Item 1A. Risk Factors
Item 1A. Risk Factors
Investing in our Class A common stock involves risks. You should carefully consider the information in this Annual Report, including the matters addressed under “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward‑Looking Statements,” and the following risks before making an investment decision. Our business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected by any of these risks. Additional risks or uncertainties not currently known to us, or that we deem immaterial, may also have an effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. The trading price of our Class A common stock could decline due to any of these risks, and you may lose all or part of your investment.
Risks Related to the Oilfield Services Industry and Our Business
The global outbreak of COVID-19 and associated responses have had, and are expected to continue to have, an adverse impact on our business and operations.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected, and could continue to negatively affect, our revenues and operations. We have experienced, and may experience in the future, slowdowns or temporary idling of certain of our manufacturing and service facilities due to a number of factors, including implementing additional safety measures, testing of our team members, team member absenteeism and governmental orders. A prolonged closure could have a material adverse impact on our ability to operate our business and on our results of operations. We have also experienced, and could continue to experience, disruption and volatility in our supply chain, which has resulted, and may continue to result, in increased costs for certain goods. The spread of COVID-19 has also disrupted and may continue to disrupt logistics necessary to import, export and deliver products to us and our customers. Further, we might experience temporary shortages of labor, making it difficult to provide field service technicians to install or service our equipment. The duration of the pandemic and its continued adverse impact on our business are unknown and impossible to predict with certainty. Despite vaccines and boosters being administered worldwide, the extent of future impacts of the coronavirus and any new variants related to COVID-19 on general economic conditions and on our business, operations and results of operations remains uncertain.
Demand for our products and services depends on oil and gas industry activity and customer expenditure levels, which are directly affected by trends in the demand for and price of crude oil and natural gas and availability of capital.
Demand for our products and services depends primarily upon the general level of activity in the oil and gas industry, including the number of drilling rigs in operation, the number of oil and gas wells being drilled, the depth and drilling conditions of these wells, the volume of production, the number of well completions and the level of well remediation activity, and the corresponding capital spending by oil and gas companies. Oil and gas activity is in turn heavily influenced by, among other factors, current and anticipated oil and natural gas prices locally and worldwide, which have historically been volatile. Declines, as well as anticipated declines, in oil and gas prices could negatively affect the level of these activities and capital spending, which could adversely affect demand for our products and services and, in certain instances, result in the cancellation, modification or rescheduling of existing and expected orders and the ability of our customers to pay us for our products and services. These factors could have an adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Factors affecting the prices of oil and natural gas include, but are not limited to, the following:
• demand for hydrocarbons, which is affected by worldwide population growth, economic growth rates and general economic and business conditions;
• available excess production capacity within OPEC and the level of oil and gas production by non‑OPEC countries;
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• oil and gas inventory levels, production capacity and investment levels;
• the continued development of shale plays which may influence worldwide supply;
• transportation differentials associated with reduced capacity in and out of the storage hub in Cushing, Oklahoma;
• costs of exploring for, producing and delivering oil and natural gas;
• political and economic uncertainty and geopolitical unrest;
• oil refining activity and shifts in end‑customer preferences toward fuel efficiency and increased transition to electric vehicles;
• conservation measures and technological advances affecting energy consumption;
• government initiatives to address greenhouse gases and climate change (including incentives to promote alternative energy sources);
• potential acceleration of the commercial development of alternative energy sources (such as wind, solar, geothermal, tidal, fuel cells and biofuels);
• access to capital and credit markets and investors’ focus on shareholder returns, which may affect our customers’ activity levels and spending for our products and services;
• changes in laws and regulations related to hydraulic fracturing activities, saltwater disposal or oil and gas drilling, particularly on public properties;
• changes in environmental laws and regulations (including relating to the use of coal in power plants which can impact the demand for natural gas);
• adverse weather conditions and natural disasters (including adverse conditions related to climate change);
• supply disruptions in key oil producing regions;
• terrorist attacks and armed conflicts, including the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine could cause temporary price increases which could dampen demand; and
• global pandemics.
The oil and gas industry is cyclical and has historically experienced periodic downturns, which have been characterized by diminished demand for our products and services and downward pressure on the prices we charge. These downturns cause many E&P companies to reduce their capital budgets and drilling activity. Any future downturn or expected downturn could result in a significant decline in demand for oilfield services and adversely affect our business, results of operations and cash flows.
Growth in U.S. drilling and completion activity, and our ability to benefit from such growth, could be adversely affected by any significant constraints in equipment, labor or takeaway capacity in the regions in which we operate.
Growth in U.S. drilling and completion activity may be impacted by, among other things, the availability and cost of Oil Country Tubular Goods (OCTG), pipeline capacity, and material and labor shortages. Should significant growth in activity occur there could be concerns over availability of the equipment, materials and labor required to drill and complete a well, together with the ability to move the produced oil and natural gas to market. Should significant constraints develop that materially impact the efficiency and economics of oil and gas producers, growth in U.S. drilling and completion activity could be adversely affected. This would have an adverse impact on the demand for the products we sell and rent, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and cash flows.
