Fortrea Holdings Inc

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Other than as set forth below, there have been no material changes to the risk factors described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, as filed with the SEC on March 3, 2025. For a discussion of the risks relating to our business, see the Risk Factors section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, the Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements set forth in Part I, Item 2 of this Form 10-Q, and as updated by following.

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Changes in and uncertainty regarding U.S. regulations, government policies, government funding decisions, trade policies or tariffs could have a material adverse effect upon our business.

Changes in regulations, government funding, government funding decisions, trade policies, pricing policies and tariffs imposed by the U.S. and other governments could have an impact on our business and our pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device customers.

Significant political, trade, or regulatory developments in the jurisdictions in which we operate, such as those stemming from the U.S. administration, are difficult to predict and may have a material adverse effect on us. Similarly, changes in U.S. administration policy or the policies of foreign countries that affect the geopolitical landscape could give rise to circumstances outside our control that could negatively impact our business operations, including movement of data, particularly given our international operations, or could subject us to additional risks and expenses including discriminatory or conflicting trade policies, sanctions or tariffs. The extent and duration of increased tariffs or sanctions and the resulting impact on general economic conditions and on our business are uncertain and depend on various factors, including but not limited to negotiations between the U.S. and affected countries, the responses of other countries or regions, and exemptions or exclusions that may be granted. The existing and any further trade restrictions, retaliatory trade measures, sanctions and additional tariffs could result in increased costs, disruptions in global shipping and supply chains, restrictions on access to markets and customers, inability to conduct clinical trials in other countries and impacts on our customers and their RD budgets and priorities, all of which could adversely affect our results of operations or financial condition. In particular, the exposure among certain of our customers to tariffs, pricing mandates, and trade restrictions along with their limited ability to quickly relocate manufacturing may increase capital requirements and create additional pressure on such customers during what may be a period of reduced investment and could create a risk to growth, which could in turn impact our results of operations or financial condition. We and our customers may not be able to fully mitigate the impact of these operational issues, market forces and increased costs or pass price increases on to our customers. While tariffs, pricing, and other trade measures have not yet had a significant impact on our business or results of operations, we cannot predict further developments, and how they may adversely affect our results of operations or financial condition.

In addition, reductions in funding of government agencies and programs relevant to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industriessuch as the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health, and Medicaidor changes in funding priorities relevant to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries could adversely affect those industries, which could in turn have an effect on the demand for clinical trials and our business. At this time, it is unclear exactly how changes at the federal and state level, as well as any future changes that are made, will impact the industry, what changes will be made to the healthcare reform measures of prior administrations, or whether the government could impose other reform efforts, whether by statute, regulation or executive order, including what, if any, impact such changes could have on our business. We may be unable to anticipate changes in regulatory regimes of the governments where we operate and, therefore, be unable to make timely operational or other changes, assuming we are in a position to effectively respond to any such change, which may not be the case, or to ensure compliance with applicable regulations or orders, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business. Further, the uncertainties described above may lead to slower decision making and/or could lead to fewer decisions to proceed with studies due to the increased risk profile.

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Our stockholder rights agreement could discourage, delay, or prevent a change in control over us and may affect the trading price of our common stock.

In June 2025, our Board of Directors adopted a stockholder rights plan and declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a Right) for each share of our common stock outstanding on June 23, 2025 to the stockholders of record on that date. In the event that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons has acquired beneficial ownership of 10% or more of our outstanding common stock, subject to certain exceptions, each Right would entitle its holder (other than such person or members of such group) to purchase additional shares of our common stock at a substantial discount to the public market price. In addition, at any time after a person or group of affiliated or associated persons has acquired beneficial ownership of 10% or more of our outstanding common stock (and prior to the acquisition by any person or group of a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock), the Board of Directors may exchange one share of our common stock for each outstanding Right (other than Rights owned by such person or group, which would have become void).

The stockholder rights plan would cause dilution to a person or group of affiliated or associated persons that acquires a large block of our common stock and thereby make it more difficult for such person or group of affiliated or associated persons to acquire the Company. The foregoing factors could impede a merger, takeover, or other business combination, or discourage a potential investor from making a tender offer for our common stock, which, under certain circumstances, could reduce the market value of our common stock.