KLA CORP

Previous wording

•We have a highly concentrated customer base; and

Current wording

•We have a highly concentrated customer base;

Previous wording

•Prevailing local and global economic conditions may negatively affect the purchasing decisions of our customers.

Current wording

•Prevailing local and global economic conditions may negatively affect the purchasing decisions of our customers; and

Previous wording

•We may incur significant restructuring charges or other asset impairment charges or inventory write-offs; and

Current wording

•We may incur significant restructuring charges or other asset impairment charges or inventory write-offs;

Previous wording

•We are subject to risks related to receivables factoring arrangements, and compliance risk of certain settlement agreements with the government.

Current wording

•We are subject to risks related to receivables factoring arrangements, and compliance risk of certain settlement agreements with the government; and

Previous wording

•Political instability, geopolitical tensions, natural disasters, legal or regulatory changes, acts of war such as the wars between Russia and Ukraine or Israel and Hamas and further escalation thereof, or terrorism in regions where we, our customers or our suppliers have operations or where we or they do business;

Current wording

•Political instability, geopolitical tensions, natural disasters, legal or regulatory changes, acts of war such as the wars between Russia and Ukraine or the war in the Middle East and further escalation thereof, or terrorism in regions where we, our customers or our suppliers have operations or where we or they do business;

Previous wording

We may lose revenue in future periods related to anticipated sales to customers in China unless we are able to replace their orders with other customer orders for which either a license has been obtained or is not required. Our revenue from sales of products and provision of services to customers in China was 27%, 29% and 26% for fiscal years 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Current wording

We may lose revenue in future periods related to anticipated sales to customers in China unless we are able to replace their orders with other customer orders for which either a license has been obtained or is not required. Our revenue from sales of products and provision of services to customers in China was 43%, 27% and 29% for fiscal years 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Previous wording

Additionally, we are subject to various domestic and international environmental laws and regulations, including those that control and restrict the use, transportation, emission, discharge, storage, and disposal of certain chemicals, gases and other substances. Any failure to comply with applicable environmental laws, regulations or requirements may subject us to a range of consequences, including fines, suspension of certain of our business activities, limitations on our ability to sell our products, obligations to remediate environmental contamination, and criminal and civil liabilities or other sanctions. Some of these laws impose strict liability for certain releases, which may require us to incur costs regardless of fault or the legality of actions at the time of release. In addition, changes in environmental laws and regulations (including any relating to climate change and GHG emissions) could require us, or others in our value chain, to install additional equipment, alter operations to incorporate new technologies or processes, or revise process inputs, among other things, which may cause us to incur significant costs or otherwise adversely impact our business performance. Various agencies and governmental bodies have expressed particular interest in promulgating rules relating to climate change. For example, in March 2022, the SEC published a proposed rule that would require companies to provide significantly expanded climate-related disclosures in their Form 10-K, which may require us to incur significant additional costs to comply and impose increased oversight obligations on our management and Board of Directors. We also face increasing complexity in our manufacturing, product design and procurement operations as we adjust to new and prospective requirements relating to the composition of our products, including restrictions on lead and other substances and requirements to track the sources, production methods, or provenance of certain metals and other materials. The cost of complying, or failing to comply, with these and other regulatory requirements or contractual obligations could adversely affect our operating results, financial condition and ability to conduct our business.

Current wording

Additionally, we are subject to various domestic and international environmental laws and regulations, including those that control and restrict the use, transportation, emission, discharge, storage, and disposal of certain chemicals, gases and other substances. Current and proposed restrictions on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) may negatively impact our supply chain due to potentially decreased availability, or non-availability, of PFAS-containing products or commercially feasible alternatives. Any failure to comply with applicable environmental laws, regulations or requirements may subject us to a range of consequences, including fines, suspension of certain of our business activities, limitations on our ability to sell our products, obligations to remediate environmental contamination, and criminal and civil liabilities or other sanctions. Some of these laws impose strict liability for certain releases, which may require us to incur costs regardless of fault or the legality of actions at the time of release. In addition, changes in environmental laws and regulations (including any relating to climate change and greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions) could require us, or others in our value chain, to install additional equipment, alter operations to incorporate new technologies or processes, or revise process inputs, among other things, which may cause us to incur significant costs or otherwise adversely impact our business performance. Various agencies and governmental bodies have expressed particular interest in promulgating rules relating to climate change. For example, in March 2022, the SEC published a proposed rule that would require companies to provide significantly expanded climate-related disclosures, which may require us to incur significant additional costs to comply and impose increased oversight obligations on our management and Board of Directors. We also face increasing complexity in our manufacturing, product design and procurement operations as we adjust to new and prospective requirements relating to the composition of our products, including restrictions on lead and other substances and requirements to track the sources, production methods, or provenance of certain metals and other materials. The cost of complying, or failing to comply, with these and other regulatory requirements or contractual obligations could adversely affect our operating results, financial condition and ability to conduct our business.

