JELD-WEN Holding, Inc. 10-K

Item 1A - Risk Factors Investing in our Common Stock involves a high degree of risk. These risks include those described below and may include additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial. You should carefully consider the following factors, as well as other information contained or incorporated by reference in this 10-K, before deciding to invest in shares of our Common Stock. Our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be materially adversely affected by any of these risks, and the trading price of our Common Stock could decline due to any of these risks, and you may lose all or part of your investment in our Common Stock. Summary of Risk Factors Our business is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those risks discussed at-length below. These risks include, among others, the following: • Negative trends in overall business, financial market and economic conditions, and activity levels in our end markets may reduce demand for our products, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. • The outbreak of COVID-19 has had, and may continue to have, a negative impact on the global economy and on our business, operations, and results. • Increases in interest rates used to finance home construction and improvements, such as mortgage and credit card interest rates, and the reduced availability of financing for the purchase of new homes and home construction and improvements, could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. • A decline in our relationships with our key customers, the amount of products they purchase from us, or a decline in our key customers’ financial condition could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. • We operate in a highly competitive business environment. Failure to compete effectively could cause us to lose market share and/or force us to reduce the prices we charge for our products. This competition could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. • Failure to maintain the performance, reliability, quality, and service standards required by our customers, or to timely deliver our products, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. • A disruption in our operations due to natural disasters or acts of war could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. • We may not identify or effectively respond to consumer needs, expectations, or trends in a timely fashion, which could adversely affect our relationship with customers, our reputation, the demand for our brands, products, and services, and our market share. • Prices and availability of the raw materials we use to manufacture our products are subject to fluctuations, and we may be unable to pass along to our customers the effects of any price increases. • Our business may be affected by delays or interruptions in the delivery of raw materials, finished goods, and certain component parts. A supply shortage or delivery chain interruption could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. • Changes in building codes and standards, including ENERGY STAR standards, could increase the cost of our products, lower the demand for our windows and doors, or otherwise adversely affect our business. • Our failure to comply with the credit agreements governing our Credit Facilities and indentures governing the Senior Notes and Senior Secured Notes, including as a result of events beyond our control, could trigger events of default and acceleration of our indebtedness. Defaults under our debt agreements could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. • The market price of our Common Stock may be highly volatile. • Publishing earnings guidance subjects us to risks, including increased stock volatility, that could lead to potential lawsuits by investors. • Some provisions of our charter documents and Delaware law may have anti-takeover effects that could discourage an acquisition of us by others, even if an acquisition would be beneficial to our shareholders and may prevent attempts by our shareholders to replace or remove our current management. 18 Back to top • Because Onex owns a substantial portion of our Common Stock, it may influence major corporate decisions and its interests may conflict with the interests of other holders of our Common Stock. Risks Relating to Our Business and Industry Negative trends in overall business, financial market and economic conditions, and activity levels in our end markets may reduce demand for our products, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Negative trends in overall business, financial market, and economic conditions globally or in the regions where we operate may reduce demand for our doors and windows, which is tied to activity levels in the R&R and new residential and non-residential construction end markets. In particular, the following factors may have a direct impact on our business in the regions where our products are marketed and sold: • the strength of the economy; • employment rates and consumer confidence and spending rates; • the availability and cost of credit; • the amount and type of residential and non-residential construction; • housing sales and home values; • the age of existing home stock, home vacancy rates, and foreclosures; • interest rate fluctuations for our customers and consumers; • volatility in both debt and equity capital markets; • increases in the cost of raw materials or any shortage in supplies or labor, including as a result of tariffs or other trade restrictions; • the effects of governmental regulation and initiatives to manage economic conditions; • geographical shifts in population and other changes in demographics; and • changes in weather patterns. Toward the end of the last decade, the global economy endured a significant recession followed by a prolonged period of moderate recovery that had a substantial negative effect on sales across our end markets. In particular, beginning in mid-2006 and continuing through late 2011, the U.S. residential and non-residential construction industry experienced one of the most severe downturns of the last 40 years. While cyclicality in our new residential and non-residential construction end markets is moderated to a certain extent by R&R activity, much R&R spending is discretionary and can be deferred or postponed entirely when economic conditions are poor. We experienced sales declines in all of our end markets during the most recent economic downturn. Although conditions in the U.S. have improved in recent years, there can be no assurance that this improvement will be sustained in the near or long-term. Uncertain economic and political conditions may make it difficult for us and our customers or suppliers to accurately forecast and plan future business activities. For example, recent changes to U.S. leadership roles, as a result of a new administration, may result in changes to policies related to global trade and tariffs which have resulted in uncertainty surrounding the future of the global economy as well as retaliatory trade measures implemented by other countries. Increasing costs of steel and aluminum may impact customer spending as well as our raw materials costs. Global economic impacts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic remain uncertain. Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, Australia and certain European countries had entered housing and economic recessions, which were prolonged as a result of COVID-19. Negative business, financial market, and economic conditions globally within the industries or regions we compete in may materially and adversely affect demand for our products. This could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. The outbreak of COVID-19 has had, and may continue to have, a negative impact on the global economy and on our business, operations, and results. The COVID-19 pandemic, and the measures taken to contain or mitigate it, have had dramatic adverse consequences for the economy, including the demand for goods and services, operations, supply chains, and financial markets. The nature and scope of the consequences to date are difficult to evaluate precisely, and their future course is impossible to predict with confidence. 19 Back to top The COVID-19 crisis has had several significant effects on our employees, operations, supply chain, distribution system, customer demand, the housing market, and general market and economic conditions. The effects we have experienced included the following: • decreased demand for our products as a result of a slowdown in the U.S. and global economies and resulting decreases in construction and R&R; • increased storage costs as a result of larger volume of inventory that remains unsold; • uncertain expense management in light of continued efforts to protect our employees; • operational issues resulting from staffing shortages and absenteeism in our manufacturing and distribution facilities globally; • complete or partial closures or other operational issues at one or more of our manufacturing or distribution facilities resulting from government action; and • difficulty sourcing materials necessary to fulfill production requirements or higher prices to fulfill our requirements as a result of suppliers experiencing closures or reductions in their capacity utilization levels. These effects began in the latter weeks of March 2020 and continued throughout, to varying extents, the remainder of the year. We experienced intermittent plant closures during 2020 as mandated by local governments and may continue to see similar closures as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve. Initiatives, including travel restrictions and quarantines, have and may continue to impact a significant percentage of our workforce and the workforce of our suppliers or transportation providers as they are unable to work as a result of the viral outbreak. If additional factory closures are required or reductions in capacity utilization levels occur, we expect to incur additional direct costs due to reduced productivity and lost revenue. If our suppliers experience closures or reductions in their capacity utilization levels in the future, we may have difficulty sourcing materials necessary to fulfill production requirements or be required to pay a higher price to fulfill our requirements. In May 2020, we issued $250.0 million of Senior Secured Notes, the proceeds of which were used to repay the outstanding balance under our ABL Facility with the remainder to be used for general corporate purposes. We cannot assure you that the available proceeds, or any of our other actions, will be sufficient to avoid liquidity constraints in the future or to mitigate any material or adverse effect of COVID-19 on our business, financial condition, or results of operations. The effects of the COVID-19 crisis could be aggravated if the crisis continues, and we could also see additional impacts that might include the following: • reduced economic activity severely impacting our customers’ financial condition and liquidity, reducing the likelihood they will be purchasing additional products from us and increasing the likelihood they may require additional time to pay us or will fail to pay us at all, which could significantly increase the amount of accounts receivable and require us to record additional allowances for doubtful accounts; • reduced economic activity resulting in a prolonged recession, which could negatively impact consumer discretionary spending; • a decrease in the principal that may be drawn under our ABL Facility as a result of a decrease in our accounts receivable and inventory; • difficulty accessing debt and equity capital on attractive terms, or at all, an impact on our credit ratings, and a severe disruption and instability in the global financial markets or deterioration in credit and financing conditions that affect our access to capital necessary to fund business operations or to address maturing liabilities on a timely basis; • negative impact on our future compliance with financial covenants under our Corporate Credit Facilities and other debt agreements, which could result in a default and potentially an acceleration of indebtedness; and • the potential negative impact on the health of our personnel, particularly if a significant number of them are impacted, decreasing our ability to ensure business continuity during this disruption. If these effects are sustained, they could have accounting consequences such as impairments of fixed assets or goodwill. They may also impact controls over financial reporting. They could also affect our ability to execute our expansion plans or invest in research and development. The adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations of any of the matters described above could be material. The future impact of the COVID-19 crisis on our business, financial condition, or results of operations is highly uncertain and will depend on numerous evolving factors