Item 1A. Risk Factors
Item 1A. RISK FACTORS
The Company operates in a rapidly changing environment that involves a number of risks. The following discussion highlights some of these risks and others are discussed elsewhere in this report. These and other risks could materially and adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition, operating results or cash flows. The following risk factors are not an exhaustive list of the risks associated with the Company’s business. New factors may emerge or changes to these risks could occur that could materially affect the Company’s business.
Risks related to the Coal Mining segment
Termination of or default under long-term mining contracts could adversely affect the Company's business, financial condition, results of operation and cash flows.
Substantially all of the Coal Mining segment's profits are derived from long-term mining contracts. Although the Company has long-term contracts, numerous regulatory authorities, along with well-funded political and environmental activist groups, are devoting substantial resources to anti-coal activities to minimize or eliminate the use of coal as a source of electricity generation. Any customer's premature facility closure could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
The coal mining industry is subject to ongoing complex governmental regulations and legislation that could adversely impact the Company’s long-term mining contracts and the Company’s results of operations, liquidity, financial condition and cash flow.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (the “EPA”) has a comprehensive regulatory program to manage the disposal of coal combustion residuals (“CCR”) from coal-fired power plants as non-hazardous material under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”). Individual states administer some or all of the RCRA provisions. The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality approved Falkirk’s customer's plan for an alternate disposal liner to store coal ash at the Coal Creek Station power plant. In the first quarter of 2023, the EPA proposed to deny the application. If denied, a new liner or new waste management unit(s) may need to be installed, which could result in the temporary suspension of operations at Coal
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Creek Station. To minimize any impact to operations, Coal Creek Station is moving forward with plans to dry CCR materials produced by the plant, reducing the need to utilize the lined area in question. Falkirk is the sole supplier of lignite coal to Coal Creek Station. Any suspension of operations at Coal Creek Station would eliminate the need for lignite coal during the suspension period. Any such suspension of operations at Coal Creek Station or any of the power plants supplied by the Company's mines could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
The EPA also has a comprehensive regulatory program to manage airborne emissions from coal-fired power plants. During 2023, the EPA proposed updated rules related to mercury and greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants. The first update was to the Mercury Air Toxics Standard, or MATS. In this update, the EPA proposed to eliminate a mercury emission standard for lignite-fired power plants that currently permits higher mercury emissions by lignite plants than other coal plants. In the event this rule is adopted as proposed, and not successfully legally challenged, it could result in the closure of many lignite-fired power plants, potentially including all of those supplied by the Company. The second update was the EPA’s proposed new rule for greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants. In this proposed new rule, the EPA requires that power plant owners that intend to operate the plants beyond 2031 utilize controls, including reduced levels of power generation, co-firing coal and natural gas and installing carbon capture and sequestration to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Each of these controls may impact the plant owners’ profitability and could result in the closure of coal-fired power plants, potentially including all of those supplied by the Company. The closure of any of the power plants supplied by the Company could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operation.
The coal mining industry and the electric generation industry are subject to extensive regulation by federal, state and local authorities on matters concerning the health and safety of employees, land use, stream and wetland protection, permit and licensing requirements, air and water quality standards, plant and wildlife protection, reclamation and restoration of mining properties after mining, the discharge of GHGs and other materials into the environment, surface subsidence from underground mining and the effects that mining has on groundwater quality and availability. Legislation mandating certain benefits for current and retired coal miners also affects the industry. Mining operations require numerous governmental and regulatory permits and approvals. The Company is required to prepare and present to federal, state or local authorities data pertaining to the impact the production and combustion of coal may have upon the environment. The public, including non-governmental organizations, opposition groups and individuals, have statutory rights to comment upon and submit objections to requested permits and approvals and to legally challenge certain permits subsequent to their issuance. Compliance with these requirements is costly and time-consuming and may delay commencement or continuation of development or production. New legislation and/or regulations and orders may materially adversely affect the Company's mining operations or its cost structure, or its customers. All of these factors could significantly reduce the Company's profitability.
See “Item 1. Business — Government Regulation" on page 8 in this Form 10-K for discussion of regulations that could materially adversely affect the Coal Mining segment.
The loss of, or significant reduction in, purchases by NACCO's coal customers could adversely affect the Company's business, financial condition, results of operation and cash flows.
Earnings from the Coal Mining segment's customers may fluctuate from time to time based on numerous factors, including market conditions and the realignment of customers' power generation portfolios that reduce the electric power generated from coal, which may be outside of the Company's control. Future environmental regulation of GHG emissions, CCRs and/or new federal and state mandates for increased use of electricity derived from renewable energy sources could accelerate the use by utilities of fuels other than coal. Such mandates, combined with other incentives to use renewable energy sources, such as tax credits, could accelerate the realignment of customers' power generation portfolios to reduce the electric power generated from coal.
