ITEM 1 — Business
INTRODUCTION
Lindsay Corporation, along with its subsidiaries (collectively called “Lindsay” or the “Company”), is a global leader in providing a variety of proprietary water management and road infrastructure products and services. The Company has been involved in the manufacture and distribution of agricultural irrigation equipment since 1955 and has grown from a regional company to an international water efficiency solutions and highway infrastructure firm with worldwide sales and distribution. Lindsay, a Delaware corporation, maintains its corporate offices in Omaha, Nebraska. The Company has operations which are categorized into two major reporting segments, Irrigation and Infrastructure.
Irrigation Segment – The Company’s irrigation segment includes the manufacture and marketing of center pivot, lateral move, and hose reel irrigation systems which are used principally in the agricultural industry to increase or stabilize crop production while conserving water, energy and labor. The irrigation segment also manufactures and markets repair and replacement parts for its irrigation systems and controls and large diameter steel tubing. The Company continues to strengthen irrigation product offerings through innovative technology such as Global Positioning System (“GPS”) positioning and guidance, variable rate irrigation, wireless irrigation management, irrigation scheduling, Industrial Internet of Things (“IIOT”) technology solutions and smartphone applications. The Company’s primary domestic irrigation manufacturing facilities are located in Lindsay, Nebraska and Olathe, Kansas. Internationally, the Company has production operations in Brazil, France, China, Turkey, and South Africa, as well as distribution and sales operations in the Netherlands, Egypt, Australia, and New Zealand. The Company also exports equipment from the U.S. and its global production facilities to other international markets.
Infrastructure Segment – The Company’s infrastructure segment includes the manufacture and marketing of moveable barriers, specialty barriers, crash cushions and end terminals, road marking and road safety equipment, and railroad signals and structures. The principal infrastructure manufacturing facilities are located in Rio Vista, California; Milan, Italy; and Lindsay, Nebraska.
PRODUCTS BY SEGMENT
IRRIGATION SEGMENT
Products - The Company manufactures and markets its center pivot, lateral move irrigation systems, and irrigation controls in the U.S. and internationally under its Zimmatic® brand. The Company also manufactures and markets hose reel travelers under the Perrot™ brand. The Company also produces or markets chemical injection systems, variable rate irrigation systems, flow meters, weather stations, soil moisture sensors, and remote monitoring and control systems. In addition to whole systems, the Company manufactures and markets repair and replacement parts for its irrigation systems and controls and large diameter steel tubing. Furthermore, the Company designs and manufactures innovative IIOT technology solutions, data acquisition and management systems, and custom electronic equipment for critical applications under its Elecsys™ brand.
The Company’s irrigation systems are primarily of the standard center pivot type, with a small portion of its products consisting of the lateral move type. Both are automatic move systems consisting of sprinklers mounted on a water carrying pipeline which is supported approximately 11 feet off the ground by a truss system suspended between moving towers.
A standard center pivot in the U.S. is typically seven spans and approximately 1,300 feet long and is designed to circle within a quarter‑section of land, which comprises 160 acres, wherein it irrigates approximately 125 to 130 acres. A center pivot or lateral move system can also be custom designed and can irrigate from 25 to 600+ acres.
A center pivot system represents a significant investment to a farmer. In a dry land conversion to center pivot irrigation, approximately one‑half of the investment is for the pivot itself, and the remainder is attributable to installation of additional equipment such as wells, pumps, underground water pipes, electrical supply, and a concrete pad upon which the pivot is anchored. The Company’s center pivot and lateral move irrigation systems can be enhanced with a family of integrated proprietary products such as GPS monitoring and other automated controls.
The Company also manufactures and distributes hose reel travelers. Hose reel travelers are typically deployed in smaller or irregular fields and usually are easy to operate, easy to move from field to field, and a smaller investment than a typical standard center pivot.
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The Company also markets proprietary remote monitoring and automation technology that works on any brand of electronic pivot and drip irrigation systems and is sold on a subscription basis under the FieldNET® product name. FieldNET® technology enables growers to remotely monitor and operate irrigation equipment, saving time, and reducing water and energy consumption. The technology uses cellular or radio frequency communication systems to remotely acquire data relating to various conditions in an irrigated field, including operational status of the irrigation system, position of the irrigation system, water usage, weather and soil conditions, and similar data. The system can remotely control the irrigation system, altering the speed to vary water application amounts, and controlling pump station and diesel generator operation. Data management and control is achieved using applications running on various personal computer or mobile devices connected to the internet.
The Company also markets patented technology under the FieldNET Advisor® product name which delivers information that helps farmers decide precisely when, where and how much to irrigate. This technology combines crop and irrigation science and expertise accumulated since 1955 with FieldNET’s cloud computing capabilities, remote sensing functionality and machine learning to provide farmers with field-specific and crop-specific irrigation recommendations.
Other Types of Irrigation – Center pivot and lateral move irrigation systems compete with three other types of irrigation: flood, drip, and other mechanical devices such as hose reel travelers and solid set sprinklers. The bulk of worldwide irrigation is accomplished by traditional flood irrigation. Flood irrigation is accomplished by either flooding an entire field, or by providing a water source (ditches or a pipe) along the side of a field, which is planed and slopes slightly away from the water source. The water is released to the crop rows through gates in the ditch or pipe, or through siphon tubes arching over the ditch wall into some of the crop rows. It runs down through the crop row until it reaches the far end of the row, at which time the water source is moved and another set of rows are flooded. Disadvantages or limitations of flood irrigation include that it cannot be used to irrigate uneven, hilly, or rolling terrain, it can be wasteful or inefficient and coverage can become inconsistently applied. In “drip” or “low flow” irrigation, perforated plastic pipe or tape is installed on the ground or buried underground at the root level. Several other types of mechanical devices, such as hose reel travelers, irrigate the remaining irrigated acres.
Center pivot, lateral move, and hose reel traveler irrigation offer significant advantages when compared with other types of irrigation. It requires less labor and monitoring; can be used on sandy ground, which, due to poor water retention ability, must have water applied frequently; can be used on uneven ground, thereby allowing previously unsuitable land to be brought into production; can be used for the application of fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, or other chemicals (termed “fertigation” or “chemigation”); and conserves water and chemicals through precise control of the amount and timing of the application.
