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Risk-factor words are +390.0% above peer average (1,769 vs 361 across 135 peers).
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ITEM 1A RISK FACTORS
TOthere were n than as set forth below which have been updated to account for recent developments, there have been no material changes in risk factorfrom the risk factors disclosed in Item 1A of our 2024 Form 10-K.
Our business currently benefits from the availability of rebates, tax credits and other financial programs as disclosed in ond incentives, and changes to such benefits could cause our revenue to decline and harm our financial results.
We utilize governmental rebates, tax credits, and other financial incentives to lower the effective price of our Annual Report on products to customers in the U.S. and Japan, India, Republic of Korea, and Taiwan (collectively, our Asia Pacific region).
The U.S. federal government and some state and local governments provide incentives to current and future end users and purchasers of our solutions in the form of rebates, tax credits and other financial incentives, such as system performance payments and payments for renewable energy credits associated with renewable energy generation. Our solutions have qualified for tax exemptions, incentives, or other customer incentives in many states. Some states have utility procurement programs, Renewables Portfolio Standards (RPSs) or Clean Energy Standards (CESs) for which our technologies are eligible; our solutions may not be eligible for other RPSs and CESs, particularly when fueled in whole or in part with natural gas. Financiers and Equity Investors (as defined below) may also take advantage of these financial incentives, lowering the cost of capital and energy to our customers.
Form 10-K example, many of our installations in California interconnect with investor-owned utilities on FC NEM tariffs. FC NEM tariffs were available for new California installations until December 31, 2023. To remain eligible for the fiscal year ended ose FC NEM tariffs, installations currently on those tariffs will be required to meet greenhouse gas emissions standards that are intended to support operations at a rate that is the same or better than the grid resources they are displacing. Other generally applicable tariffs are available for customers deploying fuel cells, and do not impose greenhouse gas standards. If, and when, installations cannot meet any applicable GHG standards, there are alternative tariffs available for our customers. If the cost to remain on the FC NEM tariffs increase significantly or suitable alternatives are not available, it may negatively impact our existing customer base and future demand for our products. Additionally, the uncertainty regarding requirements for service under any of these tariffs could negatively impact the perceived value of, or risks associated with, our products, which could also negatively impact demand.
Under the IRA, the U.S. federal government offers certain federal tax benefits, including the Production Tax Credit under Section 45 of the Internal Revenue Code (the PTC) and the Investment Tax Credit under Section 48 of the Internal Revenue Code (the ITC), both of which are succeeded by technology-neutral versions set forth in Sections 45Y and 48E, respectively. After December 31, 2024.
, our fuel cell Energy Server systems operating on natural gas or a non-zero carbon fuel became ineligible for the ITC under the IRA, except to the extent eligible fuel cell property was properly safe harbored prior to December 31, 2024, under the applicable federal tax guidance rules. On July 4, 2025, the US federal government enacted the OBBBA, which restored the federal ITC for applicable fuel cell property for projects beginning construction after December 31, 2025, at a 30% rate through 2033, regardless of the level of emissions from the fuel cell property. Accelerated depreciation for our fuel cell property was also restored under the OBBBA. These federal tax benefits under both the IRA and the OBBBA have certain legal and operational requirements. There may be uncertainty as to how such requirements promulgated under the IRA and the OBBBA are interpreted. If IRS guidance regarding implementation of the IRA or the OBBBA is viewed by investors as unclear, tax credit financing may be delayed or downsized, harming our ability to secure financing for customers. Our failure to either (i) interpret the new requirements under the IRA and the OBBBA regarding among other things, prevailing wage, apprenticeship, domestic content, siting in an energy community, prohibited foreign entities or material assistance from prohibited foreign entities accurately or (ii) adequately update our supply-chain, manufacturing, installation, and record-
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keeping processes to meet such requirements, may result a partial or full reduction in the related federal tax benefit, and our customers, financiers and equity investors may require us to indemnify them for certain of such reductions. Changes in federal tax benefits over time also may affect our future performance.
Some countries outside the U.S. also provide incentives to current and future end users and purchasers of our solutions. For example, in the Republic of Korea, RPSs and CESs are in place to promote the adoption of renewable, low- or zero-carbon power generation. The Korean RPSs were replaced in 2023 with the Clean Hydrogen Portfolio Standard (CHPS). This may impact the demand for our products in the Republic of Korea. Initially, we do not expect the CHPS to require 100% hydrogen as a feedstock for fuel cell projects.