We may be unable to employ a sufficient number of skilled and qualified workers to sustain or expand our current operations.
The delivery of our products and services requires personnel with specialized skills and experience. Our ability to be productive and profitable will depend upon our ability to attract and retain skilled workers. In addition, our ability to expand our operations depends in part on our ability to increase the size of our skilled labor force. The demand for skilled workers is high and the cost to attract and retain qualified personnel has increased. During industry downturns, skilled workers may leave the industry, reducing the availability of qualified workers when conditions improve. In addition, a significant increase in the wages paid by competing employers both within and outside of our industry could result in increases in the wage rates that we must pay. Throughout 2021, we experienced notable increases in salaries and wages, especially in certain key oil and gas producing regions, as we restored our workforce while trying to meet increasing customer demand. If we are not able to employ and retain skilled workers, our ability to respond quickly to customer demands or strong market conditions may inhibit our growth, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and cash flows.
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Our business is dependent on the continuing services of certain of our key managers and employees.
We depend on key personnel. The loss of key personnel could adversely impact our business if we are unable to implement certain strategies or transactions in their absence. The loss of qualified employees or an inability to retain and motivate additional highly‑skilled employees required for the operation and expansion of our business could hinder our ability to successfully maintain and expand our market share.
Equity interests in us are a substantial portion of the net worth of our executive officers and several of our other senior managers. Following the completion of our IPO, those executive officers and other senior managers have increased liquidity with respect to their equity interests in us. As a result, those executive officers and senior managers may have less incentive to remain employed by us. After terminating their employment with us, some of them may become employed by our competitors.
Political, regulatory, economic and social disruptions in the countries in which we conduct business could adversely affect our business or results of operations.
In addition to our facilities in the United States, we operate one production facility in China and have facilities in Australia that sell and rent equipment as well as provide parts, repair services and field services associated with installation. Additionally, we provide rental and field service operations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Instability and unforeseen changes in any of the markets in which we conduct business could have an adverse effect on the demand for, or supply of, our business, results of operations and cash flows. These factors include, but are not limited to, the following:
• nationalization and expropriation;
• potentially burdensome taxation;
• inflationary and recessionary markets, including capital and equity markets;
• civil unrest, labor issues, political instability, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, cyber‑terrorism, military activity and wars;
• outbreaks of pandemic or contagious diseases;
• supply disruptions in key oil producing countries;
• tariffs, trade restrictions, trade protection measures or price controls;
• foreign ownership restrictions;
• import or export licensing requirements;
• restrictions on operations, trade practices, trade partners and investment decisions resulting from domestic and foreign laws and regulations;
• changes in, and the administration of, laws and regulations;
• inability to repatriate income or capital;
• reductions in the availability of qualified personnel;
• development and implementation of new technologies;
• foreign currency fluctuations or currency restrictions; and
• fluctuations in the interest rate component of forward foreign currency rates.
We are dependent on a relatively small number of customers in a single industry. The loss of an important customer could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
Our customers are engaged in the oil and natural gas E&P business primarily in the United States, but also in Australia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Historically, we have been dependent on a relatively small number of customers for our revenues. Our business, results of operations and financial position could be materially adversely affected if an important customer ceases to engage us for our services on favorable terms, or at all, or fails to pay or delays paying us significant amounts of our outstanding receivables. Additionally, the E&P industry is characterized by frequent consolidation activity. Changes in ownership of our customers may result in the loss of, or reduction in, business from those customers which could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and cash flows.
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Delays in obtaining, or inability to obtain or renew, permits or authorizations by our customers for their operations could impair our business.
Our customers are required to obtain permits or authorizations from one or more governmental agencies or other third parties to perform drilling and completion activities, including hydraulic fracturing. Such permits or approvals are typically required by state agencies but can also be required by federal and local governmental agencies or other third parties. The requirements for such permits or authorizations vary depending on the location where such drilling and completion activities will be conducted. As with most permitting and authorization processes, there is a degree of uncertainty as to whether a permit will be granted, the time it will take for a permit or approval to be issued and the conditions which may be imposed in connection with the granting of the permit. In some jurisdictions, certain regulatory authorities have delayed or suspended the issuance of permits or authorizations while the potential environmental impacts associated with issuing such permits can be studied and appropriate mitigation measures evaluated. In Texas, rural water districts have begun to impose restrictions on water use and may require permits for water used in drilling and completion activities. In addition, in January 2021, President Biden indefinitely suspended new oil and natural gas leases on public lands or in offshore waters pending completion of a comprehensive review and reconsideration of federal oil and gas permitting and leasing practices. In November 2021, the Department of the Interior completed its review and issued a report on the federal oil and gas leasing program. The Department of the Interior’s report recommends several changes to federal leasing practices, including changes to royalty payments, bidding, and bonding requirements. The effects of this report or other initiatives to reform the federal leasing process could result in additional restrictions or limitations on the issuance of federal leases and permits for drilling on public lands. Permitting, authorization or renewal delays, the inability to obtain new permits or the revocation of current permits could impact our customers’ operations and cause a loss of revenue and potentially have a materially adverse effect on our business, results of operations and cash flows.
