Enovis CORP
For the period ended Dec 31, 2024. Filed Feb 26, 2025.
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FY2024 · Filed Feb 26, 2025
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Item 1. Business
General
Enovis Corporation (the “Company”, “Enovis”, “we” or “us”, and previously “Colfax Corporation” or “Colfax”) is a medical technology company focused on developing clinically differentiated solutions that generate measurably better patient outcomes and transform workflows by manufacturing, and distributing high-quality medical devices with a broad range of products used for reconstructive surgery, rehabilitation, pain management and physical therapy. Our products address the continuum of patient care from injury prevention to rehabilitation after surgery or injury or from degenerative disease, enabling people to regain or maintain their natural motion. We seek to leverage our Enovis Growth eXcellence business system (“EGX”), a set of tools, processes, and culture, to continuously improve our ability to enable great patient outcomes and to drive and fuel growth.
On April 4, 2022, we completed the separation of the last of our industrial businesses, the fabrication technology business, through a tax-free, pro-rata distribution of 90% of the outstanding common stock of ESAB Corporation (“ESAB”) to Colfax stockholders. Prior to the Separation, we were a leading diversified technology company that provided fabrication technology and medical device products and services to customers around the world, principally under the ESAB and DJO brands. To affect the Separation, we distributed to our stockholders one share of ESAB common stock for every three shares of Colfax common stock held at the close of business on March 22, 2022, with the Company retaining 10% of the shares of ESAB common stock immediately following the Separation. Upon completion of the Separation, Colfax, which retained the Company’s specialty medical technology business, changed its name to Enovis Corporation and began trading under the stock symbol “ENOV” on the New York Stock Exchange on April 5, 2022. Immediately following the Separation, the Company effected a one-for-three reverse stock split of all issued and outstanding shares of Enovis common stock. Following the completion of the Separation, the Company revised its reporting structure and conducts its business through two operating segments, “Prevention & Recovery” and “Reconstructive”.
We divested our remaining 10% ownership stake in ESAB on November 18, 2022 by exchanging with a lender under the Company’s Credit Agreement, dated as of April 4, 2022 (the “Credit Agreement”), ESAB common stock for $230.5 million of the $450.0 million term loan outstanding under our Credit Agreement.
During the year ended December 31, 2024, we completed two acquisitions within our Reconstructive segment and one acquisition within our Prevention & Recovery segment. See Note 5 “Acquisitions” for further information.
Our business management system, EGX, is integral to our operations. EGX is our culture and incorporates our values and drives our behaviors. EGX consists of a comprehensive set of tools, and repeatable, teachable processes that we use to drive continuous improvement and create superior value for our customers, shareholders and associates. We believe that our management team’s access to, and experience in, the application of the EGX methodology is one of our primary competitive strengths. EGX was referred to as Colfax Business Systems, or CBS, prior to the Separation.
Each year, Enovis associates in every business develop strategic and operating plans that are based on the principle of the Voice of the Customer. In these plans, we are clear about our market realities, our threats, our risks, our opportunities and, most importantly, our vision. Our belief is that when we use the tools of EGX to drive the implementation of these plans, we are able to uniquely provide customers with the world-class quality, delivery, cost and innovation they require. We believe that performance ultimately helps our customers and Enovis sustainably grow and succeed.
Reportable Segments
We report our operations through the Prevention & Recovery and Reconstructive segments. We develop, manufacture and distribute high-quality medical devices and services across the continuum of patient care from injury prevention to joint replacement to rehabilitation after surgery, injury or from degenerative disease, enabling people to regain or maintain their natural motion. We reach a diverse customer base through multiple distribution channels, that include both independent distributors and direct salespeople, and provide a wide range of medical devices and related products to orthopedic specialists and other healthcare professionals operating in a variety of patient treatment settings and to retail consumers.
Prevention & Recovery
Our Prevention & Recovery segment includes products that are used by orthopedic specialists, surgeons, primary care physicians, pain management specialists, physical therapists, podiatrists, chiropractors, athletic trainers and other healthcare professionals to treat patients with musculoskeletal conditions resulting from degenerative diseases, deformities, traumatic events and sports-related injuries. In addition, many of our non-surgical medical devices and related accessories are used by athletes and patients for injury prevention and at-home physical therapy treatment. Our Prevention & Recovery product lines include rigid and soft orthopedic bracing, hot and cold therapy, bone growth stimulators, vascular therapy systems and compression garments, therapeutic shoes and inserts, electrical stimulators used for pain management and physical therapy products.
Reconstructive
Our Reconstructive segment is an innovation-driven leader offering a comprehensive suite of reconstructive joint products for the hip, knee, shoulder, elbow, foot, ankle, and surgical productivity tools.
The following discussion includes information that is common to both of our reportable segments, unless indicated otherwise.
Industry and Competition
Our Prevention & Recovery segment generates approximately 67% of its revenues in the U.S. and the majority of the remaining balance in Europe. The markets in which our Prevention & Recovery segment competes are highly competitive and fragmented. We believe the principal elements of competition are innovation to create better patient outcomes, product quality, product reliability, brand names, and price. Key competitors for our Prevention & Recovery segment include Össur and Breg, Inc.
Our Reconstructive segment generates approximately 50% of its revenues in the U.S. and the majority of the remaining balance in Europe. The markets in which our Reconstructive segment competes are highly competitive and fragmented. We believe the principal elements of competition are innovation to create better patient outcomes, product quality, product reliability, brand names, and price. We compete in the Reconstructive segment with large companies that have significantly greater financial, marketing and other resources than we do, as well as numerous smaller niche companies. Key competitors for our Reconstructive segment include Stryker, Zimmer Biomet, and DePuy Synthes, the medical device business within Johnson & Johnson.
Given our history of innovation and the experience of our management team, we are capable of effectively competing in our markets. The comprehensive range of products we offer enables us to reach a diverse customer base through multiple distribution channels with numerous opportunities to increase our growth across our markets. Our management believes that we are a leading competitor in each of our markets with leading and well-recognized brands.
International Operations
Our principal market for our Prevention & Recovery and Reconstructive segments outside the U.S. is Europe. For the year ended December 31, 2024, approximately 41% of our Net sales were derived from operations outside the U.S., the majority of which is in Europe with the remaining portion mostly in the Asia-Pacific region.
Our international operations subject us to certain risks. See Part I. Item 1A. “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Operations”.
Research and Development
Our research and development activities vary by operating segment, focusing on innovation; developing new products, software and services, as well as the enhancement of existing products with the latest technology and updated designs; creating new applications for existing products; lowering the cost of manufacturing our existing products; and redesigning existing product lines to increase efficiency, improve durability, enhance performance and usability.
We receive new product and invention ideas from orthopedic surgeons and other healthcare professionals. We seek to obtain rights to ideas we consider promising from a clinical and commercial perspective through entering into either assignment or licensing agreements. We maintain contractual relationships with orthopedic surgeons who assist us in developing our products and may also provide consulting services in connection with our products.
Intellectual Property
We rely on a combination of intellectual property rights, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and contractual provisions to protect our intellectual property both in the U.S. and around the world for both segments. Although we highlight recent additions to our patent portfolio as part of our marketing efforts, we do not consider any one patent or trademark or any group thereof essential to our business as a whole or to any of our business operations. We also rely on proprietary product knowledge and manufacturing processes in our operations. We do not rely solely on our patents and other intellectual property rights to maintain our competitive position. We believe that the development and marketing of new products and improvement of existing ones is, and will continue to be, more important to our competitive position than relying solely on existing products and intellectual property.
Raw Materials
We obtain raw materials, component parts and supplies from a variety of global sources, generally each from more than one supplier. Our principal raw materials and components for our Prevention & Recovery segment are ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer form for our bracing and vascular products. Our principal raw materials and components for our Reconstructive segment are cobalt-chromium alloy, stainless steel alloys, titanium alloy and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene for our surgical implant products. We generally use more than one supplier which helps to mitigate any risk of shortages or delays in the global supply chain. Tariffs may also increase the cost of and impair sourcing flexibility for raw materials, component parts and supplies, and further trade restrictions, retaliatory trade measures, or additional tariffs implemented could result in higher input costs to our products. Refer to the Risk Factor captioned “We are dependent on the availability of raw materials, as well as parts and components used in our products,” for more information on this risk. We believe our sources of raw materials are adequate for our needs for the foreseeable future and the loss of any one supplier would not have a material adverse effect on our business or results of operations.
Seasonality
Our sales typically peak in the fourth quarter; however, general economic conditions and other factors may impact future seasonal variations.
Regulatory Environment
U.S. Food and Drug Administration Regulation
In the United States, our products generally are subject to regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”) as medical devices pursuant to the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (the “FDCA”). The FDA regulates the development, design, non-clinical and clinical research, manufacturing, safety, efficacy, labeling, packaging, storage, installation, servicing, recordkeeping, premarket clearance or approval, adverse event reporting, advertising, promotion, marketing and distribution, and import and export of medical devices to ensure that medical devices distributed domestically are safe and effective for their intended uses and otherwise meet the requirements of the FDCA.
FDA Premarket Clearance and Approval Requirements
Unless an exemption applies, each medical device commercially distributed in the United States requires either FDA clearance of a 510(k) premarket notification, grant of a de novo application, or approval of a premarket approval (“PMA”). Under the FDCA, medical devices are classified into either Class I, Class II or Class III, depending on the degree of associated risk and the extent of manufacturer and regulatory control needed to ensure safety and effectiveness. Class I includes devices with the lowest patient risk and are those for which safety and effectiveness can be assured by adherence to the FDA’s general controls for medical devices, including compliance with applicable portions of the Quality System Regulation (“QSR”) facility registration and product listing, reporting of adverse medical events, and truthful and non-misleading labeling, advertising, and promotional materials. Class II devices are subject to the FDA’s General Controls, and special controls as deemed necessary by the FDA to ensure safety and effectiveness. Special controls can include performance standards, post-market surveillance, patient registries and FDA guidance documents.
While most Class I devices are exempt from 510(k) premarket notification, most Class II device manufacturers must submit to the FDA a premarket notification under Section 510(k) of the FDCA requesting permission for commercial distribution. Permission for commercial distribution subject to a 510(k) premarket notification is generally known as 510(k) clearance. Devices deemed by the FDA to pose the greatest risks, such as life sustaining, life supporting or some implantable devices, devices that have a new intended use, or that use advanced technology not substantially equivalent to that of a legally marketed device, are placed in Class III, requiring approval of a PMA. Some pre-amendment devices are unclassified but subject to FDA’s premarket notification and clearance process in order to be commercially distributed.
510(k) Clearance Marketing Pathway
Many of our current products are subject to premarket notification and clearance. To obtain 510(k) clearance, we must submit to the FDA a premarket notification submission demonstrating that the proposed device is “substantially equivalent” to a predicate marketed device. A predicate device is a legally marketed device not subject to PMA, i.e., that (i) was legally marketed prior to May 28, 1976 (pre-amendments device) and for which a PMA is not required, (ii) has been reclassified from Class III to Class II or I, or (iii) was found substantially equivalent through the 510(k) process. The FDA’s 510(k) clearance process usually takes from three to twelve months, but often takes longer. The FDA may require additional information, including clinical data, to make a determination regarding substantial equivalence. In addition, the FDA collects user fees for certain medical device submissions and annual fees for medical device establishments.
If the FDA agrees that the device is substantially equivalent to a predicate device currently on the market, it will grant 510(k) clearance to commercially market the device. If the FDA determines that the device is “not substantially equivalent” to a previously cleared device, the device is automatically designated as a Class III device. The device sponsor must then fulfill more rigorous PMA requirements, or a risk-based classification determination can be requested for the device in accordance with the “de novo” process, a route to market for novel medical devices that are low to moderate risk and not substantially equivalent to a predicate.
After a device receives 510(k) marketing clearance, any modification that could significantly affect its safety or effectiveness, or that would constitute a major change or modification in its intended use, will require either a new clearance or PMA approval. The FDA requires each manufacturer to determine whether a proposed change requires submission of a 510(k) or a PMA in the first instance, but the FDA can review any such decision and disagree with a manufacturer’s determination. If the FDA disagrees with a manufacturer’s determination, the FDA can require the manufacturer to cease marketing and/or request the recall of the modified device until clearance or PMA approval is obtained. The manufacturer may also be subject to significant regulatory fines or penalties.
