unable to offset a decline in average selling prices by developing and marketing new packages with higher prices, reducing our purchasing costs, recovering more of our material cost increases from our customers and reducing our manufacturing costs, our business, liquidity, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows could be materially adversely affected.
Decisions by Our Integrated Device Manufacturer and Foundry Customers to Curtail Outsourcing May Adversely Affect Our Business.
Historically, we have been dependent on the trend in outsourcing of packaging and test services by IDM customers. Our IDM and foundry customers continually evaluate the need for outsourced services against their own in-house packaging and test services. As a result, at any time and for a variety of reasons, IDMs and foundries may decide to shift some or all of their outsourced packaging and test services to internally sourced capacity.
The reasons IDMs and foundries may shift their outsourced business to internal capacity include:
|
|
•
|
their desire to realize higher utilization of their existing packaging and test capacity, especially during downturns in the semiconductor industry;
|
|
|
•
|
their unwillingness to disclose proprietary technology;
|
|
|
•
|
their possession of more advanced packaging and test technologies and
|
|
|
•
|
the guaranteed availability of their own packaging and test capacity.
|
In addition, to the extent we limit capacity commitments for certain customers, these customers may increase their level of in-house packaging and test capabilities, which could make it more difficult for us to regain their business when we have available capacity.
In a downturn in the semiconductor industry, IDMs and foundries could respond by shifting some or all outsourced packaging and test services to internally serviced capacity on a short-term basis. Also, the IDMs and foundries could curtail or reverse the trend of outsourcing packaging and test services. If we experience a significant loss of IDM or foundry business, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, liquidity, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows, especially during a prolonged industry downturn.
Our Substantial Indebtedness Could Adversely Affect Our Financial Condition and Prevent Us from Fulfilling Our Obligations.
We have a significant amount of indebtedness, and the terms of the agreements governing our indebtedness allow us and our subsidiaries to incur more debt, subject to certain limitations. As of
September 30, 2017
, our total debt balance was
$1,361.7 million
, of which
$118.0 million
was classified as a current liability and
$562.2 million
was collateralized indebtedness at our subsidiaries. We may consider investments in joint ventures, increased capital expenditures or acquisitions which may increase our indebtedness. If new debt is added to our consolidated debt level, the related risks that we face could intensify.
Our substantial indebtedness could:
|
|
•
|
make it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations with respect to our indebtedness, including our obligations under our indentures to purchase notes tendered as a result of a change in control of Amkor;
|
|
|
•
|
increase our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions;
|
|
|
•
|
limit our ability to fund future working capital, capital expenditures, research and development and other business opportunities, including joint ventures and acquisitions;
|
|
|
•
|
require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to service payments of interest and principal on our debt, thereby reducing the availability of our cash flow to fund future working capital, capital expenditures, research and development expenditures and other general corporate requirements;
|
|
|
•
|
increase the volatility of the price of our common stock;
|
|
|
•
|
limit our flexibility to react to changes in our business and the industry in which we operate;
|
|
|
•
|
place us at a competitive disadvantage to any of our competitors that have less debt;
|
|
|
•
|
limit, along with the financial and other restrictive covenants in our indebtedness, among other things, our ability to borrow additional funds;
|
|
|
•
|
limit our ability to refinance our existing indebtedness, particularly during periods of adverse credit market conditions when refinancing indebtedness may not be available under interest rates and other terms acceptable to us or at all and
|
|
|
•
|
increase our cost of borrowing.
|
We May Have Difficulty Funding Liquidity Needs.
We assess our liquidity based on our current expectations regarding sales, operating expenses, capital spending and debt service requirements and other funding needs. Our liquidity is affected by, among other things, the performance of our business, our capital expenditure and other investment levels and our ability to repay debt and other long-term obligations out of our operating cash flows or with the proceeds of debt or equity financings.
We operate in a capital-intensive industry. We had capital expenditures of
$414.0 million
during the
nine months ended September 30, 2017
. Servicing our current and future customers requires that we incur significant operating expenses and continue to make significant capital expenditures and other investments, which are generally made in advance of the related revenues and without firm customer commitments. Ultimately the actual amount of our capital expenditures for 2017 and thereafter may vary materially and will depend on several factors. These factors include, among others, the amount, timing and implementation of our capital projects, including those under review and those not yet planned, the performance of our business, economic and market conditions, the cash needs and investment opportunities for the business, the need for additional capacity and facilities and the availability of cash flows from operations or financing.
In addition, we have a significant level of debt, which requires significant scheduled principal and interest payments in the coming years. The sources funding our operations, including making capital expenditures and other investments and servicing principal and interest obligations with respect to our debt, are cash flows from our operations, existing cash and cash equivalents, borrowings under available debt facilities, or proceeds from any additional debt or equity financing.
The health of the worldwide banking system and capital markets affects our liquidity. If financial institutions that have extended credit commitments to us are adversely affected by the conditions of the U.S., foreign or international banking system and capital markets, they may refuse or be unable to fund borrowings under their credit commitments to us. Volatility in the banking system and capital markets could also make it difficult or more expensive for us to maintain our existing credit facilities or refinance our debt.