Previous wording

In addition, we may from time to time be involved in legal proceedings or claims regarding employment, immigration, contracts, product performance, product liability, antitrust, environmental regulations, securities, unfair competition and other matters. These legal proceedings and claims, regardless of their merit, may be time-consuming and expensive to prosecute or defend, divert management’s attention and resources, and/or inhibit our ability to sell our products. There can be no assurance regarding the outcome of current or future legal proceedings or claims, which could adversely affect our operating results, financial condition and ability to operate our business.

Current wording

In addition, we may from time to time be involved in legal proceedings or claims regarding employment, immigration, contracts, product performance, product liability, antitrust, ESG, IP, export controls, cybersecurity and data privacy, tax, securities, unfair competition and other matters. These legal proceedings and claims, regardless of their merit, may be time-consuming and expensive to prosecute or defend, divert management’s attention and resources, and/or inhibit our ability to sell our products. There can be no assurance regarding the outcome of current or future legal proceedings or claims, which could adversely affect our operating results, financial condition and ability to operate our business.

Previous wording

Certain investors, capital providers, shareholder advocacy groups, other market participants, customers and other stakeholder groups have focused increasingly on companies’ ESG initiatives, including those regarding climate change, human rights and inclusion and diversity, among others. This may result in increased costs, changes in demand for certain types of products, enhanced compliance or disclosure obligations and costs, or other adverse impacts on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Current wording

Certain investors, capital providers, shareholder advocacy groups, other market participants, customers and other stakeholder groups have focused increasingly on companies’ ESG initiatives, including those regarding climate change, human rights and inclusion and diversity, among others. This has increased, and may in the future continue to increase, certain of our compliance and disclosure costs, and may also result in further impacts on our business, financial condition or results of operations, including changes in demand for certain types of products.

Previous wording

From time to time, we create and publish voluntary disclosures regarding ESG matters. Identification, assessment, and disclosure of such matters is complex. Many of the statements in such voluntary disclosures are based on our expectations and assumptions, which may require substantial discretion and forecasts about costs and future circumstances. Additionally, expectations regarding companies’ management of ESG matters continues to evolve rapidly, in many instances due to factors that are out of our control. In addition, organizations that provide information to investors on corporate governance and related matters have developed rating processes on evaluating companies on their approach to ESG matters. Such ratings are used by some investors to inform their investment and voting decisions. Unfavorable ESG ratings could lead to increased negative investor sentiment toward us, our customers, or our industry, which could negatively impact our share price as well as our access to and cost of capital. To the extent ESG matters negatively impact our reputation, it may also impede our ability to compete as effectively to recruit or retain employees, which may adversely affect our operations.

Current wording

From time to time, we create and publish voluntary disclosures regarding ESG matters. Identification, assessment and disclosure of such matters is complex. Many of the statements in such voluntary disclosures are based on our expectations and assumptions, which may require substantial discretion and forecasts about costs and future circumstances. Additionally, expectations regarding companies’ management of ESG matters continues to evolve rapidly, in many instances due to factors that are out of our control.

Previous wording

Although we may participate in various voluntary frameworks and certification programs, or establish voluntary ESG initiatives, to improve the ESG profile of our operations and product offerings, we cannot guarantee that such efforts will have the intended results. For example, in August 2022, we announced new targets to reduce our Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% from our 2021 baseline to 2030 and achieve net zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2050. Our estimates concerning the timing and cost of implementing this and other goals are subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which are outside of our control. In addition, standards for calculating and disclosing emissions and other sustainability metrics continue to evolve. We have updated and may in the future continue to update our methodologies, which could result in additional scrutiny. Any failure, or perceived failure, to disclose in keeping with best practices, regulations, or other stakeholder expectations or to successfully achieve our voluntary goals, or the manner in which we achieve some or any portion of our goals, could adversely impact our reputation or, to the extent related to our sustainability-linked capital sources, financial condition and results of operations. Our ESG efforts may also include the adoption, or expansion, of certain ESG practices or policies, which may require us to expend additional resources to implement or to forego certain business opportunities to the extent others in our value chain do not meet pertinent requirements of such policies. By contrast, any failure, or perceived failure, to conform to such policies could have an adverse impact on our reputation and business activities. Our performance may be subject to greater scrutiny as a result of our announcement of any goals or policies and the publication of our performance against the same. Moreover, despite the voluntary nature of such efforts, we may receive pressure from external sources, such as lenders, investors or other groups, to adopt more aggressive climate or other ESG-related initiatives; however, we may not agree that such initiatives will be appropriate for our business, and we may not be able to implement such initiatives because of potential costs or technical or operational obstacles. In addition, we note that regulators, including the SEC, have begun proposing and adopting regulations regarding ESG matters, including, but not limited to, climate change-related matters. To the extent we are subject to increased regulatory requirements, we could become subject to increased compliance-related costs and risks, including potential enforcement and litigation. Such ESG matters may also impact our suppliers and customers, which may compound or cause new impacts on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Current wording

