AAON, INC. 10-Q

Item 1A. Risk Factors. In addition to the other information set forth in this report, you should carefully consider the factors discussed in Part I, “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. The risk factors described in our Annual Report could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or future results. There have been no material changes to the risk factors included in our 2019 Annual Report, except as follows: Our business, results of operations, financial condition, cash flows and stock price can be adversely affected by pandemics, epidemics or other public health emergencies, such as the recent outbreak of COVID-19. Our business, results of operations, financial condition, cash flows and stock price can be adversely affected by pandemics, epidemics or other public health emergencies, such as the recent outbreak of COVID-19 which has spread from China to many other countries including the United States. In March 2020, the World Health Organization characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic, and the President of the United States declared the COVID-19 outbreak a national emergency. The outbreak has resulted in governments around the world implementing increasingly stringent measures to help control the spread of the virus, including quarantines, “shelter in place” and “stay at home” orders, travel restrictions, business curtailments, school closures, and other measures. In addition, governments and central banks in several parts of the world have enacted fiscal and monetary stimulus measures to counteract the impacts of COVID-19. We are considered a critical infrastructure industry, as defined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Although we have continued to operate our facilities to date consistent with federal guidelines and state and local orders, the outbreak of COVID-19 and any preventive or protective actions taken by governmental authorities may have a material adverse effect on our operations, supply chain, customers and transportation networks, including business shutdowns or disruptions. The extent to which COVID-19 may adversely impact our business depends on future developments, which are highly uncertain and unpredictable, depending upon the severity and duration of the outbreak and the effectiveness of actions taken globally to contain or mitigate its effects. Any resulting financial impact cannot be estimated reasonably at this time, but may materially adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. Even after the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, we may experience materially adverse impacts to our business due to any resulting economic recession or depression. Additionally, concerns over the economic impact of COVID-19 have caused extreme volatility in financial and other capital markets which has and may continue to adversely impact our stock price and our ability to access capital markets. To the extent - 35 - the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affects our business and financial results, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in our 2019 Annual Report, such as those relating to our products and financial performance. Operations may be affected by natural disasters, especially since most of our operations are performed at a single location. Natural disasters such as tornadoes and ice storms, as well as accidents, acts of terror, infection and other factors beyond our control could adversely affect our operations. Especially, as our facilities are in areas where tornadoes are likely to occur, and the majority of our operations are at our Tulsa facilities, the effects of natural disasters and other events could damage our facilities and equipment and force a temporary halt to manufacturing and other operations, and such events could consequently cause severe damage to our business. We maintain insurance against these sorts of events; however, this is not guaranteed to cover all the losses and damages incurred. Furthermore, we may experience increases in our insurance premium costs in relation to these matters that may have a material adverse effect upon our business, liquidity, financial condition or results of operations. We may not be able to successfully develop and market new product s. Our future success will depend upon our continued investment in research and new product development and our ability to continue to achieve new technological advances in the HVAC industry. Our inability to continue to successfully develop and market new products or our inability to implement technological advances on a pace consistent with that of our competitors could lead to a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. Furthermore, our continued investment in new product development may render certain legacy products and components obsolete resulting in increased inventory obsolescence expense that may have a material adverse effect upon our financial condition or results of operations.