Item 1A. Risk Factors
Item 1A. RISK FACTORS
There have been no material changes from
the risk factors disclosed in Part I, Item 1A – Risk Factors in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended October 31, 2019, except that the risk factor below is added. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic could exacerbate or
trigger other risks discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 2019, any of which could
materially affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Public health emergencies or outbreaks
of epidemics, pandemics, or contagious diseases have disrupted, and could continue to disrupt, our operations and materially and
adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Widespread public health emergencies or
outbreaks of epidemics, pandemics, or contagious diseases, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have had, and could continue to have,
a material adverse effect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, governmental
authorities in jurisdictions where our facilities, customers, and suppliers are located have imposed mandatory closures, stay-at-home
orders, and social distancing protocols that significantly limit the movement of people, goods, and services or otherwise restrict
normal business operations or consumption patterns.
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our
operations and will likely continue to affect our business. Specifically, many of our sales and service organizations throughout
the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific have, at one time or another, been subject to temporary closures or otherwise been required
to adopt remote work strategies. And, we may continue to experience additional temporary facility closures in response to government
mandates and/or the incidence of additional contagion spread.
Additionally, the COVID-19 outbreak could
disrupt our ability to deliver and/or install machines, our procurement of supplies for our operations, and our customers’
purchasing behavior or decisions. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significantly reduced demand for our products, which could
continue for an extended period of time. Any or all of the foregoing in jurisdictions where we or our customers, suppliers, or
business partners are located could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows, and financial
condition.
Significant increases in economic and demand
uncertainty have led to disruption and volatility in the global credit and financial markets, which increases the cost of capital
and adversely impacts access to capital for both our company and our customers and suppliers. In addition, resulting changes in
our access to or cost of capital, expected cash flows, or other factors could cause our goodwill to be impaired, resulting in a
non-cash charge against results of operations to write down goodwill for the amount of the impairment. The duration and scope of
the COVID-19 pandemic remains uncertain and, therefore, we cannot reasonably estimate its potential impact on our business, financial
condition, or results of operations, but such impact has been, and could continue to be, material.
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