If any of the Coal Mining segment's customers experience declining demand due to market, economic, regulatory or competitive conditions, it could have an adverse effect on the Company's profitability, cash flows and financial position. In addition, if any customers were to significantly reduce or eliminate their purchases of coal from us or if the Company is unable to renew expiring long-term sales agreements with existing customers or enter into new supply agreements, the Company's business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be adversely affected. See “Item 1. Business — Business Developments" on page 2 in this Form 10-K for further discussion.
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MLMC is subject to risks associated with its capital investment, operating and equipment costs, growing use of alternative generation that competes with coal-fired generation, changes in customer demand and inflationary adjustments.
The profitability of MLMC is subject to the risk of loss of investment in this operation, increases in the cost of mining, changes in customer demand, growing competition from alternative power generation that competes with coal-fired generation and the emergence of adverse mining conditions. At MLMC, the costs of mining operations are not reimbursed by MLMC's customer. As such, increased costs at MLMC or decreased revenues could materially reduce the Company's profitability.
Similar to the Company's unconsolidated mines, all production costs at MLMC are capitalized into inventory and recognized in cost of sales as tons are delivered. In periods of limited or no deliveries, MLMC may be required to reduce its inventory carrying value using the lower of cost and net realizable value approach, which could adversely affect MLMC’s results of operations.
Profitability at MLMC is affected by customer demand for coal and changes in the indices that determine sales price and actual costs incurred. MLMC sells lignite at contractually agreed upon prices which are subject to changes in the level of established indices over time. Diesel fuel is heavily weighted among the indices used to determine the coal sales price. The diesel fuel-related component of the coal sales price is based on average price changes over time whereas the impact on actual costs from changes in diesel fuel prices is more immediate; therefore, fluctuations in diesel fuel prices can result in significant fluctuations in earnings at MLMC.
Any reduction in customer demand at MLMC, including, but not limited to, reduced mechanical availability of the customer’s power plant, dispatch of power generated by other energy sources ahead of coal, fluctuations in demand due to unanticipated weather conditions, regulations or comparable policies which may promote planned and unplanned outages at the Red Hills Power Plant, economic conditions, including an economic slowdown and a corresponding decline in the use of electricity, governmental regulations and inflationary adjustments could have a material adverse effect on MLMC's financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
The Coal Mining segment's Unconsolidated Subsidiaries are subject to risks created by changes in customer demand and inflationary adjustments.
The contracts with the Unconsolidated Subsidiaries' customers are primarily based on a "management fee" approach, whereby compensation includes reimbursement of all operating costs, plus a fee based on the amount of coal delivered. The fees earned adjust over time in line with various indices which reflect general U.S. inflation rates. During the production stage, the Unconsolidated Subsidiaries' customers pay the Company its agreed upon fee only for the coal delivered to them for consumption or use. As a result, reduced coal usage by customers for any reason, including, but not limited to, fluctuations in demand due to unanticipated weather conditions, scheduled and unscheduled outages at the Coal Mining segment's customers' facilities, unplanned equipment failures including U.S. power grid reliability issues, economic conditions or governmental regulations or comparable policies which may promote dispatch of power generated by renewable energy sources, such as wind or solar, and the realignment of customers' power generation portfolios that reduce the electric power generated from coal could have a material adverse effect on the Company's results of operations. Because of the contractual price formulas for the management fees at these Unconsolidated Subsidiaries, the profitability of these operations is also subject to fluctuations in inflationary adjustments (or lack thereof) that can impact the agreed upon management fees. These factors could materially reduce the Company's profitability.
Changes in coal consumption patterns of U.S. electric power generators could adversely affect the Company's profitability.
The amount of coal consumed by the electric power generation industry is affected by general economic conditions; overall demand for electricity; availability of transmission; competition from alternative fuel sources for power generation, such as natural gas, nuclear, hydroelectric, wind and solar power, and the location, availability, quality and price of those alternative fuel sources; environmental and other governmental regulations, including those impacting coal-fired power plants; and energy conservation efforts and related governmental policies.
Changes in the utility industry that affect NACCO's customers could also adversely affect the Company. The increased availability of renewable energy sources has contributed to a reduction in demand for coal-fired electric power generation. Competition from natural gas-fired plants that are relatively more efficient, less expensive to construct and less difficult to permit than coal-fired plants has the most potential to continue to displace a significant amount of coal-fired electric power generation in the near term. Federal and state mandates for increased use of electricity derived from renewable energy sources
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have also adversely affected demand for coal-fired electric power generation. Such mandates make alternative fuel sources more competitive with coal-fired electric power generation.
Changes in federal and state mandates that would include an acceleration in the use of electricity derived from renewable energy sources could result in a decrease in coal consumption by the electric power generation industry and the Company’s customers.