De Novo Classification
Devices of a new type that FDA has not previously classified based on risk are automatically classified into Class III, regardless of the level of risk they pose. To avoid requiring PMA review of low- to moderate-risk devices classified in Class III by operation of law, Congress enacted a provision allowing FDA to classify a low- to moderate-risk device not previously classified into Class I or II. Afterde novo authorization, an authorized device may be used as a predicate for future devices going through the 510(k) process.
PMA Approval Pathway
Class III devices require approval of a PMA before they can be marketed, although some pre-amendment Class III devices for which the FDA has not yet required a PMA are cleared through the 510(k) process. The PMA process is more demanding than the 510(k) process. In a PMA application, the manufacturer must demonstrate that the device is safe and effective, and the PMA application must be supported by extensive data, including data from preclinical studies and human clinical trials. The FDA will approve the device for commercial distribution if it determines that the data and information in the PMA application constitute valid scientific evidence and that there is reasonable assurance that the device is safe and effective for its intended use(s).
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are almost always required to support a PMA and are sometimes required to support a 510(k) submission. All clinical investigations of devices to determine safety and effectiveness must be conducted in accordance with the FDA’s Investigational Device Exemption (“IDE”) regulations, which govern investigational device labeling, prohibit promotion of the investigational device, and specify an array of recordkeeping, reporting and monitoring responsibilities of study sponsors and study investigators. If the device presents a “significant risk” to human health, the FDA requires the device sponsor to submit an IDE application to the FDA, which must become effective prior to commencing human clinical trials. A significant risk device is one that presents a potential for serious risk to patient health, safety, or welfare and is implanted, used in supporting or sustaining human life, substantially important in diagnosing, curing, mitigating or treating disease or otherwise preventing impairment of human health, or otherwise presents a potential for serious risk to a subject. An IDE application must be supported by appropriate data, such as animal and laboratory test results, showing that it is safe to test the device in humans and that the testing protocol is scientifically sound. An IDE will automatically become effective 30 days after the FDA’s receipt unless the FDA notifies the company that the investigation may not begin. If the FDA finds deficiencies or other concerns with an IDE for which it requires modification, the FDA may permit a clinical trial to proceed under a conditional approval.
During a study, the sponsor must comply with applicable FDA requirements, including, for example, trial monitoring, selecting clinical investigators and providing them with the investigational plan, ensuring Institutional Review Board (“IRB”) review, adverse event reporting, record keeping, and prohibitions on the promotion of investigational devices or on making safety or effectiveness claims for them. The clinical investigators are also subject to FDA regulations and must obtain patient informed consent, rigorously follow the investigational plan and study protocol, control the disposition of the investigational device, and comply with all reporting and recordkeeping requirements. Additionally, after a trial begins, we, the FDA, or the IRB could suspend or terminate a clinical trial at any time for various reasons, including a belief that risks outweigh anticipated benefits.
Post-market Regulation
After a device is cleared or approved for marketing, numerous and pervasive regulatory requirements continue to apply. These include:
establishment registration and device listing with the FDA;
QSR requirements, which require manufacturers to follow stringent design, testing, control, documentation and other quality assurance procedures during the design and manufacturing process;
labeling regulations and FDA prohibitions against the promotion of investigational products, or the promotion of “off-label” uses of cleared or approved products;
requirements related to promotional activities;
clearance or approval of product modifications to 510(k)-cleared devices that could significantly affect safety or effectiveness or that would constitute a major change in intended use of cleared devices, or approval of certain modifications to PMA-approved devices;
medical device reporting regulations, which require that a manufacturer report to the FDA if a device it markets may have caused or contributed to a death or serious injury, or has malfunctioned and the device or a similar device that it markets would be likely to cause or contribute to a death or serious injury, if the malfunction were to recur;
correction, removal and recall reporting regulations, which require that manufacturers report to the FDA field corrections and product recalls or removals if undertaken to reduce a risk to health or to remedy a violation of the FDCA that may present a risk to health;
the FDA’s recall authority, whereby the agency can order device manufacturers to recall from the market a product that violates governing laws and regulations; and
post-market surveillance activities and regulations, which apply when deemed by the FDA to be necessary to protect the public health or to provide additional safety and effectiveness data for the device.
Our failure to maintain compliance with FDA regulatory requirements could result in the shut-down of, or restrictions on, our manufacturing operations and the recall or seizure of our products, which would have a material adverse effect on our business.
The FDA has broad regulatory compliance and enforcement powers. If the FDA determines that we failed to comply with applicable regulatory requirements, it can take a variety of compliance or enforcement actions, which may result in untitled letters, warning letters, fines, injunctions, consent decrees and civil penalties, unanticipated expenditures to address or defend such actions, customer notifications or repair, replacement, refunds, recall, detention or seizure of our products, operating restrictions, partial suspension or total shutdown of production, refusing or delaying our requests for regulatory approvals or clearances of new products or modified products, withdrawing a PMA that has already been granted, refusal to grant export approval for our products, or criminal prosecution.
Regulation of Medical Devices in the EU
In the EU, our products generally are regulated as medical devices. Until May 25, 2021, medical devices were regulated by the Medical Devices Directive (93/42/EEC) (“MDD”) which has been repealed and replaced by Regulation (EU) No 2017/745 (“MDR”). Unlike directives, regulations are directly applicable in all EU member states without the need for member states to implement into national law. Most of our current certificates have been granted under the MDD. However, as of May 26, 2021, some of the MDR requirements apply in place of the corresponding requirements of the MDD with regard to registration of economic operators and of devices, post-market surveillance and vigilance requirements. Pursuing marketing of medical devices in the EU will require all our devices to be certified under the new regime set forth in the MDR. We are actively working towards obtaining MDR-certification with our notified body.
In the EU, there is currently no premarket government review of medical devices. However, all medical devices placed on the EU market must meet applicable General Safety and Performance Requirements (“GSPRs”), including that the device’s risks to patient condition or safety or to the safety and health of others must not outweigh its benefits. Other GSPRs include requirements that the device must achieve the manufacturer’s intended performance and be designed, manufactured and packaged in a suitable manner, and that the manufacturer must establish, implement, document and maintain a risk management plan. To demonstrate GSPR compliance, manufacturers must undergo a conformity assessment procedure that varies according to the medical device type and its risk classification. These procedures generally require an assessment of available clinical evidence, literature data, and post-market experience in respect of similar marketed products.
For all devices other than low risk devices, a conformity assessment procedure requires the involvement of a notified body to audit and examine technical documentation and the manufacturer’s quality management system. Notified bodies must presume that quality systems which implement the relevant harmonized standards – which is ISO 13485:2016 for Medical Devices Quality Management Systems – conform to these requirements. If satisfied that the product conforms to the relevant GSPR and the company has an MDR-compliant quality management system meeting, the notified body issues an EU certificate of conformity, which the manufacturer uses as a basis for its own declaration of conformity. The manufacturer may then affix the European conformity marking (“CE mark”) to the device, which affirms conformity with applicable requirements and allows the device to be placed on the market throughout the EU.
Throughout the term of the certificate of conformity, the manufacturer will be subject to periodic surveillance audits to verify continued compliance with the applicable requirements. In particular, there will be a new audit by the notified body before it will renew the relevant certificate(s).
The MDR became effective on May 26, 2021. In accordance with its recently extended transitional provisions, both (i) devices lawfully placed on the market pursuant to the MDD prior to May 26, 2021 and (ii) legacy devices lawfully placed on the EU market after May 26, 2021 in accordance with the MDR transitional provisions may generally continue to be made available on the market or put into service, provided that the requirements of the transitional provisions are fulfilled and in particular, no substantial change must be made to the device. However, even in this case, manufacturers must comply with a number of new or reinforced requirements set forth in the MDR, in particular the obligations described below.
Once a device is placed on the market in the EU, strict post-marketing obligations apply, including requirements to maintain post-market surveillance and vigilance systems, to report serious incidents and field safety corrective actions, and to submit periodic safety update reports or post-market surveillance reports.
In particular, serious incidents and Field Safety Corrective Actions (“FSCAs”) must be reported to the relevant authorities of the EU member states. Manufacturers are required to take FSCAs defined as any corrective action for technical or medical reasons to prevent or reduce a risk of a serious incident associated with the use of a medical device that is made available on the market. An FSCA may include the recall, modification, exchange, destruction or retrofitting of the device.
The advertising and promotion of medical devices is subject to some general principles set forth in the EU legislation. According to the MDR, only devices that are CE-marked may be marketed and advertised in the EU in accordance with their intended purpose. Directive 2006/114/EC concerning misleading and comparative advertising and Directive 2005/29/EC on unfair commercial practices, while not specific to the advertising of medical devices, also apply to the advertising thereof and contain general rules, for example, requiring that advertisements are evidenced, balanced and not misleading. Specific requirements are defined at a national level. EU member states’ laws related to the advertising and promotion of medical devices, which vary between jurisdictions, may limit or restrict the advertising and promotion of products to the general public and may impose limitations on promotional activities with healthcare professionals.
In the EU, regulatory authorities have the power to carry out announced and, if necessary, unannounced inspections of companies, as well as suppliers and/or sub-contractors and, where necessary, the facilities of professional users. Failure to comply with regulatory requirements (as applicable) could require time and resources to respond to the regulatory authorities’ observations and to implement corrective and preventive actions, as appropriate. Regulatory authorities have broad compliance and enforcement powers and if such issues cannot be resolved to their satisfaction can take a variety of actions, including untitled or warning letters, fines, consent decrees, injunctions, or civil or criminal penalties.
The aforementioned EU rules are generally applicable in the European Economic Area (“EEA”) which consists of the 27 EU member states plus Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland.
Regulation of Medical Devices in the United Kingdom
Since January 1, 2021, the United Kingdom (“UK”) Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (“MHRA”) has been the sovereign regulatory authority responsible for the medical device market in Great Britain (i.e. England, Wales and Scotland). The regulations on medical devices in Great Britain continue to be based largely on the MDD and Active Implantable Medical Devices Directive (“AIMDD”), which preceded the (EU) MDR, as implemented into national law by the Medical Devices Regulations 2002 (“SI 2002 No 618”, as amended). However, under the terms of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, the (EU) MDR applies to Northern Ireland.
On June 26, 2022, the MHRA published its response to a 10-week consultation on the post-Brexit regulatory framework for medical devices and diagnostics. The MHRA seeks to amend the Medical Devices Regulations 2002, in particular to create a new access pathway to support innovation, create an innovative framework for regulating software and artificial intelligence as medical devices, reform in-vitro diagnostic medical device regulation and foster sustainability through the reuse and remanufacture of medical devices. Regulations implementing the new regime were originally scheduled to come into force in July 2023, but the Government has recently confirmed that the core elements of the new regulations are likely to apply from July 2025. Devices which have valid CE certification issued by EU notified bodies under the (EU) MDR or (EU) MDD are subject to transitional arrangements. The MHRA has introduced legislation which provides that CE marked medical devices may be placed on the Great Britain market along following timelines:
general medical devices compliant with the (EU) MDD or (EU) AIMDD with a valid declaration and CE marking can be placed on the Great Britain market up until the sooner of the expiration of the certificate or June 30, 2028; and
general medical devices, including custom-made devices, compliant with the (EU) MDR can be placed on the Great Britain market up until June 30, 2030.
Following these transitional periods, it is expected that all medical devices will require a UK Conformity Assessment (“UKCA”) mark. Manufacturers may choose to use the UKCA mark on a voluntary basis prior to the regulations coming into force. However, from July 2025, products which do not have existing and valid certification under the (EU) MDD or (EU) MDR and are therefore not subject to the transitional arrangements will be required to carry the UKCA mark if they are to be sold into the market in Great Britain. UKCA marking will not be recognized in the EU. The rules for placing medical devices on the market in Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK, differ from those in Great Britain and continues to be based on EU law.