Our ESG efforts have included, and may in the future include further adoption, or expansion, of certain ESG practices or policies, which may require us to expend additional resources to implement or to forego certain business opportunities to the extent others in our value chain do not meet pertinent requirements of such policies. By contrast, any failure, or perceived failure, to conform to such policies could have an adverse impact on our reputation and business activities. Our performance may be subject to greater scrutiny as a result of our announcement of any goals or policies and the publication of our performance against the same. Moreover, despite the voluntary nature of such efforts, we may receive increasing scrutiny and pressure from external sources, such as lenders, investors, proxy advisory firms, rating agencies or other investor advocacy groups, to adopt more transparent or aggressive climate or other ESG-related initiatives; however, we may not agree that such initiatives will be appropriate for our business, and we may not be able to implement such initiatives because of potential costs or technical or operational obstacles. Any unfavorable ESG ratings could lead to or increase any negative investor sentiment toward us, our customers or our industry, which could negatively impact our share price as well as our access to and cost of capital. To the extent ESG matters negatively impact our reputation, they may also impede our ability to compete as effectively to recruit or retain employees or customers, which may adversely affect our operations. Simultaneously, there are efforts by some stakeholders, including certain policymakers, to reduce companies’ efforts on certain environmental, social and sustainability-related matters, which could subject us to increased activism or litigation. In addition, we note that regulators, including the SEC, have adopted, or are considering adopting, regulations regarding ESG matters, including, but not limited to, climate change-related matters. To the extent we are subject to increased regulatory requirements, we could become subject to increased compliance-related costs and risks, including potential enforcement and litigation. Such ESG matters also impact at least certain of our suppliers and customers, which may compound or cause new impacts on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Previous wording

Our employees are vital to our success, and our key management, engineering and other employees are difficult to replace. We generally do not have employment contracts with our key employees. Further, we do not maintain key person life insurance for any of our employees. The expansion of high technology companies worldwideand the elevated demand for talent from the growth in the demand for semiconductors following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemichas increased demand and competition for qualified personnel. Competition for engineering and other technical personnel in many areas of the world in which we operate is especially intense due to the proliferation of technology companies worldwide. Our competitors have targeted individuals in our organization who have desired skills and experience. In addition, current or future immigration laws, policies or regulations may limit our ability to attract, hire and retain qualified personnel. If we are unable to attract, onboard andretain key personnel, or if we are not able to attract, assimilate, onboard and retain additional highly qualified employees to meet our current and future needs, our business and operations could be harmed.

Current wording

Our employees are vital to our success, and our key management, engineering and other employees are difficult to replace. We generally do not have employment contracts with our key employees. Further, we do not maintain key person life insurance for any of our employees. The expansion of high technology companies worldwideand the elevated demand for talent from the growth in the demand for semiconductors in recent yearshas increased demand and competition for qualified personnel. Competition for engineering and other technical personnel in many areas of the world in which we operate is especially intense due to the proliferation of technology companies worldwide. Our competitors have targeted individuals in our organization who have desired skills and experience. In addition, current or future immigration laws, policies or regulations may limit our ability to attract, hire and retain qualified personnel. If we are unable to attract, onboard andretain key personnel, or if we are not able to attract, assimilate, onboard and retain additional highly qualified employees to meet our current and future needs, our business and operations could be harmed.

Previous wording

We depend on secure information technology for our business and are exposed to risks related to cybersecurity threats and cyber incidents affecting our, our customers’, suppliers’ and other service providers’ systems and networks.

Current wording

We depend on information technology for our business and are exposed to risks related to cybersecurity threats and cyber incidents affecting our, our customers’, suppliers’ and other service providers’ systems and networks.

Previous wording

In the conduct of our business, we collect, use, transmit and store data on information systems and networks, including systems and networks owned and maintained by KLA and/or by third-party providers. This data includes confidential information, transactional information and IP belonging to us, our customers and our business partners, as well as personally identifiable information of individuals. We also integrate and use third-party services and products, including software, in our systems, networks and operations. Despite network security and other measures, our, our customers’, suppliers’ and other third-party providers’ information systems and networks are susceptible to computer viruses, ransomware, cyber-related security breaches and similar disruptions from unauthorized intrusions, tampering, misuse or criminal acts made directly against our systems or networks, or through our third-party providers or the supply chain, including phishing, or other events or developments that we may be unable to anticipate or fail to mitigate, including, but not limited to, financial fraud, including check fraud, vulnerabilities or misconfigurations in information systems, networks, software or hardware. In addition, insider actors, malicious or otherwise, could misappropriate our, our customers’ or business partners’ data, tamper with our products or otherwise cause disruptions to our business operations. We regularly experience cyber-attacks and events and on occasion incidents involving unauthorized access to systems and data that may materially impact our operations or financial results. Our security measures may also be breached due to employee errors, malfeasance, or otherwise. Third parties may also attempt to influence employees, users, suppliers or customers to disclose sensitive information in order to gain access to our, our customers’ or business partners’ data. Because the techniques used to obtain unauthorized access to the information systems change frequently and increasingly leverage on technologies such as AI, may not be recognized until launched against a target and are increasingly designed to circumvent controls, avoid detection and remove or obfuscate forensic artifacts, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques, implement adequate preventative measures, or adequately identify, investigate and recover from cybersecurity incidents. AI may be used to generate cyberattacks as AI capabilities improve and are increasingly adopted. These attacks crafted with AI tools could directly attack information systems with greater speed and/or efficiency than a human threat actor or create more effective phishing emails. In addition, the threat could be introduced from the result of our customers and business partners incorporating the output of an AI tool that includes a threat, such as introducing malicious code by incorporating AI generated source code.