Competition within the oilfield services industry may adversely affect our ability to market our services.
The oilfield services industry is highly competitive and fragmented and includes numerous companies capable of competing effectively in our markets, including several large companies that possess substantially greater financial and other resources than we do. The amount of equipment available may exceed demand, which could result in active price competition. Many contracts are awarded on a bid basis, which may further increase competition based primarily on price. In addition, adverse market conditions lower demand for well servicing equipment, which results in excess equipment and lower utilization rates. If market conditions in our operating areas deteriorate from current levels or if adverse market conditions persist, the prices we are able to charge and utilization rates may decline. Any significant future increase in overall market capacity for the products, rental equipment or services that we offer could adversely affect our business, results of operations and cash flows.
New technology may cause us to become less competitive.
The oilfield services industry is subject to the introduction of new drilling and completions techniques and services using new technologies, some of which may be subject to patent or other intellectual property protections. Although we believe our equipment and processes currently give us a competitive advantage, as competitors and others use or develop new or comparable technologies in the future, we may lose market share or be placed at a competitive disadvantage. Further, we may face competitive pressure to develop, implement or acquire certain new technologies at a substantial cost. Some of our competitors have greater financial, technical and personnel resources that may allow them to enjoy various competitive advantages in the development and implementation of new technologies. We cannot be certain that we will be able to continue to develop and implement new technologies or products. Limits on our ability to develop, bring to market, effectively use and implement new and emerging technologies may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and cash flows, including a reduction in the value of assets replaced by new technologies.
Increased costs, or lack of availability, of raw materials and other components may result in increased operating expenses and adversely affect our results of operations and cash flows.
Our ability to source low cost raw materials and components, such as steel plate, tube and bar stock, forgings and machined components is critical to our ability to successfully compete. Due to a shortage of steel caused primarily by production disruptions during the pandemic and increased demand as economies rebounded, steel and assembled component prices have been and continue to be elevated. Our results of operations may be adversely affected by our inability to manage rising costs and the availability of raw materials and components used in our wide variety of products and systems. Additionally, freight costs, specifically ocean freight costs, have risen significantly due to a number of factors including, but not limited to, a scarcity of shipping containers, congested seaports, a shortage of commercial drivers, capacity constraints on vessels or lockdowns in certain markets. We cannot assure that we will be able to continue to purchase and move these materials on a timely basis or at commercially viable prices, nor can we be certain of the impact of changes to tariffs and future
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legislation that may impact trade with China or other countries. Further, unexpected changes in the size of regional and/or product markets, particularly for short lead‑time products, could affect our results of operations and cash flows. Should our current suppliers be unable to provide the necessary raw materials or components or otherwise fail to deliver such materials and components timely and in the quantities required, resulting delays in the provision of products or services to our customers could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and cash flows.
Currently, the United States is experiencing the highest inflation in decades primarily due to supply-chain issues, a shortage of labor and a build-up of demand for goods and services. The most noticeable adverse impact to our business has been increased freight, materials and vehicle-related costs as well as higher salaries and wages. While we believe that the current rate of inflation is transitory as it is pandemic-driven, we are unsure how long an elevated rate will continue. We cannot be confident that all costs will return to the lower levels experienced in prior years even as the rate of inflation abates. Our results of operations may be adversely affected by these rising costs to the extent we are unable to recoup them from our customers.
In accordance with Section 1502 of the Dodd‑Frank Act, the SEC’s rules regarding mandatory disclosure and reporting requirements by public companies of their use of “conflict minerals” (tantalum, tin, tungsten and gold) originating in the Democratic Republic of Congo and adjoining countries became effective in 2014. While the conflict minerals rule continues in effect as adopted, there remains uncertainty regarding how the conflict minerals rule, and our compliance obligations, will be affected in the future. Additional requirements under the rule could affect sourcing at competitive prices and availability in sufficient quantities of tungsten, which is used in the manufacture of our products or in the provision of our services. This could have a material adverse effect on our ability to purchase these products in the future. The costs of compliance, including those related to supply chain research, the limited number of suppliers and possible changes in the sourcing of these minerals, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and cash flows.
We design, manufacture, sell, rent and install equipment that is used in oil and gas E&P activities, which may subject us to liability, including claims for personal injury, property damage and environmental contamination should such equipment fail to perform to specifications.
We provide products and systems to customers involved in oil and gas exploration, development and production. Some of our equipment is designed to operate in high‑temperature and/or high‑pressure environments, and some equipment is designed for use in hydraulic fracturing operations. We also provide parts, repair services and field services associated with installation at all of our facilities and service centers in the United States and Australia, as well as at customer sites, including sites in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Because of applications to which our products and services are exposed, particularly those involving high pressure environments, a failure of such equipment, or a failure of our customers to maintain or operate the equipment properly, could cause damage to the equipment, damage to the property of customers and others, personal injury and environmental contamination and could lead to a variety of claims against us that could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and cash flows.