that we cannot predict, including, but not limited to: • the duration, scope, and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic; • the disruption or delay of production and delivery of materials and products in our supply chain; 20 Back to top • the impact of travel bans, work-from-home policies, or shelter-in-place orders; • the temporary or prolonged shutdown of manufacturing facilities and decreased retail traffic; • limited freight availability; • the availability of financial assistance programs or other forms of governmental assistance; • general economic, financial, and industry conditions, particularly conditions relating to liquidity, financial performance, and related credit issues in our industry, which may be amplified by the effects of COVID-19; and • the long-term effects of COVID-19 on the national and global economy, including on consumer confidence and spending, financial markets and the availability of credit for us, our suppliers, and our customers. To the extent the COVID-19 pandemic or any other global health crisis does adversely affect our business, financial condition, or results of operations, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the “Risk Factors” included herein. Increases in interest rates used to finance home construction and improvements, such as mortgage and credit card interest rates, and the reduced availability of financing for the purchase of new homes and home construction and improvements, could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Our performance depends in part upon consumers having the ability to access third-party financing for the purchase of new homes and buildings and R&R of existing homes and other buildings. The ability of consumers to finance these purchases is affected by the interest rates available for home mortgages, credit card debt, home equity or other lines of credit, and other sources of third-party financing. While interest rates in many of the regions where we market and sell our products have generally decreased during 2020 and 2019, these rates are subject to increase in future periods by key central banks such as the U.S. Federal Reserve and European Central Bank. If interest rates were to increase and, consequently, the ability of prospective buyers to finance purchases of new homes or home improvement products is adversely affected, our business, financial condition, and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected. In addition to increased interest rates, the ability of consumers to procure third-party financing is impacted by such factors as new and existing home prices, unemployment levels, high mortgage delinquency and foreclosure rates, and lower housing turnover. Adverse developments affecting any of these factors could result in the imposition of more restrictive lending standards by financial institutions and reduce the ability of some consumers to finance home purchases or R&R expenditures. A decline in our relationships with our key customers, the amount of products they purchase from us, or a decline in our key customers’ financial condition could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Our business depends on our relationships with our key customers, which consist mainly of wholesale distributors and retail home centers. Our top ten customers together accounted for approximately 40% of our net revenues in the year ended December 31, 2020, and our largest customer, The Home Depot, accounted for approximately 15% of our net revenues in the year ended December 31, 2020. Although we have established and maintain significant long-term relationships with our key customers, we cannot assure you that all of these relationships will continue or will not diminish. We generally do not enter into long-term contracts with our customers and they generally do not have an obligation to purchase products from us. Accordingly, sales from customers that have accounted for a significant portion of our sales in past periods, individually or as a group, may not continue in future periods, or if continued, may not reach or exceed historical levels in any period. For example, certain of our large customers perform periodic line reviews to assess their product offering, which have in the past and may in the future lead to loss of business and pricing pressures. Some of our large customers may also experience economic difficulties or otherwise default on their obligations to us. Furthermore, our pricing optimization strategy, which requires maintaining pricing discipline in order to improve profit margins, has in the past and may in the future lead to the loss of certain customers, including key customers, who do not agree to our pricing terms. The loss of, or a diminution in our relationship with, any of our largest customers could lower our sales volumes, which could increase our costs and lower our profitability. This could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. We operate in a highly competitive business environment. Failure to compete effectively could cause us to lose market share and/or force us to reduce the prices we charge for our products. This competition could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. We operate in a highly competitive business environment. Some of our competitors may have greater financial, marketing, and distribution resources and may develop stronger relationships with customers in the markets where we sell our products. Some of our competitors may be less leveraged than we are, providing them with more flexibility to invest in new facilities and processes and also making them better able to withstand adverse economic or industry conditions. In addition, some of our competitors, regardless of their size or resources, may choose to compete in the marketplace by adopting more aggressive sales policies, including price cuts, or by devoting greater resources to the development, promotion, and sale 21 Back to top of their products. This could result in our loss of customers and/or market share to these competitors or being forced to reduce the prices at which we sell our products to remain competitive. As a result of competitive bidding processes, we may have to provide pricing concessions to our significant customers in order for us to keep their business. Reduced pricing would result in lower product margins on sales to those customers. There is no guarantee that a reduction in prices would be offset by sufficient gains in market share and sales volume to those customers. The loss of, or a reduction in orders from, any significant customers, or decreases in the prices of our products, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Failure to maintain the performance, reliability, quality, and service standards required by our customers, or to timely deliver our products, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. If our products have performance, reliability, or quality problems, our reputation and brand equity, which we believe is a substantial competitive advantage, could be materially adversely affected. We may also experience increased and unanticipated warranty and service expenses. Furthermore, we manufacture a significant portion of our products based on the specific requirements of our customers, and delays in providing our customers the products and services they specify on a timely basis could result in reduced or canceled orders and delays in the collection of accounts receivable. Additionally, claims from our customers, with or without merit, could result in costly and time-consuming litigation that could require significant time and attention of management and involve significant monetary damages that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. A disruption in our operations due to natural disasters or acts of war could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. We operate facilities worldwide. Many of our facilities are located in areas that are vulnerable to hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, and other natural disasters. In the event that a hurricane, earthquake, natural disaster, fire, pandemic, or other catastrophic event were to interrupt our operations for any extended period of time, it could delay shipment of merchandise to our customers, damage our reputation, or otherwise have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. In addition, our operations may be interrupted by terrorist attacks or other acts of violence or war. These attacks may directly impact our suppliers’ or customers’ physical facilities. Furthermore, these attacks may make travel and the transportation of our supplies and products more difficult and more expensive and ultimately have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. The U.S. has entered into armed conflicts, which could have an impact on our sales and our ability to deliver product to our customers. Political and economic instability in some regions of the world may also negatively impact the global economy and, therefore, our business. The consequences of any of these armed conflicts are unpredictable, and we may not be able to foresee events that could have an adverse effect on our business or your investment. More generally, any of these events could cause consumer confidence and spending to decrease or result in increased volatility in the worldwide financial markets. They could also result in economic recessions. Any of these occurrences could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. We may not identify or effectively respond to consumer needs, expectations, or trends in a timely fashion, which could adversely affect our relationship with customers, our reputation, the demand for our brands, products, and services, and our market share. The quantity, type, and prices of products demanded by consumers and our customers have shifted over time. For example, demand has increased for multi-family housing units such as apartments and condominiums, which typically require fewer of our products, and we are experiencing growth in certain channels for products with lower price points. In certain cases, these shifts have negatively impacted our sales and/or our profitability. Also, we must continually anticipate and adapt to the increasing use of technology by our customers. Recent years have seen shifts in consumer preferences and purchasing practices and changes in the business models and strategies of our customers. Consumers are increasingly using the internet and mobile technology to research home improvement products and to inform and provide feedback on their purchasing and ownership experience for these products. Trends towards online purchases could impact our ability to compete as we currently sell a significant portion of our products through retail home centers, wholesale distributors, and building products dealers. Accordingly, the success of our business depends in part on our ability to maintain strong brands and identify and respond promptly to evolving trends in demographics, consumer preferences, and expectations and needs, while also managing inventory levels. It is difficult to successfully predict the products and services our customers will demand. Even if we are successful in anticipating consumer preferences, our ability to adequately react to and address those preferences will in part depend upon our continued ability to develop and introduce innovative, high-quality products and acquire or develop the intellectual property necessary to develop new products or improve our existing products. There can be no assurance that the products we develop, even those to which we devote substantial resources, will be successful. While we continue to invest in innovation, brand building, and brand awareness, and intend to increase our investments in these areas in the future, these initiatives may not be successful. Failure to 22 Back to top anticipate and successfully react to changing consumer preferences could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. In addition, our competitors could introduce new or improved products that would replace or reduce demand for our products or create new proprietary designs and/or changes in manufacturing technologies that may render our products obsolete or too expensive for efficient competition in the marketplace. Our failure to competitively respond to changing consumer and customer trends, demands, and preferences could cause us to lose market share, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Manufacturing realignments and cost savings programs may result in a decrease in our short-term earnings and operating efficiency or expected benefits may not be achieved. We continually review our manufacturing operations to address market changes and to implement efficiencies presented by acquisitions. Effects of periodic manufacturing integrations, realignments, and cost savings programs have in the past and could in the future result in a decrease in our short-term earnings and