Current wording

We and our third-party providers regularly experience cyber-attacks and events and on occasion incidents involving unauthorized access to systems and data and, although no such attacks, events or incidents have materially impacted our operations or financial results, there can be no assurance that such attacks, events or incidents will not be material to KLA in the future. Because the techniques used to obtain unauthorized access to our IT Systems change frequently and increasingly leverage technologies such as AI, cyber-attacks may not be recognized until launched against a target and are increasingly designed to circumvent controls, avoid detection and remove or obfuscate forensic artifacts. As such, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques, implement adequate preventative measures, or adequately identify, investigate and recover from cybersecurity incidents. There can also be no assurance that our cybersecurity risk management program and processes, including our policies, controls or procedures, will be fully implemented, complied with or effective in protecting our IT Systems and Confidential Information. We prioritize the remediation of identified security vulnerabilities based on known and anticipated risks, and we aim to patch vulnerabilities within reasonable timeframes. However, we are unable to comprehensively identify all vulnerabilities (particularly as related to third-party software and systems), apply patches or confirm that mitigating measures are in place, or ensure that any patches will be applied by us or our third parties before exploitation by a threat actor. If attackers are able to exploit vulnerabilities before patches are installed or mitigating measures are implemented, significant compromises could impact our systems and data. AI may be used to generate cyberattacks as AI capabilities improve and are increasingly adopted. These attacks crafted with AI tools could directly attack our IT Systems with greater speed and/or efficiency than a human threat actor or create more effective phishing emails. In addition, the threat could be introduced from the result of us, our customers and business partners incorporating the output of an AI tool that includes a threat, such as introducing malicious code by incorporating AI generated source code.

Previous wording

Any cybersecurity incident or occurrence could impact our business directly, or indirectly by impacting third parties in the supply chain, in many potential ways: disruptions to operations; misappropriation, corruption or theft of confidential information, including IP and other critical data, of KLA, our customers or other business partners; misappropriation of funds and Company assets; reduced value of our investments in research, development and engineering; litigation with, or payment of damages to, third parties; reputational damage; costs to comply with regulatory inquiries or actions; data privacy issues; costs to rebuild our information systems and networks; and increased cybersecurity protection and remediation costs. Cybersecurity incidents affecting our customers could result in substantial delays in our ability to ship to those customers or install our products, which could result in delays in revenue recognition or the cancellation of orders, and cybersecurity incidents affecting our suppliers could result in substantial delays in our ability to obtain necessary components for our products from those suppliers, which could hamper our ability to ship our products to our customers, harming our results of operations. For example, in February 2023, one of our suppliers experienced a ransomware event that caused delays in its manufacturing operations, resulting in its shipment delays to us for components we ordered, which in turn caused delays in some of our outbound shipments during the quarter. Similar events could cause disruptions in the future.

Current wording

Any cybersecurity incident or occurrence could impact our business directly, or indirectly by impacting third parties in the supply chain, in many potential ways: disruptions to operations; misappropriation, corruption or theft of Confidential Information; misappropriation of funds and Company assets; reduced value of our investments in research, development and engineering; litigation (including class action lawsuits) with, or payment of damages to, third parties; reputational damage; costs to comply with regulatory inquiries or actions; data privacy issues; costs to rebuild our information systems and networks; and increased cybersecurity protection and remediation costs. Cybersecurity incidents affecting our customers could result in substantial delays in our ability to ship to those customers or install our products, which could result in delays in revenue recognition or the cancellation of orders, and cybersecurity incidents affecting our suppliers could result in substantial delays in our ability to obtain necessary components for our products from those suppliers, which could hamper our ability to ship our products to our customers and service them, harming our results of operations. For example, in February 2023, one of our suppliers experienced a ransomware event that caused delays in its manufacturing operations, resulting in its shipment delays to us for components we ordered, which in turn caused delays in some of our outbound shipments during the quarter. Similar events could cause disruptions in the future.

Previous wording

Acquisitions are an important element of our strategy but, because of the uncertainties involved, we may not find suitable acquisition candidates and we may not be able to successfully integrate and manage acquired businesses. We are also exposed to risks in connection with strategic alliances into which we may enter.

Current wording

Acquisitions are an important element of our strategy but, because of the uncertainties involved, we may not find suitable acquisition candidates and we may not be able to successfully integrate and manage acquired businesses. We are also exposed to risks in connection with strategic alliances or collaborative arrangements.

Previous wording

At times, we may also enter into strategic alliances with customers, suppliers or other business partners with respect to development of technology and IP. These alliances typically require significant investments of capital and exchange of proprietary, highly sensitive information. The success of these alliances depends on various factors over which we may have limited or no control and requires ongoing and effective cooperation with our strategic partners. Mergers and acquisitions and strategic alliances are inherently subject to significant risks, and the inability to effectively manage these risks could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results.