In the United Kingdom, medical devices are regulated under the largely MDD-derived Medical Devices Regulations 2002 (“UK MDR 2002”). The UK route to market and UK Conformity Assessed (“UKCA”) marking requirements are thus based on the requirements derived from EU legislation, although the MDR does not apply in the UK. All medical devices must be registered with the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (“MHRA”) before being placed on the UK market, and must conform to the UK MDR 2002 in order to be registered with the MHRA. In addition, devices that have been CE marked under the MDD will continue to be accepted on the UK market until June 30, 2024. Although the MDR is not directly applicable in the UK, medical devices validly CE marked in accordance with the MDR can also be marketed in the UK. From July 2024, devices that are placed on the Great Britain market will need to conform with UKCA marking requirements unless specific transitional provisions apply (this is likely to be the case for products CE marked in the EU according to the MDR). The UKCA marking is a UK product marking used for certain goods, including medical devices, being placed on the UK market. For the purposes of the UKCA marking, a UK Approved Body must be used in cases where third party conformity assessment is required.
Other Healthcare Laws
Third-party Coverage and Reimbursement
Sales of our medical device products depend largely on whether there is coverage and adequate reimbursement by government healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, and by private payors.
Third-party payors review their coverage policies carefully and can, without notice, reduce or eliminate reimbursement. For instance, they may attempt to control costs by (i) authorizing fewer elective surgical procedures, (ii) requiring the use of the least expensive product available, (iii) reducing the reimbursement for, or limiting the number of, authorized visits for rehabilitation procedures, (iv) bundling reimbursement for all services related to an episode of care, or (v) otherwise restricting coverage or reimbursement of our medical device products or procedures using these products. Further, payors may require additional evidence, beyond the data required for FDA marketing authorization, to demonstrate that a device should be covered for a particular indication or reimbursed at a higher rate than other technologies.
Medicare payment for Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (“DMEPOS”) also can be impacted by the DMEPOS competitive bidding program, under which Medicare rates are based on bid amounts for certain products in designated geographic areas, rather than the Medicare fee schedule amount. Only those suppliers selected through the competitive bidding process within each designated competitive bidding area are eligible to have their products reimbursed by Medicare. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services also has adopted regulations to adjust national DMEPOS fee schedules to take into account competitive bidding pricing.
Each payor has a unique process for determining whether to cover a device for a particular indication and how to set reimbursement rates for the device. However, because many private payors model their coverage and reimbursement policies on Medicare, other third-party payors’ coverage of, and reimbursement for, our medical device products also could be negatively impacted by legislative, regulatory or other measures that restrict Medicare coverage or reduce Medicare reimbursement.
Additionally, federal and state legislatures and regulators have periodically considered proposals to limit which orthopedic professionals can fit or sell our orthotic products or can seek reimbursement for them. Several states have adopted legislation imposing certification or licensing requirements on the measuring, fitting, and adjusting of certain orthotic devices, and additional states may do so in the future. Some of these state laws do not exempt manufacturers’ representatives. In addition, legislation has been adopted, but not yet implemented, requiring certain certification or licensing for individuals and suppliers furnishing certain custom-fabricated orthotic devices as a condition of Medicare payment. Medicare currently follows state policies in those states that require the use of an orthotist or prosthetist for furnishing of orthotics or prosthetics.
International sales of medical device products also depend in part upon the coverage and eligibility for reimbursement through government-sponsored healthcare payment systems and third-party payors, the amount of reimbursement, and the cost allocation of payments between the patient and government-sponsored healthcare payment systems and third-party payors. Coverage and reimbursement practices vary significantly by country, with certain countries requiring products to undergo a lengthy regulatory review in order to be eligible for third-party coverage and reimbursement. In addition, healthcare cost containment efforts similar to those we face in the United States are prevalent in many of the countries in which our products are sold, and these efforts are expected to continue in the future, possibly resulting in the adoption of more stringent reimbursement standards. In order to obtain reimbursement in some European Economic Area (“EEA”), countries, we may be required to compile additional data comparing the cost-effectiveness of our products to other available therapies. Health Technology Assessment (“HTA”) of both medicinal products and medical devices is becoming an increasingly common part of pricing and reimbursement procedures in some EEA countries. The HTA process, which is currently governed by national laws in each EEA country, is the assessment of therapeutic, economic, and societal impact of a medical product in the country. The outcome of an HTA will often influence pricing and reimbursement status. The extent to which pricing and reimbursement decisions are influenced by the HTA currently varies between EEA countries. However, a new EU HTA regulation applicable to all EEA countries beginning in January 2025 aims to harmonize the clinical benefit assessment of HTA across the EEA and provides the basis for cooperation at the EEA level for joint clinical assessments.
Healthcare Reform
In the United States, there have been and continue to be legislative, regulatory, and other initiatives to contain healthcare costs or establish other policy that have affected and could adversely affect our business. For example, the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“ACA”), enacted in 2010, was a sweeping measure generally designed to expand access to affordable health insurance, control health care spending, and improve health care quality. Several ACA provisions specifically affect the medical equipment industry. Among other things, the ACA established enhanced Medicare and Medicaid program integrity provisions, including expanded documentation requirements for Medicare DMEPOS orders, more stringent procedures for screening Medicare and Medicaid DMEPOS suppliers, and new disclosure requirements regarding manufacturer payments to physicians and teaching hospitals, along with broader expansion of federal fraud and abuse authorities.
Some of the ACA’s provisions, or its implementing regulations, have been subject to judicial challenges as well as efforts to modify them or alter their interpretation or implementation. For example, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 eliminated the tax-based shared responsibility payment imposed by the ACA on certain individuals who fail to maintain qualifying health coverage for all or part of a year. Future efforts to modify or invalidate the ACA or its implementing regulations, or portions thereof, remain possible and could affect our business. We cannot predict what effect further changes related to the ACA would have on our business.
Other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted since the ACA was enacted. The Budget Control Act of 2011 among other things resulted in aggregate reductions to Medicare payments to providers of, on average, 2% per fiscal year through the first half of fiscal year 2031 (with the exception of a temporary suspension from May 2020 through March 2022, and a reduction to 1% thereafter through June 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic). These cuts could adversely affect payment for any products we may commercialize in the future. Many states have adopted or are considering policies to reduce Medicaid spending as a result of state budgetary shortfalls, which in some cases include reduced reimbursement for DMEPOS items and/or other Medicaid coverage restrictions.
Additionally, changes in federal laws, regulations, and guidance can affect state policy. For instance, the 21st Century Cures Act prohibits federal financial participation payments to states for certain Medicaid DME spending that exceeds what Medicare would have paid for such items. Any modification or repeal of any provisions of the ACA, or its implementing regulations, may require states to modify their own laws and regulations. As states continue to face significant financial pressures, it is possible that states will amend existing laws and regulations or enact new laws or promulgate new regulations aimed at controlling costs or otherwise changing applicable policy, any of which could adversely affect our profitability.
Fraud and Abuse Laws
We are subject to various federal, state and foreign laws and regulations pertaining to healthcare fraud and abuse, including false claims, self-referrals, anti-kickback laws, physician payment transparency laws, and other health care laws and regulations. In particular, the promotion, sales, and marketing of health care items and services is subject to extensive laws and regulations designed to prevent fraud, kickbacks, self-dealing and other abusive practices. These laws and regulations may restrict or prohibit a wide range of pricing, discounting, marketing and promotion, sales commission, customer incentive and other business arrangements and include the following:
The U.S. federal Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits, among other things, knowingly and willfully offering, paying, soliciting or receiving any remuneration (including any kickback, bribe or rebate), directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in kind to return for patient referrals or to induce or in return for purchasing, leasing, ordering or arranging for or recommending the purchase, lease or order of any good, facility, item or service reimbursable, in whole or in part, under Medicare, Medicaid or other federal health care programs. The term “remuneration” has been broadly interpreted to include anything of value. Although a number of statutory exceptions and regulatory safe harbors protect some common activities from prosecution, they are narrow. Practices that may be alleged to be intended to induce purchases or recommendations, including any payments of more than fair market value, may be subject to scrutiny if they do not qualify for an exception or safe harbor. A person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of this statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation.
The U.S. federal civil False Claims Act prohibits, among other things, any person or entity from knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, a false or fraudulent claim for payment of federal funds or knowingly making or causing to be made a false statement to improperly avoid, decrease or conceal an obligation to pay money to the federal government. The government may assert that a claim including items or services resulting from a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the federal civil False Claims Act. The False Claims Act also permits a private individual acting as a “whistleblower” to bring actions on behalf of themselves and the federal government alleging violations of the statute and to share in any monetary recovery.
The U.S. civil monetary penalties statute prohibits, among other things, the offer or transfer of remuneration, including waivers of copayments and deductible amounts (or any part thereof), to a Medicare or state healthcare program beneficiary if the person knows or should know it is likely to influence the beneficiary’s selection of a particular provider, practitioner or supplier of services reimbursable by Medicare or a state healthcare program, subject to certain exceptions.
The U.S. Physician Self-Referral Law, commonly referred to as the Stark law, prohibits physicians from referring patients to receive certain “designated health services” payable by Medicare or Medicaid, including DMEPOS products and supplies, from entities with which the physician or an immediate family member has a financial relationship, unless an exception applies.
The healthcare fraud provisions under the U.S. federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) impose criminal liability for, among other things, knowingly and willfully executing, or attempting to execute, a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program, including private third-party payors, or to obtain, by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, any money or property owned by, or under the custody or control of, any health care benefit program, including private third-party payors. Similar to the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, a violation does not require actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent.
The U.S. Physician Payments Sunshine Act imposes reporting and disclosure requirements on device manufacturers with respect to ownership and investment interests by physicians and members of their immediate family as well as certain payments or other “transfers of value” made to physicians, certain non-physician practitioners and teaching hospitals.
State and foreign equivalents of each of the health care laws described above, among others, some of which may be broader in scope including, without limitation, state anti-kickback and false claims laws that may apply to sales or marketing arrangements and claims involving health care items or services reimbursed by non-governmental third party payors, including private insurers, or that apply regardless of payor; state laws that require device companies to comply with the industry’s voluntary compliance guidelines and the relevant compliance guidance promulgated by the federal government; state laws that require device manufacturers to report information related to payments and other transfers of value to physicians and other health care providers, marketing expenditures; and state and local laws requiring the registration of device sales and medical representatives.
Violations of these laws are punishable by criminal and/or civil sanctions, including, in some instances, fines, imprisonment and, within the United States, exclusion from participation in government healthcare programs, including Medicare, Medicaid and Veterans Administration health programs. Refer to the Risk Factor captioned “Our relationships with customers, physicians and third-party payors are subject to federal and state health care fraud and abuse laws, false claims laws, physician payment transparency laws and other health care laws and regulations” for a more fulsome discussion of these laws.
Many European countries also have healthcare fraud and abuse laws and regulations, which may vary greatly among countries. For example, the advertising and promotion of our products is subject to EU Directives concerning misleading and comparative advertising and unfair commercial practices, as well as other EU Member State legislation governing the advertising and promotion of medical devices. In the EU, failure to comply with advertising and promotional laws may result in reputational damage, fines, exclusions from public tenders and actions for damages from competitors for unfair competition.
Data Privacy and Security Laws
Our business is subject to U.S. federal privacy and security laws and regulations. HIPAA governs the use, disclosure, and security of protected health information (“PHI”) by HIPAA “covered entities” and their “business associates.” Covered entities are health plans, health care clearinghouses and health care providers that engage in specific types of electronic transactions. A business associate is any person or entity (other than members of a covered entity’s workforce) that performs a service for or on behalf of a covered entity that involve creating, receiving, maintaining or transmitting PHI. Healthcare providers that prescribe our products and from which we obtain patient health information are subject to privacy and security requirements under HIPAA, as are we in certain circumstances. Further, various states, such as California and Massachusetts, have implemented similar privacy laws and regulations that impose restrictive requirements regulating the use and disclosure of health information and other personally identifiable information. These laws and regulations are not necessarily preempted by HIPAA, particularly if a state affords greater protection to individuals than HIPAA. If the states in which we conduct our business are more protective, we may have to comply with the stricter provisions.