Any of these risks could result in a decrease in coal consumption by the Company’s customers and could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
The Company is subject to burdensome federal and state mining regulations and the assumptions underlying the Company's reclamation and mine closure obligations could be materially inaccurate.
Federal and state statutes require the Company to restore mine property in accordance with specified standards and an approved reclamation plan, and require that the Company obtain and periodically renew permits for mining operations. Regulations require the Company to incur the cost of reclaiming current mine disturbance at operations where the Company holds the mining permit. Estimates of the Company's total reclamation and mine closing liabilities are based upon permit requirements and the Company's engineering expertise related to these requirements. While management regularly reviews the estimated reclamation liabilities and believes that appropriate accruals have been recorded for all expected reclamation and other costs associated with closed mines, the estimate can change significantly if actual costs vary from assumptions or if governmental regulations change significantly. Such changes could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business and could significantly reduce its profitability.
The Coal Mining segment's customers' operations require significant capital expenditures.
Maintaining and installing environmental controls on power plants requires significant capital expenditures. Any delay or reduction in making capital expenditures to maintain or upgrade coal-fired power plants by the Coal Segment's customers, principally electric utilities, could result in an increase in outage days and a corresponding decrease in coal consumption. A decrease in coal consumption could have a material adverse effect on the Coal Mining segment's financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Mining operations are vulnerable to weather and other conditions that are beyond the Company's control.
Many conditions beyond the Company's control can decrease the delivery, and therefore the use, of coal to the Company's customers. These conditions include weather, pandemics, adverse mining conditions, unexpected maintenance problems and shortages of replacement parts, any of which could significantly reduce the Company's profitability.
The Company faces numerous uncertainties in estimating economically recoverable reserves and resources, and inaccuracies in estimates could result in lower than expected revenues, higher than expected costs and decreased profitability.
Information concerning the Company's mining operations in "Item 2 - Properties" on page 31 has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K. A mineral is economically recoverable when the price at which it can be sold exceeds the costs and expenses of mining, processing and selling the mineral. Forecasts of NACCO's future performance are based on, among other things, estimates of mineral reserves and resources. Mineral reserve and resource estimates of the remaining tons of coal at MLMC are based on many factors, including engineering, economic and geological data assembled and analyzed by internal staff, which includes various engineers and geologists, the area and volume covered by mining rights, assumptions regarding extraction rates and duration of mining operations, and the quality of in-place reserves and resources. The reserve and resource estimates as to both quantity and quality are updated from time to time to reflect, among other matters, production of minerals, new mining or other data received.
There are numerous uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities and qualities of minerals and costs to mine recoverable reserves and resources, including many factors beyond the Company's control. While the Company believes that its mineral reserve and resource estimates are developed using well-established practices and with appropriate controls, mineral reserve and mineral resource estimation is an imprecise and subjective process. Estimates of mineral reserves and resources depend upon a number of variable factors and assumptions, any one of which may, if incorrect, result in an estimate that varies considerably from actual results. These factors and assumptions include:
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• Geologic and mining conditions, including the Company's ability to access certain mineral deposits as a result of the nature of the geologic formations of coal deposits or other factors, which may not be fully identified by available exploration data and may differ from past experience;
• Demand for the Company's minerals;
• Contractual arrangements, operating costs and capital expenditures;
• Development and reclamation costs;
• Mining technology and processing improvements;
• The effects of regulation by governmental agencies;
• The ability to obtain, maintain and renew all required permits;
• Employee health and safety; and
• NACCO's ability to convert all or any part of mineral resources to economically extractable mineral reserves.
As a result, actual tonnage recovered, estimated revenues, expenditures and cash flows with respect to reserves and resources may vary materially from estimates. Thus, these estimates may not accurately reflect the Company’s actual reserves and resources. Any material inaccuracy in estimates related to the Company's reserves or resources could result in lower than expected revenues, higher than expected costs or decreased profitability and changes in future cash flow, which could materially and adversely affect the Company business, results of operations, financial position and cash flows. Additionally, reserve and resource estimates may be adversely affected in the future by interpretations of, or changes to, the SEC’s property disclosure requirements for mining companies.
A defect in title or the loss of a leasehold interest in certain property could limit the Company's ability to mine coal reserves or result in significant unanticipated costs.
The Company conducts a significant part of its coal mining operations on leased properties. A title defect or the loss of a lease could adversely affect the ability to mine the associated coal reserves. The Company may not verify title to leased properties or associated coal reserves until the Company has committed to developing those properties or coal reserves. The Company may not commit to develop property or coal reserves until the Company has obtained necessary permits and completed exploration. As such, the title to property that the Company intends to lease or mine may contain defects prohibiting the ability to conduct mining operations. Similarly, leasehold interests may be subject to superior property rights of third parties. In order to conduct mining operations on properties where these defects exist, the Company may incur unanticipated costs. In addition, some leases require the Company to produce a minimum quantity of coal and/or pay minimum production royalties. The Company's inability to satisfy those requirements may cause the leasehold interest to terminate.