Markets – Water is an essential and critical requirement for crop production, and the extent, regularity, and frequency of water application can be a critical factor in crop quality and yield. The fundamental factors which govern the demand for center pivot and lateral move systems are essentially the same in both the U.S. and international markets. Demand for center pivot and lateral move systems is determined by whether the value of the increased crop production and cost savings attributable to center pivot or lateral move irrigation exceeds any increased costs associated with purchasing, installing, and operating the equipment. Thus, the decision to purchase a center pivot or lateral move system, in part, reflects the profitability of agricultural production, which is determined primarily by the prices of agricultural commodities and the costs of other farming inputs. In new or developing international markets, demand for irrigation systems can also be driven by food security concerns and the desire of some countries to become more self-sufficient in food production.
The current demand for center pivot systems has three sources: conversion to center pivot systems from less water-efficient, more labor-intensive types of irrigation; replacement of older center pivot systems, which are beyond their useful lives or are technologically obsolete; and conversion of dry land farming to irrigated farming. Demand for center pivots and lateral move irrigation equipment also depends upon the need for the particular operational characteristics and advantages of such systems in relation to alternative types of irrigation, primarily flood. More efficient use of the basic natural resources of land, water, and energy helps drive demand for center pivot and lateral move irrigation equipment. An increasing global population not only increases demand for agricultural output, but also places additional and competing demands on land, water, and energy. The Company expects demand for center pivots and lateral move systems to continue to increase relative to other irrigation methods because center pivot and lateral move systems are preferred where the soil is sandy; the terrain is not flat; the land area to be irrigated is sizeable; there is a shortage of reliable labor; water supply is restricted and conservation is preferred or critical; and/or fertigation or chemigation will be utilized.
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United States Market – In the United States, the Company sells its branded irrigation systems, including Zimmatic®, to over 200 independent dealers, who resell to their customer, the farmer. Dealers assess their customers’ requirements, design the most efficient solution, assemble and erect the system in the field, and provide additional system components, primarily relating to water supply (wells, pumps, pipes) and electrical supply (on-site generation or hook-up to power lines). Lindsay dealers generally are established local agribusinesses, many of which also deal in related products, such as well drilling and water pump equipment, farm implements, grain handling and storage systems, and farm structures.
International Market – The Company sells center pivot and lateral move irrigation systems throughout the world. International sales accounted for approximately 47 percent and 42 percent of the Company’s total irrigation segment revenues in fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively. The Company sells direct to consumers, as well as through an international dealer network, and has production and sales operations in Brazil, France, China, Turkey, and South Africa, as well as distribution and sales operations in the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, and Egypt serving the key markets in South America, Western and Eastern Europe, China, Africa, Middle East, Australia, and New Zealand. The Company also exports irrigation equipment from its global production facilities to other international markets.
The Company’s international markets differ with respect to the need for irrigation, the ability to pay, demand, customer type, government support of agriculture, marketing and sales methods, equipment requirements, and the difficulty of on-site erection. The Company’s industry position is such that it believes that it will likely be considered as a potential supplier for most major international agricultural development projects utilizing center pivot or lateral move irrigation systems.
Competition – Four manufacturers control a substantial majority of the U.S. center pivot irrigation system industry. The international irrigation market includes participation and competition by the leading U.S. manufacturers, as well as various regional manufacturers. The Company competes in certain product lines with several manufacturers, some of whom may have greater financial resources than the Company. The Company competes by continuously improving its products through ongoing research and development activities. The Company continues to strengthen irrigation product offerings through innovative technology such as GPS positioning and guidance, variable rate irrigation, wireless irrigation management, and smartphone applications, as well as through the acquisition of products and services that allow the Company to provide a more comprehensive solution to growers’ needs. Competition also occurs in areas of price and seasonal programs, product quality, durability, controls, product characteristics, retention and reputation of local dealers, customer service, and, at certain times of the year, the availability of systems and their delivery time. On balance, the Company believes it competes favorably with respect to these factors.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEGMENT
Products – The Company’s Quickchange® Moveable Barrier™ system, commonly known as the Road Zipper System®, is composed of three parts: 1) T-shaped concrete and steel barriers that are connected to form a continuous wall; 2) a Barrier Transfer Machine™ (“BTM™”) capable of moving the barrier laterally across the pavement; and 3) the variable length barriers necessary for accommodating curves. A barrier element is approximately 32 inches high, 12-24 inches wide, 3 feet long, and weighs 1,500 pounds. The barrier elements are interconnected by heavy duty steel hinges to form a continuous barrier. The BTM™ employs an inverted S-shaped conveyor mechanism that lifts the barrier, moves it laterally to the opposite side of the road, and sets it back down on the roadway surface.
In permanent applications, the Road Zipper System® increases capacity and reduces congestion by varying the number of directional traffic lanes to match the traffic demand and promotes safety by maintaining the physical separation of opposing lanes of traffic. Roadways with fixed medians have a set number of lanes in each direction and cannot be adjusted to traffic demands that may change over the course of a day, or to capacity reductions caused by traffic incidents or road repair and maintenance. Applications include high-volume highways where expansion may not be feasible due to lack of additional right-of-way, environmental concerns, or insufficient funding. The Road Zipper System® is particularly useful in busy commuter corridors and at choke points such as bridges and tunnels. Road Zipper Systems® can also be deployed at roadway or roadside construction sites to accelerate construction, improve traffic flow, and safeguard work crews and motorists by positively separating the work area and traffic. Examples of types of work completed with the help of a Road Zipper System® include highway reconstruction, paving and resurfacing, road widening, median and shoulder construction, and repairs to tunnels and bridges.
The Company offers a variety of equipment lease options for Road Zipper Systems® and BTM™ equipment used in construction applications. The leases extend for periods of one month or more for equipment already existing in the Company’s lease fleet. Longer lease periods may be required for specialty equipment that must be built for specific projects. Sales for a highway safety or road improvement project range from $2.0 to $30.0 million, making them significant capital investments.