operating efficiency until the expected results are achieved. Such programs may include the consolidation, integration, and upgrading of facilities, functions, systems, and procedures. Such programs involve substantial planning, often require capital investments, and may result in charges for fixed asset impairments or obsolescence and substantial severance costs. We also cannot assure you that we will achieve all of our cost savings. Our ability to achieve cost savings and other benefits within expected time frames is subject to many estimates and assumptions. These estimates and assumptions are subject to significant economic, competitive, and other uncertainties, some of which are beyond our control. If these estimates and assumptions are incorrect, if we experience delays, or if other unforeseen events occur, our operations could experience disruption, and our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. Our business is seasonal, and revenue and profit can vary significantly throughout the year, which may adversely impact the timing of our cash flows and limit our liquidity at certain times of the year. Our business is seasonal, and our net revenues and operating results vary significantly from quarter to quarter based upon the timing of the building season in our markets. Our sales typically follow seasonal new construction and R&R industry patterns. The peak season for home construction and R&R activity in the majority of the geographies where we market and sell our products generally corresponds with the second and third calendar quarters, and therefore our sales volume is typically higher during those quarters. Our first and fourth quarter sales volumes are generally lower due to reduced R&R and new construction activity as a result of less favorable climate conditions in the majority of our geographic end markets. Failure to effectively manage our inventory in anticipation of or in response to seasonal fluctuations could negatively impact our liquidity profile during certain seasonal periods. We may be unable to protect our intellectual property, and we may face claims of intellectual property infringement. We rely on a combination of patent, copyright, trademark, and trade secret laws, as well as confidentiality agreements, nondisclosure agreements, and other contractual commitments, to protect our intellectual property rights. However, these measures may not be adequate or sufficient, and third parties may not always respect these legal protections even if they are aware of them. In addition, our competitors may develop similar technologies and know-how without violating our intellectual property rights. Furthermore, the laws of foreign countries may not protect our intellectual property rights to the same extent as the laws of the U.S. The failure to obtain worldwide patent and trademark protection may result in other companies copying and marketing products based on our technologies or under brand or trade names similar to ours outside the jurisdictions in which we are protected. This could impede our growth in existing regions, create confusion among consumers, and result in a greater supply of similar products that could erode prices for our protected products. Litigation may be necessary to protect our intellectual property rights. Intellectual property litigation can result in substantial costs, could distract our management, and could impinge upon other resources. Our failure to enforce and protect our intellectual property rights may cause us to lose brand recognition and result in a decrease in sales of our products. Moreover, while we are not aware that any of our products or brands infringes upon the proprietary rights of others, third parties may make such claims in the future. From time to time, third parties may claim that we have infringed upon their intellectual property rights and we may receive notices from such third parties asserting such claims. Any such infringement claims are thoroughly investigated and, regardless of merit, could be time-consuming and result in costly litigation or damages, undermine the exclusivity and value of our brands, decrease sales, or require us to enter into royalty or licensing agreements that may not be on acceptable terms and that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. We continue to implement strategic initiatives, including JEM and our global footprint rationalization initiatives. If we fail to implement these initiatives as expected, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be adversely affected. Our future financial performance depends in part on our management’s ability to successfully implement our strategic initiatives, including JEM and our global footprint rationalization initiatives. We cannot assure you that we will be able to continue to successfully implement these initiatives and related strategies throughout the geographic regions in which we operate or be able to 23 Back to top continue improving our operating results. Similarly, these initiatives, even if implemented in all of our geographic regions, may not produce similar results. Any failure to successfully implement these initiatives and related strategies could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations, including increases in our severance and impairment charges. We may, in addition, decide to alter or discontinue certain aspects of our business strategy at any time. Changes in weather patterns, including as a result of global climate change, could significantly affect our financial results or financial condition. Weather patterns may affect our operating results and our ability to maintain our sales volume throughout the year. Because our customers depend on suitable weather to engage in construction projects, increased frequency or duration of extreme weather conditions could have a material adverse effect on our financial results or financial condition. For example, unseasonably cool weather or extraordinary amounts of rainfall may decrease construction activity, thereby decreasing our sales. Also, we cannot predict the effects that global climate change may have on our business. In addition to changes in weather patterns, it might, for example, reduce the demand for construction, destroy forests (increasing the cost and reducing the availability of wood products used in construction), and increase the cost and reduce the availability of raw materials and energy. New laws and regulations related to global climate change may also increase our expenses or reduce our sales. We are exposed to political, economic, and other risks that arise from operating a multinational business. We have operations in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. In the year ended December 31, 2020, our North America segment accounted for approximately 60% of net revenues, our Europe segment accounted for approximately 28% of net revenues, and our Australasia segment accounted for approximately 12% of our net revenues. Further, certain of our businesses obtain raw materials and finished goods from foreign suppliers. Accordingly, our business is subject to political, economic, and other risks that are inherent in operating in numerous countries. These risks include: • the difficulty of enforcing agreements and collecting receivables through foreign legal systems; • trade protection measures and import or export licensing requirements; • the imposition of, or increases in, tariffs or other trade restrictions; • required compliance with a variety of foreign laws and regulations, including the application of foreign labor regulations; • tax rates in foreign countries and the imposition of withholding requirements on foreign earnings; • difficulty in staffing and managing widespread operations; • the imposition of, or increases in, currency exchange controls; • potential inflation in applicable non-U.S. economies; and • changes in general economic and political conditions in countries where we operate, including as a result of the impact of the withdrawal of the U.K. from the E.U. The success of our business depends in part on our ability to anticipate and effectively manage these and other risks. We cannot assure you that these and other factors will not have a material adverse effect on our international operations or ultimately on our global business, financial condition, and results of operations. Certain of our customers may expand through consolidation and internal growth, which may increase their buying power. The increased size of our customers could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Certain of our significant customers are large companies with strong buying power, and our customers may expand through consolidation or internal growth. Consolidation could decrease the number of potential significant customers for our products and increase our reliance on key customers. Further, the increased size of our customers could result in our customers seeking more favorable terms, including pricing, for the products that they purchase from us. Accordingly, the increased size of our customers may further limit our ability to maintain or raise prices in the future. This could have a material adverse effect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. 24 Back to top We are subject to the credit risk of our customers, suppliers, and other counterparties. We are subject to the credit risk of our customers, because we provide credit to our customers in the normal course of business. All of our customers are sensitive to economic changes and to the cyclical nature of the building industry. Especially during protracted or severe economic declines and cyclical downturns in the building industry, our customers may be unable to perform on their payment obligations, including their debts to us. Any failure by our customers to meet their obligations to us may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. In addition, we may incur increased expenses related to collections in the future if we find it necessary to take legal action to enforce the contractual obligations of a significant number of our customers. Exchange rate fluctuations may impact our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Our operations expose us to both transaction and translation exchange rate risks. In the year ended December 31, 2020, 45% of our net revenues came from sales outside of the U.S., and we anticipate that our operations outside of the U.S. will continue to represent a significant portion of our net revenues for the foreseeable future. In addition, the nature of our operations often requires that we incur expenses in currencies other than those in which we earn revenue. Because of the mismatch between revenues and expenses, we are exposed to significant currency exchange rate risk and we may not be successful in achieving balances in currencies throughout our operations. In addition, if the effective price of our products were to increase as a result of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, demand for our products could decline, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Also, because our financial statements are presented in U.S. dollars, we must translate the financial statements of our foreign subsidiaries and affiliates into U.S. dollars at exchange rates in effect during or at the end of each reporting period, and increases or decreases in the value of the U.S. dollar against other major currencies will affect our reported financial results, including the amount of our outstanding indebtedness. Exchange rates, net, had a minimal impact on our consolidated net revenues in the year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to a negative impact of 3% in the year ended December 31, 2019. We cannot assure you that fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, particularly the strengthening of the U.S. dollar against major currencies, such as the Euro, the Australian dollar, the Canadian dollar, the British pound, or the currencies of large developing countries, would not materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. We may be the subject of product liability claims or product recalls and we may not accurately estimate costs related to warranty claims. Expenses associated with product liability claims and lawsuits and related negative publicity or warranty claims in excess of our reserves could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Our products are used in a wide variety of residential, non-residential, and architectural applications. We face the risk of exposure to product liability or other claims, including class action lawsuits, in the event our products are alleged to be defective or have resulted in harm to others or to property. We may in the future incur liability if product liability lawsuits against us are successful. Moreover, any such lawsuits, whether or not successful, could result in adverse publicity to us, which could cause our sales to decline materially. In addition, it may