Risks related to the NAMining segment
The Company has experienced growth in its NAMining business in recent periods and it may not be able to sustain growth or manage future growth effectively.
The Company has expanded its overall NAMining business, operations and headcount in recent periods. NAMining’s operating expenses may continue to increase as the Company scales the NAMining business. As NACCO continues to grow the NAMining business, the Company must effectively integrate, develop and motivate new employees, as well as existing employees who are promoted or moved into new roles, while maintaining the effectiveness of its business execution. In part, NAMining’s success depends on its ability to integrate new customers in an efficient and effective manner. The Company anticipates that it will continue to incur costs and capital expenditures associated with future growth prior to realizing the full measure of anticipated long-term benefits, and the return on these investments may be lower, may develop more slowly than expected or may never be realized. If the Company is unable to manage this growth and the associated expenses effectively, the Company may not be able to take advantage of market opportunities or remain competitive. The Company may also fail to execute on its business plan or respond to competitive pressures, any of which could adversely affect the NAMining business, operating results and financial condition.
NAMining faces competition from aggregates producers that choose to self-perform mining operations and from other mining companies.
NAMining faces competition from existing and prospective customers that are capable of performing, or engaging other companies to perform the services NAMining provides. NAMining cannot be certain that its existing customers will continue to outsource these services to NAMining in the future, which could adversely affect the NAMining business, operating results and financial condition.
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The Company is subject to risks involved in the development of new mining projects.
From time to time, the Company seeks to develop new mining projects, including the Thacker Pass project. The risks associated with such projects can be substantial. New mining projects can take up to several years to complete, are complex and require significant capital expenditures. These projects are subject to significant risks, including delays or reductions in making capital expenditures by NAMining's customers, extreme weather events, unexpected increases in the cost of required materials, and disputes with third party providers of materials, equipment or services, and a completed project may not yield the anticipated operational or financial benefit, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
NAMining operations are currently geographically concentrated and therefore subject to regional economic risk, regulatory conditions, natural disasters, severe weather events or other circumstances affecting Florida.
As of December 31, 2023, over 75% of the quarries NAMining operates are located in Florida. A prolonged economic downturn or adverse change in regulatory conditions in the Florida mining or construction industry could result in a significant reduction in demand for NAMining’s services. The occurr ence of one or more natural disasters, severe weather events, terrorist attacks, or disruptive political events in Florida could adversely affect the NAMining business.
Risks related to the Minerals Management segment
The Company has no control over the timing of the development and operation of its natural gas, oil and coal reserves extracted by third parties.
The Company owns mineral and royalty interests in the continental United States. The Company does not develop oil and gas reserves and is not a natural gas and oil producer. The Company primarily derives income from royalty-based leases under which lessees make payments to the Company based on their sale of natural gas, oil and coal. Future royalty-based income is dependent on the number of oil and gas wells being developed and operated on the Company’s mineral acreage. The decision to pursue development and operation of oil and gas wells is made by third-party operators, not by the Company, and depends on a number of factors outside of the Company's control, including fluctuations in commodity prices (primarily natural gas), regulatory risk, the Company's lessees' willingness and ability to incur well-development and other operating costs, the rate of production of the reserves and changes in the availability and continuing development of infrastructure. Lower commodity prices may reduce the amount of oil and natural gas that third-party operators can produce economically. In the event that new federal or state restrictions related to the hydraulic fracturing process are adopted in areas where the Company owns mineral and royalty interests, the Company’s lessees may incur additional costs or permitting requirements to comply with such requirements that may be significant and could result in added restrictions, delays or curtailments in the pursuit of exploration, development, or production activities. In addition, if a lessee were to experience financial difficulty, the lessee might not be able to pay its royalty payments or continue operations. A failure on the part of the lessee to make royalty payments may give the Company the right to terminate the lease, repossess the property and enforce payment obligations under the lease. If the Company repossessed any of its properties, it would seek a replacement lessee. However, the Company may not be able to find a replacement lessee and, if it did, the Company might not be able to enter into a new lease on favorable terms within a reasonable period of time. In addition, if the Company is able to enter into a new lease with a new lessee, the replacement lessee may not achieve the same levels of production or sales prices as the lessee it replaced. Any of these risks could materially reduce the Company’s expected royalty income and the Company’s profitability.
Minerals are a depleting asset. Unless the Company replaces existing mineral and royalty interests with new mineral and royalty interests and third-party lessees develop those mineral and royalty interests, the Company’s reserves and royalty income will decline.