Changes in the availability of rebates, tax credits, and other financial programs and incentives could reduce demand for our products, impair sales financing, and adversely impact our business results. Additionally, these incentives and procurement programs or obligations may expire on a particular date, end when the allocated funding is exhausted, or be reduced or terminated as a matter of regulatory or legislative policy. The continuation of these programs and incentives depends upon continued political support.
Expanding operations internationally could expose us to additional risks.
Although we currently operate primarily in the U.S., we continue to expand our business internationally. We currently have operations in the Asia Pacific region and Europe. Our international operations subject our business to additional risks, including:
increased complexity and costs of managing international operations;
conformity with applicable business customs, including translation into foreign languages and associated expenses;
lack of availability of government incentives and subsidies;
financing challenges for our customers;
potential changes to our established business model, including installation and/or service challenges that we may have not encountered before;
cost of alternative power sources, which could be meaningfully lower outside the U.S.;
availability and cost of natural gas;
variability in gas specifications from jurisdiction to jurisdiction;
effects of adverse changes in currency exchange rates and rising interest rates;
difficulties in staffing and managing foreign operations in an environment of diverse culture, laws and regulations, and customers, and the increased travel, infrastructure, and legal and compliance costs associated with international operations;
our ability to develop and maintain relationships with suppliers and other local businesses;
compliance with product safety requirements and standards;
our ability to obtain business licenses that may be needed in international locations to support expanded operations;
compliance with local laws and regulations and unanticipated changes in local laws and regulations, including tax laws and regulations;
challenges in managing taxation in cross-border transactions;
greater difficulties in securing or enforcing our intellectual property rights in certain jurisdictions;
difficulties in enforcing contracts in certain jurisdictions;
risk of nationalization or other expropriation of private enterprises;
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trade barriers such as export requirements, tariffs, taxes, local content requirements, anti-dumping regulations and requirements, and other restrictions and expenses, which could increase the effective price of our products and make us less competitive in some countries or increase the costs to perform under our existing contracts;
difficulties in collecting payments in foreign currencies and associated foreign currency exposure;
restrictions on repatriation of earnings;
risk of actions taken unilaterally by a foreign government or government owned entity that could adversely affect or limit our customers use of our products or our customers or our ability to perform under our customer contracts, increase the potential for customer disputes, increase our costs or adversely impact our profitability;
natural disasters (including as a result of climate change), acts of war or terrorism, regional conflicts, and public health emergencies; and
adverse social, political and economic conditions, including inflation, a recessionary environment, and disruptions in capital markets.
We utilize a sourcing strategy that emphasizes global procurement of materials that have direct or indirect dependencies upon a number of vendors with operations in the Asia Pacific region. Physical, regulatory, technological, market, reputational, and legal risks related to climate change in these regions and globally are increasing in impact and diversity and the magnitude of any short-term or long-term adverse impact on our business or results of operations remains unknown. The physical impacts of climate change, including as a result of certain types of natural disasters occurring more frequently or with more intensity or changing weather patterns, could disrupt our supply chain, result in damage to or closures of our facilities, and could otherwise have an adverse impact on our business, operating results and financial condition. In addition, the war in Ukraine resulted in increased sanctions that affected the price of raw materials used in our products, which had and could continue to have an adverse impact on our operating results.
Our cross-border transactions and international operations are subject to complex foreign and U.S. laws and regulations, including anti-bribery and corruption laws, antitrust or competition laws, data privacy laws, such as the GDPR, and environmental regulations, accounting standards, among others. In particular, recent years have seen a substantial increase in anti-bribery law enforcement activity by U.S. regulators, and we currently operate and seek to operate in many parts of the world that are recognized as having greater potential for corruption. Violations of any of these laws and regulations could result in fines and penalties, criminal sanctions against us or our employees, prohibitions on the conduct of our business and on our ability to offer our products and services in certain geographies, and significant harm to our business reputation. Our policies and procedures to promote compliance with these laws and regulations and to mitigate these risks may not protect us from all acts committed by our employees or third parties, including contractors, agents, services partners, strategic partners or distributors. To the extent violations of foreign and U.S. laws and regulations by such third parties impact their ability to perform under contracts with us, our operations and financial results could be materially adversely affected. Additionally, the costs of complying with these laws (including the costs of investigations, auditing and monitoring) could adversely affect our current or future business.
The success of our international sales and operations will depend, in large part, on our ability to anticipate and manage these risks effectively. Our failure to manage any of these risks could harm our international operations, reduce our international sales, and could give rise to liabilities, costs or other business difficulties that could adversely affect our operations and financial results.