The trading price of our common stock has been, and is likely to continue to be, highly volatile and could be subject to wide fluctuations. Such fluctuations could impact our decision or ability to utilize the equity markets as a potential source of our funding needs in the future.
In addition, there is a risk that we could fail to generate the necessary net income or operating cash flows to meet the funding needs of our business due to a variety of factors, including the other factors discussed in this "Risk Factors" section. If we fail to generate the necessary cash flows or we are unable to access the capital markets when needed, our liquidity may be adversely impacted.
Restrictive Covenants in the Indentures and Agreements Governing Our Current and Future Indebtedness.
The indentures and agreements governing our existing debt, and debt we may incur in the future, contain, or may contain, affirmative and negative covenants that materially limit our ability to take certain actions, including our ability to incur debt, pay dividends and repurchase stock, make certain investments and other payments, enter into certain mergers and consolidations, engage in sale leaseback transactions and encumber and dispose of assets. In addition, our future debt agreements may contain financial covenants and ratios.
The breach of any of these covenants by us or the failure by us to meet any of the financial ratios or conditions could result in a default under any or all of such indebtedness. If a default occurs under any such indebtedness, all of the outstanding obligations thereunder could become immediately due and payable, which could result in a default under our other outstanding debt and could lead to an acceleration of obligations related to other outstanding debt. The existence of such a default or event of default could also preclude us from borrowing funds under our revolving credit facilities. Our ability to comply with the provisions of the indentures, credit facilities and other agreements governing our outstanding debt and indebtedness we may incur in the future can be affected by events beyond our control and a default under any debt instrument, if not cured or waived, could have a material adverse effect on us.
We Have Significant Severance Plan Obligations Associated With Our Manufacturing Operations in Korea Which Could Reduce Our Cash Flow and Negatively Impact Our Financial Condition.
Our subsidiary in Korea maintains an unfunded severance plan, under which we have an accrued liability of
$142.4 million
as of
September 30, 2017
. The plan covers certain employees that were employed prior to August 1, 2015. In the event of a significant layoff or other reduction in our labor force in Korea, our subsidiary in Korea would be required to make lump-sum severance payments under the plan, which could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity, financial condition and cash flows.
If We Fail to Maintain an Effective System of Internal Controls, We May Not be Able to Accurately Report Financial Results or Prevent Fraud.
Effective internal controls are necessary to provide reliable financial reports and to assist in the effective prevention of fraud. We must annually evaluate our internal procedures to satisfy the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which requires management and our independent registered public accounting firm to assess the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting.
Internal controls may not prevent or detect misstatements because of their inherent limitations, including the possibility of human error, the circumvention or overriding of controls, fraud or corruption. Therefore, even effective internal controls can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to the preparation and fair presentation of financial statements. In addition, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness of internal controls to future periods are subject to the risk that the internal controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
We assess our internal controls and systems on an ongoing basis, and from time-to-time, we update and make modifications to our global enterprise resource planning system. We have implemented several significant enterprise resource planning modules and expect to implement additional enterprise resource planning modules in the future. In addition, we have implemented new shop floor management systems in certain of our factories and integrated the acquired operations of Amkor Technology Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. into our overall internal control over financial reporting. In December 2015, we acquired the operations of J-Devices, and we integrated those operations into our overall internal control over financial reporting. Although we continue to monitor and assess our internal controls for these systems and operations, there is a risk that deficiencies may occur that could constitute significant deficiencies or, in the aggregate, a material weakness.
In addition, in May 2017, we completed our acquisition of Nanium, S.A. ("Nanium"). We are continuing to integrate the acquired operations into our overall internal control over financial reporting. Although we have extended our oversight and monitoring processes that support internal control over financial reporting to include the acquired operations, there is a risk that deficiencies may occur that could constitute significant deficiencies or in the aggregate a material weakness.
If we fail to remedy any deficiencies or maintain the adequacy of our internal controls, we could be subject to regulatory scrutiny, civil or criminal penalties or shareholder litigation. In addition, failure to maintain adequate internal controls could result in financial statements that do not accurately reflect our operating results or financial condition.
We Face Warranty Claims, Product Return and Liability Risks, the Risk of Economic Damage Claims and the Risk of Negative Publicity if Our Packages Fail
.
Our packages are incorporated into a number of end products, and our business is exposed to warranty claims, product return and liability risks, the risk of economic damage claims and the risk of negative publicity if our packages fail.
We receive warranty claims from our customers which occur from time to time in the ordinary course of our business. If we were to experience an unusually high incidence of warranty claims, we could incur significant costs and our business could be adversely affected. In addition, we are exposed to the product and economic liability risks and the risk of negative publicity affecting our customers. Our sales may decline if any of our customers are sued on a product liability claim. We also may suffer a decline in sales from the negative publicity associated with such a lawsuit or with adverse public perceptions in general regarding our customers' products. Further, if our packages are delivered with defects, we could incur additional development, repair or replacement costs or suffer other economic losses, and our credibility and the market's acceptance of our packages could be harmed.