Producing oil and natural gas reservoirs are generally characterized by declining production rates that vary depending upon reservoir characteristics and other factors. Unless the Company’s third-party lessees conduct successful ongoing well development activities or the Company continually acquires mineral and royalty interests, production and income related to the Company’s mineral and royalty interests will decline as those reserves are depleted. The future cash flow and results of operations of the Minerals Management segment are highly dependent on third-party operators’ success in developing the Company’s current and future mineral and royalty interests. These operators may not have access to the capital needed to develop the Company's mineral interests. The Company may not be able to acquire or find sufficient additional mineral and royalty interests to replace third-party operators' current and future production. Further, the decline curve the Company uses to project future royalty income is subject to numerous assumptions and limitations. Natural gas wells have high initial production rates and follow a natural decline before settling into relatively stable, long-term production. Decline rates can vary due to
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factors like well depth, well length, formation pressure, and facility design. Any of these risks could materially reduce the Company’s expected royalty income and the Company’s profitability.
Substantially all of the Minerals Management segment’s revenues are derived from royalty payments that are based on the price at which oil and natural gas produced from the acreage underlying the Company’s interests are sold. Prices of oil and natural gas are volatile due to factors beyond the Company’s control. A substantial or extended decline in commodity prices may adversely affect the Minerals Management segment’s financial condition or results of operations.
The Minerals Management segment’s revenues and operating results depend significantly upon the prevailing prices for oil and natural gas. Historically, oil and natural gas prices have been volatile and are subject to fluctuations in response to changes in supply and demand, market uncertainty and a variety of additional factors that are beyond the Company's control; market expectations about future prices of oil and natural gas; the level of global oil and natural gas exploration and production; the cost of exploring for, developing, producing and delivering oil and natural gas; the price and quantity of foreign imports and U.S. exports of oil and natural gas; the level of U.S. domestic production; political and economic conditions in oil producing regions; the ability of members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to agree to and maintain oil price and production controls; trading in oil and natural gas derivative contracts; the level of consumer product demand; weather conditions and natural disasters; technological advances affecting energy consumption, energy storage and energy supply; domestic and foreign governmental regulations and taxes; the continued threat of terrorism and the impact of military and other action, including the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and associated oil and natural gas import bans as well as U.S. military operations in the Middle East and economic sanctions such as those imposed by the U.S. on oil and gas exports from Iran; the proximity, cost, availability and capacity of oil and natural gas pipelines and other transportation facilities; the price and availability of alternative fuels; and overall domestic and global economic conditions. A substantial or extended decline in commodity prices may adversely affect the Minerals Management segment’s financial condition or results of operations.
The marketability of oil and natural gas production is dependent upon transportation, pipelines and refining facilities and continued operation of the U.S. power grid. Any limitation in the availability of these items could interfere with our third-party lessee’s ability to market oil and natural gas production and may adversely affect the Minerals Management segment’s financial condition or results of operations.
The marketability of our third-party lessee’s production depends in part on the availability, proximity, and capacity of pipelines, tanker trucks, and other transportation methods, and processing and refining facilities owned by third parties as well as continued reliable operation of the U.S power grid. Any significant disruption in the U.S. power grid, gathering system or transportation, processing, or refining-facility capacity could reduce our third-party lessee’s ability to market oil production and may adversely affect the Minerals Management segment’s financial condition or results of operations.
Risks related to corporate structure
The amount and frequency of dividend payments made on NACCO's common stock could change.
The Board of Directors has the power to determine the amount and frequency of the payment of dividends. Decisions regarding whether or not to pay dividends and the amount of any dividends are based on earnings, capital and future expense requirements, financial conditions and other factors the Board of Directors may consider. Accordingly, holders of NACCO's common stock should not rely on past payments of dividends in a particular amount as an indication of the amount of dividends that will be paid in the future.
The price of NACCO's securities may be volatile.
The price of the Company's common stock may fluctuate due to a variety of market and industry factors that may materially reduce the market price of NACCO's common stock regardless of operating performance, including, among others: (i) actual or anticipated fluctuations in the Company's quarterly and annual results and those of other public companies in the industry; (ii) industry cycles and trends; (iii) changes in government regulation; (iv) potential or actual military conflicts or acts of terrorism; (v) announcements concerning NACCO, its customers or its competitors; (vi) lack of trading liquidity as a result of low trading volumes could make it difficult for investors to sell shares; and (vii) the general state of the securities market. In addition, the stock market in general has experienced significant volatility that often has been unrelated to the operating performance of companies whose shares are traded. These market fluctuations could adversely affect the trading price of the Company's common stock, regardless of NACCO's actual operating performance. As a result of all of these factors, investors in the Company's common stock may not be able to resell their stock at or above the price they paid or at all. Further, NACCO could
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be the subject of securities class action litigation due to any such stock price volatility, which could divert management’s attention and have a material adverse effect on the Company's operating results.