Current wording

At times, we may also enter into strategic alliances or collaborative arrangements with customers, suppliers or other business partners with respect to development of technology and IP. These projects typically require significant investments of capital and exchange of proprietary, highly sensitive information. The success of these alliances and arrangements depends on various factors over which we may have limited or no control, including the other party's discretion in determining the efforts and resources they will apply to the project, and requires ongoing and effective cooperation with our strategic partners and collaborators. Mergers, acquisitions, strategic alliances and collaborative arrangements are inherently subject to significant risks, and the inability to effectively manage these risks could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results.

Previous wording

Disruption of our manufacturing facilities or other operations or those of our suppliers, or in the operations of our customers, due to climate change, earthquake, flood, other natural catastrophic events, public health crises such as the

Current wording

Disruption of our manufacturing facilities or other operations or those of our suppliers, or in the operations of our customers, due to climate change, earthquake, flood, other natural catastrophic events, public health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic or terrorism could result in cancellation of orders, delays in deliveries or other business activities, or loss of customers and could seriously harm our business.

Previous wording

We have significant manufacturing operations in the U.S., Singapore, Israel, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy and China. In addition, our business is international in nature, with our sales, service and administrative personnel and our customers and suppliers located in numerous countries throughout the world. Operations at our manufacturing facilities and our assembly subcontractors and those of our suppliers, as well as our other operations and those of our customers, are subject to disruption for a variety of reasons, including work stoppages, acts of war such as the war between Russia and Ukraine, terrorism, public health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, fire, earthquake, volcanic eruptions, drought, storms, sea-level rise, extreme temperatures, energy shortages, spikes in energy demand or power blackouts, disruptions in the availability of water necessary for our operations (including, but not limited to, in areas of relatively high water stress), flooding or other natural disasters; and certain of these events may become more frequent or intense as a result of climate change. Such disruption has caused (as with the COVID-19 pandemic, for example) and could in the future cause inefficiencies in our workforce and delays in, among other things, shipments of products to our customers, our ability to perform services requested by our customers, the ability of our suppliers to supply us components for our products in a timely manner, or the timely installation and acceptance of our products at customer sites. Such disruptions could also induce illiquidity for our customers and suppliers, further straining our supply chain and causing continued uncertainty in customers’ abilities to pay for the products they purchase and their demand for our products and services. In case of any disruptions in our supply chain, we may need to commit to increased purchases and provide longer lead times to secure critical components, which could increase inventory obsolescence risk.

Current wording

We have significant manufacturing operations in the U.S., Singapore, Israel, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy and China. In addition, our business is international in nature, with our sales, service and administrative personnel and our customers and suppliers located in numerous countries throughout the world. Operations at our manufacturing facilities and our assembly subcontractors and those of our suppliers, as well as our other operations and those of our customers, are subject to disruption for a variety of reasons, including work stoppages, acts of war, terrorism, public health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, fire, earthquake, volcanic eruptions, drought, storms, extreme temperatures, energy shortages, spikes in energy demand or power blackouts, disruptions in the availability of water necessary for our operations (including, but not limited to, in areas of relatively high water stress), flooding or other natural disasters. Certain of these events may become more frequent or intense as a result of climate change, and climate change may also contribute to chronic changes such as sea-level rise or changes to meteorological or hydrological patterns that may also disrupt our or our suppliers’ operations or otherwise adversely impact our business. Such disruption has caused (as with the COVID-19 pandemic, for example) and could in the future cause inefficiencies in our workforce and delays in, among other things, shipments of products to our customers, our ability to perform services requested by our customers, the ability of our suppliers to supply us components for our products in a timely manner, or the timely installation and acceptance of our products at customer sites. Such disruptions could also induce illiquidity for our customers and suppliers, further straining our supply chain and causing continued uncertainty in customers’ abilities to pay for the products they purchase and their demand for our products and services. In case of any disruptions in our supply chain, we may need to commit to increased purchases and provide longer lead times to secure critical components, which could increase inventory obsolescence risk.

Previous wording

We maintain a program of insurance coverage for a variety of property, casualty and other risks. The types and amounts of insurance we obtain vary depending on availability, cost and decisions with respect to risk retention. Some of our policies have broad exclusions. In addition, one or more of our insurance providers may be unable or unwilling to continue to provide certain coverage in the future or pay a claim. Losses not covered by insurance may be large, which could harm our results of operations and financial condition.

Current wording

We maintain a program of insurance coverage for a variety of property, casualty and other risks. The types and amounts of insurance we obtain vary depending on availability, cost and decisions with respect to risk retention. Some of our policies have broad exclusions. In addition, one or more of our insurance providers may be unable or unwilling to continue to provide certain coverage in the future or pay a claim. Losses not covered by insurance may be large, which could harm our results of operations and financial condition. Even where insured, there is a risk that an insurer may deny or limit coverage or may become financially incapable of covering claims.