We indemnify our customers against certain claims and liabilities resulting or arising from our provision of goods or services to them. In addition, we rely on customer indemnifications, generally, and third‑party insurance as part of our risk mitigation strategy. However, our insurance may not be adequate to cover our liabilities. In addition, our customers may be unable to satisfy indemnification claims against them. Further, insurance companies may refuse to honor their policies, or insurance may not generally be available in the future, or if available, premiums may not be commercially justifiable. We could incur substantial liabilities and damages that are either not covered by insurance or that are in excess of policy limits, or incur liability at a time when we are not able to obtain liability insurance. Such potential liabilities could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and cash flows.
Our operations are subject to hazards inherent in the oil and natural gas industry, which could expose us to substantial liability and cause us to lose customers and substantial revenue.
Risks inherent in our industry include the risks of equipment defects, installation errors, the presence of multiple contractors at the wellsite over which we have no control, vehicle accidents, fires, explosions, blowouts, surface cratering, uncontrollable flows of gas or well fluids, pipe or pipeline failures, abnormally pressured formations and various environmental hazards such as oil spills and releases of, and exposure to, hazardous substances. For example, our operations are subject to risks associated with hydraulic fracturing, including any mishandling, surface spillage or potential underground migration of fracturing fluids, including chemical additives. The occurrence of any of these events could result in substantial losses to us due to injury or loss of life, severe damage to or destruction of property, natural resources and equipment, pollution or other environmental damage, clean‑up responsibilities, regulatory investigations and penalties, suspension of operations and repairs required to resume operations. The cost of managing such risks may be significant. The frequency and severity of such
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incidents will affect operating costs, insurability and relationships with customers, employees and regulators. In particular, our customers may elect not to purchase our products or services if they view our environmental or safety record as unacceptable, which could cause us to lose customers and substantial revenues.
Our insurance may not be adequate to cover all losses or liabilities we may suffer. Also, insurance may no longer be available to us or its availability may be at premium levels that do not justify its purchase. The occurrence of a significant uninsured claim, a claim in excess of the insurance coverage limits maintained by us or a claim at a time when we are not able to obtain liability insurance could have a material adverse effect on our ability to conduct normal business operations and on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. In addition, we may not be able to secure additional insurance or bonding that might be required by new governmental regulations. This may cause us to restrict our operations, which might severely impact our business, results of operations and cash flows.
Oilfield anti-indemnity provisions enacted by many states may restrict or prohibit a party’s indemnification of us.
We typically enter into agreements with our customers governing the provision of our services, which usually include certain indemnification provisions for losses resulting from operations. Such agreements may require each party to indemnify the other against certain claims regardless of the negligence or other fault of the indemnified party; however, many states place limitations on contractual indemnity agreements, particularly agreements that indemnify a party against the consequences of its own negligence. Furthermore, certain states, including Louisiana, New Mexico, Texas, and Wyoming, have enacted statutes generally referred to as “oilfield anti-indemnity acts” expressly prohibiting certain indemnity agreements contained in or related to oilfield services agreements. Such oilfield anti-indemnity acts may restrict or void a party’s indemnification of us, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and cash flows.
Our operations require us to comply with various domestic and international regulations, violations of which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
We are exposed to a variety of federal, state, local and international laws and regulations relating to matters such as environmental, workplace, health and safety, labor and employment, customs and tariffs, export and re-export controls, economic sanctions, currency exchange, bribery and corruption and taxation. These laws and regulations are complex, frequently change and have tended to become more stringent over time. They may be adopted, enacted, amended, enforced or interpreted in such a manner that the incremental cost of compliance could adversely impact our business, results of operations and cash flows.
In addition to our U.S. operations, we have operations in the People’s Republic of China, Australia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Our operations outside of the United States require us to comply with numerous anti‑bribery and anti‑corruption regulations. The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, among others, applies to us and our operations. Our policies, procedures and programs may not always protect us from reckless or criminal acts committed by our employees or agents, and severe criminal or civil sanctions may be imposed as a result of violations of these laws. We are also subject to the risks that our employees and agents outside of the United States may fail to comply with applicable laws.
In addition, we import raw materials, semi‑finished goods, and finished products into the United States, China, Australia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for use in such countries or for manufacturing and/or finishing for re‑export and import into another country for use or further integration into equipment or systems. Most movement of raw materials, semi‑finished or finished products involves imports and exports. As a result, compliance with multiple trade sanctions, embargoes and import/export laws and regulations pose a constant challenge and risk to us since a portion of our business is conducted outside of the United States through our subsidiaries. Our failure to comply with these laws and regulations could materially affect our business, results of operations and cash flows.
Compliance with environmental laws and regulations may adversely affect our business and results of operations.
Environmental laws and regulations in the United States and foreign countries affect the equipment, systems and services we design, market and sell, as well as the facilities where we manufacture and produce our equipment and systems in the United States and China, and opportunities our customers pursue that create demand for our products. For example, we may be affected by such laws as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Further, our customers may be subject to a range of laws and regulations governing hydraulic fracturing, drilling and greenhouse gas emissions.