The legislative and regulatory landscape for privacy and data security continues to evolve, and there has been an increasing focus on privacy and data security issues with the potential to affect our business. For example, the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”), as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (“CPRA”), contains disclosure obligations for businesses that collect personal information about California residents and affords those individuals new rights relating to their personal information that may affect our ability to use personal information. A November 2020 California ballot initiative introduced amendments to the CCPA and established and funded a dedicated privacy regulator, the California Privacy Protection Agency (the “CPPA”). These amendments became effective in January 2023, and we expect the CPPA to introduce implementing regulations. Failure to comply with the CCPA may result in, among other things, significant civil penalties and injunctive relief or statutory or actual damages. In addition, California residents have the right to bring a private right of action in connection with certain types of incidents. These claims may result in significant liability and potential damages. We have implemented processes to manage compliance with the CCPA and continue to assess the impact of the CPRA on our business. Other states have enacted similar privacy laws that impose new obligations or limitations in areas affecting our business and we continue to assess the impact of these state legislation, on our business as additional information and guidance becomes available. Efforts at the federal level to enact similar laws are ongoing.
The Federal Trade Commission (the “FTC”) also sets expectations for failing to take appropriate steps to keep consumers’ personal information secure, or failing to provide a level of security commensurate to promises made to individual about the security of their personal information (such as in a privacy notice) may constitute unfair or deceptive acts or practices in violation of Section 5(a) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (the “FTC Act”). The FTC expects a company’s data security measures to be reasonable and appropriate in light of the sensitivity and volume of consumer information it holds, the size and complexity of its business, and the cost of available tools to improve security and reduce vulnerabilities. Individually identifiable health information is considered sensitive data that merits stronger safeguards. With respect to privacy, the FTC also sets expectations that companies honor the privacy promises made to individuals about how the company handles consumers’ personal information; any failure to honor promises, such as the statements made in a privacy policy or on a website, may also constitute unfair or deceptive acts or practices in violation of the FTC Act.
We also operate in a number of foreign countries with laws in some cases more stringent than U.S. requirements. EEA regulation of the processing of personal data and the free movement of such data includes the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”), the E-Privacy Directive 2002/58/EC (the “E-Privacy Directive”) and national laws implementing each. The GDPR imposes strict obligations and restrictions on the ability to collect, analyze and transfer personal data, especially sensitive personal data, such as health data from clinical investigations, and safety reporting. We process employee and customer data, including health and medical information.
The GDPR was retained in the UK post-Brexit as the UK GDPR. The “Data Protection and Digital Information Bill” was introduced to Parliament in July 2022, and we continue to monitor developments to assess comparability with the GDPR. Many EEA countries have also transposed the E-Privacy Directive’s requirements and passed legislation addressing areas where the GDPR permits countries to derogate from the GDPR, leading to divergent requirements in spite of the GDPR’s stated goal of EEA-wide uniformity.
In order to process and transfer data, explicit consent to the processing (including any cross-border transfer) may be required from the person to whom the personal data relates, though in certain cases, and depending on the jurisdiction in which the data originate or are processed, such data may be processed absent explicit consent for purposes of medical diagnosis, the interest of public health (including medical device safety and efficacy) or scientific research. The same rules currently apply to us in the UK under the UK GDPR and in relation to transfers out of the UK. We continue to assess ongoing reform efforts for changes. The EC and the United States announced in March 2022 agreement in principle on a new Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework with respect to data transfers to the United States, and, in October 2022, President Biden signed an Executive Order that implements the new framework. On this basis, the EC will prepare a draft adequacy decision and then launch its own adoption procedure.
We depend on third parties in relation to provision of our services, a number of which process personal data on our behalf. We have a practice of entering into contractual arrangements with such third parties to ensure that they process personal data only according to our instructions, and that they have instituted adequate security measures. Where personal data is being transferred outside the EEA (or the UK), our policy is that it is done so in compliance with applicable data export requirements. Any failure by us or third parties to follow these policies or practices, or otherwise comply with applicable data laws, could lead to a security or privacy breach, regulatory enforcement, or regulatory or financial harm.
Human Capital Management
As of December 31, 2024, we employed approximately 7,367 persons, of whom approximately 2,076 were employed in the United States and approximately 5,291 were employed outside of the United States. None of our associates are covered by collective bargaining agreements with U.S. trade unions. Approximately 21.4% of our associates are represented by foreign trade unions and work councils in Europe, Africa, and Australia, which could subject us to arrangements very similar to collective bargaining agreements. We have not experienced any work stoppages or strikes that have had a material adverse impact on operations. We consider our relations with our associates to be good.
At Enovis, we believe that the best team wins. Our growth model is focused in part on acquiring good companies, empowering our talent and using EGX to make them great. Culture and associate development are critical to our success. We are a diverse team of associates around the world. We empower our associates through our culture that is centered on our corporate purpose – “Creating Better Together,” which means we are committed to attracting and developing great talent and rewarding our associates to build and sustain our company. Our internal human capital management programs center on the following processes and objectives: (i) identifying, attracting, developing and enabling talent, (ii) promoting associate engagement and an open feedback culture to foster continuous improvement, (iii) offering competitive compensation and benefit programs to motivate associates and reward performance, (iv) building and supporting inclusion, diversity, and equity initiatives, and (v) protecting the health and safety of all of our associates across the world.
Company Information and Access to SEC Reports
We were organized as a Delaware corporation in 1998. Our principal executive offices are located at 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, Wilmington, Delaware, 19808, and our main telephone number at that address is (302) 252-9160. Our corporate website address is www.enovis.com.
We make available, free of charge through our website atir.enovis.com/sec-filings, our annual and quarterly reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q (including related filings in XBRL format), current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to those reports as soon as practicable after filing or furnishing the material to the SEC. You may also request a copy of these filings, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at: Investor Relations, Enovis Corporation, 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, Wilmington, Delaware, 19808, telephone (302) 252-9160. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference in this report and any references to our website are intended as inactive textual references only. Additionally, the SEC maintains an Internet site that contains our reports, proxy statements and other information that we electronically file with, or furnish to, the SEC at www.sec.gov.
An investment in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below, together with the information included elsewhere in this Form 10-K and other documents we file with the SEC. The risks and uncertainties described below are those that we have identified as material, but may not be the only risks to which Enovis might be exposed. Additional risks and uncertainties, which are currently unknown to us or that we do not currently consider to be material, may materially affect the business of Enovis and could have material adverse effects on our business, financial condition and results of operations. If any of the following risks were to occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity could be materially adversely affected, the value of our common stock could decline and investors could lose all or part of the value of their investment in Enovis shares.
Risks in this section are grouped in the following categories: (1) Risks Related to Our Business and Operations; (2) Risks Related to Government Regulation and Litigation; (3) Risks Related to the Separation and (4) General and Other Risks. Many risks affect more than one category, and the risks are not in order of significance or probability of occurrence because they have been grouped by categories.
Risks Related to Our Business and Operations
Acquisitions have formed a significant part of our growth strategy in the past and are expected to continue to do so. If we are unable to identify suitable acquisition candidates, complete any proposed acquisitions or successfully integrate the businesses we acquire, our growth strategy may not succeed and we may not realize the anticipated benefits of our acquisitions.
We intend to seek acquisition opportunities both to expand into new markets and to enhance our position in our existing markets. However, our ability to do so will depend on a number of steps, including our ability to: obtain debt or equity financing that we may need to complete proposed acquisitions; identify suitable acquisition candidates; negotiate appropriate acquisition terms; complete the proposed acquisitions; and integrate the acquired business into our existing operations. If we fail to achieve any of these steps, our growth strategy may not be successful. For example, we completed the acquisition of Lima. If the Lima Acquisition is not successfully integrated into our existing operations, our business and financial results may be adversely affected.
Acquisitions involve numerous risks, including difficulties in the assimilation of the operations, systems, controls (financial and otherwise), technologies, personnel, services and products of the acquired company, the potential loss of key employees, customers, suppliers and distributors of the acquired company, and the diversion of our management’s attention from other business concerns. The failure to successfully integrate acquired businesses in a timely manner, or at all, or the incurrence of significant unanticipated expenses associated with integration activities, including information technology integration fees, legal compliance costs, facility closure costs and other restructuring expenses, could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
In addition, the anticipated benefits of an acquisition may not be realized fully or at all, or may take longer to realize than we expect. Actual operating, technological, strategic and sales synergies, if achieved at all, may be less significant than we expect or may take longer to achieve than anticipated. If we are not able to realize the anticipated benefits and synergies from our acquisitions within a reasonable time, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.
Additionally, we may underestimate or fail to discover liabilities relating to acquisitions during our due diligence investigations and we, as the successor owner of an acquired company, might be responsible for those liabilities. Such liabilities could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Further, we are required to assess the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting for companies we acquire pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Sarbanes-Oxley Act”). We may elect the one year scope exception provided by the Exchange Act and the applicable SEC rules and regulations concerning business combinations as we did for the Lima acquisition, but we can not avoid the requirements. In order to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, we will need to implement or enhance internal control over financial reporting at any company we acquire, and we may identify control deficiencies that require remediation as part of our evaluation and testing of internal controls. Companies we acquire may not have had previous public reporting obligations and therefore may not have instituted or evaluated internal controls in the context of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Any failure to implement and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting could result in material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in our internal controls, and could result in a material misstatement of our financial statements or otherwise cause us to fail to meet our financial reporting obligations, which could have an adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition, and business.
We may require additional capital to finance our operating needs and to finance our growth, including acquisitions. If the terms on which the additional capital is available are unsatisfactory, if the additional capital is not available at all or if we are not able to fully access credit under our Credit Agreement, we may not be able to pursue our growth strategy.
Our growth strategy will require additional capital investment to complete acquisitions, integrate the completed acquisitions into our existing operations and expand into new markets. We intend to pay for future acquisitions using cash, capital stock, notes, assumption of indebtedness or any combination of the foregoing. To the extent that we do not generate sufficient cash internally to provide the capital we require to fund our growth strategy and future operations, we will require additional debt or equity financing. This additional financing may not be available or, if available, may not be on terms acceptable to us. Further, high volatility in the capital markets and in our stock price may make it difficult for us to access the capital markets at attractive prices, if at all. If we are unable to obtain sufficient additional capital in the future, it may limit our ability to fully implement our growth strategy. Even if future debt financing is available, it may result in (i) increased interest expense, (ii) increased term loan payments, (iii) increased leverage and (iv) decreased income available to fund further acquisitions and expansion. It may also limit our ability to withstand competitive pressures and make us more vulnerable to economic downturns. If future equity financing is available, issuances of our equity securities may significantly dilute our existing stockholders.
Our indebtedness could adversely affect our financial condition and restricts us in ways that limit our flexibility in operating our business.
We have outstanding debt and other financial obligations and significant unused borrowing capacity, and may incur or assume more debt in the future. Our debt level and related debt service obligations could have negative consequences, including: requiring us to dedicate significant cash flow from operations to the payment of amounts payable on our debt, which would reduce the funds we have available for other purposes; making it more difficult or expensive for us to obtain any necessary future financing; increasing our leverage and reducing our flexibility in planning for or reacting to changes in our industry and market conditions; making us more vulnerable in the event of a downturn in our business; and exposing us to interest rate risk given our debt obligations at variable interest rates. In addition, our ability to make scheduled payments on or to refinance our debt obligations depends on our financial condition and operating performance, which is subject to prevailing economic and competitive conditions and to financial, business, legislative, regulatory, and other factors, some of which are beyond our control.
Additionally, the Credit Agreement, which governs our term loan and revolving credit facility, contains various covenants that limit our ability to engage in specified types of transactions. These covenants limit the Company’s ability to incur debt or liens, merge or consolidate with others, dispose of assets, or make investments or pay dividends. The Credit Agreement also contains financial covenants requiring the Company to satisfy and maintain compliance with a total leverage ratio and an interest coverage ratio. Upon an event of default, the lenders may, subject to various customary cure rights, require the immediate payment of all amounts outstanding. These restrictions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, certain provisions in the indenture governing the 2028 Notes may delay or prevent an attempted takeover of us that might be financially advantageous to stockholders.