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Crash Cushions – The Company offers a complete line of redirective and non-redirective crash cushions which are used to enhance highway safety at locations such as toll booths, freeway off-ramps, medians and roadside barrier ends, bridge supports, utility poles, and other fixed roadway hazards. The Company’s primary crash cushion products cover a full range of lengths, widths, speed capacities, and application accessories and include the following brand names: TAU®; Universal TAU-II®; TAU-II-R™; TAU-B_NR™; ABSORB 350®; Walt™; TAU-M™; ABSORB-M™ and TAU-TUBE™. The crash cushions compete with other vendors in the world market. These systems are generally sold through a distribution channel that is domiciled in particular geographic areas.
Specialty Barriers – The Company also offers specialty barrier products such as the SAB™, ArmorGuard™, PaveGuard™, and DR46™ portable barrier and/or barrier gate systems. These products offer portability and flexibility in setting up and modifying barriers in work areas and provide quick-opening, high-containment gates for use in median or roadside barriers. The gates are generally used to create openings in barrier walls of various types for both construction and incident management purposes. The DR46™ is an energy-absorbing barrier that can help protect motorcyclists from impacting guardrail posts, which is an area of focus by departments of transportation and government regulators for reducing the amount and severity of injuries.
Road Marking and Road Safety Equipment – The Company also offers preformed tape and a line of road safety accessory products. The preformed tape is used primarily in temporary applications such as markings for work zones, street crossings, and road center lines or boundaries. The road safety equipment consists of mostly plastic and rubber products used for delineation, slowing traffic, and signaling. The Company also manages an ISO 17025 certified testing laboratory that performs full-scale impact testing of highway safety products in accordance with the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (“NCHRP”) Report 350, the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (“MASH”), and the European Norms (“EN1317 Norms”) for these types of products. The NCHRP Report 350 and MASH guidelines are procedures required by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration (“FHWA”) for the safety performance evaluation of highway features. The EN1317 Norms are being used to qualify roadway safety products for the European markets.
Rail Products – The Company also designs, engineers, manufactures a line of rail products for railroads. Products are designed to meet industry standards and include signals and lights, structures, foundations, junction boxes and signs.
Markets – The Company’s primary infrastructure market includes moveable concrete barriers, delineation systems, crash cushions, and similar protective equipment. The U.S. roadway infrastructure market includes projects such as new roadway construction, bridges, tunnels, maintenance and resurfacing, and development of technologies for relief of roadway congestion. Much of the U.S. highway infrastructure market is driven by government (federal and state) spending programs. For example, the U.S. government funds highway and road improvements through the Federal Highway Trust Fund Program. This program provides funding to improve the nation’s roadway system. Matching funding from the various states may be required as a condition of federal funding. In the long term, the Company believes that the federal program provides a solid platform for growth in the U.S. market, as it is generally acknowledged that additional funding will be required for infrastructure development and maintenance in the future.
The global market for the Company’s infrastructure products continues to be driven by population growth and the need for improved road safety. The international market differs from country to country. The standardization in performance requirements and acceptance criteria for highway safety devices adopted by the European Committee for Standardization is expected to lead to greater uniformity and a larger installation program. Prevention programs put in place in various countries to lower highway traffic fatalities may also lead to greater demand. The Company distributes infrastructure products in Europe, South America, the Middle East, Australia and Asia. The Company expects to continue expanding in international markets as populations grow and markets become more established.
Competition – The Company competes in certain product lines with several manufacturers, some of whom may have greater financial resources than the Company. The Company competes by striving to continuously improve its products through ongoing research and development activities. The Company competes with certain products and companies in its crash cushion business, but has limited competition in its moveable barrier line, as there is not another moveable barrier product today comparable to the Road Zipper System®. However, the Company’s barrier product does compete with traditional “safety-shaped” concrete barriers and other safety barriers.
Distribution Methods and Channels – The Company has dedicated production and sales operations in the United States, Italy and the Netherlands. Sales efforts consist of both direct sales and sales programs managed by the Company’s network of distributors and third-party representatives. The sales teams have responsibility for new business development and assisting distributors and dealers in soliciting large projects and new customers. The
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distributor and dealer networks have exclusive territories and are responsible for developing sales and providing service, including product maintenance, repair, and installation. The typical dealer sells an array of safety supplies, road signs, crash cushions, delineation equipment, and other highway products. Customers include departments of transportation, municipal transportation road agencies, roadway contractors, subcontractors, distributors, and dealers. Due to the project nature of the roadway construction and congestion management markets, the Company’s customer base changes from year to year. Due to the limited life of projects, it is rare that a single customer will account for a significant amount of revenues in consecutive years. The customer base also varies depending on the type of product sold. The Company’s moveable barrier products are typically sold to transportation agencies or the contractors or suppliers serving those agencies. In contrast, distributors account for a majority of crash cushion sales since those products have lower price points and tend to have shorter lead times.
GENERAL
Certain information generally applicable to both of the Company’s reportable segments is set forth below.
SEASONALITY
Irrigation equipment sales are seasonal by nature. Farmers generally order systems to be delivered and installed before the growing season. Shipments to customers located in Northern Hemisphere countries usually peak during the Company’s second and third fiscal quarters for the spring planting period. Sales of infrastructure products are traditionally higher during prime road construction seasons and lower in the winter. The primary construction season for Northern Hemisphere countries generally corresponds with the Company’s third and fourth fiscal quarters.
CUSTOMERS
The Company is not dependent upon a single customer or upon a limited number of customers for a material part of either segment’s business. The loss of any one customer would not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, or cash flow.
ORDER BACKLOG
As of August 31, 2022, the Company had an order backlog of $96.8 million compared with $149.1 million at August 31, 2021. The Company’s backlog can fluctuate from period to period due to the seasonality, cyclicality, timing, and execution of contracts. Backlog typically represents long-term projects as well as short lead-time orders; therefore, it is generally not a good indication of the revenues to be realized in succeeding quarters.
RAW MATERIALS AND COMPONENTS
Raw materials used by the Company include coil steel, angle steel, plate steel, zinc, tires, gearboxes, concrete, rebar, fasteners, and electrical and hydraulic components (motors, switches, cable, valves, hose, and stators). While the Company has, on occasion, faced shortages of certain such materials, the Company believes it currently has ready access from assorted domestic and foreign suppliers to adequate supplies of raw materials and components.