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We are required to invest financial and managerial resources to comply with environmental laws and regulations and believe that we will continue to be required to do so in the future. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations may result in the assessment of administrative, civil and criminal penalties, the imposition of remedial obligations, or the issuance of orders enjoining operations. These laws and regulations, as well as the adoption of other new laws and regulations affecting our operations or the exploration and production and transportation of crude oil and natural gas by our customers, could adversely affect our business and operating results by increasing our costs of compliance, increasing the costs of compliance and costs of doing business for our customers, limiting the demand for our products and services or restricting our operations. Increased regulation or a move away from the use of fossil fuels caused by additional regulation could also reduce demand for our products and services.
Existing or future laws and regulations related to greenhouse gases and climate change and related public and governmental initiatives and additional compliance obligations could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, prospects, and financial condition.
Changes in environmental requirements related to greenhouse gas emissions may negatively impact demand for our products and services. For example, oil and natural gas E&P may decline as a result of environmental requirements, including land use policies and other actions to restrict oil and gas leasing and permitting in response to environmental and climate change concerns. In January 2021, the Acting Secretary of the Department of the Interior issued an order suspending new leasing and drilling permits for fossil fuel production on federal lands and waters for 60 days. President Biden then issued an executive order indefinitely suspending new oil and natural gas leases on public lands or in offshore waters pending completion of a comprehensive review and reconsideration of federal oil and gas permitting and leasing practices. Several states filed lawsuits challenging the suspension and in June 2021, a judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana issued a nationwide temporary injunction blocking the suspension. The Department of the Interior appealed the U.S. District Court’s ruling. If the Department of the Interior succeeds on its appeal of the U.S. District Court’s decision and reinstitutes a leasing suspension, the reinstitution of such suspension could reduce demand for our services. Further, to the extent that the Department of Interior’s report or other initiatives to reform federal leasing practices result in the development of additional restrictions on drilling, limitations on the availability of leases, or restrictions on the ability to obtain required permits, it could impact our customers’ opportunities and reduce demand for our products and services in the aforementioned areas.
Federal, state, and local agencies continue to evaluate climate-related legislation and other regulatory initiatives that would restrict emissions of greenhouse gases in areas in which we conduct business. Because our business depends on the level of activity in the oil and natural gas industry, existing or future laws and regulations related to greenhouse gases could have a negative impact on our business if such laws or regulations reduce demand for oil and natural gas. Likewise, such laws or regulations may result in additional compliance obligations with respect to the release, capture, sequestration, and use of greenhouse gases. These additional obligations could increase our costs and have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, prospects, and financial condition. Additional compliance obligations could also increase costs of compliance and costs of doing business for our customers, thereby reducing demand for our products and services. Finally, increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere may produce climate changes that could have significant physical effects, such as increased frequency and severity of storms, droughts, floods and other climatic events; if such effects were to occur, they could have an adverse impact on our operations.
Many of our customers utilize hydraulic fracturing in their operations. Environmental concerns have been raised regarding the potential impact of hydraulic fracturing on underground water supplies and seismic activity. These concerns have led to several regulatory and governmental initiatives in the United States to restrict the hydraulic fracturing process, which could have an adverse impact on our customers’ completions or production activities. Although we do not conduct hydraulic fracturing, increased regulation and attention given to the hydraulic fracturing process could lead to greater opposition to oil and gas production activities using hydraulic fracturing techniques. In December 2021, the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates the state’s oil and gas industry, suspended the use of deep wastewater disposal wells in four oil-producing counties in West Texas. The suspension is intended to mitigate earthquakes thought to be caused by the injection of waste fluids, including saltwater, that are a byproduct of hydraulic fracturing into disposal wells. The ban will require oil and gas production companies to find other options to handle the wastewater, which may include piping or trucking it longer distances to other locations not under the ban. The adoption of new laws or regulations at the federal, state, local or foreign level imposing reporting obligations on, or otherwise limiting, delaying or banning, the hydraulic fracturing process or other processes on which hydraulic fracturing and subsequent hydrocarbon production relies, such as water disposal, could make it more difficult to complete oil and natural gas wells. Further, it could increase our customers’ costs of compliance and doing business, and otherwise adversely affect the hydraulic fracturing services they perform, which could negatively impact demand for our products.
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Increasing attention by the public and government agencies to climate change and environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) matters could also negatively impact demand for our products and services. In recent years, increasing attention has been given to corporate activities related to ESG in public discourse and the investment community. A number of advocacy groups, both domestically and internationally, have campaigned for governmental and private action to promote change at public companies related to ESG matters, including through the investment and voting practices of investment advisers, public pension funds, universities and other members of the investing community. These activities include increasing attention and demands for action related to climate change and energy rebalancing matters, such as promoting the use of substitutes to fossil fuel products and encouraging the divestment of fossil fuel equities, as well as pressuring lenders and other financial services companies to limit or curtail activities with fossil fuel companies. If this were to continue, it could have a material adverse effect on the valuation of our Class A common stock and our ability to access equity capital markets.
In addition, our business could be impacted by initiatives to address greenhouse gases and climate change and incentives to conserve energy or use alternative energy sources. For example, the Build Back Better Act, passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and supported by President Biden, includes incentives to increase wind and solar electric generation and encourage consumers to use these alternative energy sources. At this time, it is uncertain whether, and in what form, the Build Back Better Act may become law. However, the Build Back Better Act or similar state or federal initiatives to incentivize a shift away from fossil fuels could reduce demand for hydrocarbons, thereby reducing demand for our products and services and negatively impacting our business.