be necessary for us to recall defective products, which would also result in adverse publicity, as well as resulting in costs connected to the recall and loss of sales. We maintain insurance coverage to protect us against product liability claims, but that coverage may not be adequate to cover all claims that may arise, or we may not be able to maintain adequate insurance coverage in the future at an acceptable cost. Any liability not covered by insurance could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. In addition, consistent with industry practice, we provide warranties on many of our products and we may experience costs associated with warranty claims if our products have defects in manufacture or design or they do not meet contractual specifications. We estimate our future warranty costs based on historical trends and product sales, but we may fail to accurately estimate those costs and thereby fail to establish adequate warranty reserves for them. If warranty claims exceed our estimates, it may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. We may make acquisitions or investments in other businesses, which may involve risks or may not be successful. Generally, we seek to acquire businesses that broaden our existing product lines and service offerings or expand our geographic reach. There can be no assurance that we will be able to identify suitable acquisition candidates or that our acquisitions or investments in other businesses will be successful. These acquisitions or investments in other businesses may also involve risks, many of which may be unpredictable and beyond our control, and which may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations, including risks related to: • the nature of the acquired company’s business; • any acquired business not performing as well as anticipated; • the potential loss of key employees of the acquired company; • any damage to our reputation as a result of performance or customer satisfaction problems relating to an acquired business; 25 Back to top • the failure of our due diligence procedures to detect material issues related to the acquired business, including exposure to legal claims for activities of the acquired business prior to the acquisition; • unexpected liabilities resulting from the acquisition for which we may not be adequately indemnified; • our inability to enforce indemnification and non-compete agreements; • the integration of the personnel, operations, technologies, and products of the acquired business, and establishment of internal controls, including the implementation of our enterprise resource planning system, into the acquired company’s operations; • our failure to achieve projected synergies or cost savings; • our inability to establish uniform standards, controls, procedures, and policies; • any requirement that we make divestitures of operations or properties in order to comply with applicable antitrust laws in connection with future acquisitions; • the diversion of management attention and financial resources; and • any unforeseen management and operational difficulties, particularly if we acquire assets or businesses in new foreign jurisdictions where we have little or no operational experience. In furtherance of our strategy of growth through acquisitions, we routinely review and conduct investigations of potential acquisitions, some of which may be material. When we believe a favorable opportunity exists, we seek to enter into discussions with targets or sellers regarding the possibility of such acquisitions. At any given time, we may be in discussions with one or more counterparties. There can be no assurances that any such negotiations will lead to definitive agreements, or if such agreements are reached, that any transactions would be consummated. Our inability to achieve the anticipated benefits of acquisitions and other investments could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. In addition, the means by which we finance an acquisition may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations, including changes to our equity, debt, and liquidity position. If we issue Convertible Preferred or Common Stock to pay for an acquisition, the ownership percentage of our existing shareholders may be diluted. Using our existing cash may reduce our liquidity. Incurring additional debt to fund an acquisition may result in higher debt service and a requirement to comply with additional financial and other covenants, including potential restrictions on future acquisitions and distributions. Risks Relating to Labor and Supply Chain Prices and availability of the raw materials we use to manufacture our products are subject to fluctuations, and we may be unable to pass along to our customers the effects of any price increases. We use wood, glass, vinyl and other plastics, fiberglass and other composites, aluminum, steel and other metals, as well as hardware, resins, adhesives, and other components to manufacture our products. Prices and availability of our materials fluctuate for a variety of reasons beyond our control, many of which cannot be anticipated with any degree of reliability. Our most significant raw materials include logs and lumber, vinyl extrusions, glass, steel, and aluminum, each of which has been subject to periods of rapid and significant fluctuations in price. The reasons for these fluctuations include, among other things, variable worldwide supply and demand across different industries, speculation in commodities futures, general economic or environmental conditions, labor costs, competition, import duties, tariffs, worldwide currency fluctuations, freight, regulatory costs, and product and process evolutions that impact demand for the same materials. The U.S. has imposed tariffs on certain products imported into the U.S. from China, as well as tariffs on certain steel and aluminum products imported from certain countries, and could impose additional tariffs or trade restrictions. The imposition of tariffs may impact the prices of materials purchased outside of the U.S. and include goods in transit as well as increasing the price of domestically sourced materials, including, in particular, steel and aluminum. Impositions of tariffs by other countries could also impact pricing and availability of raw materials. As another example, as global demand for key chemicals increases, the limited number of suppliers and investment in greater supply capacity drives increased global pricing. Additionally, anti-dumping and countervailing duty trade cases, such as the January 8, 2020, Coalition of American Millwork Producers’ anti-dumping petitions on imports of wood moldings and millwork products from Brazil and China and a countervailing duty petition on imports of wood moldings and millwork products from China, could impact our business and results of operations. While we believe our exposure to the potential increased costs of these tariffs and duties is no greater than the industry as a whole, our business and results of operations may be adversely affected if our efforts to mitigate their effects are unsuccessful. We have short-term supply contracts with certain of our largest suppliers that limit our exposure to short term fluctuations in prices and availability of our materials, but we are susceptible to longer-term fluctuations in prices. We generally do not hedge against commodity price fluctuations. Significant increases in the prices of raw materials for finished goods, including as a result of 26 Back to top significant or protracted material shortages due to pandemic or otherwise, may be difficult to pass through to customers and may negatively impact our profitability and net revenues. We may attempt to modify products that use certain raw materials, but these changes may not be successful. Our business may be affected by delays or interruptions in the delivery of raw materials, finished goods, and certain component parts. A supply shortage or delivery chain interruption could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. We rely upon regular deliveries of raw materials, finished goods, and certain component parts. For certain raw materials that are used in our products, we depend on a single or limited number of suppliers for our materials, and we typically do not have long-term contracts with our suppliers. If we are not able to accurately forecast our supply needs, our limited number of suppliers may make it difficult to quickly obtain additional raw materials to respond to shifting or increased demand. In addition, a supply shortage could occur as a result of unanticipated increases in market demand, including as a result of accelerated demand in reaction to the threat of tariffs or trade restrictions; difficulties in production or delivery, including insufficient energy supply; financial difficulties; or catastrophic events in the supply chain. Furthermore, because our products and the components of some of our products are subject to regulation, changes to these regulations could cause delays in delivery of raw materials, finished goods, and certain component parts. Until we can make acceptable arrangements with alternate suppliers, any interruption or disruption could impact our ability to ship orders on time and could idle some of our manufacturing capability for those products. This could result in a loss of revenues, reduced margins, and damage to our relationships with customers, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Increases in labor costs, potential labor disputes, and work stoppages at our facilities or the facilities of our suppliers could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Our financial performance is affected by the availability of qualified personnel and the cost of labor. As of December 31, 2020, we had over 23,000 employees worldwide, including approximately 11,300 employees in the U.S. and Canada. Approximately 1,140, or 10%, of our employees in the U.S. and Canada are unionized workers, and the majority of our workforce in other countries belong to work councils or are otherwise subject to labor agreements. U.S. and Canada employees represented by these unions are subject to collective bargaining agreements that are subject to periodic negotiation and renewal. If we are unable to enter into new, satisfactory labor agreements with our unionized employees upon expiration of their agreements, we could experience a significant disruption of our operations, which could cause us to be unable to deliver products to customers on a timely basis. Such disruptions could result in a loss of business and an increase in our operating expenses, which could reduce our net revenues and profit margins. In addition, our non-unionized labor force may become subject to labor union organizing efforts, which could cause us to incur additional labor costs and increase the related risks that we now face. We believe many of our direct and indirect suppliers also have unionized workforces. Strikes, work stoppages, or slowdowns experienced by suppliers could result in slowdowns or closures of facilities where components of our products are manufactured or delivered. Any interruption in the production or delivery of these components could reduce sales, increase costs, and have a material adverse effect on us. Our business will suffer if certain key officers or employees discontinue employment with us or if we are unable to recruit and retain highly skilled staff at a competitive cost. The success of our business depends upon the skills, experience, and efforts of our key officers and employees. In recent years, we have hired key executives who have and will continue to be integral in the continuing transformation of our business. The loss of key personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. We do not maintain key-man life insurance policies on any members of management. Our business also depends on our ability to continue to recruit, train, and retain skilled employees, particularly skilled sales personnel. The loss of the services of certain key personnel, or our inability to hire new personnel with the requisite skills, could impair our ability to develop new products or enhance existing products, sell products to our customers, or manage our business effectively. Should we lose the services of any member of our senior management team, our Board of Directors would have to conduct a search for a qualified replacement. This search may be prolonged, and we may not be able to locate and hire a qualified replacement. A significant increase in the wages paid by competing employers could result in a reduction of our qualified labor force, increases in the wage rates that we must pay, or both. Our pension plan obligations are currently not fully funded, and we may have to make significant cash payments to these plans, which would reduce the cash available for our businesses. Although we have closed our U.S. pension plan to new participants and have frozen future benefit accruals for current participants, we continue to have unfunded obligations under that plan. The funded levels of our pension plan depend upon many factors, including returns on invested assets, certain market interest rates, and the discount rate used to determine pension obligations. The projected benefit obligation and unfunded liability included in our consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2020 for our U.S. pension plan were approximately $474.1 million and $77.2 million, respectively. Unfavorable returns on the plan assets or 27 Back to top unfavorable changes in applicable laws or regulations could materially change the timing and amount of required plan funding, which would reduce the cash available for our operations. In addition, a decrease in the discount rate used to determine pension obligations could increase the estimated value of our pension obligations, which would affect the reported funding status of our pension plans and would require us to increase the amounts of future contributions. Additionally, we have foreign defined benefit plans, some of which continue to be open to new participants. As of December 31, 2020, our foreign defined benefit plans had unfunded pension liabilities of approximately $44.1 million and overfunded pension assets of approximately $1.7 million. Under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or “ERISA”, the U.S. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, or the “PBGC”, also has the authority to terminate an underfunded tax-qualified U.S. pension plan under certain circumstances. In the event our tax-qualified U.S. pension plans were terminated by the PBGC, we could be liable to the PBGC for an amount that exceeds the underfunding disclosed in our consolidated financial statements. In addition, because our U.S. pension plan has unfunded obligations, if we have a substantial cessation of operations at a U.S. facility and, as a result of such cessation of operations an event under ERISA Section 4062(e) is triggered, additional liabilities that exceed the amounts disclosed in our consolidated financial statements could arise, including an obligation for us to provide additional contributions or alternative security for a period of time after such an event occurs. Any such action could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Risks Relating to Cybersecurity and Data Privacy We are highly dependent on information technology, the disruption of which could significantly impede our ability to do business. Our operations depend on our network of information technology systems, which are vulnerable to damage from hardware failure, fire, power loss, telecommunications failure, and impacts of terrorism, natural disasters, or other disasters. We rely on our information technology systems to accurately maintain books and records, record transactions, provide information to management and prepare our financial statements. We may not have sufficient redundant operations to cover a loss or failure in a timely manner. Any damage to our information technology systems could cause interruptions to our operations that materially adversely affect our ability to meet customers’ requirements, resulting in an adverse impact to our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Periodically, these systems need to be expanded, updated, or upgraded as our business needs change. We may not be able to successfully implement changes in our information technology systems without experiencing difficulties, which could require significant financial and human resources. Moreover, our increasing dependence on technology may exacerbate this risk. We are implementing new systems, including a new Enterprise Resource Planning system, as part of our ongoing technology and process improvements. If these new systems prove ineffective, we may be unable to timely or accurately prepare financial reports, make payments to our suppliers and employees, or invoice and collect from our customers. We are implementing new systems, including our continued implementation of a new ERP system, as part of our ongoing technology and process improvements. This ERP system will provide a standardized method of accounting for, among other things, order entry and inventory and should enhance our ability to implement our strategic initiatives. Failure to properly plan and design the ERP system could result in future impairments relating to a portion or all associated capitalized costs. Any delay in the implementation, or disruption in the upgrade, of these systems could adversely affect our ability to timely and accurately report financial information, including the filing of our quarterly or annual reports with the SEC. Such delay or disruption could also impact our ability to timely or accurately make payments to our suppliers and employees and could also inhibit our ability to invoice and collect from our customers. Data integrity problems or other issues may be discovered which could impact our business, accuracy of our reporting, or financial results. In addition, we may experience periodic or prolonged disruption of our financial functions arising out of this conversion, general use of such systems, other periodic upgrades or updates, or other external factors that are outside of our control. If we encounter unforeseen problems with our financial system or related systems and infrastructure, our business, operations, and financial systems could be adversely affected. We may also need to implement additional systems or transition to other new systems that require further expenditures in order to function effectively as a public company. There can be no assurance that our implementation of additional systems or transition to new systems will be successful, or that such implementation or transition will not present unforeseen costs or demands on our management. Our systems and IT infrastructure may be subject to security breaches and other cybersecurity incidents. We rely on the accuracy, capacity, and security of our IT systems, some of which are managed or hosted by third parties, and the sale of our products may involve the transmission and/or storage of data, including in certain instances customers’ and employees’ business and personally identifiable information. Maintaining the security of computers, computer networks, and data storage resources is a critical issue for us and our customers, as security breaches, including computer viruses and malware, denial of service actions, misappropriation of data and similar events through the interest, including via devices and applications connected to the internet, and through email attachments and persons with access to these information systems could result in vulnerabilities and loss of and/or unauthorized access to confidential information. We have experienced and may in the future face attempts by experienced hackers, cybercriminals, or others with authorized access to our systems to misappropriate our proprietary information and technology, interrupt our business, and/or gain unauthorized access to confidential information. The reliability and security of our information 28 Back to top technology infrastructure and software, and our ability to expand and continually update technologies in response to our changing needs is critical to our business. To the extent that any disruptions or security breaches result in a loss or damage to our data, it could cause harm to our reputation or brand and could potentially cause production downtimes, operational delays, and other detrimental impacts on our operations. This could lead some customers to stop purchasing our products and reduce or delay future purchases of our products or use competing products. In addition, we could face enforcement actions by U.S. states, the U.S. federal government, or foreign governments, which could result in fines, penalties, and/or other liabilities, which may cause us to incur legal fees and costs, and/or additional costs associated with responding to the cyberattack. Increased regulation regarding cybersecurity may increase our costs of compliance, including fines and penalties, as well as costs of cybersecurity audits and associated repairs or updates to infrastructure, physical systems or data processing systems. Any of these actions could have a material adverse impact on our business and results of operations. Although we maintain insurance coverage to protect us against some of the risks, those policies may be insufficient to cover all losses or all types of claims that may arise in the event we experience a cybersecurity incident, data breach or disruption, unauthorized access, or failure of systems. In addition, we are subject to state, foreign, and international laws and regulations, as well as contractual obligations, that apply to the collection, use, retention, protection, disclosure, transfer and other processing of personal data. These privacy and data-protection related laws and regulations are evolving, with new or modified laws and regulations proposed and implemented frequently and existing laws and regulations subject to new or different interpretations. In particular, the E.U. General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”), which became effective in 2018, poses increased compliance challenges both for companies operating within the E.U. and non-E.U. companies that administer or process certain personal data of E.U. residents. It is not possible to predict the ultimate content, and therefore effect, of data protection regulation over time, and efforts to comply with evolving regulation may result in additional costs. We believe we have invested in industry-appropriate protections and monitoring practices for our data and information technology to reduce these risks and continue to monitor our systems on an ongoing basis for compliance with applicable privacy regulations and any current or potential threats. While we have not experienced any material breaches in security in our recent history, there can be no assurance that our efforts will prevent breakdowns or breaches to databases or systems that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations, or that we will be subject to enforcement actions or penalties in connection with a failure or alleged failure to comply with applicable laws. Risks Relating to our Governmental and Regulatory Environment Changes in building codes and standards, including ENERGY STAR standards, could increase the cost of our products, lower the demand for our windows and doors, or otherwise adversely affect our business. Our products and markets are subject to extensive and complex local, state, federal and foreign statutes, ordinances, rules, and regulations. These mandates, including building design and safety and construction standards and zoning requirements, affect the cost, selection, and quality requirements of building components like windows and doors. These regulations often provide broad discretion to governmental authorities as to the types and quality specifications of products used in new residential and non-residential construction and home renovations and improvement projects, and different governmental authorities can impose different standards. Compliance with these standards and changes in such regulations may increase the costs of manufacturing our products or may reduce the demand for certain of our products in the affected geographical areas or product markets. Conversely, a decrease in product safety standards could reduce demand for our more modern products if less expensive alternatives that did not meet higher standards became available for use in that market. All or any of these changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. In addition, in order for our products to obtain the “ENERGY STAR” certification, they must meet certain requirements set by the EPA. Changes in the energy efficiency requirements established by the EPA for the ENERGY STAR label could increase our costs, and a lapse in our ability to label our products as such or to comply with the new standards, may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Domestic and foreign governmental regulations applicable to general business operations could increase the costs of operating our business and adversely affect our business. We are subject to a variety of regulations from U.S. and foreign governmental authorities relating to wage requirements, employee benefits, and other workplace matters. Changes in local minimum or living wage requirements, rights of employees to unionize, healthcare regulations, and other requirements relating to employee benefits could increase our labor costs, which would in turn increase our cost of doing business. In addition, our international operations are subject to laws applicable to foreign operations, trade protection measures, foreign labor relations, differing intellectual property rights, privacy regulations, other legal and regulatory constraints, and currency regulations of the countries or regions in which we currently operate or where we may operate in the future. These factors may restrict the sales of, or increase costs of, manufacturing and selling our products. 