The convertibility of the 2028 Notes subjects us to various risks. If the conditional conversion feature of the 2028 Notes is triggered, holders will be entitled to convert the 2028 Notes at any time during specified periods. In the case of any such election, we would be required to settle any converted principal amount of such notes in cash, which could adversely affect our liquidity. In addition, even if holders do not elect to convert their notes, we could be required under applicable accounting rules to reclassify all or a portion of the outstanding principal of the notes as a current liability rather than long-term liability, resulting in a material reduction of our net working capital. A substantial number of shares of our common stock is reserved for issuance upon conversion of the notes, and their issuance or the perception that such issuances may occur could adversely affect the market price of our common stock. In addition, the market price of our common stock could be affected by sales of our common stock by investors who view the 2028 Notes as a more attractive means of equity participation in us and by hedging or arbitrage trading activity involving our common stock.
In connection with the pricing of the 2028 Notes, we entered into capped call transactions with the option counterparties. The option counterparties and/or their respective affiliates may modify their hedge positions, which could cause an increase or decrease in the market price of our common stock. In addition, any or all of the option counterparties might default under the capped call transactions. Global economic conditions have resulted in the actual or perceived failure or financial difficulties of several financial institutions and could adversely impact the option counterparties’ performance under the capped call transactions. Upon a default by an option counterparty, we may also suffer adverse tax consequences and/or more dilution than we currently anticipate with respect to our common stock. We can provide no assurance as to the financial stability or viability of the option counterparties.
Our restructuring activities may subject us to additional uncertainty in our operating results.
We have implemented, and plan to continue to implement, restructuring programs designed to facilitate key strategic initiatives and maintain long-term sustainable growth. As such, we have incurred and expect to continue to incur expenses relating to restructuring activities. We may not achieve or sustain the anticipated benefits, including any anticipated savings, of these restructuring programs or initiatives. Further, restructuring efforts are inherently risky, and we may not be able to predict the cost and timing of such actions accurately or properly estimate their impact.
Any impairment in the value of our intangible assets, including Goodwill, would negatively affect our operating results and total capitalization.
Our Total assets reflect substantial intangible assets, primarily Goodwill. The Goodwill results from our acquisitions, representing the excess of cost over the fair value of the net assets we have acquired. We assess annually, or more frequently if an event occurs or circumstances change in the interim that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of the asset below its carrying amount, in order to determine whether there has been impairment in the value of our Goodwill. For the year ended December 31, 2024, we recognized a non-cash Goodwill impairment charge of $645 million ($330 million for the Reconstructive reporting unit and $315 million for the Prevention & Recovery reporting unit) as part of our annual Goodwill impairment testing. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Critical Accounting Policies—Goodwill and Intangible Assets.”
If future operating performance at either of our reporting units were to fall significantly below current levels, if competing or alternative technologies emerge, if market conditions for an acquired business decline, or if there is a sustained decrease in our market capitalization, among other things, we could incur, under current applicable accounting rules, additional non-cash charges to operating earnings for Goodwill impairment, which could be material and may adversely affect our reported earnings.
A material disruption at any of our manufacturing facilities could adversely affect our ability to generate sales and meet customer demand.
If operations at any of our manufacturing facilities were to be disrupted as a result of a significant equipment failure, natural disaster or adverse weather conditions (including events that may be caused or exacerbated by climate change), power outage, fire, explosion, terrorism, cyber-based attack, health emergency, labor dispute or shortage or other reason, our financial performance could be adversely affected as a result of our inability to meet customer demand for our products.
Interruptions in production could increase our costs and reduce our sales. Any interruption in production capability could require us to make substantial capital expenditures to remedy the situation or rely on third-party manufacturers, which could negatively affect our profitability and financial condition. Any recovery under our property damage and business interruption insurance policies may not offset the lost sales or increased costs that may be experienced during the disruption of operations, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Failure to maintain and protect our intellectual property rights or challenges to these rights by third parties may affect our operations and financial performance.
The market for many of our products, including our medical device products, is, in part, dependent upon patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret laws, agreements with employees, customers and other third parties, including confidentiality agreements, invention assignment agreements and proprietary information agreements, to establish and maintain our intellectual property rights, and the Goodwill engendered by our trademarks and trade names. The failure to protect these rights may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Litigation may be required to enforce our intellectual property rights, protect our trade secrets or determine the validity and scope of proprietary rights of others. It may be particularly difficult to enforce our intellectual property rights in countries where such rights are not highly developed or protected. Any action we take to protect or enforce our intellectual property rights could be costly and could absorb significant management time and attention. As a result of any such litigation, we could lose our proprietary rights.
In addition, third parties may claim that we or our customers are infringing upon their intellectual property rights. Claims of intellectual property infringement and litigation regarding patent and other intellectual property rights are commonplace in the medical technology industry. Any claims of intellectual property infringement may subject us to costly and time-consuming defense actions and, should our defenses not be successful, may result in the payment of damages, redesign of affected products, entry into settlement or license agreements, or a temporary or permanent injunction prohibiting us from manufacturing, marketing or selling certain of our products. It is also possible that others will independently develop technology that will compete with our patented or unpatented technology. The occurrence of any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Risks relating to contagious diseases, terrorist activity, man-made or natural disasters and war could reduce the demand for our products and have an adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition, and business.
Contagious diseases, terrorist activity, man-made or natural disasters and war, as well as the spread or fear of the spread of contagious diseases, could cause a decline in the demand for our products, which may adversely affect our financial condition and operating performance.
For example, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we experienced adverse impacts on sales, as well as material delays and periodic cancellations of elective medical procedures, orthopedic clinics and physical therapy centers operating at reduced levels, and periodic cancellation of sports programs impacting our business. The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy resulted in a number of additional challenges for our business, including cost inflation, supply chain challenges such as logistics delays, and healthcare provider staffing shortages, all of which are attributable in some part to the pandemic.
The spread or fear of spread of contagious diseases, terrorist activity, man-made or natural disasters, actual or threatened war, political unrest, civil strife and other geopolitical uncertainty could have a similar effect on our financial condition or our growth strategy. Any one or more of these events may reduce the overall demand for our products which could adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition, and business
Significant movements in foreign currency exchange rates may harm our financial results.
We are exposed to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. During the year ended December 31, 2024, approximately 41% of our sales were derived from operations outside the United States, which percentage is expected to increase as a result of the Lima Acquisition. Large fluctuations in the rate of exchange between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Changes in the currency exchange rates may impact our financial results positively or negatively in one period and not another, which may make it difficult to compare our operating results from different periods.
We also face exchange risk from transactions with customers in countries outside the United States and from intercompany transactions between affiliates. Although we use the U.S. dollar as our functional currency for reporting purposes, we have manufacturing sites throughout the world and a large portion of our costs are incurred and sales are generated in foreign currencies. Costs incurred and sales recorded by subsidiaries operating outside of the United States are translated into U.S. dollars using exchange rates effective during the respective period. As a result, we are exposed to movements in the exchange rates of various currencies against the U.S. dollar. Further, we may be subject to foreign currency translation losses depending upon whether foreign nations devalue their currencies.
We are dependent on the availability of raw materials, as well as parts and components used in our products.
While we manufacture many of the parts and components used in our products, we purchase a substantial amount of raw materials, parts and components from suppliers. The availability and prices for raw materials, parts and components may be subject to curtailment or change due to, among other things, suppliers’ allocations to other purchasers, interruptions in production by suppliers, changes in exchange rates and prevailing price levels, trade disputes and increased tariffs. Additionally, FDA regulations may require additional testing of any raw materials or components from new suppliers prior to the use of those materials or components in certain medical device products. In addition, in the case of a device that is the subject of a pre-market approval, we may also be required to obtain prior FDA permission, which may not be given and could delay or prevent access or use of such raw materials or components. Any significant change in the supply of, or price for, these raw materials, parts or components could materially affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Additionally, political and economic instability and changes in government regulations in China and other parts of Asia or any health emergencies could affect our ability to continue to receive materials from suppliers in those locations or affected by those emergencies. The loss of such suppliers, any other interruption or delay in the supply of required materials or our inability to obtain these materials at acceptable prices and within a reasonable amount of time could impair our ability to meet scheduled product deliveries to our customers and could hurt our reputation and cause customers to cancel orders.
We are vulnerable to raw material, energy and labor price fluctuations and supply shortages, which have impacted and could continue to impact our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
In the normal course of our business, we are exposed to market risks related to the availability of and price fluctuations in the purchase of raw materials, energy and commodities used in the manufacturing of our products. The availability and prices for raw materials, energy and commodities are subject to volatility and are influenced by worldwide economic conditions, including the current rising inflationary pressure. They are also influenced by import duties and tariffs speculative action, world supply and demand balances, inventory levels, availability of substitute materials, currency exchange rates, anticipated or perceived shortages, geopolitical tensions, government trade practices and regulations and other factors. For example, the introduction of new tariffs or trade restrictions, such as the tariffs announced by the new U.S. administration in February 2025 and any retaliatory trade measures could also increase the cost of or impair sourcing flexibility for raw materials and other inputs used in the manufacturing of our products. Further, the labor market for skilled manufacturing remains tight and our labor costs have increased as a result. Energy, commodity, raw material energy, labor and other cost inflation has impacted and could continue to impact our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
The markets we serve are highly competitive and some of our competitors may have superior resources. If we are unable to respond successfully to this competition, this could reduce our sales and operating margins.
Our business operates in highly fragmented and competitive markets. In order to maintain and enhance our competitive position, we intend to, among other things, continue investing in manufacturing quality, marketing, customer service and support, distribution networks, and research and development. We may not have sufficient resources to continue to make these investments and we may not be able to maintain our competitive position. Our competitors may develop products that are superior to our products or more widely accepted, develop methods of more efficiently and effectively providing products and services, adapt more quickly than us to new technologies or evolving customer requirements or have a larger product portfolio. Some of our competitors may also have greater financial, marketing and research and development resources than we have or stronger name recognition. As a result, those competitors may be better able to withstand the effects of periodic economic downturns. In addition, pricing pressures could cause us to adjust the prices of some of our products to stay competitive. The development of new technologies by competitors that may compete with our technologies could reduce demand for our products and affect our financial performance. For example, our present and future medical device products could be rendered obsolete or uneconomical by technological advances by one or more of our present or future competitors or by other therapies, including biological therapies. Should we not be able to maintain or enhance the competitive values of our products or develop and introduce new products or technologies successfully, or if new products or technologies fail to generate sufficient revenues to offset research and development costs, our business, financial condition and operating results could be materially adversely affected.
The success of our medical device products depends heavily on acceptance by healthcare professionals who prescribe and recommend these products, and our failure to maintain relationships with key healthcare professionals or maintain a high level of confidence by key healthcare professionals in our products could adversely affect our business.
We may not be able to compete successfully with our existing competitors or with new competitors. If we fail to compete successfully, the failure may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Please see Part I, Item 1. “Business - Industry and Competition” for additional information about the competitive markets in which we operate.
Changes in our tax rates or exposure to additional income tax liabilities could adversely affect our financial results.
Our future effective income tax rates could be unfavorably affected by various factors, including, among others, changes in the tax rates, rules and regulations in jurisdictions in which we generate income. A number of countries where we do business, including the United States and many countries in the European Union, have implemented, and are considering implementing, changes in relevant tax, accounting and other laws, regulations and interpretations. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (“OECD”), has proposed a global minimum tax of 15% of reported profits (Pillar 2)
that has been agreed upon in principle by over 140 countries. During 2023 and 2024, many countries took steps to incorporate Pillar 2 model rule concepts into their domestic laws. Although the model rules provide a framework for applying the minimum tax, countries may enact Pillar 2 slightly differently than the model rules and on different timelines and may adjust domestic tax incentives in response. Based on the currently enacted laws and available safe harbors there are no material consequences of Pillar 2 in 2024. As these and other tax laws, regulations and norms change or evolve, our financial results could be materially impacted. Given the unpredictability of these possible changes, it is very difficult to assess whether the overall effect of such potential tax changes would be cumulatively positive or negative for our earnings and cash flow, but such changes could adversely impact our long-term financial results.
In addition, the amount of income taxes we pay is subject to ongoing audits by U.S. federal, state and local tax authorities and by non-U.S. tax authorities. If these audits result in assessments different from amounts recorded, our future financial results may include unfavorable tax adjustments.
We rely on a variety of distribution methods to market and sell our medical device products and if we fail to effectively manage the distribution of such products, our results of operations and future growth could be adversely impacted.