Risks Related to Our Class A Common Stock
We are a holding company whose only material asset is our equity interest in Cactus LLC, and accordingly, we are dependent upon distributions from Cactus LLC to pay taxes, make payments under the TRA and cover our corporate and other overhead expenses and pay dividends to holders of our class A common stock.
We are a holding company and have no material assets other than our equity interest in Cactus LLC. We have no independent means of generating revenue. To the extent Cactus LLC has available cash and subject to the terms of any current or future credit agreements or debt instruments, we intend to cause Cactus LLC to make (i) pro rata distributions to its unitholders, including us, in an amount at least sufficient to allow us to pay our taxes and to make payments under the TRA and (ii) non‑pro rata payments to us to reimburse us for our corporate and other overhead expenses. To the extent that we need funds and Cactus LLC or its subsidiaries are restricted from making such distributions or payments under applicable law or regulation or under the terms of any future financing arrangements, or are otherwise unable to provide such funds, our financial condition and liquidity could be materially adversely affected. In addition, our ability to pay dividends to holders of our Class A common stock depends on receipt of distributions from Cactus LLC.
Moreover, because we have no independent means of generating revenue, our ability to make payments under the TRA is dependent on the ability of Cactus LLC to make distributions to us in an amount sufficient to cover our obligations under the TRA. This ability, in turn, may depend on the ability of Cactus LLC’s subsidiaries to make distributions to it. The ability of Cactus LLC and its subsidiaries to make such distributions will be subject to, among other things, (i) the applicable provisions of Delaware law (or other applicable U.S. and foreign jurisdictions) that may limit the amount of funds available for distribution and (ii) restrictions in relevant debt instruments issued by Cactus LLC or its subsidiaries. To the extent that we are unable to make payments under the TRA for any reason, such payments will be deferred and will accrue interest until paid.
Cactus WH Enterprises LLC has the ability to direct the voting of a significant percentage of the voting power of our common stock, and its interests may conflict with those of our other shareholders.
Holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock vote together as a single class on all matters presented to our stockholders for their vote or approval, except as otherwise required by applicable law or our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. Cactus WH Enterprises owned approximately 20% of our voting power as of December 31, 2021. This concentration of ownership may limit a stockholder’s ability to affect the way we are managed or the direction of our business. The interests of Cactus WH Enterprises with respect to matters potentially or actually involving or affecting us, such as future acquisitions, financings and other corporate opportunities and attempts to acquire us, may conflict with the interests of our other stockholders. Furthermore, in connection with our IPO, we entered into a stockholders’ agreement with Cactus WH Enterprises. Among other things, the stockholders’ agreement provides Cactus WH Enterprises with the right to designate a certain number of nominees to our board of directors so long as they and their respective affiliates collectively beneficially own at least 5% of the outstanding shares of our common stock. The existence of significant stockholders and the stockholders’ agreement may have the effect of deterring hostile takeovers, delaying or preventing changes in control or changes in management or limiting the ability of our other stockholders to approve transactions that they may deem to be in our best interests. Cactus WH Enterprises’ concentration of stock ownership may also adversely affect the trading price of our Class A
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common stock to the extent investors perceive a disadvantage in owning stock of a company with significant stockholders. See “Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions, and Director Independence—Stockholders’ Agreement.”
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, as well as Delaware law, contain provisions that could discourage acquisition bids or merger proposals, which may adversely affect the market price of our Class A common stock.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes our board of directors to issue preferred stock without shareholder approval. If our board of directors elects to issue preferred stock, it could be more difficult for a third party to acquire us. In addition, some provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire control of us, even if the change of control would be beneficial to our shareholders, including:
• limitations on the removal of directors;
• limitations on the ability of our shareholders to call special meetings;
• establishing advance notice provisions for shareholder proposals and nominations for elections to the board of directors to be acted upon at meetings of shareholders;
• providing that the board of directors is expressly authorized to adopt, or to alter or repeal our bylaws; and
• establishing advance notice and certain information requirements for nominations for election to our board of directors or for proposing matters that can be acted upon by shareholders at shareholder meetings.
In addition, certain change of control events have the effect of accelerating the payment due under the TRA, which could be substantial and accordingly serve as a disincentive to a potential acquirer of our company.
Future sales of our Class A common stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales may occur, could reduce our stock price, and any additional capital raised by us through the sale of equity or convertible securities may dilute your ownership in us.
Subject to certain limitations and exceptions, the CW Unit Holders may cause Cactus LLC to redeem their CW Units for shares of Class A common stock (on a one‑for‑one basis, subject to conversion rate adjustments for stock splits, stock dividends and reclassification and other similar transactions) and then sell those shares of Class A common stock. Additionally, we may issue additional shares of Class A common stock or convertible securities in subsequent public offerings. We had 59,035,237 outstanding shares of Class A common stock and 16,674,282 outstanding shares of Class B common stock as of December 31, 2021. The CW Unit Holders own all 16,674,282 shares of Class B common stock, representing approximately 22.0% of our total outstanding common stock. As required pursuant to the terms of the registration rights agreement that we entered into at the time of our IPO, we have filed a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, to permit the public resale of shares of Class A common stock owned by Cactus WH Enterprises, Lee Boquet and certain members of our board of directors. See “Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions, and Director Independence—Stockholders’ Agreement” for more information.