NACCO's certificate of incorporation and by-laws include provisions that may discourage a takeover attempt.
Provisions contained in the Company's certificate of incorporation and by-laws and Delaware law could make it more difficult for a third-party to acquire the Company, even if doing so might be beneficial to NACCO's stockholders. Provisions of the Company's by-laws and certificate of incorporation impose various procedural and other requirements that could make it more difficult for stockholders to affect certain corporate actions. These provisions could limit the price that certain investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of NACCO's common stock and may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control.
The Company’s stock repurchase program could affect the price of NACCO’s common stock and increase volatility and may not enhance long-term shareholder value.
The Company’s Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase program. The timing and amount of any repurchases under the stock repurchase program are determined at the discretion of the Company's management based on a number of factors, including the availability of capital, other capital allocation alternatives, market conditions for the Company's Class A common stock and other legal and contractual restrictions. The stock repurchase program does not require the Company to acquire any specific number of shares and may be modified, suspended, extended or terminated without prior notice and may be executed through open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions or otherwise.
Repurchases under the stock repurchase program could affect the price of the Company's Class A common stock. The existence of a stock repurchase program could cause the price of the Company's Class A common stock to be higher than it would be in the absence of such a program and could potentially reduce the market liquidity for the Company’s Class A common stock. There can be no assurance that any stock repurchases will enhance shareholder value because the market price of the Company’s Class A common stock may decline below the levels at which the Company repurchased the shares. Although the stock repurchase program is intended to enhance long-term shareholder value, there is no assurance that it will do so and short-term price fluctuations in the Class A common stock could reduce the program’s effectiveness. Furthermore, the stock repurchase program does not obligate the Company to repurchase any dollar amount or number of shares of the Company's Class A common stock, and it may be suspended or discontinued at any time and any suspension or discontinuation could cause the market price of the Company's Class A common stock to decline.
NACCO is a smaller reporting company and cannot be certain if the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to smaller reporting companies will make the Company's common stock less attractive to investors.
The Company is currently a “smaller reporting company” as defined in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and thus allowed to provide simplified executive compensation disclosures and other decreased disclosure in SEC filings. The reduced disclosures may make it more difficult to compare the Company's performance with other public companies.
NACCO cannot predict whether investors will find the Company's common stock less attractive because of these exemptions. If some investors find NACCO's common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for the Company's common stock and the stock price may be more volatile.
Certain members of the Company's extended founding family own a substantial amount of its Class A and Class B common stock and, if they were to act in concert, could control the outcome of director elections and other stockholder votes on significant corporate actions.
The Company has two classes of common stock: Class A common stock and Class B common stock. Holders of Class A common stock are entitled to cast one vote per share and, as of December 31, 2023, accounted for approximately 27 percent of the voting power of the Company. Holders of Class B common stock are entitled to cast ten votes per share and, as of December 31, 2023, accounted for the remaining voting power of the Company. As of December 31, 2023, certain members of the Company's extended founding family held approximately 34 percent of the Company's outstanding Class A common stock and approximately 99 percent of the Company's outstanding Class B common stock. On the basis of this common stock ownership, certain members of the Company's extended founding family could have exercised approximately 81 percent of the Company's total voting power. Although there is no voting agreement among such extended family members, in writing or otherwise, if they were to act in concert, they could control the outcome of director elections and other stockholder votes on significant corporate actions, such as certain amendments to the Company's certificate of incorporation and sales of the Company or substantially all of its assets. Because certain members of the Company's extended founding family could prevent
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other stockholders from exercising significant influence over significant corporate actions, the Company may be a less attractive takeover target, which could adversely affect the market price of its common stock.
General Risk Factors
The Company’s effective income tax rate could be volatile and materially change as a result of changes in tax laws, mix of earnings and other factors.
The Company is subject to income taxes in the United States and the effective income tax rate is impacted by certain U.S. federal income tax benefits currently available to coal mining and oil and gas exploration and development companies. Future results of operations could be affected by changes in the Company’s effective income tax rate as a result of an increase in the statutory tax rate or the reduction or elimination of percentage depletion as well as changes in the mix of earnings between entities that benefit from percentage depletion and those that do not .
Current and future capital and credit market conditions could adversely affect the Company’s ability to obtain bank financing on reasonable terms. Certain financial institutions have acted to limit available financing for companies in the fossil fuel industry, including coal mining, which could result in increases in costs of borrowing or in the Company’s ability to maintain financing at current levels.