29 Back to top We may be subject to significant compliance costs, as well as liabilities under environmental, health, and safety laws and regulations. Our past and present operations, assets, and products are subject to extensive environmental laws and regulations at the federal, state, and local level worldwide. These laws regulate, among other things, air emissions, the discharge or release of materials into the environment, the handling and disposal of wastes, remediation of contaminated sites, worker health and safety, and the impact of products on human health and safety and the environment. Under certain of these laws, liability for contaminated property may be imposed on current or former owners or operators of the property or on parties that generated or arranged for waste sent to the property for disposal. Liability under these laws may be joint and several and may be imposed without regard to fault or the legality of the activity giving rise to the contamination. Notwithstanding our compliance efforts, we may still face material liability, limitations on our operations, fines, or penalties for violations of environmental, health, and safety laws and regulations, including releases of regulated materials and contamination by us or previous occupants at our current or former properties or at offsite disposal locations we use. The applicable environmental, health, and safety laws and regulations, and any changes to them or in their enforcement, may require us to make material expenditures with respect to ongoing compliance with or remediation under these laws and regulations or require that we modify our products or processes in a manner that increases our costs and/or reduces our profitability. For example, additional pollution control equipment, process changes, or other environmental control measures may be needed at some of our facilities to meet future requirements. In addition, discovery of currently unknown or unanticipated soil or groundwater conditions at our properties could result in significant liabilities and costs. Accordingly, we are unable to predict the exact future costs of compliance with or liability under environmental, health, and safety laws and regulations. We may be subject to significant compliance costs with respect to legislative and regulatory proposals to restrict emissions of GHGs and other sustainability initiatives. Various legislative, regulatory, and inter-governmental proposals to restrict emissions of GHGs, such as carbon dioxide (“CO 2 ” ) , are under consideration by governmental legislative bodies and regulators in the jurisdictions where we operate. In the U.S., the EPA adopted the Affordable Clean Energy Rule, or “ACE”, in June 2019, which repealed the previously adopted Clean Power Plan and was expected to be significantly less burdensome for producers of energy than the requirements of the Clean Power Plan. As a result, certain states have adopted or may adopt more stringent regulations governing emissions of GHGs. In January 2021, the D.C. Circuit vacated the ACE rule, enabling the opportunity for a new federal rule to be adopted. In addition, many other jurisdictions in which we operate have continued to commit to limiting emissions of GHGs, most prominently through an agreement reached in Paris in December 2015 at the 21 st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Paris Agreement sets out a new process for achieving global GHG reductions. Although the Trump Administration withdrew the United States from the agreement effective November 2020, President Biden issued an executive order in January 2021 for the U.S. to commit to the Paris Agreement. As a result of the D.C. Circuit’s decision to vacate the ACE Rule, it is likely the Biden Administration may propose federal regulation to replace the ACE Rule that, if enacted, would reverse the trend of deregulation. As some of our manufacturing facilities operate boilers or other process equipment that emit GHGs, such regulatory and global initiatives may require us to modify our operating procedures or production levels, incur capital expenditures, change fuel sources, or take other actions that may adversely affect our financial results. Given the high degree of uncertainty about the ultimate parameters of any such regulatory or global initiatives, and the degree to which the U.S. will participate in initiatives at the federal or global level, we cannot predict at this time the ultimate impact of such initiatives on our operations or financial results. Increasing regulations to reduce GHG emissions, as proposed throughout many of our operating regions, would be expected to increase energy costs, increase price volatility for fossil fuels and petroleum, and reduce petroleum production levels, which in turn could impact the prices of those raw materials. In addition, laws and regulations relating to forestry practices limit the volume and manner of harvesting timber to mitigate environmental impacts, such as deforestation, soil erosion, damage to riparian areas, and GHG levels. The extent of these regulations and related compliance costs has grown in recent years and will increase our materials costs and may increase other aspects of our production costs. Changes to legislative and regulatory policies that currently promote home ownership may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Our markets are also affected by legislative and regulatory policies, such as U.S. tax rules, allowing for deductions of mortgage interest and the mandate of government-sponsored entities like Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to promote home ownership through mortgage guarantees on certain types of home loans. The Tax Act passed in the U.S. in December 2017 made significant changes to some of these historical benefits of home ownership. The specific changes which could affect our markets are, among others, a reduction of the maximum amount of home mortgage indebtedness for which a tax deduction for interest paid may be claimed, an elimination of the deduction for interest paid on home equity indebtedness, and a limitation on the amount of state and local taxes allowed to be deducted annually as itemized deductions. These changes to the tax code and any future policy changes may 30 Back to top adversely impact demand for our products and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Lack of transparency, threat of fraud, public sector corruption, and other forms of criminal activity involving government officials increases the risk of potential liability under anti-bribery/anti-corruption or anti-fraud legislation, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the U.K. Bribery Act, and similar laws and regulations. We operate manufacturing and distribution facilities in 19 countries and sell our products in approximately 100 countries around the world. As a result of the international nature of our operations, we may enter from time to time into negotiations and contractual arrangements with parties affiliated with foreign governments and their officials in the ordinary course of business. In connection with these activities, we may be subject to anti-corruption laws in various jurisdictions, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or the “FCPA”, the U.K. Bribery Act and other anti-bribery laws applicable to jurisdictions where we do business that prohibit improper payments or offers of payments to foreign government officials and political parties and others for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business, or otherwise receiving discretionary favorable treatment of any kind, and require the maintenance of internal controls to prevent such payments. In particular, we may be held liable for actions taken by agents in foreign countries where we operate, even though such parties are not always subject to our control. We have established anti-bribery/anti-corruption policies and procedures and offer several channels for raising concerns in an effort to comply with the laws and regulations applicable to us. However, there can be no assurance that our policies and procedures will effectively prevent us from violating these laws and regulations in every transaction in which we may engage. Allegations of violations of the FCPA or other anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws may result in internal, independent, or government investigations. Any determination that we have violated the FCPA or other anti-bribery/anti-corruption laws (whether directly or through acts of others, intentionally or through inadvertence) could result in severe criminal and civil sanctions and other liabilities that could have a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, financial condition, and results of operations. As we continue to expand our business globally, including through foreign acquisitions, we may have difficulty anticipating and effectively managing these and other risks that our international operations may face, which may adversely impact our business outside of the U.S. and our financial condition and results of operations. In addition, any acquisition of businesses with operations outside of the U.S. may exacerbate this risk. The U.K.’s withdrawal from the E.U. could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. In June 2016, the U.K. electorate voted in a referendum to voluntarily depart from the E.U., known as “Brexit”. Following the formation of a majority Conservative government in December 2019, the U.K. approved the withdrawal agreement and left the E.U. on January 31, 2020. On December 31, 2020, the U.K. passed legislation giving effect to a trade and cooperation agreement, with the E.U. expected to formally adopt the agreement in early 2021. The trade and cooperation agreement covers the general objectives and framework of the relationship between the U.K. and the E.U., including as it relates to trade, transport, visas, judicial, law enforcement and security matters, and provides for continued participation in community programs and mechanisms for dispute resolution. The effects of the U.K.’s withdrawal from the E.U. on the global economy, and on our business in particular, will depend on the finalization and application of the trade and cooperation agreement between the U.K. and the E.U, and the finalization of trade negotiations between the U.K. and other countries. The final outcome of Brexit negotiations could impair the ability of our operations in the E.U. to transact business in the future in the U.K., as well as the ability of our U.K. operations to transact business in the future in the E.U. Volatility associated with Brexit could continue to adversely affect European and worldwide economic conditions and may contribute to greater instability in the global financial markets. Among other things, Brexit could reduce consumer spending in the U.K. and the E.U., which could result in decreased demand for our products within these regions. Similarly, housing sales and home values in the U.K. and in the E.U. could be negatively impacted and Brexit could also influence foreign currency exchange rates. For the year ended December 31, 2020, we derived 4% of our net revenues from the U.K., and our Europe headquarters is located in the U.K. As a result, the ultimate effects of Brexit could inhibit the growth of our business and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Changes in legislation, regulation, and government policy, including as a result of U.S. presidential and congressional elections, may have a material adverse effect on our business in the future. We cannot predict the impact that may result from changes in the federal or administrative landscape under the Biden Administration and recently elected U.S. Congress officials. While it is not possible to predict whether and when any such changes will occur, changes at the local, state, and federal level could significantly impact our business. Specific legislative and regulatory proposals that could have a material impact on us include, but are not limited to: infrastructure renewal programs, changes to immigration policy, modifications to international trade policy, including renegotiation of or withdrawal from trade agreements, the imposition of tariffs or trade restrictions, and changes to financial legislation and public company reporting requirements. 