Risks Associated with International Operations - We Depend on Our Factories and Operations in China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Portugal and Taiwan. Many of Our Customers' and Vendors' Operations Are Also Located Outside of the U.S.
We provide packaging and test services through our factories and other operations located in China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Portugal and Taiwan. Substantially all of our property, plant and equipment is located outside of the United States. Moreover, many of our customers and the vendors in our supply chain are located outside the U.S. The following are some of the risks we face in doing business internationally:
|
|
•
|
changes in consumer demand resulting from deteriorating conditions in local economies;
|
|
|
•
|
regulations and policies imposed by U.S. or foreign governments, such as tariffs, customs, duties and other restrictive trade barriers, antitrust and competition, tax, currency and banking, privacy, labor, environmental, health and safety;
|
|
|
•
|
laws, rules, regulations and policies within China and other countries that may favor domestic companies over non-domestic companies, including customer- or government-supported efforts to promote the development and growth of local competitors;
|
|
|
•
|
the payment of dividends and other payments by non-U.S. subsidiaries may be subject to prohibitions, limitations or taxes in local jurisdictions;
|
|
|
•
|
fluctuations in currency exchange rates, particularly with the recent acquisition of J-Devices;
|
|
|
•
|
political and social conditions, such as civil unrest and terrorism;
|
|
|
•
|
disruptions or delays in shipments caused by customs brokers or government agencies;
|
|
|
•
|
difficulties in attracting and retaining qualified personnel and managing foreign operations, including foreign labor disruptions;
|
|
|
•
|
difficulty in enforcing contractual rights and protecting our intellectual property rights;
|
|
|
•
|
potentially adverse tax consequences resulting from tax laws in the U.S. and in foreign jurisdictions in which we operate and
|
|
|
•
|
local business and cultural factors that differ from our normal standards and practices, including business practices that we are prohibited from engaging in by the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other anti-corruption laws and regulations.
|
In particular, we have significant facilities and other investments in South Korea, and there have been heightened security concerns in recent years stemming from North Korea’s nuclear weapon and long-range missile programs as well as its military actions in the region. Furthermore, there has been a history of conflict and a recent rise in tensions among other countries in the region.
We Face Risks in Connection with the Continuing Development and Implementation of Changes to, and Maintenance and Security of, Our Management Information Systems.
We depend on our management information systems for many aspects of our business. Some of our key software has been developed by our own programmers, and this software may not be easily integrated with other software and systems. Our systems may be susceptible to damage, disruptions or shutdowns due to failures during the process of upgrading, replacing or maintaining software, databases or components thereof, power outages, hardware failures, computer viruses, attacks by computer hackers, telecommunication failures, user errors, malfeasance or catastrophic events. In addition, security breaches could result in unauthorized disclosure of confidential information. From time to time we make additions or changes to our management information systems. For example, we have implemented new shop floor systems in certain of our factories, and we are integrating J-Devices' management information systems with our existing systems and processes.
In addition, in May 2017, we acquired a factory in Portugal, and have begun to integrate its management information systems into our existing systems and processes.
We face risks in connection with current and future projects to install or integrate new management information systems or upgrade our existing systems. These risks include:
|
|
•
|
we may face delays in the design and implementation of the system;
|
|
|
•
|
the cost of the systems may exceed our plans and expectations and
|
|
|
•
|
disruptions resulting from the implementation or integration of the systems may impact our ability to process transactions and delay shipments to customers, impact our results of operations or financial condition or harm our control environment.
|
Our business could be materially and adversely affected if our management information systems are disrupted or if we are unable to successfully install new systems or improve, upgrade, integrate or expand upon our existing systems.
We Face Risks Trying to Attract and Retain Qualified Employees to Support Our Operations.
Our success depends to a significant extent upon the continued service of our key senior management, sales and technical personnel, any of whom may be difficult to replace. Competition for qualified employees is intense, and our business could be adversely affected by the loss of the services of any of our existing key personnel, including senior management, as a result of competition or for any other reason. We do not have employment agreements with our key employees, including senior management or other contracts that would prevent our key employees from working for our competitors in the event they cease working for us. We cannot assure you that we will be successful in our efforts to retain key employees or in hiring and properly training sufficient numbers of qualified personnel and in effectively managing our growth. Our inability to attract, retain, motivate and train qualified new personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Difficulties Consolidating and Integrating Our Operations - We Face Challenges as We Integrate Diverse Operations.