We cannot predict the size of future issuances of our Class A common stock or securities convertible into Class A common stock or the effect, if any, that future issuances and sales of shares of our Class A common stock will have on the market price of our Class A common stock. Sales of substantial amounts of our Class A common stock (including shares issued in connection with an acquisition), or the perception that such sales could occur, may adversely affect prevailing market prices of our Class A common stock.
Cactus Inc. will be required to make payments under the TRA for certain tax benefits that we may claim, and the amounts of such payments could be significant.
In connection with our IPO, we entered into the TRA with the TRA Holders. This agreement generally provides for the payment by Cactus Inc. to each TRA Holder of 85% of the net cash savings, if any, in U.S. federal, state and local income tax and franchise tax that Cactus Inc. actually realizes or is deemed to realize in certain circumstances as a result of certain increases in tax basis and certain benefits attributable to imputed interest. Cactus Inc. will retain the benefit of the remaining 15% of these net cash savings.
The term of the TRA will continue until all tax benefits that are subject to the TRA have been utilized or expired, unless we exercise our right to terminate the TRA (or the TRA is terminated due to other circumstances, including our breach of a material obligation thereunder or certain mergers or other changes of control), and we make the termination payment specified
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in the TRA. In addition, payments we make under the TRA will be increased by any interest accrued from the due date (without extensions) of the corresponding tax return. Payments under the TRA commenced in 2019, and in the event that the TRA is not terminated, the payments under the TRA are anticipated to continue for approximately 20 years after the date of the last redemption of CW Units.
The payment obligations under the TRA are our obligations and not obligations of Cactus LLC, and we expect that the payments we will be required to make under the TRA will be substantial. Estimating the amount and timing of payments that may become due under the TRA Agreement is by its nature imprecise. For purposes of the TRA, cash savings in tax generally are calculated by comparing our actual tax liability (determined by using the actual applicable U.S. federal income tax rate and an assumed combined state and local income tax rate) to the amount we would have been required to pay had we not been able to utilize any of the tax benefits subject to the TRA. The amounts payable, as well as the timing of any payments under the TRA, are dependent upon significant future events and assumptions, including the timing of the redemption of CW Units, the price of our Class A common stock at the time of each redemption, the extent to which such redemptions are taxable transactions, the amount of the redeeming unit holder’s tax basis in its CW Units at the time of the relevant redemption, the depreciation and amortization periods that apply to the increase in tax basis, the amount and timing of taxable income we generate in the future and the U.S. federal income tax rates then applicable, and the portion of our payments under the TRA that constitute imputed interest or give rise to depreciable or amortizable tax basis. The payments under the TRA are not conditioned upon a holder of rights under the TRA having a continued ownership interest in us. For additional information regarding the TRA, see “Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions, and Director Independence—Tax Receivable Agreement.”
In certain cases, payments under the TRA may be accelerated and/or significantly exceed the actual benefits, if any, we realize in respect of the tax attributes subject to the TRA.
If we elect to terminate the TRA early or it is terminated early due to Cactus Inc.’s failure to honor a material obligation thereunder or due to certain mergers or other changes of control, our obligations under the TRA would accelerate and we would be required to make an immediate payment equal to the present value of the anticipated future payments to be made by us under the TRA (determined by applying a discount rate of one‑year LIBOR plus 150 basis points) and such payment is expected to be substantial. The calculation of anticipated future payments will be based upon certain assumptions and deemed events set forth in the TRA, including (i) the assumption that we have sufficient taxable income to fully utilize the tax benefits covered by the TRA and (ii) the assumption that any CW Units (other than those held by Cactus Inc.) outstanding on the termination date are deemed to be redeemed on the termination date. Any early termination payment may be made significantly in advance of the actual realization, if any, of the future tax benefits to which the termination payment relates.
As a result of either an early termination or a change of control, we could be required to make payments under the TRA that exceed our actual cash tax savings under the TRA. In these situations, our obligations under the TRA could have a substantial negative impact on our liquidity and could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing certain mergers, asset sales, or other forms of business combinations or changes of control. If the TRA were terminated as of December 31, 2021, the estimated termination payments, based on the assumptions discussed above, would have been approximately $361.9 million (calculated using a discount rate equal to one-year LIBOR plus 150 basis points, applied against an undiscounted liability of approximately $422.0 million). The foregoing number is merely an estimate and the actual payment could differ materially. There can be no assurance that we will be able to finance our obligations under the TRA.