CAPITAL EXPENDITURES
Capital expenditures for fiscal 2022, 2021, and 2020 were $15.6 million, $26.5 million, and $21.4 million, respectively. Capital expenditures for fiscal 2023 are estimated to be between $20.0 million and $25.0 million, including equipment replacement, productivity improvements, new product development and commercial growth investments. The Company’s management does maintain flexibility to modify the amount and timing of some of the planned expenditures in response to economic conditions.
PATENTS, TRADEMARKS, AND LICENSES
The Company relies on a variety of intellectual property laws, confidentiality procedures, and contractual provisions to protect its proprietary offerings and its brand.
The Company owns and, from time to time, licenses patents for many of its irrigation and infrastructure solutions, as well as cellular communication techniques, cathodic protection measurement methods, and data compression and transmission. The Company follows a policy of applying for patents on all significant patentable inventions in markets deemed appropriate. Although the Company believes it is important to follow a patent protection policy, the Company's business is not dependent, to any material extent, on any single patent or group of patents.
The Company’s Zimmatic®, Greenfield®, GrowSmart®, Perrot™, Road Zipper®, The Road Zipper System®, Quickchange® Moveable Barrier™, ABSORB 350®, ABSORB-M™, FieldNET®, FieldNET Advisor®, FieldNET Crop Advisor®, FieldNET Irrigation Advisor®, FieldNET VRI Advisor®, FieldNET Weather Advisor®, WatertrendSM, Z-TRAX®, TAU®, Universal TAU-II®, TAU-II-R™, TAU-B_NR™, TAU-M™, TAU-TUBE™, CableGuard™, TESI™, SAB™,
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ArmorGuard™, PaveGuard™, DR46™, U-MAD™, Sabertooth®, RoadConnect™, ImpactAlert™, and other trademarks, service marks, domain names, and copyrights are registered or applied for in the major markets in which the Company sells its products.
HUMAN CAPITAL RESOURCES
The Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries have approximately 1,262 employees as of August 31, 2022. None of the Company’s United States based employees are represented by a union. Certain of the Company’s non-U.S. employees are unionized due to local governmental regulations. Maintaining a sufficient number of skilled employees at its various manufacturing sites is a key focus of the Company’s human capital efforts. The Company believes it maintains a sufficient number of skilled employees by offering competitive wages, benefits and training and development programs.
We believe our commitment to empowering and developing our human capital resources is essential to becoming the innovation and market leader in our core business. Empowering our people is one of our priority environmental, social and governance (ESG) focus topics, highlighting three areas in particular: (1) workplace culture, (2) diversity, equity and inclusion, and (3) employee health and safety.
Workplace Culture
We have built our culture on the foundation of the core values of leadership, integrity, collaboration, accountability, and respect for others. Additionally, we have an annual evaluation process to measure and assess organizational health and employee engagement. This focus on organizational health and employee engagement aims to create and sustain employee empowerment, team collaboration, and support and service to the greater community.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
We are guided by our global Anti-Discrimination and Equal Employment Policy which delineates our commitment to preventing any form of unlawful employee discrimination or harassment and our dedication to providing a workplace where all employees, customers, partners and investors are treated with courtesy, respect, and dignity. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, guided by our core value of “respect for others,” and reinforced in our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics.
Employee Health & Safety
The health and safety of our employees has always been the top priority for us, and we strengthened our commitment to health and safety in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the start of the pandemic, we established a Global Crisis Management Team made up of senior executives who developed, and frequently reevaluate, our crisis management and response plan in accordance with emerging guidelines from global, national and local health organizations, as applicable, and continuously evolving government directives. We acted swiftly to protect our people from COVID-19 and put protocols in place to ensure their working environment was safe.
EFFECT OF GOVERNMENTAL REGULATION
The Company is subject to numerous laws and government regulations, including those that govern environmental and occupational health and safety matters. The Company believes that its operations are substantially in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, and that it holds all necessary permits to operate its business in each jurisdiction in which its facilities are located. Laws and government regulations are subject to change and interpretation. In some cases, compliance with applicable laws and regulations may require the Company to make additional capital and operational expenditures. The Company, however, is not currently aware of any material expenditures required to comply with applicable laws or government regulations, other than the capital expenditures relating to environmental remediation activities at its Lindsay, Nebraska plant that are more fully described in Note 15, Commitments and Contingencies, to the Company’s consolidated financial statements. The Company accrues for the anticipated cost associated with compliance with laws and governmental regulations applicable to its business, including investigation and remediation costs at its Lindsay, Nebraska site, when its obligation to incur those costs is probable and can be reasonably estimated. Any revisions to these estimates could be material to the operating results of any fiscal quarter or fiscal year, however the Company does not expect future capital expenses relating to compliance with government regulations, including those for remediation of its Lindsay, Nebraska site, to have a material adverse effect on its earnings, liquidity, financial condition or competitive position.
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FINANCIAL INFORMATION ABOUT FOREIGN AND U.S. OPERATIONS
The Company’s primary production facilities are located in the United States. The Company has smaller production and sales operations in Brazil, France, Italy, China, Turkey, and South Africa, as well as distribution and sales operations in the Netherlands, Egypt, Australia, and New Zealand. Where the Company exports products from the United States to international markets, the Company generally ships against prepayment, an irrevocable letter of credit confirmed by a U.S. bank or another secured means of payment, or with credit insurance from a third party. For sales within both U.S. and foreign jurisdictions, prepayments or other forms of security may be required before credit is granted, however most local sales are made based on payment terms after a full credit review has been performed. Most of the Company’s financial transactions are in U.S. dollars, although some export sales and sales from the Company’s foreign subsidiaries are conducted in other currencies. Approximately 37 and 32 percent of total consolidated Company sales were conducted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar in fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively. To reduce the uncertainty of foreign currency exchange rate movements on these sales and purchase commitments conducted in local currencies, the Company monitors its risk of foreign currency fluctuations and, at times, may enter into forward exchange or option contracts for transactions denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars.
In addition to the transactional foreign currency exposures mentioned above, the Company also has translation exposure resulting from translating the financial statements of its international subsidiaries into U.S. dollars. In order to reduce this translation exposure, the Company, at times, utilizes foreign currency forward contracts to hedge its net investment exposure in its foreign operations. For information on the Company’s foreign currency risks, see Item 7A of Part II of this report.
INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE LINDSAY WEBSITE
The Company makes available free of charge on its website homepage, under the tab “Investor Relations – SEC Filings”, its Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, Proxy Statements, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as soon as reasonably practicable after the Company electronically files such material with, or furnishes it to, the Securities and Exchange Commission. Additionally, the Company's annual sustainability report is available on the website under the tab "Investor Relations – Sustainability Report." The Company’s internet address is http://www.lindsay.com; however, information posted on its website is not part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The following documents are also posted on the Company’s website homepage, under the tabs “Investor Relations – Committees” and “Investor Relations – Ethics”:
Audit Committee Charter
Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee Charter
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
Corporate Governance Principles
Code of Ethical Conduct
Human Rights Policy
Employee Complaint Procedures for Accounting and Auditing Matters
Human Resources and Compensation Committee Charter
Supplier Code of Conduct
Special Toll-Free Hotline Number and E-mail Address for Making Confidential or Anonymous Complaints
These documents are also available in print to any stockholder upon request, by sending a letter addressed to the Secretary of the Company.
INFORMATION ABOUT OUR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
All executive officers of the Company are appointed by the Board of Directors annually and have employment agreements. There are no family relationships between any director or executive officer. There are no arrangements or understandings between any executive officer and any other person pursuant to which they were selected as an
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officer. The following table lists the Company’s executive officers and other key employees and each of their ages, and positions as of October 20, 2022.
|
|
|
|
Age |
Position |
Randy A. Wood |
50 |
President and Chief Executive Officer |
Eric R. Arneson* |
48 |
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary |
Richard A. Harold* |
49 |
Senior Vice President – Global Operations |
Brian L. Ketcham |
61 |
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
J. Scott Marion |
54 |
President – Infrastructure |
Melissa G. Moreno* |
43 |
Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer |
Gustavo E. Oberto |
49 |
President – Irrigation |
Kelly M. Staup* |
50 |
Senior Vice President – Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer |
Lori L. Zarkowski* |
47 |
Chief Accounting Officer |
* The employee is not an executive officer of the Registrant.
Mr. Randy A. Wood is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, a position he has held since January 2021. Mr. Wood has also been a director of the Company since January 2021 and he is the only executive officer of the Company serving on the Board of Directors. Between September 2020 and January 2021, Mr. Wood served as the Chief Operating Officer of the Company. Between May 2016 and September 2020, Mr. Wood served as President – Irrigation of the Company. Between October 2013 and May 2016, Mr. Wood served as President – International Irrigation of the Company. Between February 2012 and October 2013, Mr. Wood served as Vice President – Americas / ANZ Sales and Marketing. Previously he was Vice President – North America Irrigation Sales of the Company and held such position from March 2008, when he joined the Company. Prior to March 2008, Mr. Wood spent 11 years with Case Corporation / CNH Global including roles as the Senior Director of Marketing, Case IH Tractors, and Senior Director of Sales and Marketing, Parts and Service.
Mr. Eric R. Arneson is the Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the Company and has held such positions since April 2008, when he joined the Company. Prior to that time and since January 1999, Mr. Arneson practiced law with the law firm of Kutak Rock LLP, and was most recently a partner of the firm.
Mr. Brian L. Ketcham is the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, and has held such positions since April 2016. Prior to joining the Company and since 2001, Mr. Ketcham served in various finance roles at Valmont Industries, Inc., a company that provides irrigation and infrastructure equipment, most recently as Vice President and Group Controller of the Engineered Support Structures segment. Prior to joining Valmont, Mr. Ketcham held various positions with Consolidated Container Company LLC and KPMG LLP.
Mr. J. Scott Marion is the President – Infrastructure Division, a position he has held with the Company since May 2016. Between April 2011 and May 2016, Mr. Marion served as Vice President and General Manager – Americas and APAC (Infrastructure) of the Company. From January 2005 to April 2011, Mr. Marion served in several management positions at Pentair. Prior to 2005, Mr. Marion spent 14 years with General Electric in a variety of sales and managerial capacities.
Dr. Melissa Moreno is the Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of the Company, a position she has held with the Company since March 2021, when she joined the Company. Prior to joining the Company, Dr. Moreno served in a variety of information technology roles with Gallup, a company that provides analytics and advisory services, from 2008 to 2021, most recently serving as Chief Information Officer, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure at Gallup from December 2018 to March 2021 and Executive Director, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure from February 2014 to December 2018. Prior to joining Gallup, Dr. Moreno managed information technology functions at ConAgra Foods and Arthur Andersen.
Mr. Gustavo E. Oberto is the President – Irrigation Division, a position he has held since September 2020. Between September 2019 and August 2020, Mr. Oberto served as President – Elecsys International, LLC, which provides IIOT solutions and is a subsidiary of the Company. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Oberto served in various management roles at Conductix-Wampfler Group, an industrial equipment supplier and a division of Delachaux S.A, most recently as Managing Director of Global Sales & Markets from March 2016 to September 2019. During his 20-year career at Conductix-Wampfler Group, Mr. Oberto held a series of leadership positions in international business development. Prior to joining Conductix-Wampfler Group, Mr. Oberto worked for Travelex Global Payments and also worked as International Liaison to Former Nebraska Governor Ben Nelson where he advised Midwestern companies on how to
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penetrate the Latin America agriculture market. Mr. Oberto is currently a member of the U.S. Commercial Service District Export Council.
Mr. Richard A. Harold is the Senior Vice President, Global Operations of the Company, a position he has held since April of 2022. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Harold served from 2018 to 2022 with Rogers Corporation, a company that provides specialty engineered materials, most recently as a Senior Director Global Operations. Prior to that time, Mr. Harold served from 2015 to 2017 as Senior Vice President of Operations at Arizona Nutritional Supplements, and as Global Vice President of Legacy and Specialty Businesses at IDEX Corporation from 2013 to 2015. Prior to joining IDEX Corporation, Mr. Harold worked for Exterran Holdings, Inc. as Senior Manufacturing Manager from 2010 to 2013.