We have experienced, and expect to continue to experience, change in the scope and complexity of our operations resulting primarily from existing and future facility consolidations, strategic acquisitions, joint ventures and other partnering arrangements. Some of the risks from these activities include those associated with the following:
|
|
•
|
increasing the scope, geographic diversity and complexity of our operations;
|
|
|
•
|
conforming an acquired company's standards, practices, systems and controls with our operations;
|
|
|
•
|
increasing complexity from combining recent acquisitions of an acquired business;
|
|
|
•
|
unexpected losses of key employees or customers of an acquired business; other difficulties in the assimilation of acquired operations, technologies or products and
|
|
|
•
|
diversion of management and other resources from other parts of our operations and adverse effects on existing business relationships with customers.
|
In connection with these activities, we may:
|
|
•
|
use a significant portion of our available cash;
|
|
|
•
|
issue equity securities, which may dilute the ownership of current stockholders;
|
|
|
•
|
incur substantial debt;
|
|
|
•
|
incur or assume known or unknown contingent liabilities and
|
|
|
•
|
incur large, immediate accounting write offs and face antitrust or other regulatory inquiries or actions.
|
For example, the businesses we have acquired had, at the time of acquisition, multiple systems for managing their own production, sales, inventory and other operations. Migrating these businesses to our systems typically is a slow, expensive process requiring us to divert significant resources from other parts of our operations. We may continue to face these challenges in the future. For example, in July 2013 and May 2017, we completed the purchase of Amkor Technology Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. and Nanium, respectively. Additionally, we increased our investment in J-Devices to 100% in 2015 through the exercise of additional options. We are now integrating these acquired entities with our existing operations. As a result of the risks discussed above, the anticipated benefits of these or other future acquisitions, consolidations and partnering arrangements may not be fully realized, if at all, and these activities could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Dependence on Materials and Equipment Suppliers - Our Business May Suffer If the Cost, Quality or Supply of Materials or Equipment Changes Adversely Including Any Disruption that May Occur in the Supply of Certain Materials due to Regulations and Customer Requirements.
We obtain from various vendors the materials and equipment required for the packaging and test services performed by our factories. We source most of our materials, including critical materials such as leadframes, laminate substrates and gold wire, from a limited group of suppliers. A disruption to the operations of one or more of our suppliers could have a negative impact on our business. For example, the severe earthquake and tsunami in Japan in 2011 had a significant adverse effect on the electronics industry supply chain by impacting the supply of specialty chemicals, substrates, silicon wafers, equipment and other supplies to the electronics industry. In addition, we purchase the majority of our materials on a purchase order basis. Our business may be harmed if we cannot obtain materials and other supplies from our vendors in a timely manner, in sufficient quantities, at acceptable quality or at competitive prices. Some of our customers are also dependent on a limited number of suppliers for certain materials and silicon wafers. Shortages or disruptions in our customers' supply channels could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. For example, the shortage in the supply of 28 nanometer wafers to some of our customers in 2012 delayed or otherwise adversely impacted the demand for certain of our advanced packaging and test services.
Rules adopted by the SEC implementing the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act impose diligence and disclosure requirements regarding the use of certain minerals originating from the conflict zones of the Democratic Republic of Congo and adjoining countries in our products. Industry associations and many of our customers have implemented initiatives to improve transparency and accountability concerning the supply of these materials and, in some cases, requiring us to certify that the covered materials we use in our packages do not come from the conflict areas. We may incur additional costs associated with complying with these requirements and customer initiatives. These requirements and customer initiatives could affect the pricing, sourcing and availability of materials used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices, and we cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain conflict-free materials in sufficient quantities and at competitive prices or that we will be able to verify the origin of all of the materials we use in our manufacturing process. If we are unable to meet these requirements and customer initiatives, it could adversely affect our business as some customers may move their business to other suppliers. Our reputation could also be adversely affected.
We purchase new packaging and test equipment to maintain and expand our operations. From time to time, increased demand for new equipment may cause lead times to extend beyond those normally required by equipment vendors. For example, in the past, increased demand for equipment caused some equipment suppliers to only partially satisfy our equipment orders in the normal time frame or to increase prices during market upturns for the semiconductor industry. The unavailability of equipment or failures to deliver equipment on a timely basis could delay or impair our ability to meet customer orders. If we are unable to meet customer orders, we could lose potential and existing customers. Generally, we acquire our equipment on a purchase order basis and do not enter into long-term equipment agreements. As a result, we could experience adverse changes in pricing, currency risk and potential shortages in equipment in a strong market, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
We are a large buyer of gold and other commodity materials including substrates and copper. The prices of gold and other commodities used in our business fluctuate. Historically, we have been able to partially offset the effect of commodity price increases through price adjustments to some customers and changes in our product designs that reduce the material content and cost, such as the use of shorter, thinner, gold wire and migration to copper wire. However, we typically do not have long-term contracts that permit us to impose price adjustments, and market conditions may limit our ability to do so. Significant price increases may adversely impact our gross margin in future periods to the extent we are unable to pass along past or future commodity price increases to our customers.
Customer Concentration and Loss of Customers - The Loss of Certain Customers or Reduced Orders or Pricing from Existing Customers May Have a Significant Adverse Effect on Our Operations and Financial Results.