31 Back to top In addition, U.S. lawmakers have made substantial changes to U.S. fiscal and tax policies, including the adoption of the Tax Act, which introduced a variety of tax reforms that significantly impact U.S. taxation of multi-national corporations. These include, among others, reductions in the U.S. corporate tax rate, repeal of the corporate alternative minimum tax, introduction of immediate cost recovery for capital investments, the limitation of the interest deduction, the limitation of certain deductions for executive compensation, and changes to the international tax system, including the adoption of a territorial tax system and taxation of the accumulated foreign earnings of U.S. multinational corporations. The specific provisions of the Tax Act, while generally favorable to our U.S. operations, may have certain negative implications, such as the GILTI provisions, which could materially impact our financial performance. Certain aspects of the Tax Act took effect or material additional guidance was issued during fiscal year 2020, including certain regulations relating to the GILTI high-tax exclusion provisions under Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) §951A, foreign tax credits, and interest expense limitations. Final guidance continues to be issued by the U.S. Treasury, and, once issued, may materially affect the Company’s conclusions regarding the net related effects of the Tax Act on its financial statements. These provisions will continue to have a significant impact on our future performance. The Biden Administrations’ proposed legislation, in conjunction with his 2020 presidential campaign, indicate increases to corporate tax rates. If such legislation is enacted, it may have a material adverse impact to our tax rate, and in turn, our profitability. Changes in accounting standards, new interpretations of existing standards and subjective assumptions, estimates, and judgments by management related to complex accounting matters could significantly affect our financial results or financial condition. Generally accepted accounting principles and related accounting pronouncements, implementation guidelines and interpretations with regard to a wide range of matters that are relevant to our business, such as revenue recognition, asset impairment, impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets, inventories, lease obligations, pensions, self-insurance, tax matters, and litigation, are highly complex and involve many subjective assumptions, estimates, and judgments. Changes in these rules or their interpretation or changes in underlying assumptions, estimates, or judgments could significantly change our reported results. Risks Relating to our Indebtedness Our failure to comply with the credit agreements governing our Credit Facilities and indentures governing the Senior Notes and Senior Secured Notes, including as a result of events beyond our control, could trigger events of default and acceleration of our indebtedness. Defaults under our debt agreements could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. If there were an event of default under the credit agreements governing our Credit Facilities, the indentures governing the Senior Notes and Senior Secured Notes, or other indebtedness that we may incur, the holders of the defaulted indebtedness could cause all amounts outstanding with respect to that indebtedness to be immediately due and payable. It is likely that our cash flows would not be sufficient to fully repay borrowings under our Credit Facilities and principal amounts of the Senior Notes and Senior Secured Notes, if accelerated upon an event of default. If we are unable to repay, refinance, or restructure our secured debt, the holders of such indebtedness may proceed against the collateral securing that indebtedness. Furthermore, any event of default or declaration of acceleration under one debt instrument may also result in an event of default under one or more of our other debt instruments. In exacerbated or prolonged circumstances, one or more of these events could result in our bankruptcy or liquidation. Accordingly, any default by us on our debt could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Our indebtedness could adversely affect our financial flexibility and our competitive position. Financial information regarding our indebtedness is included in Note 13 - Long-Term Debt to our financial statements included in this 10-K. Our level of indebtedness increases the risk that we may be unable to generate cash sufficient to pay amounts due in respect of our indebtedness and could have other material consequences, including: • limiting our ability to obtain financing in the future for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service, or other general corporate purposes; • requiring us to use a substantial portion of our available cash flow to service our debt, which will reduce the amount of cash flow available for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, and other general corporate purposes; • increasing our vulnerability to general economic downturns and adverse industry conditions; • limiting our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and in our industry in general; • limiting our ability to invest in and develop new products; 32 Back to top • placing us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors that are not as highly leveraged, as we may be less capable of responding to adverse economic conditions, general economic downturns, and adverse industry conditions; • restricting the way we conduct our business because of financial and operating covenants in the agreements governing our existing and future indebtedness; • increasing the risk of our failing to satisfy our obligations with respect to borrowings outstanding under our Credit Facilities, Senior Notes, and Senior Secured Notes and/or being able to comply with the financial and operating covenants contained in our debt instruments, which could result in an event of default under the credit agreements governing our Credit Facilities and the agreements governing our other debt, including the indentures governing the Senior Notes and Senior Secured Notes, that, if not cured or waived, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations; and • increasing our cost of borrowing. The credit agreements governing our Credit Facilities and the indentures governing the Senior Notes and Senior Secured Notes impose significant operating and financial restrictions on us that may prevent us from capitalizing on business opportunities. The credit agreements governing our Credit Facilities and the indentures governing the Senior Notes and Senior Secured Notes impose significant operating and financial restrictions on us. These restrictions limit our ability, among other things, to: • incur or guarantee additional indebtedness; • make certain loans, investments, or restricted payments, including dividends to our shareholders; • repurchase or redeem capital stock; • engage in certain transactions with affiliates; • sell certain assets (including stock of subsidiaries) or merge with or into other companies; and • create or incur liens. Under the terms of the ABL Facility, we will at times be required to comply with a specified fixed charge coverage ratio when the amount of certain unrestricted cash balances of the U.S. and Canadian loan parties plus the amount available for borrowing by the U.S. borrowers and Canadian borrowers is less than a specified amount. The Australia Senior Secured Credit Facility also contains financial maintenance covenants. Our ability to meet the specified covenants could be affected by events beyond our control, and our failure to meet these covenants will result in an event of default as defined in the applicable facility. In addition, our ability to borrow under the ABL Facility is limited by the amount of the borrowing base applicable to U.S. dollar and Canadian dollar borrowings. Any negative impact on the elements of our borrowing base, such as eligible accounts receivable and inventory, will reduce our borrowing capacity under the ABL Facility. Moreover, the ABL Facility provides discretion to the agent bank acting on behalf of the lenders to impose additional requirements on what accounts receivable and inventory may be counted toward the borrowing base availability and to impose other reserves, which could materially impair the amount of borrowings that would otherwise be available to us. There can be no assurance that the agent bank will not impose such reserves or, were it to do so, that the resulting impact of this action would not materially and adversely impair our liquidity. As a result of these covenants and restrictions, we are limited in how we conduct our business, and we may be unable to raise additional debt or equity financing to compete effectively or to take advantage of new business opportunities or engage in other activities that may be in our long-term best interests. The terms of any future indebtedness we may incur could include more restrictive covenants. We cannot assure you that we will be able to maintain compliance with these covenants in the future and, if we fail to do so, we may be unable to obtain waivers from the lenders or amend the covenants. We require a significant amount of liquidity to fund our operations, and borrowing may increase our vulnerability to negative unforeseen events. Our liquidity needs vary throughout the year. If our business experiences materially negative unforeseen events, we may be unable to generate sufficient cash flow from operations to fund our needs or maintain sufficient liquidity to operate and remain in compliance with our debt covenants, which could result in reduced or delayed purchases of raw materials, planned capital expenditures, and other investments and adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations. Our ability to borrow under the ABL Facility may be limited due to decreases in the borrowing base as described above. 33 Back to top Risks Relating to Ownership of Our Common Stock The market price of our Common Stock may be highly volatile. Our Common Stock has only been listed for public trading since January 27, 2017. As of December 31, 2020, the price of our Common Stock since the date of our IPO, as reported by the NYSE, has ranged from an intraday high of $42.27 to an intraday low of $6.06. The trading price of our Common Stock may continue to be volatile. Securities markets worldwide experience significant price and volume fluctuations. This market volatility, as well as other general economic, market or political conditions, could reduce the market price of our shares in spite of our operating performance. The following factors may have a significant impact on the market price of our Common Stock: • negative trends in global economic conditions or activity levels in our end markets; • increases in interest rates used to finance home construction and improvements; • our ability to compete effectively against our competitors; • changes in consumer needs, expectations, or trends; • our ability to maintain our relationships with key customers; • our ability to implement our business strategy; • our ability to complete and integrate new acquisitions; • variations in the prices of raw materials used to manufacture our products; • adverse changes in building codes and standards or governmental regulations applicable to general business operations; • product liability claims or product recalls; • any legal actions in which we may become involved, including disputes relating to our intellectual property; • our ability to recruit and retain highly skilled staff; • actual or anticipated fluctuations in our quarterly or annual operating results; • trading volume of our Common Stock; • sales of our Common Stock by us, our executive officers and directors, or our shareholders (including Onex) in the future; and • general economic and market conditions and overall fluctuations in the U.S. equity markets. In addition, broad market and industry factors, including the trading prices of the securities of our publicly traded competitors, may negatively affect the market price of our Common Stock, regardless of our actual operating performance, and factors beyond our control may cause our stock price to decline rapidly and unexpectedly. Furthermore, the stock market has experienced extreme volatility that, in some cases, has been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of particular companies. Publishing earnings guidance subjects us to risks, including increased stock volatility, that could lead to potential lawsuits by investors. Because we publish earnings guidance, we are subject to a number of risks. Actual results may vary significantly from the guidance we provide investors from time to time, such that our stock price may decline following, among other things, any earnings release or guidance that does not meet market expectations. It has become increasingly commonplace for investors to file lawsuits against companies following a rapid decrease in market capitalization. We may be named in these types of lawsuits. These types of lawsuits can be costly and divert management attention and other resources away from our business, regardless of their merits, and could result in adverse settlements or judgments. Some provisions of our charter documents and Delaware law may have anti-takeover