Ms. Kelly M. Staup is the Senior Vice President – Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer, a position she has held with the Company since January 2018. From November 2016 to January 2018, Ms. Staup served as Director – Human Resources of the Company. From June 2011 to November 2016, Ms. Staup served as the Company’s Organization Development and Recruiting Manager. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Staup was an Associate Vice President of SkillStorm from August 2008 to June 2011 and previously served in managerial roles at Ajilon and Digital People.
Ms. Lori L. Zarkowski is the Chief Accounting Officer of the Company and has held such position since August 2011. Ms. Zarkowski joined the Company in June 2007 as Corporate Reporting Manager and was promoted to Corporate Controller in April 2008. Prior to joining the Company and since 1997, Ms. Zarkowski was most recently an Audit Senior Manager with Deloitte & Touche LLP.
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ITEM 1A — Risk Factors
The following are certain of the more significant risks that may affect the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
Risks Related to Business and Industry
Changing worldwide demand for food and biofuels could have an effect on the price of agricultural commodities and consequently the demand for irrigation equipment. Changing worldwide demand for farm outputs to meet the world’s growing food and biofuel demands, driven in part by government policies and an expanding global population, are likely to result in fluctuating agricultural commodity prices, which affect demand for irrigation equipment. The primary benefit of many of the Company’s irrigation products is to increase grain yields and the resulting revenue for farmers. As grain prices decline, the breakeven point of incremental production is more difficult to achieve, reducing or eliminating the profit and return on investment from the purchase of the Company’s products. As a result, changes in grain prices can significantly affect the Company’s sales levels.
A decline in oil prices or the overall demand for motor fuels, or changes in government policies regarding biofuels could also negatively affect the biofuels market and/or reduce government revenues of oil-producing countries that purchase or subsidize the purchase of irrigation equipment. Biofuels production is a significant source of grain demand in the U.S. and certain international markets. While ethanol blending levels are currently mandated within the U.S., potential mandate changes or price declines for ethanol could reduce the demand for grains. In addition, a number of ethanol producers in the U.S. are cooperatives partially owned by farmers. Reduced profit of ethanol production could reduce income for farmers which could, in turn, reduce the demand for irrigation equipment.
While climate change could shift global cropping practices and open new markets for irrigated agriculture, the effect of climate change and changing weather conditions could adversely impact the Company’s business and operations. The Company’s irrigation revenues are highly dependent on the agricultural industry and weather conditions. Weather conditions, particularly leading up to the planting and early growing season, can significantly affect the purchasing decisions of consumers of irrigation equipment. Natural calamities such as regional floods, hurricanes or other storms, and droughts can have significant effects on seasonal irrigation demand. Drought conditions, which generally affect irrigation equipment demand positively over the long term, can adversely affect demand if water sources become unavailable or if governments impose water restriction policies to reduce overall water availability.
The Company’s irrigation revenues are cyclical and highly dependent upon the need for irrigated agricultural crop production which, in turn, depends upon many factors, including total worldwide crop production, the profitability of agricultural crop production, agricultural commodity prices, net farm income, availability of financing for farmers, governmental policies regarding the agricultural sector, water and energy conservation policies, the regularity of rainfall, and regional climate conditions. As farm income decreases, farmers may postpone capital expenditures or seek less expensive irrigation alternatives.
The extent of the effects of climate change, including any related compliance requirements, are uncertain but may adversely impact the Company’s operations through the availability and cost of raw materials, increased compliance costs, and increased costs to safeguard the Company’s facilities and assets from disruptions or damage.
The Company’s infrastructure revenues are highly dependent on government funding of transportation projects. The demand for the Company’s infrastructure products depends to a large degree on the amount of government spending authorized to improve road and highway systems. For example, the U.S. government funds highway and road improvements through the Federal Highway Trust Fund Program and matching funding from states may be required as a condition of federal funding. If highway funding is reduced or delayed, it may reduce demand for the Company’s infrastructure products.
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The Company’s infrastructure revenues are highly dependent on government funding of transportation projects and subject to compliance with government regulations. The Company’s infrastructure products are required to meet certain standards as outlined by the various governments worldwide. The Federal Highway Administration (“FHWA”) and state departments of transportation have implemented Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (“MASH”) standards which update and supersede National Cooperative Highway Research Program (“NCHRP”) Report 350 standards for evaluating new road safety hardware devices. While infrastructure products previously accepted under NCHRP Report 350 criteria are not required to be retested under MASH standards, they generally are no longer eligible for federal reimbursement as the MASH standards have been implemented by FHWA and the states. The Company has incurred, and will continue to incur, research and development and testing expense to develop products to comply with MASH standards. Any reevaluation of the Company’s infrastructure products’ compliance with applicable standards, the implementation of new standards, and/or any delay in the Company’s development of additional infrastructure products that comply with new standards could have a significant adverse effect on the Company’s competitive position and on sales and profitability from its infrastructure product line.
Compliance with applicable environmental and health and safety regulations, standards, or expectations may require additional capital and operational expenditures. The Company is subject to numerous laws and government regulations, including those which govern environmental and occupational health and safety matters. The Company believes that its operations are substantially in compliance with all such applicable laws and regulations and that it holds all necessary permits to operate its business in each jurisdiction in which its facilities are located. Laws and government regulations applicable to the Company are subject to change and interpretation. The Company publishes an annual Sustainability Report, which includes information about the Company’s environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) activities and may result in increased investor, media, and employee attention to such initiatives. Compliance with applicable laws and regulations and the pursuit of other ESG-related objectives may require the Company to make additional capital and operational expenditures that may have a material adverse effect on its earnings, liquidity, financial condition or competitive position. In particular, the Company may incur costs in connection with the remediation of environmental contamination at its Lindsay, Nebraska site that exceed the amounts that the Company has accrued for this purpose as of the end of fiscal 2022, as more fully described in Note 15, Commitments and Contingencies, to the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
The Company’s international sales efforts and profit margins are affected by international trade barriers and subject the Company to additional compliance obligations. The Company’s international sales efforts and profit margins are affected by international trade barriers, including governmental policies on tariffs, taxes, import or export licensing requirements and trade sanctions. For example, in 2018, the U.S. and China began to impose partial tariffs on each other's products, and the trade tension between the two countries has continued to escalate. Certain of the components required for the manufacture of the Company's products have been or may be impacted by tariffs. Likewise, other international trade disputes, changes to international trade agreements or policies, or any increased regulation on trade with Canada and Mexico resulting from the replacement of the North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”) with the United States‑Mexico-Canada Agreement, could increase our costs, reduce our competitiveness, and have an adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
In addition, the Company’s international sales efforts must also comply with anti-corruption laws like the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. These anti-corruption laws generally prohibit companies and their intermediaries (including, in the Company’s case, dealers and sales representatives) from making improper payments or providing anything of value to improperly influence government officials or certain private individuals for the purpose of obtaining or retaining a business advantage. As part of the Company’s irrigation and infrastructure sales efforts, the Company promotes and sells products to governmental entities and state-owned or state-backed business enterprises, the employees and representatives of which may be considered government officials for purposes of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Further, some of the countries in which the Company does business lack fully developed legal systems and are perceived to have elevated levels of corruption. Although the Company has compliance and training programs in place designed to reduce the likelihood of potential violations of such laws, violations of these laws or other compliance requirements could occur and result in criminal or civil sanctions and have an adverse effect on the Company’s reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations.