The Company may be unable to obtain financing on reasonable terms. Historically, the Company has addressed its liquidity needs (including funds required to pay dividends and fund working capital and planned capital expenditures) with operating cash flow and borrowings under credit facilities. The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary has a revolving line of credit of up to $150.0 million that expires in November 2025. The Company’s ability to access the capital markets and the costs and terms of available financing depends on many factors, including perceived credit risks of companies with coal and/or oil and gas exposure as a result of current market sentiment for fossil fuels. Certain financial institutions have taken actions to limit available financing to entities that produce or use fossil fuels. The volatility in the energy industry and additional perceived credit risks of companies with coal and/or oil and gas exposure has resulted in traditional bank lenders seeking to reduce or eliminate their lending exposure to these companies. An inability to obtain bank financing, or refinance with terms that are as favorable as the existing terms of such indebtedness, could have a material adverse effect on the Company's operating results and financial condition.
Failure to obtain financial assurance to secure reclamation and other long-term obligations, including surety bonds and letters of credit on acceptable terms, could affect NACCO's ability to mine.
Federal and state laws require the Company to provide financial assurance or financial security to secure performance or payment of certain long-term obligations, such as mine closure or reclamation costs, federal and state workers’ compensation and black lung benefit costs, leases, transmission interconnection construction costs, power purchase agreement delivery obligations and other obligations. Future federal and state laws and regulations, regional transmission organizations and power purchase agreement customers may require higher amounts of financial security, including as a result of changes to certain factors used to calculate the bonding or security amounts. Bond issuers may demand higher fees or additional collateral, including cash or letters of credit or other terms less favorable upon renewals. As the Company is required by state and federal law to have bonds or other acceptable security in place before mining can commence or for certain projects to move forward, the failure to maintain surety bonds, letters of credit or other guarantees or security arrangements would materially and adversely affect NACCO's ability to mine. That failure could result from a variety of factors, including lack of availability, higher expense or unfavorable market terms, the exercise by third-party surety bond issuers of their right to refuse to renew the surety and restrictions on availability of collateral for current and future third-party surety bond issuers under the terms of the Company's financing arrangements. In addition, as a result of increasing credit pressures on the coal industry, it is possible that surety bond providers could demand other forms of collateral as a condition to providing or maintaining surety bonds. Any such demands, could have a material adverse impact on the Company’s liquidity and financial position. If the Company is unable to meet collateral requirements and cannot otherwise obtain or retain required surety bonds, it may be unable to satisfy legal requirements necessary to conduct mining operations. Difficulty in acquiring surety bonds, or additional collateral requirements, would increase the Company’s costs and likely require greater use of alternative sources of funding for this purpose, which would reduce the Company’s liquidity.
Insurance coverage is increasingly expensive, contains more stringent terms and may be difficult to obtain in the future. A number of global insurance companies have taken steps to limit coverage for companies in the fossil fuel industry, including coal mining, which could result in significant increases in costs of insurance or in the Company’s ability to maintain insurance coverage at current levels.
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The Company holds a number of insurance policies, including director and officers’ liability and property and casualty insurance coverages. Because the Company is involved in coal mining, costs of insurance may increase substantially or insurance carriers may limit or decide not to insure the Company in the future. In addition, if the Company makes significant insurance claims under the Company’s insurance policies, such claims may have a material adverse effect on its ability to obtain future insurance coverage at commercially reasonable rates. Limited, or an inability to obtain, insurance coverage, significant increases in the premiums or deductibles of insurance, or losses in excess of its liability insurance coverage limits, could have a material adverse effect on the Company's operating results and financial condition.
Increasing emphasis and changing expectations with respect to environmental, social and governance matters may impose additional costs on the Company or expose the Company to new or additional risks.
Expectations relating to environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) matters have been rapidly evolving and increasing. Government organizations, including the SEC, are enhancing or advancing legal, regulatory and disclosure requirements specific to ESG matters. The heightened focus on ESG issues requires the continuous monitoring of various and evolving laws, regulations, standards and expectations and the associated reporting requirements. Investor advocacy groups, certain institutional investors, investment funds and other influential investors are also increasingly focused on ESG practices. The Company could face pressures from investors, who are increasingly focused on climate change, to prioritize sustainable energy practices, reduce the Company’s carbon footprint and promote sustainability. Investors may request the Company implement ESG procedures or standards as a condition to maintain their investment or to make further investments. Lenders and insurers may also limit lending to and insuring of companies that do not meet certain ESG measures endorsed by them. Additionally, the Company may face reputational challenges in the event its ESG practices are inconsistent with the third-party views of acceptable ESG practices. Companies which do not adapt to or comply with regulatory, investor or stakeholder expectations and standards, which are evolving, or which are perceived to have not responded appropriately, may suffer from reputational damage and the business, financial condition, and/or stock price of such a company could be materially and adversely affected.
The Company may be subject to litigation seeking to hold energy companies accountable for the effects of climate change.