We use a variety of distribution methods to market and sell our medical device products, each of which has distinct risks. For example, to market and sell certain of the orthopedic rehabilitation products that are intended for use in the home and in rehabilitation clinics, we rely on our own direct sales force of representatives in the United States and in Europe. A direct sales force may subject us to higher fixed costs than those of companies that market competing products through independent third parties due to the costs associated with employee benefits, training, and managing sales personnel. As a result, we could be at a competitive disadvantage compared to certain competitors that rely predominately on independent sales agents and third-party distributors. Additionally, these fixed costs may slow our ability to reduce costs in the face of a sudden decline in demand for such products, which could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations. However, for certain orthopedic products, CMF bone growth stimulator products and surgical implant products, we rely on third-party distributors and independent commissioned sales representatives that maintain the customer relationships with the hospitals, orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists and other healthcare professionals that purchase, use and recommend the use of such products. Although our internal sales staff trains and manages these third-party distributors and independent sales representatives, we do not directly monitor the efforts that they make to sell our products. In addition, some of the independent sales representatives that we use to sell our surgical implant products also sell products that directly compete with our product offerings. These sales representatives may not dedicate the necessary time or effort to market and sell our products. If we fail to attract and maintain relationships with third-party distributors and skilled independent sales representatives or fail to adequately train and monitor the efforts of the third-party distributors and sales representatives that market and sell our products, or if our existing third-party distributors and independent sales representatives choose not to carry our products, our results of operations and future growth could be adversely affected.
Risks Related to Government Regulation and Litigation
Our products and our operations are subject to extensive government regulation and oversight, and if we fail to maintain regulatory approvals and clearances, or are unable to obtain, or experience significant delays in obtaining, FDA clearances or approvals or their foreign equivalent for our current and future products or product enhancements, our ability to commercially distribute and market these products could suffer.
Our products are subject to rigorous regulation by the FDA and numerous other federal, state and foreign governmental authorities, as discussed under “Regulatory Environment – Medical Device Regulation” in Part I, Item 1. The process of obtaining regulatory clearances or approvals to market a medical device can be costly and time consuming, and we may not be able to obtain these clearances or approvals on a timely basis, if at all.
In the EU, our notified body issues the certificates that allow CE marking for the sale of our products. To continue to place products on the market in the EU and United Kingdom after expiry of our existing notified body certificate[s], we will need to apply for their certification under the MDR and UK MDR. We may not be able to continue to place our devices on the market in the EU and/or United Kingdom for any current use if we cannot obtain certification for their current use under the MDR or under the UK MDR 2002 when required, if we are unable to do so before the current certificates for our products expire, or if our technical documentation does not meet the new (and more stringent) requirements under the MDR.
Tariffs and other trade measures could adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial position and cash flows.
Changes in international trade policy can also have a substantial adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial position and cash flows. Steps taken by governments to implement local content requirements or apply or consider applying additional or new tariffs on imports or exports have the potential to disrupt existing supply chains, impose additional costs on our business, and could lead to other countries attempting to retaliate by imposing tariffs, which would make our products more expensive for customers, and, in turn, could make our products less competitive.
For example, the U.S. government has recently signaled its intention to change U.S. trade policy, including potentially renegotiating or terminating existing trade agreements and leveraging tariffs. In February 2025, the U.S. government imposed additional tariffs on imports from China and announced and subsequently paused implementation of tariffs on imports from Mexico (and Canada). These additional tariffs, rapid changes in government policies toward tariffs and trade, as well as the adoption or prospect of adoption by governments of “buy national” policies or retaliation by another government against such tariffs or policies have introduced significant uncertainty into the market and may affect the prices of and demand for the Company’s products, and, in turn, could adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial position and cash flows to the extent that we are unable to mitigate the impacts of such tariffs.
Recently, government policies on tariffs and trade have evolved rapidly. Accordingly, we do not know when or if such tariffs will take effect or how long any of these tariffs will last, and we do not know if tariffs will apply to all goods at the same rate, or if healthcare products may be subject to a different rate or be exempted. The ultimate impact of any tariffs will depend on various factors, including if any tariffs are ultimately implemented, the timing of implementation, and the amount, scope, and nature of the tariffs.
Modifications to our products may require new regulatory clearances or approvals in the United States and EU or may require us to recall or cease marketing our products until clearances or approvals are obtained.
If the FDA requires us to obtain PMAs, PMA supplements, or pre-market clearances for any modification to a previously cleared or approved device, we may be required to cease manufacturing and marketing of the modified device or to recall such modified device until we obtain FDA clearance or approval. Any of these actions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
In the EU, we must notify our EU notified body of significant changes to products or to our quality assurance systems affecting those products. For devices covered by CE Certificates of Conformity issued under the EU MDD, no significant changes in design or intended purpose are allowed. If changes are anticipated, new certificates must be obtained under the MDR.
Obtaining new clearances and approvals can be a time-consuming process, and delays in obtaining required future clearances or approvals would adversely affect our ability to introduce new or enhanced products in a timely manner, which could harm our future growth.
The discovery of serious safety issues with our products, or a recall of our products either voluntarily or at the direction of the FDA or another governmental authority, could have a negative impact on us, and failure to report adverse medical events or failures or malfunctions to the FDA as required would subject us to sanctions that could harm our reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations.
We are subject to the FDA’s medical device reporting regulations and similar foreign regulations, which require us to report to the FDA when we receive or become aware of information that reasonably suggests that one or more of our products may have caused or contributed to a death or serious injury or malfunctioned in a way that, if the malfunction were to recur, could cause or contribute to a death or serious injury. The timing of our obligation to report is triggered by the date we become aware of the adverse event as well as the nature of the event. We may fail to report adverse events of which we become aware within the prescribed timeframe. We may also fail to recognize awareness of a reportable adverse event, especially if it is not reported to us as an adverse event or if it is unexpected or removed in time from the use of the product. If we fail to comply with our reporting obligations, the FDA could take action, including warning letters, untitled letters, administrative actions, criminal prosecution, imposition of civil monetary penalties, revocation of our device clearance or approval, seizure of our products or delay in clearance or approval of future products.
We also are required to comply with strict post-marketing obligations for our CE marked medical devices in the EU. The MDR provides various requirements relating to post-market surveillance and vigilance, including the obligation for manufacturers to implement a post-market surveillance system, in a manner proportionate to the risk class and appropriate for the type of device. Once a device is on the EEA market, manufacturers must comply with certain vigilance requirements, such as reporting serious incidents and fielding safety corrective actions. Noncompliance could lead to penalties and a suspension or withdrawal of our CE Certificate of Conformity.
Our products must be manufactured in accordance with federal and state regulations, and we could be forced to recall our devices or terminate production if we fail to comply with these regulations.
The methods used in, and the facilities used for, the manufacture of our products must comply with the FDA’s QSR, a complex regulatory scheme covering the procedures and documentation of design, testing, production, process controls, quality assurance, labeling, packaging, handling, storage, distribution, installation, servicing and shipping of medical devices. We must also verify that our suppliers maintain facilities, procedures, and operations that comply with our quality standards and applicable regulatory requirements. The FDA enforces the QSR through periodic announced or unannounced inspections of medical device manufacturing facilities, which may include subcontractor facilities. Our products are also subject to similar state regulations and various laws and regulations of foreign countries governing manufacturing.
Our third-party manufacturers may not take the necessary steps to comply with applicable regulations, which could cause delays in the delivery of our products. In addition, failure to comply with applicable FDA requirements or later discovery of previously unknown problems with our products or manufacturing processes could result in actions, as discussed in “Regulatory Environment – Medical Device Regulation” in Part I, Item 1. Any of these actions could significantly and negatively affect supply of our products, harm our reputation, and expose us to product liability claims, and we could lose customers and experience reduced sales and increased costs.
We may be subject to regulatory or enforcement actions if we engage in improper marketing or promotion of our products.
Our promotional activities must comply with FDA and other applicable laws, including prohibition of the promotion of a medical device for a use that has not been FDA-cleared or approved. Use of a device outside of its cleared or approved indications is known as “off-label” use. Physicians may use our products off-label in their professional medical judgment, as the FDA does not restrict or regulate a physician’s choice of treatment within the practice of medicine. However, if the FDA determines that our educational and promotional activities or training constitutes promotion of an off-label use, it could request that we modify our training or promotional materials or subject us to regulatory or enforcement actions, as discussed in “Regulatory Environment – Medical Device Regulation” in Part I, Item 1.
Other federal, state or foreign enforcement authorities also might take action, including, but not limited to, through a whistleblower action under the FCA, if they consider our business activities constitute promotion of an off-label use, which could result in significant penalties. For example, in the EU, the MDR expressly prohibits misleading claims via off-label promotion and grants enforcement power to national competent authorities. In addition, off-label use of our products may increase the risk of product liability claims, which are expensive to defend and could divert our management’s attention, result in substantial damage awards against us, and harm our reputation.
It is also possible that other federal, state or foreign enforcement authorities might take action under other regulatory authority, such as false claims laws or consumer protection laws, if they consider our business activities to constitute promotion of an off-label use, which could result in significant penalties, including, but not limited to, criminal, civil and administrative penalties, damages, fines, disgorgement, exclusion from participation in government healthcare programs and the curtailment of our operations.
Legislative or regulatory reforms may make it more difficult and costly for us to obtain regulatory clearance or approval of any future products and to manufacture, market and distribute our products after clearance or approval is obtained.
From time to time, legislation is introduced in Congress that could significantly change the governance of the regulatory approval, manufacture and marketing of regulated products or the reimbursement thereof. In addition, the FDA may change clearance and approval policies, adopt additional regulations or revise existing regulations, or take other actions, which may prevent or delay approval or clearance of our future products under development or impact our ability to modify our currently cleared products on a timely basis. Any new regulations or revisions or reinterpretations of existing regulations may impose additional costs or lengthen review times of planned or future products. It is impossible to predict whether legislative changes will be enacted or FDA regulations, guidance or interpretations changed, and what the impact of such changes, if any, may be.
The clinical trial process is lengthy and expensive with uncertain outcomes, often requires the enrollment of large numbers of patients, suitable patients may be difficult to identify and recruit, and delays or failures will prevent us from commercializing new or modified products and will adversely affect our business, operating results and prospects.
Initiating and completing clinical trials necessary to support any future PMAs, or additional safety and efficacy data beyond that typically required for a 510(k) clearance for our possible future product candidates, will be time-consuming and expensive and the outcome uncertain. Moreover, the results of early clinical trials are not necessarily predictive of future results, and any product we advance into clinical trials may not have favorable results in later clinical trials. The results of preclinical studies and clinical trials of our products conducted to date and ongoing or future studies and trials of our current, planned, or future products may not be predictive of the results of later clinical trials, and interim results of a clinical trial do not necessarily predict final results. In addition, the initiation and completion of any of clinical studies may be prevented, delayed, or halted for numerous reasons. We may experience delays in our ongoing clinical trials for a number of reasons, which could adversely affect the costs, timing or successful completion of our clinical trials.
Development of sufficient and appropriate clinical protocols to demonstrate safety and efficacy is required and we may not adequately develop such protocols to support clearance and approval. Further, the FDA or our notified body may require us to submit data on a greater number of patients than we originally anticipated or for a longer follow-up period or change the data collection requirements or data analysis applicable to our clinical trials. Delays in patient enrollment or failure of patients to continue to participate in a clinical trial may cause an increase in costs and delays in the approval and attempted commercialization of our products or result in the failure of the clinical trial. In addition, despite considerable time and expense invested in our clinical trials, the FDA or our notified body may not consider our data adequate to demonstrate safety and efficacy. Such increased costs and delays or failures could adversely affect our business, operating results and prospects.
The results of our clinical trials may not support our product candidate claims or may result in the discovery of adverse side effects.
The results of our future clinical trials may not support our future product claims and the FDA may not agree with our conclusions regarding them. Success in pre-clinical studies and early clinical trials does not ensure later clinical trial success, and we cannot be sure that later trials will replicate the results of prior trials and pre-clinical studies. The clinical trial process may fail to demonstrate that our product candidates are safe and effective for the proposed indicated uses, which could cause us to abandon a product candidate and may delay development of others. Any delay or termination of our clinical trials will delay the filing of our product submissions and, ultimately, our ability to commercialize our product candidates and generate revenues. It is also possible that patients enrolled in clinical trials will experience adverse side effects that are not currently part of the future product’s profile.