Risks Related to Legal Proceedings
The Company is exposed to risks from legal proceedings. From time to time, the Company may be involved in various legal proceedings and other various claims that arise in the ordinary course of its business, which may include commercial, employment, product liability, tort, and other litigation. Current and future litigation, governmental proceedings and investigations, audits, indemnification claims or other claims that the Company faces may result in
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substantial costs and expenses and significantly divert the attention of its management regardless of the outcome. In addition, these matters could lead to increased costs or interruptions of its normal business operations. Litigation, governmental proceedings and investigations, audits, indemnification claims or other claims involve uncertainties and the eventual outcome of any such matter could adversely affect the Company’s business, results of operations or cash flows. For a summary of the Company’s infrastructure products litigation, see Note 15, Commitments and Contingencies, to the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
The frequency and magnitude of liability claims and the related expenses could lower profitability and increase business risk. The nature of the Company’s business subjects the Company to potential liability for claims alleging property damage and personal injury or death arising from the use of or exposure to its products, especially infrastructure products that are installed along roadways. While the Company’s liability insurance coverage is consistent with commercial norms in the industries in which the Company operates, an unusually large liability claim or a string of claims could potentially exceed the Company’s available insurance coverage. In addition, the availability of, and the Company’s ability to collect on, insurance coverage can be subject to factors beyond the Company’s control. For example, any accident, incident, or lawsuit involving the Company, its products specifically, or the industries in which the Company operates generally, even if the Company is fully insured, contractually indemnified, or not held to be liable, could significantly affect the cost and availability of insurance to the Company in the future.
If any of the Company’s third-party insurers fail, cancel, or refuse coverage, or otherwise are unable to provide the Company with adequate insurance coverage, then the Company’s overall risk exposure and operational expenses would increase and the management of the Company’s business operations would be disrupted.
Further, as insurance policies expire, increased premiums for renewed or new coverage, if such coverage can be secured, may increase the Company’s insurance expense and/or require that the Company increase its self-insured retention or deductibles. The Company maintains primary coverage and excess coverage policies. If the number of claims or the dollar amounts of any such claims rise in any policy year, the Company could suffer additional costs associated with accessing its excess coverage policies. Also, an increase in the loss amounts attributable to such claims could expose the Company to uninsured damages if the Company was unable or elected not to insure against certain claims because of increased premiums or other reasons.
The Company’s infrastructure products are installed along roadways in inherently dangerous applications. Accidents involving the Company’s infrastructure products could reduce demand for such products and expose the Company to significant damages and reputational harm. The Company is currently defending a number of product liability lawsuits involving the Company’s X-Lite® end terminal. In June 2019, the Company was informed by letter that the Department of Justice, Civil Division, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, with the assistance of the Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, are conducting an investigation of the Company relating to the Company’s X-Lite end terminal and potential violations of the federal civil False Claims Act. While the Company’s infrastructure products are designed to meet all applicable standards in effect in the markets in which such products are offered, the risk of product liability claims, demands for reimbursement or compensatory payments, and associated adverse publicity is inherent in the development, manufacturing, marketing, and sale of such products, including end terminals and crash cushions that are ultimately installed along roadways. In addition to this inherent risk, a sizable False Claims Act judgment against a competitor (which was reversed on appeal) brought significant attention to the infrastructure products industry and may be a factor leading to additional lawsuits, demands, and investigations being pursued against the Company and others in the industry.
An actual or perceived issue with the Company’s infrastructure products can lead to a decline in demand for such products, the removal of such products from qualified products lists used by government customers in their purchasing decisions, the removal and replacement of such products from roadways by government customers and demands for reimbursement or compensatory payments for such actions, adverse publicity, claims or litigation, and/or the diversion of management’s attention, which could materially and adversely affect the Company’s reputation, business, financial condition, and results of operations. While infrastructure product selection, assembly, installation, operation, repair, and maintenance are the responsibilities of dealers, distributors, customers, and/or state departments of transportation, the Company may nevertheless also be subjected to claims, litigation, or demands for reimbursement or compensatory payments in connection with a third party’s alleged failure to satisfactorily discharge such responsibilities, including but not limited to claims associated with personal injuries, property damage, and death. Likewise, improper assembly, installation, operation, repair, or maintenance of the Company’s infrastructure products may cause such infrastructure products to fail to meet certain performance standards, which could lead to similar consequences as an actual or perceived issue with the infrastructure products themselves.
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Although the Company currently maintains insurance against product-related claims or litigation, the Company could be exposed to significant losses arising from claims involving infrastructure products if the Company’s insurance does not cover all associated liabilities or if coverage in the future becomes unobtainable on commercially reasonable terms.