We have derived and expect to continue to derive a large portion of our revenues from a small group of customers during any particular period due in part to the concentration of market share in the semiconductor industry. Our ten largest customers together accounted for 67% of our net sales for the year ended December 31, 2016, and two customers each accounted for more than 10% of our consolidated net sales during the period. In addition, we have significant customer concentration within our end markets. The loss of a significant customer, a business combination among our customers, a reduction in orders or decrease in price from a significant customer or disruption in any of our significant strategic partnerships or other commercial arrangements may result in a decline in our sales and profitability and could have a material adverse effect on our business, liquidity, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
The demand for our services from each customer is directly dependent upon that customer's financial health, level of business activity and purchasing decisions, the quality and price of our services, our cycle time and delivery performance, the customer's qualification of additional competitors on products we package or test and a number of other factors. Each of these factors could vary significantly from year to year resulting in the loss or reduction of customer orders. Our business is likely to remain subject to this variability in order levels, and we cannot assure you that our key customers or any other customers will continue to place orders with us in the future at the same levels as in past periods.
For example, if a key customer decides to purchase wafers from a semiconductor foundry that provides packaging and test services, our business could be reduced if the customer also engages that foundry for related packaging and test services. We cannot assure that customer decisions regarding the purchase of semiconductor wafers will not significantly and adversely impact customer demand for our packaging and test services.
In addition, from time to time we may acquire or build new facilities, such as K5, or migrate existing business among our facilities. In connection with these facility changes, our customers require us to re-qualify the new facilities even though we have already qualified to perform the services at our other facilities. We cannot assure that we will successfully re-qualify or that our customers will not qualify our competitors and move the business for such services.
Capital Expenditures - We Make Substantial Investments in Equipment and Facilities To Support the Demand Of Our Customers, Which May Adversely Affect Our Business If the Demand Of Our Customers Does Not Develop As We Expect or Is Adversely Affected.
We make significant investments in equipment and facilities in order to service the demand of our customers. For example, we expect that our 2017 capital expenditures will be approximately
$550 million
. The amount of our capital expenditures depends on several factors, including the performance of our business, our assessment of future industry and customer demand, our capacity utilization levels and availability, our liquidity position and the availability of financing. Our ongoing
capital expenditure requirements may strain our cash and short-term asset balances, and, in periods when we are expanding our capital base, we expect that depreciation expense and factory operating expenses associated with our capital expenditures to increase production capacity will put downward pressure on our gross margin, at least over the near term. From time to time, we also make significant capital expenditures based on specific business opportunities with one or a few key customers, and the additional equipment purchased may not be readily usable to support other customers. If demand is insufficient to fill our capacity, or we are unable to efficiently redeploy such equipment, our capacity utilization and gross margin could be negatively impacted. Our capital expenditures or cost per square foot may increase as we transition to new or more advanced packaging and test technologies because, among other things, new equipment used for these technologies is generally more expensive and often our existing equipment cannot be redeployed in whole or part for these technologies.
Furthermore, if we cannot generate or raise additional funds to pay for capital expenditures, particularly in some of the advanced packaging and bumping areas, as well as research and development activities, our growth and future profitability may be adversely affected. Our ability to obtain external financing in the future is subject to a variety of uncertainties, including:
|
|
•
|
our future financial condition, results of operations and cash flows;
|
|
|
•
|
general market conditions for financing;
|
|
|
•
|
volatility in fixed income, credit and equity markets and
|
|
|
•
|
economic, political and other global conditions.
|
The lead time needed to order, install and put into service various capital investments is often significant, and, as a result, we often need to commit to capital expenditures in advance of our receipt of firm orders or advance deposits based on our view of anticipated future demand with only very limited visibility. Although we seek to limit our exposure in this regard, in the past we have from time to time expended significant capital for additional equipment or facilities for which the anticipated demand did not materialize for a variety of reasons, many of which were outside of our control. To the extent this occurs in the future, our business, liquidity, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows could be materially adversely affected.
In addition, during periods where customer demand exceeds our capacity, customers may transfer some or all of their business to other suppliers who are able to support their needs. To the extent this occurs, our business, liquidity, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows could be materially adversely affected.
In September 2014, we started the construction of K5. The land purchase agreement includes various construction, investment, hiring, regulatory and other compliance obligations. While we completed the initial phase of construction in December 2016, there can be no assurance regarding when K5 will be fully utilized, or that the actual scope, costs, timeline or benefits of the project will be consistent with our current expectations.
Impairment Charges - Any Impairment Charges Required Under U.S. GAAP May Have a Material Adverse Effect on Our Net Income.
Under U.S. GAAP, we review our long-lived assets including property, plant and equipment, intellectual property, goodwill and other intangibles for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. In addition, we review goodwill for impairment annually during the fourth quarter of each year. Factors we consider include significant under-performance relative to expected historical or projected future operating results, significant negative industry or economic trends and our market capitalization relative to net book value. We may be required in the future to record a significant charge to earnings in our financial statements during the period in which any impairment of our long-lived assets is determined. Such charges have had and could have a significant adverse impact on our results of operations and our operating flexibility under our debt covenants.
Litigation Incident to Our Business Could Adversely Affect Us.
We have been a party to various legal proceedings, including those described from time to time in our reports filed with the SEC, and may be a party to legal proceedings in the future. These proceedings could require significant management time and resources and, if an unfavorable ruling or outcome were to occur in these legal proceedings, there could be a material
adverse impact on our business, liquidity, results of operations, financial condition, cash flows and the trading price of our securities.