Previous wording

The threat of terrorism targeted at, or acts of war in, the regions of the world in which we do business increases the uncertainty in our markets. Any act of terrorism or war that affects the economy or the industries we serve could adversely affect our business. Increased international political instability or geopolitical tensions in various parts of the world, disruption in air transportation and further enhanced security measures as a result of terrorist attacks may hinder our ability to do business and may increase our costs of operations. We maintain significant operations in Israel. Since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, a number of armed conflicts have taken place between Israel and its Arab neighbors, and a state of hostility varying in degree and intensity has led to security and economic challenges for Israel. In October 2023, war between Israel and Hamas began, which has resulted in significant military activity in the region. In addition, some of our employees in Israel are obligated to perform annual reserve duty in the Israel Defense Forces, and may be called to active military duty in emergency circumstances, including the war against Hamas. Following the war between Israel and Hamas, the Houthis launched a number of attacks on marine vessels traversing the Red Sea, which marine vessels were thought to either be in route towards Israel or to be partly owned by Israeli businessmen. The Red Sea is a vital maritime route for international trade and major shipping companies announced suspensions of operations following these attacks. Disruptions in shipping routes in the Red Sea could result in delays in shipping our products to customers, which could delay the timing of revenue recognition. We cannot assess the impact that emergency conditions in Israel may have on our business, operations, financial condition or results of operations, but it could be material. Instability in any region could directly impact our ability to operate our business (or our customers’ ability to operate their businesses), cause us to incur increased costs in transportation, make such transportation unreliable, increase our insurance costs, and cause international currency markets to fluctuate. Instability in the region could also have the same effects on our suppliers and their ability to timely deliver their products. Our insurance does not cover losses we suffer attributable to war. If international political instability and geopolitical tensions continue or increase in any region in which we do business, our business and results of operations could be harmed.

Current wording

The threat of terrorism targeted at, or acts of war in, the regions of the world in which we do business increases the uncertainty in our markets. Any act of terrorism or war that affects the economy or the industries we serve could adversely affect our business. Increased international political instability or geopolitical tensions in various parts of the world, disruption in air transportation and further enhanced security measures as a result of terrorist attacks may hinder our ability to do business and may increase our costs of operations. We maintain significant operations in Israel. Since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, a number of armed conflicts have taken place between Israel and its Arab neighbors, and a state of hostility varying in degree and intensity has led to security and economic challenges for Israel. In October 2023, war between Israel and Hamas began, which has resulted in significant military activity in the region. In addition, some of our employees in Israel are obligated to perform annual reserve duty in the Israel Defense Forces, and may be called to active military duty in emergency circumstances. Following the inception of the war between Israel and Hamas, the Houthis launched a number of attacks on marine vessels traversing the Red Sea, which marine vessels were thought to either be in route towards Israel or to be partly owned by Israeli businessmen. The Red Sea is a vital maritime route for international trade and major shipping companies announced suspensions of operations following these attacks. Disruptions in shipping routes in the Red Sea could result in delays in shipping our products to customers, which could delay the timing of revenue recognition. We cannot assess the impact that emergency conditions in Israel may have on our business, operations, financial condition or results of operations, but it could be material. Instability in any region could directly impact our ability to operate our business (or our customers’ ability to operate their businesses), cause us to incur increased costs in transportation, make such transportation unreliable, increase our insurance costs, and cause international currency markets to fluctuate. Instability in any region could also have the same effects on our suppliers and their ability to timely deliver their products. Our insurance does not cover losses we suffer attributable to war. If international political instability and geopolitical tensions continue or increase in any region in which we do business, our business and results of operations could be harmed.

Previous wording

The Tax Act also provides that a percentage of foreign earnings under the Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income ("GILTI") regime is taxable in the U.S. and a percentage of U.S. earnings under the Foreign Derived Intangible Income ("FDII") regime is not subject to tax in the U.S. For tax years beginning on January 1, 2026, the percentage of GILTI that is taxable in the U.S. increases from 50% to 62.5% and the percentage of FDII not subject to tax in the U.S. decreases from 37.5% to 21.875%. The change in GILTI and FDII percentages can have a material and adverse impact to our effective tax rate beginning in the quarter ended September 30, 2026.

Current wording

The Tax Act also provides that a percentage of foreign earnings under the Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income (“GILTI”) regime is taxable in the U.S. and a percentage of U.S. earnings under the Foreign Derived Intangible Income (“FDII”) regime is not subject to tax in the U.S. For tax years beginning on January 1, 2026, the percentage of GILTI that is taxable in the U.S. increases from 50% to 62.5% and the percentage of FDII not subject to tax in the U.S. decreases from 37.5% to 21.875%. The change in GILTI and FDII percentages can have a material and adverse impact to our effective tax rate beginning in the quarter ending September 30, 2026.