General Risks
Epidemics, pandemics, and other outbreaks (including the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic) can disrupt the Company’s operations and adversely affect its business, results of operations, and cash flows. Epidemics, pandemics, and other outbreaks of an illness, disease, or virus (including COVID-19) have adversely affected, and could adversely affect in the future, workforces, customers, economies, and financial markets globally, potentially leading to economic downturns. The significance of the impact on the Company’s operations of an epidemic, pandemic, or other outbreak depends on numerous factors that the Company may not be able to accurately predict or effectively respond to, including, without limitation: the duration and scope of the outbreak (including the extent of surges, mutations, or strains of the outbreak and the efficacy of vaccination and other efforts to contain the outbreak or treat its effects); actions taken by governments, businesses, and individuals in response to the outbreak; the effect on economic activity and actions taken in response; the effect on customers and their demand for the Company’s products and services; the effect on the health, wellness, and productivity of the Company’s employees; and the Company’s ability to manufacture, sell, and service its products, including without limitation as a result of supply chain challenges, facility closures, social distancing, restrictions on travel, fear or anxiety by the populace, and shelter‑in‑place orders. These and other factors relating to or arising from an epidemic, pandemic, or other outbreak could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, results of operations, and cash flows, as well as the trading price of the Company’s securities. Please also see the discussion on the Company’s response to COVID-19 in Item 7 of Part II of this report, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”
The Company’s profitability may be negatively affected by changes in the availability and price of certain parts, components, and raw materials. The Company requires access to various parts, components, and raw materials at competitive prices in order to manufacture its products. Changes in the availability and price of these parts, components, and raw materials (including steel and zinc), which have changed significantly and rapidly at times and are affected by factors like demand, tariffs, freight costs, and outbreaks, can significantly increase the costs of production. Due to price competition in the market for irrigation equipment and certain infrastructure products, the Company may not be able to recoup increases in these costs through price increases for its products, which would result in reduced profitability. Whether increased operating costs can be passed through to the customer depends on a number of factors, including farm income and the price of competing products. Further, the Company relies on a limited number of suppliers for certain raw materials, parts and components in the manufacturing process. Disruptions or delays in supply or significant price increases from these suppliers could adversely affect the Company’s operations and profitability. Such disruptions, terminations or cost increases could result in cost inefficiencies, delayed sales or reduced sales. The aforementioned risks have been, and may continue to be, exacerbated by the impact of COVID-19.
The Company’s international sales are highly dependent on foreign market conditions. International revenues are primarily generated from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Western and Eastern Europe, Mexico, the Middle East, Africa, China, and Central and South America. In addition to risks relating to general economic and potential instability in these countries, a number of countries are particularly susceptible to disruption from changing socioeconomic conditions as well as terrorism, sanctions, war, outbreaks, and similar incidents. During fiscal 2022, sales to Ukraine and Russia were interrupted due to the outbreak of war between the two countries. Historically, sales to these countries represented less than 5 percent of total Company revenues. The collectability of receivables can also be difficult to estimate, particularly in areas of political instability or with governments with which the Company has limited experience or where there is a lack of transparency as to the current credit condition.
The Company’s international sales and profit margins are subject to currency exchange risk. The Company’s international sales involve some level of export from the U.S., either of components or completed products. Policies and geopolitical events affecting exchange rates could adversely affect the international flow of agricultural and other commodities, which can cause a corresponding downturn in the demand for agricultural equipment in many areas of the world. Further, any strengthening of the U.S. dollar or any other currency of a country in which the Company manufactures its products (e.g. the Euro, the Brazilian real, the South African rand, the Turkish lira, and the Chinese renminbi) and/or any weakening of local currencies can increase the cost of the Company’s products in its foreign markets. Irrespective of any effect on the overall demand for agricultural equipment, the effect of these changes can
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make the Company’s products less competitive relative to local producing competitors and, in extreme cases, can result in the Company’s products not being cost-effective for customers. As a result, the Company’s international sales and profit margins could decline.
Changes in interest rates could reduce demand for the Company’s products. Global interest rates have recently been at or near historic lows. Rising interest rates could have a dampening effect on overall economic activity and/or the financial condition of the Company’s customers, either or both of which could negatively affect customer demand for the Company’s products and customers’ ability to repay obligations to the Company. An increase in interest rates could also make it more difficult for customers to cost-effectively fund the purchase of new equipment, which could adversely affect the Company’s sales.
The Company’s consolidated financial results are reported in U.S. dollars while certain assets and other reported items are denominated in the currencies of other countries, creating currency translation risk. The reporting currency for the Company’s consolidated financial statements is the U.S. dollar. Certain of the Company’s assets, liabilities, expenses and revenues are denominated in other countries’ currencies. Those assets, liabilities, expenses and revenues are translated into U.S. dollars at the applicable exchange rates to prepare the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Therefore, increases or decreases in exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and those other currencies affect the value of those items as reflected in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Substantial fluctuations in the value of the U.S. dollar compared to other currencies could have a significant effect on the Company’s results.
Security breaches and other disruptions to the Company’s information technology infrastructure could interfere with its operations and could compromise the Company’s and its customers’ and suppliers’ information, exposing the Company to liability that could cause its business and reputation to suffer. In the ordinary course of business, the Company relies upon information technology networks and systems to process, transmit and store electronic information, and to manage or support a variety of business functions, including supply chain, manufacturing, distribution, invoicing and collection of payments. The Company uses information technology systems to record, process and summarize financial information and results of operations for internal reporting purposes and to comply with regulatory financial reporting, legal and tax requirements. Additionally, the Company collects and stores sensitive data, including intellectual property, proprietary business information and the proprietary business information of customers and suppliers, as well as personally identifiable information of customers and employees, in data centers and on information technology networks. The secure operation of these networks and the processing and maintenance of this information is critical to the Company’s business operations and strategy. Despite security measures and business continuity plans, the Company’s information technology networks and infrastructure may be vulnerable to damage, disruptions or shutdowns due to, among other reasons, attacks by hackers or breaches due to employee error or malfeasance or other disruptions during the process of upgrading or replacing computer software or hardware, power outages, computer viruses, telecommunication or utility failures or natural disasters or other catastrophic events. The occurrence of any of these events could compromise the Company’s networks, and the information stored there could be accessed, publicly disclosed, lost or stolen. Any such access, disclosure or other loss of information could result in legal claims or proceedings, liability or regulatory penalties under laws protecting the privacy of personal information, disrupt operations, and damage the Company’s reputation, which could adversely affect the Company’s business.