We Could Suffer Adverse Tax and Other Financial Consequences if There Are Changes in Tax Laws or Taxing Authorities Do Not Agree with Our Interpretation of Applicable Tax Laws, Including Whether We Continue to Qualify for Our Tax Holidays, or if We Are Required to Establish or Adjust Valuation Allowances on Deferred Tax Assets.
Our operations are subject to tax in multiple jurisdictions with complicated and varied tax regimes. Tax laws and income tax rates in these jurisdictions are subject to change due to economic and political conditions. Changes in U.S. or foreign tax laws could have a material adverse impact on our liquidity, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. For example, in the U.S., there have been proposals to change U.S. tax laws that would significantly impact how U.S. corporations are taxed on foreign earnings. We earn a substantial portion of our income in foreign countries. In addition, changes in tax laws or regulations enacted in response to guidelines proposed by organizations such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development regarding transfer pricing and other international tax matters relating to multinational companies like Amkor could also adversely impact our future liability for income taxes in the jurisdictions where we operate. Although we cannot predict whether or in what form any of these proposals might be enacted into law, if adopted they could have a material adverse impact.
Our corporate structure and operations are based, in part, on interpretations of various U.S. and foreign tax laws, including withholding tax, compliance with tax holiday requirements, application of changes in tax law to our operations and other relevant laws of applicable taxing jurisdictions. From time to time, the taxing authorities of the relevant jurisdictions may conduct examinations of our income tax returns and other regulatory filings. We cannot assure you that the taxing authorities will agree with our interpretations, including whether we continue to qualify for our tax holidays. To the extent they do not agree, we may seek to enter into settlements with the taxing authorities which require significant payments or otherwise adversely affect our results of operations or financial condition. We may also appeal the taxing authorities' determinations to the appropriate governmental authorities, but we cannot be sure we will prevail. If we do not prevail, we may have to make significant payments or otherwise record charges (or reduce tax assets) that adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. Additionally, certain of our subsidiaries operate under tax holidays, which will expire in whole or in part at various dates in the future. As those tax holidays expire, our tax expense will increase as income from those jurisdictions becomes subject to higher statutory income tax rates, thereby reducing our liquidity and cash flow.
We monitor on an ongoing basis our ability to utilize our deferred tax assets and whether there is a need for a related valuation allowance. In evaluating our ability to recover our deferred tax assets, in the jurisdiction from which they arise, we consider all available positive and negative evidence, including scheduled reversals of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income, tax-planning strategies and results of recent operations. For most of our foreign deferred tax assets, we consider it more likely than not that we will have sufficient taxable income to allow us to realize these deferred tax assets. In the event taxable income falls short of current expectations, we may need to establish a valuation allowance against such deferred tax assets, which could materially affect our results of operations.
Intellectual Property - Our Business Will Suffer if We Are Not Able to Develop New Proprietary Technology, Protect Our Proprietary Technology and Operate Without Infringing the Proprietary Rights of Others.
The complexity and breadth of semiconductor packaging and test services are rapidly increasing. As a result, we expect that we will need to develop, acquire and implement new manufacturing processes and packaging technologies and tools in order to respond to competitive industry conditions and customer requirements. Technological advances also typically lead to rapid and significant price erosion and may make our existing packages less competitive or our existing inventories obsolete. If we cannot achieve advances in packaging design or obtain access to advanced packaging designs developed by others, our business could suffer.
The need to develop and maintain advanced packaging capabilities and equipment could require significant research and development, capital expenditures and acquisitions in future years. In addition, converting to new packaging designs or process methodologies could result in delays in producing new package types, which could adversely affect our ability to meet customer orders and adversely impact our business.
The process of seeking patent protection takes a long time and is expensive. There can be no assurance that patents will issue from pending or future applications or that, if patents are issued, the rights granted under the patents will provide us with meaningful protection or any commercial advantage. Any patents we do obtain will eventually expire, may be challenged, invalidated or circumvented and may not provide meaningful protection or other commercial advantage to us.
Some of our technologies are not covered by any patent or patent application. The confidentiality agreements on which we rely to protect these technologies may be breached and may not be adequate to protect our proprietary technologies. There can be no assurance that other countries in which we market our services will protect our intellectual property rights to the same extent as the U.S.
