Item 1A. Risk Factors
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
In addition to the other information set forth in this Form 10-Q, you should carefully consider the factors discussed in Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, and our Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2020 and June 30, 2020, which could materially affect our business, financial condition, and future results. The risks described in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and our subsequent Form 10-Q filings are not the only risks that we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial may also materially adversely affect our financial condition, operating results and cash flows. The following are new or modified risk factors that should be read in conjunction with the risk factors disclosed under Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and Part II, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in the Company’s subsequent Form 10-Q filings.
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Risks Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the global economy, including the gaming industry, and has had a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, and may continue to do so.
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak to be a global pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted health and economic conditions throughout the United States. The global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has been, and continues to be, complex and rapidly evolving, with governments, public institutions and other organizations imposing or recommending, and businesses and individuals implementing, restrictions on various activities or other actions to combat its spread, such as restrictions and bans on travel or transportation, stay-at-home directives, limitations on the size of gatherings, closures of work facilities, schools, public buildings and businesses, cancellation of events, including sporting events, concerts, conferences and meetings, and quarantines and lock-downs. The COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences have also dramatically reduced travel and demand for casino gaming and related amenities. Many jurisdictions where our properties are located required mandatory closures or imposed capacity limitations and other restrictions affecting our operations. The COVID-19 pandemic and these resulting developments caused significant disruptions to our ability to generate revenues, profitability and cash flows and had a material adverse impact on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Such impact could worsen and last for an unknown period of time. In addition, these disruptions to us and the gaming industry in general as well as significant negative economic trends due to the COVID-19 pandemic may adversely affect our stock price.
During the first quarter of 2020, the Company took various actions to reduce its cost structure during the property closures to help mitigate the operating and financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which included: (i) furloughing the vast majority of our employees and operating with a minimum staffing of less than 850 employees company-wide during the closures; (ii) enacting meaningful compensation reductions to its remaining property and corporate leadership teams; and (iii) executing substantial reductions in operating expenses, capital expenditures, including temporarily suspending construction of its two planned Category 4 development projects in Pennsylvania. In addition, during the property closures, the Company’s Board of Directors elected to forgo their cash compensation.
Though virtually all of our properties have reopened, we cannot predict the period of time required for the ramp-up of operations. We also may be required again to temporarily suspend operations at our properties if ordered by such governmental bodies. Our reopened properties face restrictions on our operations, including capacity limitations, cleaning requirements, restrictions on the number of seats per table game, slot machine spacing, temperature checks, mask protection and social distancing requirements which impact our future operations and ability to generate the same level of revenues and cash flows as before the COVID-19 pandemic. The continued operation of our reopened properties, may be affected by our ability to retain our workforce still on furlough or other factors. For example, if our employees that remain on furlough do not return to work with us when the COVID-19 pandemic further subsides, including because they find new employment during the furlough, we may experience operational challenges that may impact our ability to resume operations in full.
Moreover, once restrictions are lifted, it is unclear how quickly customers will return to our properties in numbers comparable to before the COVID-19 pandemic, which may be a function of continued concerns over health and safety, ongoing social distancing measures, or changes in consumer spending behavior due to adverse economic conditions, including job losses. Our properties have large customer-facing footprints and high levels of customer traffic where customers can gather together for personal interaction. As such, some customers may choose for a period of time not to travel or visit our properties for health and safety concerns or due to overall changes in consumer behavior resulting from social distancing. Upon reopening our properties, we have seen weakened visitation, which may have been due to increased level of unemployment, continued travel restrictions or warnings, consumer fears, reduced consumer discretionary spending or general economic uncertainty. Our vendors and other suppliers could also experience potential adverse effects of the pandemic that could impact our ability to operate to the same level as prior to the closures. If COVID-19 continues to spread significantly, governmental agencies or officials may order additional closures or impose further restrictions on the number of people allowed in our properties or in proximity to each other. Any of these events could result in significant further disruption to our operations and a drop in demand for our properties and could have a material adverse effect on us.
We could experience other potential adverse impacts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, including, but not limited to, further charges from adjustments to the carrying amount of goodwill and other intangible assets, long-lived asset impairment charges, or impairments of investments in joint ventures.
The ultimate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows will depend on numerous evolving factors that we may not be able to accurately predict or assess, including the duration and scope of the pandemic (and whether there is a resurgence or multiple resurgences in the future); the duration and impact on overall customer demand; the possibility that governmental bodies may again order temporary suspension of operation at our properties; our ability to again generate revenue and profits capable of supporting our ongoing operations; new information
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which may emerge concerning the severity of COVID-19; the negative impact it has on global and regional economies and economic activity; the ability of us and our business partners to successfully navigate the impacts of the pandemic; actions governments, businesses and individuals take in response to the pandemic, including limiting or banning travel and limiting or banning leisure, casino and entertainment (including concerts, sports and similar events) activities; and how quickly economies, travel activity, and demand for gaming, entertainment and leisure activities recovers after the pandemic subsides. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic may also have the effect of exacerbating many of the other risks described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2020 and June 30, 2020. As a result of the foregoing, we cannot predict the ultimate scope, duration and impact the COVID-19 pandemic will have on our results of operations, but we expect that it will continue to have a material impact on our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations (including revenues and profitability) and stock price.
ITEM 6. EXHIBITS
Exhibit
Number Description of Exhibit
10.1† Second Amendment to Executive Agreement, dated October 1, 2020, by and between Penn National Gaming, Inc. and Jay A. Snowden is hereby incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on October 2, 2020. (SEC File No. 000-24206).
10.2†
Second Amendment to Executive Agreement, dated October 1, 2020, by and between Penn National Gaming, Inc. and David Williams is hereby incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on October 2, 2020. (SEC File No. 000-24206).
10.3†
Second Amendment to Executive Agreement, dated October 1, 2020, by and between Penn National Gaming, Inc. and Carl Sottosanti is hereby incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on October 2, 2020. (SEC File No. 000-24206).
10.4†*
Seventh Amendment to the Penn National Gaming, Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan.
31.1* CEO Certification pursuant to rule 13a-14(a) or 15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
31.2* CFO Certification pursuant to rule 13a-14(a) or 15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
32.1** CEO Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, As Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
32.2** CFO Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, As Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
101.INS XBRL Instance Document - the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document.
101.SCH Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document.
101.CAL Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document.
101.DEF Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document.
101.LAB Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document.
101.PRE Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document.
104 Cover Page Inline XBRL File (included in Exhibit 101)
* Filed herewith.
** Furnished herewith.
† Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
PENN NATIONAL GAMING, INC.
Dated: November 4, 2020 By: /s/ Christine LaBombard
Christine LaBombard
Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer
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