effects that could discourage an acquisition of us by others, even if an acquisition would be beneficial to our shareholders and may prevent attempts by our shareholders to replace or remove our current management. Provisions in our Charter and our Bylaws, as well as provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or the “DGCL”, could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us or increase the cost of acquiring us, even if doing so would benefit our shareholders, including transactions in which shareholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares. Our Charter and Bylaws currently provide for the following, among other things: • our Board of Directors is expressly authorized to adopt, amend, or repeal our Bylaws; 34 Back to top • our Board of Directors can issue blank check preferred stock to increase the number of outstanding shares and potentially discourage a takeover attempt; and • advance notice for nominations for election to our Board of Directors or for proposing matters that can be acted upon by shareholders at shareholder meetings. We have also opted out of Section 203 of the DGCL, which, subject to some exceptions, prohibits business combinations between a Delaware corporation and an interested shareholder, which is generally defined as a shareholder who becomes a beneficial owner of 15% or more of a Delaware corporation’s voting stock for a three-year period following the date that the shareholder became an interested shareholder. At some time in the future, we may again be governed by Section 203. Section 203 could have the effect of delaying, deferring, or preventing a change in control that our shareholders might consider to be in their best interests. In addition, our largest shareholder, Onex, has the ability to nominate one or two directors to our Board of Directors to the extent Onex maintains at least 12.5% or 20%, respectively, of our outstanding Common Stock. These anti-takeover defenses could discourage, delay, or prevent a transaction involving a change in control of our company. These provisions could also discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult for you and other shareholders to elect directors of your choosing and cause us to take corporate actions other than those you desire. Because Onex owns a substantial portion of our Common Stock, it may influence major corporate decisions and its interests may conflict with the interests of other holders of our Common Stock. Onex beneficially owns approximately 32.9 million shares of our Common Stock representing approximately 33% of our outstanding shares as of December 31, 2020. As a result, Onex continues to be able to influence matters requiring approval by our shareholders or our Board of Directors, including the election of directors and the approval of business combinations or dispositions and other extraordinary transactions. They also may have interests that differ from other shareholders and may vote in a way with which other shareholders disagree and which may be adverse to their interests. The concentration of ownership may have the effect of delaying, preventing, or deterring a change of control of our company, could deprive our shareholders of an opportunity to receive a premium for their Common Stock as part of a sale of our company and may materially and adversely affect the market price of our Common Stock. In addition, Onex may in the future own businesses that directly compete with ours. Further, for so long as Onex owns at least 5% of our outstanding shares, Onex has the right to purchase its pro rata portion of the primary shares offered in any future public offering. This right could result in Onex continuing to maintain a substantial ownership of our Common Stock. Onex also has the right to nominate one or two directors to our Board of Directors for as long as Onex maintains at least 12.5% or 20%, respectively, of our outstanding Common Stock. We may be subject to securities litigation, which is expensive and could divert management attention. Our share price may be volatile and, in the past, companies that have experienced volatility in the market price of their stock have been subject to securities class action litigation. We may be the target of this type of litigation. Litigation of this type could result in substantial costs and diversion of management’s attention and resources, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Any adverse determination in litigation could also subject us to significant liabilities and may negatively impact our share price. Our directors who have relationships with Onex may have conflicts of interest with respect to matters involving our Company. Two of our directors are affiliated with Onex. These persons have fiduciary duties to both us and Onex. As a result, they may have real or apparent conflicts of interest on matters affecting both us and Onex, which in some circumstances may have interests adverse to ours. Onex is in the business of making or advising on investments in companies and may hold, and from time to time may acquire, interests in, or provide advice to, businesses that directly or indirectly compete with certain portions of our business or that are suppliers or customers of ours. In addition, as a result of Onex’s ownership interest, conflicts of interest could arise with respect to transactions involving business dealings between us and Onex, including potential acquisitions of businesses or properties, the issuance of additional securities, the payment of dividends, and other matters. In addition, our Charter provides that the doctrine of “corporate opportunity” will not apply with respect to us, to Onex or certain related parties, or any of our directors who are employees of Onex or its affiliates in a manner that would prohibit them from investing in competing businesses or doing business with our customers. To the extent they invest in such other businesses, Onex may have differing interests than our other shareholders. Future sales, or the perception of future sales, of shares of our Common Stock in the public market by us or our existing shareholders could cause our stock price to fall. The sales of a substantial number of shares of our Common Stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales could occur, including sales by Onex, could materially adversely affect the prevailing market price of our Common Stock. As of December 31, 2020, we had 100,806,068 shares of Common Stock outstanding. 35 Back to top Shares held by Onex and certain of our directors, officers, and shareholders are eligible for resale, subject to volume, manner of sale and other limitations under Rule 144. In addition, pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement (as defined below), each have the right, subject to certain conditions, to require us to register the sale of shares owned by such persons under the federal securities laws. By exercising their registration rights and selling a large number of shares, these holders could cause the prevailing market price of our Common Stock to decline. In addition, shares issued or issuable upon exercise of options and vested RSUs and PSUs will be eligible for sale from time to time. As of December 31, 2020, we had 1,277,040 shares reserved for issuance pursuant to equity awards outstanding under our 2011 Stock Incentive Plan and 3,120,289 shares reserved for issuance pursuant to equity awards under our 2017 Omnibus Equity Plan. These shares, upon exercise of options and vesting of RSUs and PSUs, will be eligible for sale from time to time or will be eligible for sale immediately following exercise of such options. Our employees, officers, and directors may elect to sell shares of our Common Stock in the public market. Sales of a substantial number of shares of our Common Stock in the public market could depress the market price of our Common Stock and impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities. The ESOP and the JELD-WEN, Inc. KSOP (“KSOP”), are designed as a tax-qualified retirement plans and employee stock ownership plans under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“Code”). Former employees are entitled to receive distributions of accounts held under the ESOP and KSOP at specified times and in specified forms. In addition, each plan permits diversification of our Common Stock held in participants’ accounts. The ESOP and KSOP may sell shares in the open market to fund hardship distributions and diversifications or participants may sell shares received as part of their distributions. In the year ended December 31, 2020, 292,979 shares were either sold by the plans to cover cash distributions and diversifications or distributed to participants. In the future, we may issue securities to raise cash for acquisitions or otherwise. We may also acquire interests in other companies by using a combination of cash and our Common Stock or just our Common Stock and we may issue securities convertible into our Common Stock. Any of these events may dilute your ownership interest in our company and have an adverse impact on the price of our Common Stock. If securities or industry analysts cease publishing research or reports about us, our business, or our market, or if they adversely change their recommendations or publish negative reports regarding our business or our stock, our stock price and trading volume could decline. The trading market for our Common Stock can be influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts may publish about us, our business, our market, or our competitors. We do not have any control over these analysts, and we cannot provide any assurance that analysts will cover us or provide favorable coverage. If any of the analysts who may cover us adversely change their recommendation regarding our stock, or provide more favorable relative recommendations about our competitors, our stock price could decline. If any analyst who may cover us were to cease coverage of our company or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline. Because we have no current plans to pay cash dividends on our shares of Common Stock, shareholders must rely on appreciation of the value of our Common Stock for any return on their investment. We currently anticipate that we will retain future earnings for the development, operation, and expansion of our business and have no current plans to declare or pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. In addition, the terms of our Credit Facilities, Senior Notes, Senior Secured Notes, and any future debt agreements may preclude us from paying dividends. As a result, we expect that only appreciation of the price of our Common Stock, if any, will provide a return to shareholders for the foreseeable future. Our Charter provides, subject to limited exceptions, that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for certain disputes between us and our shareholders, which could limit our shareholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, or employees. Our Charter provides, unless we consent to an alternative forum, that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, any action or proceeding asserting a breach of fiduciary duty owned by any director or officer to us or our shareholders, any action or proceedings asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to the DGCL or our Charter or Bylaws, or any action or proceeding asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine. This provision may limit a shareholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and our directors, officers, and other employees. Alternatively, if a court were to find the provision contained in our Charter to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect our business and financial condition. 36 Back to top Because we are a holding company with no operations of our own, we rely on dividends, distributions, and transfers of funds from our subsidiaries, and we could be harmed if such distributions were not made in the future. We are a holding company that conducts all of our operations through subsidiaries and the majority of our operating income is derived from JWI, our main operating subsidiary. Consequently, we rely on dividends or advances from our subsidiaries. We have no current plans to declare or pay dividends on our Common Stock for the foreseeable future; however, to the extent that we determine in the future to pay dividends on our Common Stock, none of our subsidiaries will be obligated to make funds available to us for the payment of dividends. The ability of such subsidiaries to pay dividends to us is subject to applicable local law and may be limited due to terms of other contractual arrangements, including our indebtedness. Such laws and restrictions would restrict our ability to continue operations. In addition, Delaware law may impose requirements that may restrict our ability to pay dividends to holders of our Common Stock. Item 1B - Unresolved Staff Comments. None. 37 Back to top