Our competitors may develop, patent or gain access to know-how and technology similar or superior to our own. In addition, many of our patents are subject to cross licenses, several of which are with our competitors. The semiconductor industry is characterized by frequent claims regarding the infringement of patent and other intellectual property rights. If any third party makes an enforceable infringement claim against us or our customers, we could be required to:
|
|
•
|
discontinue the use of certain processes or cease to provide the services at issue, which could curtail our business;
|
|
|
•
|
pay substantial damages;
|
|
|
•
|
develop non-infringing technologies, which may not be feasible or
|
|
|
•
|
acquire licenses to such technology, which may not be available on commercially reasonable terms or at all.
|
We may need to enforce our patents or other intellectual property rights, including our rights under patent and intellectual property licenses with third parties, or defend ourselves against claimed infringement of the rights of others through litigation, which could result in substantial cost and diversion of our resources. Furthermore, if we fail to obtain necessary licenses, our business could suffer, and we could be exposed to claims for damages and injunctions from third parties, as well as claims from our customers for indemnification. In the past, we have been involved in legal proceedings involving the acquisition and license of intellectual property rights, the enforcement of our existing intellectual property rights or the enforcement of the intellectual property rights of others. Unfavorable outcomes in any legal proceedings involving intellectual property could result in significant liabilities and could have a material adverse effect on our business, liquidity, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. The potential impact from the legal proceedings referred to in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows could change in the future.
Packaging and Test Processes Are Complex and Our Production Yields and Customer Relationships May Suffer from Defects in the Services We Provide or if We do Not Successfully Implement New Technologies.
Semiconductor packaging and test services are complex processes that require significant technological and process expertise. Defective packages primarily result from:
|
|
•
|
contaminants in the manufacturing environment;
|
|
|
•
|
changing processes to address environmental requirements;
|
|
|
•
|
defective raw materials or
|
|
|
•
|
defective plating services.
|
Test is also complex and involves sophisticated equipment and software. Similar to many software programs, these software programs are complex and may contain programming errors or “bugs.” The test equipment is also subject to malfunction. In addition, the test process is subject to operator error.
These and other factors have, from time to time, contributed to lower production yields. They may also do so in the future, particularly as we adjust our capacity, change our processing steps or ramp new technologies. In addition, we must continue to develop and implement new packaging and test technologies, and expand our offering of packages to be competitive.
Our production yields on new packages, particularly those packages which are based on new technologies, typically are significantly lower than our production yields on our more established packages.
Our failure to maintain quality standards or acceptable production yields, if significant and prolonged, could result in loss of customers, increased costs of production, delays, substantial amounts of returned goods and claims by customers relating thereto. Any of these problems could have a material adverse effect on our business, liquidity, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
In addition, in line with industry practice, new customers usually require us to pass a lengthy and rigorous qualification process that may take several months. If we fail to qualify packages with potential customers or existing customers, such failure could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Competition - We Compete Against Established Competitors in the Packaging and Test Business as Well as Internal Customer Capabilities and May Face Competition from New Competitors, Including Foundries.
The outsourced semiconductor packaging and test market is very competitive. We face substantial competition from established and emerging packaging and test service providers primarily located in Asia, including companies with significantly greater processing capacity, financial resources, local presence, research and development operations, marketing, technology and other capabilities. We also may face increased competition from domestic companies located in the People's Republic of China, or the PRC, where there are government-supported efforts to promote the development and growth of the local semiconductor industry. For example, STATS ChipPAC was acquired in 2015 by Jiangsu Electronics Technology Co., Ltd., a local PRC company. Our competitors may also have established relationships, or enter into new strategic relationships, with one or more of the large semiconductor companies that are our current or potential customers, or key suppliers to these customers. Consolidation among our competitors could also strengthen their competitive position. For example, in 2016, Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc. and Siliconware Precision Industries Co., Ltd. announced their intention to become sister companies under a new joint holding company.
We also face competition from the internal capabilities and capacity of many of our current and potential IDM and foundry customers. In addition, we compete with contract foundries, such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., which offer full turnkey services from silicon wafer fabrication through packaging and final test. These semiconductor foundries, which are substantially larger and have greater financial resources than we do, have expanded their operations to include packaging and test services, and may continue to expand these capabilities in the future.
We cannot assure you that we will be able to compete successfully in the future against our existing or potential competitors or that our customers will not rely on internal sources for packaging and test services, or that our business, liquidity, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows will not be adversely affected by such increased competition.
Environmental, Health & Safety Laws and Industry and Customer Initiatives - Future Environmental, Health & Safety Laws and Industry and Customer Initiatives Could Place Additional Burdens on Our Manufacturing Operations.
The semiconductor packaging process generates byproducts that are subject to extensive governmental regulations. For example, at our foreign facilities we produce liquid waste when semiconductor wafers are diced into chips with the aid of diamond saws, then cooled with running water. In addition, semiconductor packages have historically utilized metallic alloys containing lead (Pb) within the interconnect terminals typically referred to as leads, pins or balls. Environmental, health and safety laws and regulations in places we do business, impose various controls on the use, storage, handling, discharge and disposal of chemicals used in our production processes and on the factories we occupy and are increasingly imposing restrictions on the materials contained in semiconductor products. For example, the European Union's Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment directive and similar laws in other jurisdictions impose strict restrictions on the use of lead and other hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. We may become liable under these or other environmental, health and safety laws and regulations for the cost of compliance and cleanup of any disposal or release of hazardous materials arising out of our former or current operations, or otherwise as a result of the existence of hazardous materials on our properties or in the products we manufacture. In such an event, we could be held liable for damages, including fines, penalties and the cost of investigations and remedial actions, we could be subject
to revocation of permits negatively affecting our ability to maintain or expand our operations, and we could suffer reputational harm.