Previous wording

Numerous countries are evaluating their existing tax laws due in part, to recommendations made by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s ("OECD") Base Erosion and Profit Shifting ("BEPS") project. The OECD continues to advance its work under the BEPS 2.0 initiative to develop the framework for Pillar Two - which aims to implement a global minimum tax of 15%. Many countries have drafted legislation using the Pillar Two framework to propose domestic tax laws requiring minimum tax rate of 15% ("top-up tax") on income earned in the respective countries. Such countries include Singapore, where KLA earns significant profits and currently benefits from tax incentives granted by the Singapore Economic Development Board. If enacted, the tax liability from top-up tax may have a material and adverse impact to our effective tax rate in the fiscal year when such law is effective.

Current wording

Numerous countries are evaluating their existing tax laws due in part, to recommendations made by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (“OECD”) Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (“BEPS”) project. The OECD continues to advance its work under the BEPS 2.0 initiative to develop the framework for Pillar Two - which aims to implement a global minimum tax of 15%. Many countries have enacted or drafted legislation using the Pillar Two framework to propose domestic tax laws requiring a minimum tax rate of 15% (“top-up tax”) on income earned in the respective countries. One country that has drafted Pillar Two legislation is Singapore, where KLA earns significant profits and currently benefits from tax incentives granted by the Singapore Economic Development Board. If enacted, the tax liability from top-up tax may have a material and adverse impact to our effective tax rate in the fiscal year when such law is effective.

Previous wording

The industries we serve, including the semiconductor, FPD and PCB industries, are constantly developing and changing. Many of the risks associated with operating in these industries are comparable to the risks faced by all technology companies, such as the uncertainty of future growth rates in the industries that we serve, pricing trends in the end-markets for consumer electronics and other products (which place a growing emphasis on our customers’ cost of ownership), rising inflation in the supply chain and interest rates, changes in our customers’ capital spending patterns and, in general, an environment of constant change and development, including decreasing product and component dimensions, use of new materials, and increasingly complex device structures, applications and process steps. If we fail to appropriately adjust our cost structure and operations to adapt to any of these trends, or, with respect to technological advances, if we do not timely develop new technologies and products that successfully anticipate and address these changes, we could experience a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and operating results.

Current wording

The industries we serve, including the semiconductor and PCB industries, are constantly developing and changing. Many of the risks associated with operating in these industries are comparable to the risks faced by all technology companies, such as the uncertainty of future growth rates in the industries that we serve, pricing trends in the end-markets for consumer electronics and other products (which place a growing emphasis on our customers’ cost of ownership), rising inflation in the supply chain and interest rates, changes in our customers’ capital spending patterns and, in general, an environment of constant change and development, including decreasing product and component dimensions, use of new materials, and increasingly complex device structures, applications and process steps. If we fail to appropriately adjust our cost structure and operations to adapt to any of these trends, or, with respect to technological advances, if we do not timely develop new technologies and products that successfully anticipate and address these changes, we could experience a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and operating results.

Previous wording

Success in the industries in which we serve, including the semiconductor, FPD and PCB industries depends, in part, on the continual improvement of existing technologies and rapid innovation of new solutions. The primary driver of technology advancement in the semiconductor industry has been to shrink the lithography that prints the circuit design on semiconductor chips. To the extent that driver slows, semiconductor manufacturers may delay investments in equipment, investigate more complex device architectures, use new materials and develop innovative fabrication processes. These and other evolving customer plans and needs require us to respond with continued development programs and cut back or discontinue older programs, which may no longer have industry-wide support. Technical innovations are inherently complex and require long development cycles and appropriate staffing of highly qualified employees. Our competitive advantage and future business success depend on our ability to accurately predict evolving industry standards, develop and introduce new products and solutions that successfully address changing customer needs, win market acceptance of these new products and solutions, and manufacture these new products in a timely and cost-effective manner. Our failure to accurately predict evolving industry standards and develop as well as offer competitive technology solutions in a timely manner with cost-effective products could result in loss of market share, unanticipated costs and inventory obsolescence, which would adversely impact our business, operating results and financial condition.

Current wording

Success in the industries in which we serve, including the semiconductor and PCB industries depends, in part, on the continual improvement of existing technologies and rapid innovation of new solutions. The primary driver of technology advancement in the semiconductor industry has been to shrink the lithography that prints the circuit design on semiconductor chips. To the extent that driver slows, semiconductor manufacturers may delay investments in equipment, investigate more complex device architectures, use new materials and develop innovative fabrication processes. These and other evolving customer plans and needs require us to respond with continued development programs and cut back or discontinue older programs, which may no longer have industry-wide support. Technical innovations are inherently complex and require long development cycles and appropriate staffing of highly qualified employees. Our competitive advantage and future business success depend on our ability to accurately predict evolving industry standards, develop and introduce new products and solutions that successfully address changing customer needs, win market acceptance of these new products and solutions, and manufacture these new products in a timely and cost-effective manner. Our failure to accurately predict evolving industry standards and develop as well as offer competitive technology solutions in a timely manner with cost-effective products could result in loss of market share, unanticipated costs and inventory obsolescence, which would adversely impact our business, operating results and financial condition.