Our failure to comply with U.S. federal, state and foreign governmental regulations, including in the EU, could lead to the issuance of warning letters or untitled letters, the imposition of injunctions, suspensions or loss of regulatory clearance, certificates or approvals, product recalls, termination of distribution, product seizures, civil penalties, and in extreme cases, criminal sanctions or closure of manufacturing facilities.
Any product for which we obtain clearance or approval, and the manufacturing processes, post-market surveillance, post-approval clinical data and promotional activities for such product will be subject to continued regulatory review, oversight, requirements, and periodic inspections by the FDA and other domestic and foreign regulatory bodies. In particular, we and our suppliers are required to comply with FDA’s QSR and other regulations enforced outside the United States that cover the manufacture of our products and the methods and documentation of the design, testing, production, control, quality assurance, labeling, packaging, storage and shipping of medical devices. Regulatory bodies, such as the FDA, enforce the QSR and other regulations through periodic inspections. The failure by us or one of our suppliers to comply with applicable statutes and regulations administered by the FDA and other regulatory bodies, or the failure to timely and adequately respond to any adverse inspectional observations or product safety issues, could result in, among other things, any of the enforcement actions discussed in “Regulatory Environment – Medical Device Regulation” in Part I, Item 1. These enforcement actions include, for the EU, the suspension or withdrawal of CE Certificate of Conformity in the EU and the refusal or delay in CE certification and CE marking or new products or modified products. If any of these actions were to occur, it would harm our reputation and cause our product sales and profitability to suffer and may prevent us from generating revenue.
Our medical device businesses subject us to the possibility of product liability lawsuits, which could harm our business.
Our business exposes us to potential product liability risks that are inherent in the design, manufacture and marketing of medical devices. Component failures, manufacturing nonconformances, design defects, or inadequate disclosure of product-related risks or product-related information with respect to our products could result in unsafe conditions, injury or death. In addition, some of our products contain components manufactured by third parties, which may also have defects. From time to time, our business has historically been, and is currently, subject to a number of product liability claims alleging that the use of its products resulted in adverse effects. Our product liability insurance policies have limits that may not be sufficient to cover claims made. In addition, this insurance may not continue to be available at a reasonable cost. With respect to components manufactured by third-party suppliers, the contractual indemnification that we seek from our third-party suppliers may be limited and thus insufficient to cover claims made against us. If insurance coverage or contractual indemnification is insufficient to satisfy product liability claims made against us, the claims could have an adverse effect on our business and financial condition. Even claims without merit could harm our reputation, reduce demand for our products, cause us to incur substantial legal costs and distract the attention of our management. The occurrence of any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
If coverage and adequate levels of reimbursement from third-party payors for our medical device products are not obtained, healthcare providers and patients may be reluctant to use our medical device products, our margins may suffer and revenue and profits may decline.
As explained in greater detail in “ Regulatory Environment” in Part I, Item 1, the sales of our medical device products depend largely on whether there is coverage and adequate reimbursement by government healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, and by private payors. Surgeons, hospitals, physical therapists and other healthcare providers may not use, purchase or prescribe our products and patients may not purchase these products if these third-party payors do not provide satisfactory coverage of, and reimbursement for, the costs of our medical device products or the procedures involving the use of such products. Reduced reimbursement rates will also lower our margins on product sales and could adversely impact the profitability and viability of the affected products.
Medicare payment for DMEPOS also can be impacted by the DMEPOS competitive bidding program, under which Medicare rates are based on bid amounts for certain products in designated geographic areas, rather than the Medicare fee schedule amount. If any of our medical device products are included in competitive bidding and we are not selected as a contract supplier (or subcontractor) in a particular region, or if contract or fee schedule prices are significantly below current Medicare fee schedule reimbursement levels, it could have an adverse impact on our sales and profitability.
Additionally, federal and state legislation and regulation may limit the types of orthopedic professionals who can fit or sell our orthotic products or who can seek reimbursement for them or impose certification or licensing requirements on the measuring, fitting and adjusting of certain orthotic devices, and additional states may do so in the future. Although some of these state laws exempt manufacturers’ representatives, others do not. Such laws could reduce the number of potential customers by restricting our sales representatives’ activities in those jurisdictions or reduce demand for our products by reducing the number of professionals who fit and sell them.
Audits or denials of claims by government agencies could reduce our revenues or profits.
We submit claims on behalf of patients directly to, and receive payments directly from, the Medicare and Medicaid programs and private payors. Therefore, we are subject to extensive government regulation, including detailed requirements for submitting reimbursement claims under appropriate codes and maintaining certain documentation to support our claims. Medicare contractors and Medicaid agencies periodically conduct pre- and post-payment reviews and other audits of claims and are under increasing pressure to more closely scrutinize healthcare claims and supporting documentation. Such reviews or similar audits of our claims including by Recovery Audit Contractors, or private companies operating on a contingent fee basis to identify and recoup Medicare overpayments, and Zone Program Integrity Contractors, or contractors charged with investigating potential fraud and abuse, could result in material delays in payment, as well as material recoupment or denials, which would reduce our Net sales and profitability, investigations, potential liability under fraud or abuse laws or exclusion from participation in the Medicare and/or Medicaid programs. Private payors may conduct similar reviews and audits.
Additionally, we participate in the government’s Federal Supply Schedule program for medical equipment, whereby we contract with the government to supply certain of our medical products. Participation in this program requires us to follow certain pricing practices and other contract requirements. Failure to comply with such pricing practices and/or other contract requirements could result in delays in payment or fines or penalties, which could reduce our revenues or profits.
Federal and state health reform and cost control efforts could adversely impact our business and results of operations, and federal and state legislatures and agencies continue to consider further reforms and cost control efforts that could adversely impact our business and results of operations.
As discussed in “Regulatory Environment – Healthcare Reform” in Part I, Item 1, there have been a variety of federal and state healthcare reform and cost control efforts that have affected and could in the future adversely affect our business. We cannot be sure whether additional legislative changes will be enacted, or whether government regulations or other policy will be changed, or what the impact of such changes would be on the marketing approvals, sales, pricing, or reimbursement of our products. We expect that any such health care reform measures that may be adopted in the future may result in more rigorous coverage criteria and in additional downward pressure on the price that we receive for our products. Any reduction in reimbursement from Medicare or other government health care programs may result in a similar reduction in payments from private payors. The implementation of cost containment measures or other health care reforms may prevent us from being able to generate revenue, attain profitability, or commercialize our product candidates.
Our relationships with customers, physicians and third-party payors are subject to federal and state health care fraud and abuse laws, false claims laws, physician payment transparency laws and other health care laws and regulations. If we or our employees, independent contractors, consultants, commercial partners, or vendors violate these laws we could face substantial penalties.
Our relationships with customers, physicians and third-party payors are subject to federal and state health care fraud and abuse laws, false claims laws, physician payment transparency laws and other health care laws and regulations. The U.S. health care laws and regulations that may affect our ability to operate include, but are not limited to the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, the federal civil False Claims Act, the civil monetary penalties statute, the Physician Self-Referral Law, the healthcare fraud provisions under HIPAA, the federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act, and state and foreign equivalents of each of these laws. Refer to “Regulatory Environment – Other Healthcare Laws – Fraud and Abuse Laws” in Part I, Item 1 for a more fulsome description of these laws. Violations of these laws are punishable by criminal and/or civil sanctions, including, in some instances, fines, imprisonment and, within the United States, exclusion from participation in government healthcare programs, including Medicare, Medicaid and Veterans Administration health programs.
Greater scrutiny of marketing practices in the medical device industry has resulted in numerous government investigations, and this enforcement activity is expected to continue. For example, the Department of Justice recently entered into a settlement with a diabetic shoe company and its president and CEO to resolve allegations that the company violated the False Claims Act by selling custom diabetic shoe inserts that were not actually custom-fabricated in accordance with Medicare standards. As a DME supplier, we submit claims for reimbursement from federal health care programs, which can present increased risks under the False Claims Act if not conducted in a compliant manner. These laws and regulations, among other things, constrain our business, marketing and other promotional activities by limiting the kinds of financial arrangements we have with hospitals, physicians or other potential purchasers of our products, including marketing and consulting arrangements, payment of royalties for product development, and our OfficeCare consignment stock and bill program.
Because of the breadth of these laws and the narrowness of available statutory exceptions and regulatory safe harbors, our business, marketing and other promotional activities could be subject to challenge under one or more of such laws. We have received, and in the future may receive, subpoenas and other requests for information from state and federal governmental agencies, including, among others, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services. The requests and/or subpoenas we have received relate primarily to financial arrangements with health care providers, regulatory compliance and sale and/or product promotional practices. We have cooperated with these subpoenas and other requests for information and expect to continue to do so in the future. It is not always possible to identify and deter employee misconduct or business noncompliance, and the precautions we take to detect and prevent inappropriate conduct may not be effective in controlling unknown or unmanaged risks or losses or in protecting us from governmental investigations or other actions or lawsuits stemming from a failure to be in compliance with such laws or regulations. Efforts to ensure that our business arrangements will comply with applicable health care laws may involve substantial costs. It is possible that governmental and enforcement authorities will conclude that our business practices may not comply with current or future statutes, regulations or case law interpreting applicable fraud and abuse or other health care laws and regulations.
If we or our employees, agents, independent contractors, consultants, commercial partners and vendors violate these laws, we may be subject to investigations, enforcement actions and/or significant penalties, including the imposition of significant civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, disgorgement, monetary fines, imprisonment, possible exclusion from participation in Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health care programs, contractual damages, reputational harm, diminished profits and future earnings, additional reporting requirements and/or oversight if we become subject to a corporate integrity agreement or similar agreement to resolve allegations of non-compliance with these laws, and curtailment of our operations, any of which could adversely affect our ability to operate our business and our results of operations.
The success of our surgical implant products depends on our relationships with leading surgeons who assist with the development and testing of our products, and our ability to comply with enhanced disclosure requirements regarding payments to physicians.
A key aspect of the development of our surgical implant products is the use of designing and consulting arrangements with orthopedic surgeons who are highly qualified and experienced in their field. These surgeons assist in the development and clinical testing of new surgical implant products. They also participate in symposia and seminars introducing new surgical implant products and assist in the training of healthcare professionals in using our new products. Our arrangements with orthopedic surgeons also must comply with the fraud and abuse and transparency laws discussed above, which may be an impediment for some surgeons we seek to engage. We may not be successful in maintaining or renewing our current designing and consulting arrangements with these surgeons or in developing similar arrangements with new surgeons. In that event, our ability to develop, test and market new surgical implant products could be adversely affected.
To enforce compliance with the healthcare regulatory laws, certain enforcement bodies have recently increased their scrutiny of interactions between healthcare companies and healthcare providers, which has led to a number of investigations, prosecutions, convictions and settlements in the healthcare industry. For example, the EU Member States closely monitor perceived unlawful marketing activity by companies, including inducement to prescribe and the encouragement of off-label use of devices. Responding to investigations can be time- and resource-consuming and can divert management’s attention from the business. Additionally, as a result of these investigations, healthcare providers and entities may have to agree to additional compliance and reporting requirements as part of a consent decree or corporate integrity agreement. Any such investigation or settlement could increase our costs or otherwise have an adverse effect on our business. Even an unsuccessful challenge or investigation into our practices could cause adverse publicity and be costly to respond to. If our operations are found to be in violation of any of the healthcare laws or regulations described above or any other healthcare regulations that apply to us, we may be subject to penalties, including administrative, civil and criminal penalties, damages, fines, exclusion from participation in government healthcare programs, imprisonment, contractual damages, reputational harm, disgorgement and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations. Moreover, industry associations closely monitor the activities of their member companies. If these organizations or national authorities were to name us as having breached our obligations under their laws, regulations, rules or standards, our reputation would suffer and our business, financial condition, operating results, cash flows and prospects could be adversely affected.