Payments under the TRA are based on the tax reporting positions that we will determine. The TRA Holders will not reimburse us for any payments previously made under the TRA if any tax benefits that have given rise to payments under the TRA are subsequently disallowed, except that excess payments made to any TRA Holder will be netted against payments that would otherwise be made to such TRA Holder, if any, after our determination of such excess. As a result, in some circumstances, we could make payments that are greater than our actual cash tax savings, if any, and may not be able to recoup those payments, which could adversely affect our liquidity.
If Cactus LLC were to become a publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we and Cactus LLC might be subject to potentially significant tax inefficiencies, and we would not be able to recover payments previously made by us under the TRA even if the corresponding tax benefits were subsequently determined to have been unavailable due to such status.
We intend to operate such that Cactus LLC does not become a publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A “publicly traded partnership” is a partnership the interests of which are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof. Under certain circumstances, redemptions of CW Units pursuant to the Redemption Right (or our Call Right) or other transfers of CW Units
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could cause Cactus LLC to be treated as a publicly traded partnership. Applicable U.S. Treasury regulations provide for certain safe harbors from treatment as a publicly traded partnership, and we intend to operate such that one or more such safe harbors shall apply. For example, we intend to limit the number of unitholders of Cactus LLC, and the Cactus Wellhead LLC Agreement, which was entered into in connection with the closing of our IPO, provides for limitations on the ability of CW Unit Holders to transfer their CW Units and provides us, as managing member of Cactus LLC, with the right to impose restrictions (in addition to those already in place) on the ability of unitholders of Cactus LLC to redeem their CW Units pursuant to the Redemption Right to the extent we believe it is necessary to ensure that Cactus LLC will continue to be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
If Cactus LLC were to become a publicly traded partnership, significant tax inefficiencies might result for us and for Cactus LLC, including as a result of our inability to file a consolidated U.S. federal income tax return with Cactus LLC. In addition, we would no longer have the benefit of certain increases in tax basis covered under the TRA, and we would not be able to recover any payments previously made by us under the TRA, even if the corresponding tax benefits (including any claimed increase in the tax basis of Cactus LLC’s assets) were subsequently determined to have been unavailable.
General Risks
A failure of our information technology infrastructure and cyberattacks could adversely impact us.
We depend on our information technology (“IT”) systems for the efficient operation of our business. Accordingly, we rely upon the capacity, reliability and security of our IT hardware and software infrastructure and our ability to expand and update this infrastructure in response to our changing needs. Despite our implementation of security measures, our systems are vulnerable to damage from computer viruses, natural disasters, incursions by intruders or hackers, failures in hardware or software, power fluctuations, cyber terrorists and other similar disruptions. Additionally, we rely on third parties to support the operation of our IT hardware and software infrastructure, and in certain instances, utilize web‑based applications. The failure of our IT systems or those of our vendors to perform as anticipated for any reason or any significant breach of security could disrupt our business and result in numerous adverse consequences, including reduced effectiveness and efficiency of operations, inappropriate disclosure of confidential and proprietary information, reputational harm, increased overhead costs and loss of important information, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. In addition, we may be required to incur significant costs to protect against damage caused by these disruptions or security breaches in the future.
Holders of our Class A common stock may not receive dividends on their Class A common stock.
Holders of our Class A common stock are entitled to receive only such dividends as our board of directors may declare out of funds legally available for such payments. We are incorporated in Delaware and are governed by the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”). The DGCL allows a corporation to pay dividends only out of a surplus, as determined under Delaware law or, if there is no surplus, out of net profits for the fiscal year in which the dividend was declared and for the preceding fiscal year. Under the DGCL, however, we cannot pay dividends out of net profits if, after we pay the dividend, our capital would be less than the capital represented by the outstanding stock of all classes having a preference upon the distribution of assets. We are not required to pay a dividend, and any determination to pay dividends and other distributions in cash, stock or property by us in the future (including determinations as to the amount of any such dividend or distribution) will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will be dependent on then-existing conditions, including business conditions, our financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital requirements, contractual restrictions, including restrictive covenants contained in debt agreements, and other factors.
If we are unable to fully protect our intellectual property rights or trade secrets, we may suffer a loss in revenue or any competitive advantage or market share we hold, or we may incur costs in litigation defending intellectual property rights.
While we have some patents and others pending, we do not have patents relating to many of our key processes and technology. If we are not able to maintain the confidentiality of our trade secrets, or if our competitors are able to replicate our technology or services, our competitive advantage would be diminished. We also cannot provide any assurance that any patents we may obtain in the future would provide us with any significant commercial benefit or would allow us to prevent our competitors from employing comparable technologies or processes. We may initiate litigation from time to time to protect and enforce our intellectual property rights. In any such litigation, a defendant may assert that our intellectual property rights are invalid or unenforceable. Third parties from time to time may also initiate litigation against us by asserting that our businesses infringe, impair, misappropriate, dilute or otherwise violate another party’s intellectual property rights. We may not prevail in any such litigation, and our intellectual property rights may be found invalid or unenforceable or our products and services may
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be found to infringe, impair, misappropriate, dilute or otherwise violate the intellectual property rights of others. The results or costs of any such litigation may have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Any litigation concerning intellectual property could be protracted and costly, is inherently unpredictable and could have an adverse effect on our business, regardless of its outcome.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
None.