Safe Harbor Statement
Certain statements in this presentation contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements, which may be identified by the use of forward-looking words or phrases, include statements relating to: our future performance and prospects for growth in 2021 and beyond; our ability to achieve our financial, strategic and business goals; the expected timing and release of certain products and entertainment; and our planned investments. Our actual actions or results may differ materially from those expected or anticipated in the forward-looking statements due to both known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Specific factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to:
- our ability to design, develop, produce, manufacture, source and ship products on a timely and cost-effective and profitable basis;
- rapidly changing consumer interests in the types of products and entertainment we offer;
- the challenge of developing and offering products and storytelling experiences sought after by children, fans, and families given increasing technology and entertainment offerings available;
- our ability to develop and distribute engaging storytelling across media to drive brand awareness;
- our dependence on third party relationships, including with third party manufacturers, licensors of brands, studios, content producers and entertainment distribution channels;
- our ability to successfully compete in the global play and entertainment industry, including with manufacturers, marketers, and sellers of toys and games, digital gaming products and digital media, as well as with film studios, television production companies and independent distributors and content producers;
- our ability to successfully evolve and transform our business and capabilities to address a changing global consumer landscape and retail environment, including changing inventories policies of our customers and increased emphasis on ecommerce;
- our ability to develop new and expanded areas of our business, such as through eOne, Wizards of the Coast, and our other entertainment, digital gaming and esports initiatives;
- risks associated with international operations, such as currency conversion, currency fluctuations, the imposition of tariffs, quotas, border adjustment taxes or other protectionist measures, and other challenges in the territories in which we operate;
- our ability to successfully implement changes to our supply chain, inventory management, sales policies or pricing of our products;
- our ability to successfully develop and execute plans to mitigate the negative impact of the coronavirus on our business;
- downturns in global and regional economic conditions impacting one or more of the markets in which we sell products, which can negatively impact our retail customers and consumers, result in lower employment levels, consumer disposable income, retailer inventories and spending, including lower spending on purchases of our products;
- other economic and public health conditions or regulatory changes in the markets in which we and our customers, suppliers and manufacturers operate, such as higher commodity prices, labor costs or transportation costs, or outbreaks of disease, such as the coronavirus, the occurrence of which could create work slowdowns, delays or shortages in production or shipment of products, increases in costs or delays in revenue;
- the success of our key partner brands, including the ability to secure, maintain and extend agreements with our key partners or the risk of delays, increased costs or difficulties associated with any of our or our partners’ planned digital applications or media initiatives;
- fluctuations in our business due to seasonality;
- the concentration of our customers, potentially increasing the negative impact to our business of difficulties experienced by any of our customers or changes in their purchasing or selling patterns;
- the bankruptcy or other lack of success of one of our significant retailers, licensees and other business partners;
- risks relating to the use of third party manufacturers for the manufacturing of our products, including the concentration of manufacturing for many of our products in the People’s Republic of China and our ability to successfully diversify sourcing of our products to reduce reliance on sources of supply in China;
- our ability to attract and retain talented and diverse employees;
- our ability to realize the benefits of cost-savings and efficiency and/or revenue efficiency enhancing initiatives including initiatives to integrate eOne into our business;
- our ability to protect our assets and intellectual property, including as a result of infringement, theft, misappropriation, cyber-attacks or other acts compromising the integrity of our assets or intellectual property;
- risks relating to the impairment and/or write-offs of acquired products and films and television programs we acquire and produce;
- risks relating to investments and acquisitions, such as our acquisition of eOne, which risks include: integration difficulties; inability to retain key personnel; diversion of management time and resources; failure to achieve anticipated benefits or synergies of acquisitions or investments; and risks relating to the additional indebtedness incurred in connection with a transaction;
- the risk of product recalls or product liability suits and costs associated with product safety regulations;
- changes in tax laws or regulations, or the interpretation and application of such laws and regulations, which may cause us to alter tax reserves or make other changes which significantly impact our reported financial results;
- the impact of litigation or arbitration decisions or settlement actions; and
- other risks and uncertainties as may be detailed from time to time in our public announcements and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings.
The statements contained herein are based on our current beliefs and expectations. We undertake no obligation to make any revisions to the forward-looking statements contained in this presentation or to update them to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this presentation.