Increasing attention to climate change risk has also resulted in a recent trend of governmental investigations and private litigation by local and state governmental agencies as well as private plaintiffs in an effort to hold energy companies accountable for the effects of climate change. Other public nuisance lawsuits have been brought in the past against power, coal, oil and gas companies alleging that their operations are contributing to climate change. The plaintiffs in these suits sought various remedies, including punitive and compensatory damages and injunctive relief. While the U.S. Supreme Court held that any federal common law had been displaced by the CAA and thus dismissed the public nuisance claims against the defendants in those cases, tort-type liabilities remain a possibility and a source of concern. We could incur substantial legal costs associated with defending such lawsuits in the future. Government entities in certain states have brought similar claims seeking to hold a wide variety of companies that produce fossil fuels liable for the alleged impacts of the GHG emissions attributable to those fuels or for other grounds related to climate change, such as improper disclosure of climate change risks. Those lawsuits allege damages as a result of climate change and the plaintiffs are seeking unspecified damages and abatement under various tort theories. We have not been made a party to these suits, but it is possible that we could be included in similar future lawsuits initiated by state and local governments as well as private claimants.
The Company’s business could suffer if NACCO’s information technology systems are disrupted, cease to operate effectively or if the Company experiences a security breach, a cyber incident or cyber attack.
Like many other companies, the Company is the target of malicious cyber attack attempts in the normal course of business. Cybersecurity incidents involving businesses and other institutions are on the rise. Cyber threats are rapidly evolving and those threats and the means for obtaining access to information in digital and other storage media are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Cyber threats and cyber attackers can be sponsored by nation states or sophisticated criminal organizations or be the work of independent hackers.
As cyber threats evolve and become more difficult to detect and successfully defend against, one or more cyber attacks might defeat the Company's or a third-party service provider's security measures in the future. Employee error or other irregularities may also result in a failure of security measures and a breach of information systems. Moreover, hardware, software or applications the Company may use have inherent defects of design, manufacture or operations or could be inadvertently or intentionally implemented or used in a manner that could compromise information security.
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A security breach and loss of information may not be discovered for a significant period of time after it occurs. Any compromise of data security could result in a violation of applicable privacy and other laws or standards, the loss of valuable business data, or a disruption of the Company's business. A security breach involving the misappropriation, loss or other unauthorized disclosure of sensitive or confidential information could give rise to unwanted media attention, materially damage customer relationships and the Company's reputation, and result in fines, fees, or liabilities, which may not be covered by insurance policies.
The Company relies on information technology systems to operate its business and to record and process transactions; respond to customer inquiries; purchase supplies; provide services; deliver inventory on a timely basis; and maintain cost-efficient operations. Despite the Company's efforts, the Company’s information technology systems may be vulnerable, from time to time, to damage or interruption from user error, computer viruses, power outages, third-party intrusions and other technical malfunctions.
Through the Company’s business operations, the Company collects and stores confidential information from its customers and vendors and personal information and other confidential information from its employees. Although the Company has taken steps designed to safeguard such information, there can be no assurance that such information will be protected against unauthorized access, use or disclosure. Unauthorized parties may penetrate the Company’s or its vendors’ network security and, if successful, misappropriate such information. Additionally, methods to obtain unauthorized access to confidential information change frequently and may be difficult to detect, which can impact the Company’s ability to respond appropriately.
The Company could be subject to liability for failure to comply with privacy and information security laws, for failing to protect personal information or for failing to respond appropriately. Loss, unauthorized access to, or misuse of confidential or personal information could disrupt the Company’s operations, damage the Company’s reputation, and expose the Company to claims from customers, financial institutions, regulators, employees and other persons, any of which could have an adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
Security breaches, cyber incidents or cyber attacks could include, among other things, computer viruses, malicious or destructive code, ransomware, social engineering attacks (including phishing and impersonation), hacking, denial of service attacks and other attacks. Cybersecurity threats to, and incidents involving, vendors and other third-parties who support the Company's activities could impact the business. The Company is continuously installing new and upgrading existing information technology systems. The Company uses employee awareness training around phishing, malware, and other cyber risks. The Company believes these incidents are likely to continue and is unable to predict the direct or indirect impact of future attacks or breaches to business operations.
The Company’s operations could be disrupted by natural or human causes beyond its control.
The Company’s operations are subject to disruption from natural or human causes beyond its control, including physical risks from hurricanes, severe storms, floods and other forms of severe weather, accidents, fires, earthquakes, terrorist acts and epidemic or pandemic diseases such as the coronavirus, any of which could result in suspension of operations or harm to people or the environment. While all of the Company’s operations are located in the United States, the Company participates in a global supply chain, and if governments regulate or restrict the flow of labor or products or impede the travel of Company personnel, the Company’s ability to conduct normal business operations could be impacted which could adversely affect the Company’s results of operations and liquidity.