Previous wording

As of March 31, 2024, we had $6.70 billion aggregate principal amount of outstanding indebtedness, consisting of $6.7 billion aggregate principal amount of senior, unsecured long-term notes. This includes an issuance in February 2024 of $750.0 million aggregate principal amount of senior, unsecured notes, consisting of $500.0 million of 4.700% senior, unsecured notes due February 1, 2034 and an additional $250.0 million of 4.950% senior, unsecured notes due July 15, 2052 which was originally issued in June 2022. We have $750.0 million principal of our senior, unsecured long-term notes due during the second quarter of fiscal 2025. We have a Credit Agreement and a Revolving Credit Facility with a maturity date of June 8, 2027 with two one-year extension options that allow us to borrow up to $1.50 billion. Subject to the terms of the Credit Agreement, the Revolving Credit Facility may be increased by an amount up to $250.0 million in the aggregate. As of March 31, 2024, we had no outstanding borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility. We may incur additional indebtedness in the future by accessing the unfunded portion of our Revolving Credit Facility and/or entering into new financing arrangements. We also announced a stock repurchase program, under which the remaining available for repurchases was $2.64 billion as of March 31, 2024. A large portion of the remaining repurchases may be financed with new indebtedness. Our ability to pay interest and repay the principal amount of our current indebtedness is dependent upon our ability to manage our business operations, our credit rating, the ongoing interest rate environment and the other risk factors discussed in this Item 1A. There can be no assurance that we will be able to manage any of these risks successfully.

Current wording

As of September 30, 2024, we had $6.70 billion aggregate principal amount of outstanding indebtedness, consisting of $5.95 billion aggregate principal amount of senior, unsecured long-term notes and $750.0 million principal of senior, unsecured notes due during the second quarter of fiscal 2025. The $6.70 billion aggregate principal amount of senior, unsecured notes includes an issuance in February 2024 of $750.0 million aggregate principal amount of senior, unsecured notes, consisting of $500.0 million of 4.700% senior, unsecured notes due February 1, 2034 and an additional $250.0 million of 4.950% senior, unsecured notes due July 15, 2052 which was originally issued in June 2022. We have a Credit Agreement and a Revolving Credit Facility with a maturity date of June 8, 2027 with two one-year extension options that allow us to borrow up to $1.50 billion. Subject to the terms of the Credit Agreement, the Revolving Credit Facility may be increased by an amount up to $250.0 million in the aggregate. As of September 30, 2024, we had no outstanding borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility. We may incur additional indebtedness in the future by accessing the unfunded portion of our Revolving Credit Facility and/or entering into new financing arrangements. We also announced a stock repurchase program, under which the remaining available for repurchases was $1.61 billion as of September 30, 2024. A portion of the remaining repurchases may be financed with new indebtedness. Our ability to pay interest and repay the principal amount of our current indebtedness is dependent upon our ability to manage our business operations, our credit rating, the ongoing interest rate environment and the other risk factors discussed in this Item 1A. There can be no assurance that we will be able to manage any of these risks successfully.

Previous wording

Borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility bear interest at a floating rate, and an increase in interest rates, particularly in the current environment of rising interest rates, would require us to pay additional interest on any borrowings, which may have an adverse effect on the value and liquidity of our debt and the market price of our common stock could decline. The interest rate under our Revolving Credit Facility is also subject to (i) an adjustment in conjunction with our credit rating downgrades or upgrades and (ii) an adjustment based on our performance against certain sustainability key performance indicators related to greenhouse gas emissions and renewable electricity usage. Additionally, under our Revolving Credit Facility, we are required to comply with affirmative and negative covenants, which include the maintenance of certain financial ratios, the details of which can be found in Note 8 “Debt” to our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Current wording

Borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility bear interest at a floating rate, and an increase in interest rates, particularly in the current environment of rising interest rates, would require us to pay additional interest on any borrowings, which may have an adverse effect on the value and liquidity of our debt and the market price of our common stock could decline. The interest rate under our Revolving Credit Facility is also subject to (i) an adjustment in conjunction with our credit rating downgrades or upgrades and (ii) an adjustment based on our performance against certain sustainability key performance indicators related to GHG emissions and renewable electricity usage. Additionally, under our Revolving Credit Facility, we are required to comply with affirmative and negative covenants, which include the maintenance of certain financial ratios, the details of which can be found in Note 7 “Debt” to our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Previous wording

There are risks associated with our receipt of government funding for research and development.

Current wording

There are risks associated with our receipt of government funding for R&D.

Previous wording

(1)Our Board of Directors has authorized a program that permits us to repurchase our common stock, including a $2.00 billion increase approved by the Board in the first quarter of fiscal 2024. As of March 31, 2024, approximately $2.64 billion remained available for repurchases under our repurchase program. All shares in the table were purchased pursuant to our publicly announced repurchase program.

Current wording

(1)Our Board of Directors has authorized a program that permits us to repurchase our common stock, including a $2.00 billion increase approved by the Board in the first quarter of fiscal 2024. As of September 30, 2024, approximately $1.61 billion remained available for repurchases under our repurchase program. All shares in the table were purchased pursuant to our publicly announced repurchase program.