There has also been an increase in public attention and focus on the materials contained in semiconductor products, the environmental impact of semiconductor operations and the risk of chemical releases from such operations, climate change and related environmental concerns. This increased focus on the environmental impact of semiconductor operations and products has caused industry groups and our customers to impose additional requirements on us and our suppliers, sometimes exceeding regulatory standards. These requirements include increased tracking and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions, reductions in waste and wastewater from operations, additional reporting on the materials and components used in the products we manufacture, and the use of renewable energy sources in our factory operations. To comply with these additional requirements, we may need to procure additional equipment or make factory or process changes and our manufacturing costs may increase.
Our Business and Financial Condition Could be Adversely Affected by Natural Disasters and Other Calamities.
We have significant packaging and test and other operations in locations which are subject to natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons, floods, droughts, volcanoes and other severe weather and geological events, and other calamities, such as fire; the outbreak of infectious diseases (such as Ebola, SARs or flu); industrial strikes; breakdowns of equipment; difficulties or delays in obtaining materials, equipment, utilities and services; political events; acts of war, armed conflict, terrorist incidents and other hostilities, including any such events that may arise out of increased tensions involving North Korea; industrial accidents and other events, that could disrupt or even shutdown our operations. In addition, our suppliers and customers also have significant operations in such locations. In the event of such a disruption or shutdown, we may be unable to reallocate production to other facilities in a timely or cost-effective manner (if at all) and we may not have sufficient capacity to service customer demands in our other facilities. A natural disaster or other calamity that results in a prolonged disruption to our operations, or the operations of our customers or suppliers, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
For example, in April 2016, our Kumamoto factory was damaged by earthquakes in Japan. While production was restored at Kumamoto in the second quarter, our sales in the second quarter were reduced due to the temporary disruption in operations. We also incurred earthquake related costs for damaged inventory, buildings and equipment.
Also, Japan experienced a severe earthquake and tsunami in 2011 that resulted in significant disruption in the electronics industry supply chain and adversely affected Japan's economy and consumer spending. In addition, in October 2011, Thailand experienced substantial flooding which affected the facilities and operations of customers and suppliers in our industry. In addition, some of the processes that we utilize in our operations place us at risk of fire and other damage. For example, highly flammable gases are used in the preparation of wafers holding semiconductor devices for flip chip packaging. Although we maintain insurance policies for various types of property, casualty and other risks, we do not carry insurance for all the above referred risks, and with regard to the insurance we do maintain, we cannot assure you that it would be sufficient to cover all of our potential losses. As a result, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be adversely affected by natural disasters and other calamities.
Mr. James J. Kim and Members of His Family Can Effectively Determine or Substantially Influence The Outcome of All Matters Requiring Stockholder Approval.
As of
September 30, 2017
, Mr. James J. Kim, the Executive Chairman of our Board of Directors, members of Mr. Kim's immediate family and affiliates owned approximately
137.6 million
shares, or approximately
57%
, of our outstanding common stock. The Kim family also has options to acquire approximately
0.4 million
shares. If the options are exercised, the Kim family's total ownership would be an aggregate of approximately
138.0 million
shares of our outstanding common stock or approximately
58%
of our outstanding common stock.
In June 2013, the Kim family exchanged their convertible notes issued by Amkor for approximately
49.6 million
shares of common stock (the "Convert Shares"). The Convert Shares are subject to a voting agreement. The agreement requires the Kim family to vote these shares in a “neutral manner” on all matters submitted to our stockholders for a vote, so that such Convert Shares are voted in the same proportion as all of the other outstanding securities (excluding the other shares owned by the Kim family) that are actually voted on a proposal submitted to Amkor's stockholders for approval. The Kim family
is not required to vote in a “neutral manner” any Convert Shares that, when aggregated with all other voting shares held by the Kim family, represent 41.6% or less of the total then-outstanding voting shares of our common stock. The voting agreement for the Convert Shares terminates upon the earliest of (i) such time as the Kim family no longer beneficially owns any of the Convert Shares, (ii) consummation of a change of control (as defined in the voting agreement) or (iii) the mutual agreement of the Kim family and Amkor.
Mr. James J. Kim and his family and affiliates, acting together, have the ability to effectively determine or substantially influence matters submitted for approval by our stockholders by voting their shares or otherwise acting by written consent, including the election of our Board of Directors. There is also the potential, through the election of members of our Board of Directors, that the Kim family could substantially influence matters decided upon by our Board of Directors. This concentration of ownership may also have the effect of impeding a merger, consolidation, takeover or other business consolidation involving us, or discouraging a potential acquirer from making a tender offer for our shares, and could also negatively affect our stock's market price or decrease any premium over market price that an acquirer might otherwise pay. Concentration of ownership also reduces the public float of our common stock. There may be less liquidity and higher price volatility for the stock of companies with a smaller public float compared to companies with broader public ownership. Also, the sale or the prospect of the sale of a substantial portion of the Kim family shares may adversely affect the market price of our stock.