Actual or perceived failures to comply with applicable data protection, privacy and security laws, regulations, standards and other requirements could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Our business is subject to U.S. federal privacy and security laws and regulations, including HIPAA, as more fully described in “Regulatory Environment – Other Healthcare Laws – Data Privacy and Security Laws” in Part I, Item 1. Healthcare providers who prescribe our products and from whom we obtain patient health information are subject to privacy and security requirements under HIPAA, as are we in certain circumstances. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has direct enforcement authority against covered entities and business associates with regard to compliance with HIPAA regulations. We also could be subject to criminal penalties if we knowingly obtain individually identifiable health information from a covered entity in a manner that is not authorized or permitted by HIPAA or for aiding and abetting and/or conspiring to commit a violation of HIPAA. We are unable to predict whether our actions could be subject to prosecution in the event of an impermissible disclosure of health information to us. There are costs and administrative burdens associated with ongoing compliance with HIPAA regulations and similar state law requirements. Any failure to comply with current and applicable future requirements could adversely affect our profitability. As described in further detail in “Regulatory Environment – Other Healthcare Laws – Data Privacy and Security Laws” in Part I, Item 1, various states have implemented similar privacy laws and regulations that are not necessarily preempted by HIPAA. If the states in which we conduct our business are more protective, we may have to comply with the stricter provisions. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations may result in, among other things, significant civil penalties and injunctive relief, or potential statutory or actual damages. There can be no assurance that the processes we have implemented to manage compliance with these laws and regulations will be successful.
The FTC also sets expectations for failing to take appropriate steps to keep consumers’ personal information secure, or failing to provide a level of security commensurate to promises made to individuals about the security of their personal information (such as in a privacy notice) may constitute unfair or deceptive acts or practices in violation of Section 5(a) of the FTC Act. While we do not intend to engage in unfair or deceptive acts or practices, the FTC has the power to enforce promises as it interprets them, and events that we cannot fully control, such as data breaches, may result in FTC enforcement. Enforcement by the FTC under the FTC Act can result in civil penalties or enforcement actions.
Any actual or perceived failure by us or the third parties with whom we work to comply with data privacy or security laws, policies, legal obligations or industry standards, or any security incident that results in the unauthorized release or transfer of information concerning individuals, may result in governmental enforcement actions and investigations, including by European data protection authorities and U.S. federal and state regulatory authorities, fines and penalties, litigation and/or adverse publicity, including by consumer advocacy groups, and could cause our customers, their patients and other healthcare professionals to lose trust in us, which could harm our reputation and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, the landscape of laws regulating personal data is constantly evolving, compliance requires a flexible privacy framework and substantial resources, and compliance efforts will likely be an increasing and substantial cost in the future.
Our information technology infrastructure and information are vulnerable to service interruptions, data corruption, cyber-based attacks, or network security breaches, which could result in the disruption of operations or the loss of data confidentiality.
We rely on information technology networks and systems, including the Internet, cloud-based services and third-party service providers, to process, transmit and store electronic information (including PHI), personally identifiable information, credit card and other financial information, and to manage or support a variety of business processes and activities, including procurement, manufacturing, distribution, invoicing, collection, communication with our employees, customers, dealers and suppliers, business acquisitions and other corporate transactions, compliance with regulatory, legal and tax requirements, and research and development. For example, in the ordinary course of business, our business collects, stores, and transmits certain sensitive data, including PHI, personally identifiable information, and patient data. We face constant and evolving risks that threaten the confidentiality, integrity and availability of our information technology networks and systems and information, which are susceptible to damage, disruptions, shutdowns or other compromises due to failures during the process of upgrading or replacing software, databases or components, power outages, hardware failures, cyberattacks or other security incidents. If these information technology systems suffer severe damage, disruption or shutdown and business continuity plans do not effectively resolve the issues in a timely manner, our business, financial condition, results of operations, and liquidity could be materially adversely affected.
Our information technology networks and systems are subject to security threats and sophisticated cyber-based attacks, including, but not limited to, denial-of-service attacks, hacking, “phishing” attacks, computer viruses, ransomware, malware, software-based misconfigurations, “bugs” and other security vulnerabilities, employee or insider error, malfeasance, social engineering, or physical breaches, that can cause deliberate or unintentional damage, destruction or misuse, manipulation, denial of access to or disclosure of confidential or important information by our employees, suppliers or third-party service providers. Additionally, advanced persistent attempts to gain unauthorized access or deny access to, or otherwise disrupt, our systems and those of third-party service providers and business partners we rely on are increasing in sophistication and frequency. We have experienced, and expect to continue to confront, efforts by hackers and other third parties to gain unauthorized access or deny access to, or otherwise disrupt, our information technology systems and networks. Any such future attacks could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. We can provide no assurance that our cybersecurity risk management program and processes will be fully implemented, complied with or effective to protect or mitigate risks to our systems, networks and data or in effectively resolving such risks when they materialize. Cyberattacks are expected to accelerate on a global basis in frequency and magnitude as threat actors are becoming increasingly sophisticated in using techniques and tools, including artificial intelligence, that circumvent security controls, evade detection and remove forensic evidence. As a result, we may be unable to detect, investigate, remediate or recover from future attacks or incidents. A failure of or breach in information technology security of our own systems, or those of our third-party vendors or partners, could expose us and our employees, customers, dealers and suppliers to risks of misuse of information or systems, the compromise of confidential information, manipulation and destruction of data, defective products, production downtimes and operations disruptions. Any of these events in turn could adversely affect our reputation, competitive position, including loss of customers and revenue, business, results of operations and liquidity. In addition, such breaches in security could result in litigation, regulatory action and potential liability, including liability under federal or state laws that protect the privacy of personal information, such as HIPAA, as well as the costs and operational consequences of implementing further data protection measures.
Additionally, to conduct our operations, we regularly move data across national borders, and consequently we are subject to a variety of continuously evolving and developing laws and regulations in the United States and abroad regarding privacy, data protection and data security. The scope of the laws that may be applicable to us is often uncertain and may be conflicting, particularly with respect to foreign laws. For example, some of the data we handle and aspects of our operations are subject to the European Union’s GDPR, which greatly increases the jurisdictional reach of European Union law and adds a broad array of requirements for handling personal data, including the public disclosure of significant data breaches and provides for significant potential penalties and remedies for violations. Other countries have enacted or are enacting data localization laws that require data to stay within their borders. All of these evolving compliance and operational requirements impose significant costs that are likely to increase over time.
We are subject to anti-bribery laws such as the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act as well as export controls, economic sanctions, and other trade laws, the violation of which could lead to serious adverse consequences.
We are subject to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the “FCPA”), the U.K. Bribery Act, and similar anti-bribery laws in other jurisdictions that generally prohibit companies and those acting on their behalf from authorizing, promising, offering or providing, directly or indirectly, improper payments or anything else of value to government officials to obtain or retain business or other commercial advantage, and the U.K. Bribery Act and other anti-bribery laws also prohibit similar conduct between private parties. The FCPA also imposes obligations on publicly traded U.S. corporations that are intended to prevent the diversion of corporate funds for improper payments and the establishment of “off the books” slush funds from which such payments can be made and to provide assurance that transactions are accurately recorded, lawful and in accordance with management’s authorization. Because of the predominance of government-sponsored health care systems around the world, many of our customer relationships outside of the United States are with government entities. As a result, interactions with those customers present compliance risk under the FCPA and other anti-bribery laws. In addition, anti-bribery laws can pose unique challenges for companies with foreign operations in countries where corruption is a recognized problem. While we believe we have implemented appropriate policies and procedures to mitigate risk of non-compliance with the FCPA and other applicable anti-bribery laws by the Company and persons or entities acting on our behalf, we cannot assure that such policies, procedures, and training will always protect us from violations by our employees, distributors or other agents. In addition, we may be exposed to liability due to pre-acquisition conduct of businesses or operations we acquire, as well as the conduct of their employees, distributors or other agents. Violations of anti-bribery laws, or allegations thereof, could disrupt our operations, distract management, and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. We also could be subject to criminal and civil penalties, disgorgement, substantial expenditures related to remedial actions, and reputational harm.
We are also subject to U.S. export controls and economic sanctions laws, regulations and other legal requirements, including the Export Administration Regulations and economic sanctions administered and enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, as well as other laws and regulations that limit our ability to market, sell, distribute or otherwise transfer our products or technology directly or indirectly to restricted persons and prohibited countries or regions. Our efforts to comply with U.S. and other applicable export controls and economic sanctions laws, regulations and other legal requirements may not prevent violations. Noncompliance with these laws could result in substantial civil and criminal penalties, including fines and the disgorgement of profits, the imposition of a court-appointed monitor, the denial of export privileges, and debarment from participation in government contracts, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our international operations or on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
The risk of non-compliance with non-U.S. laws, regulations and policies could adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition or strategic objectives.
The Lima Acquisition has introduced us into a number of new geographic markets, subjecting us to additional non-U.S. laws, regulations and policies which may not have applied to us in the past, and which increases our exposure to other geographic markets’ laws and regulations. These laws and regulations are complex, change frequently, have become more stringent over time, could increase our cost of doing business, and could result in conflicting legal requirements. These laws and regulations include international labor and employment laws, environmental regulations and reporting requirements, data privacy requirements, and local laws prohibiting corrupt payments to government officials, antitrust and other regulatory laws. We will be subject to the risk that we, our employees, our agents, or our affiliated entities, or their respective officers, directors, employees and agents, may take actions determined to be in violation of any of these laws, regulations or policies, for which we might be held responsible. Actual or alleged violations could result in substantial fines, sanctions, civil or criminal penalties, debarment from government contracts, curtailment of operations in certain jurisdictions, competitive or reputational harm, litigation or regulatory action and other consequences that might adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition or strategic objectives.
Risks Related to the Separation
We could incur significant liability if the separation and distribution of ESAB is determined to be a taxable transaction.
We have received (i) a private letter ruling from the IRS and (ii) an opinion from outside tax counsel regarding the qualification of the separation and distribution of ESAB as a transaction that is described in Sections 355(a) and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code. The private letter ruling and opinion each relies on certain facts, assumptions, representations and undertakings from ESAB and us regarding the past and future conduct of the companies’ respective businesses and other matters. If any of these facts, assumptions, representations or undertakings are incorrect or not satisfied, we may not be able to rely on the private letter ruling or opinion of tax counsel. In addition, the private letter ruling does not address all the requirements for determining whether the separation and distribution qualify under Sections 355(a) and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code, and the opinion, which addresses all such requirements, relies on the private letter ruling as to matters covered by the ruling and will not be binding on the IRS or the courts. Notwithstanding the private letter ruling or the opinion of tax counsel we have received, the IRS could determine on audit that the separation and distribution are taxable if it determines that any of these facts, assumptions, representations or undertakings are not correct or have been violated or if it disagrees with the conclusions not addressed in the ruling. If the separation and distribution of ESAB are determined to be taxable for U.S. federal income tax purposes, our stockholders that received the distribution and are subject to U.S. federal income tax and we could be subject to significant U.S. federal income tax liabilities.
Potential indemnification liabilities to ESAB pursuant to the separation agreement could materially and adversely affect our businesses, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
We entered into a separation and distribution agreement and related agreements with ESAB to govern the separation and distribution of ESAB and the relationship between the two companies going forward. These agreements provide for specific indemnity and liability obligations of each party and could lead to disputes between us. If we are required to indemnify ESAB under the circumstances set forth in these agreements, we may be subject to substantial liabilities. In addition, with respect to the liabilities for which ESAB has agreed to indemnify us under these agreements, there can be no assurance that the indemnity rights we have against ESAB will be sufficient to protect us against the full amount of the liabilities, or that ESAB will be able to fully satisfy its indemnification obligations. Each of these risks could negatively affect our businesses, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
General Risk Factors and Other Risks
Changes in the general economy could negatively impact the demand for our products and services and harm our operations and financial performance.
Our financial performance depends, in large part, on conditions in the markets we serve and on the general condition of the global economy, which impacts these markets. Any sustained weakness in demand for our products and services resulting from a downturn of or uncertainty in the global economy could reduce our sales and profitability. In addition, we believe that many of our customers and suppliers are reliant on liquidity from global credit markets and, in some cases, require external financing to purchase products or finance operations. If our customers lack liquidity or are unable to access the credit markets, it may impact customer demand for our products and services and we may not be able to collect amounts owed to us. The occurrence of any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected by disruptions in the global economy caused by the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The global economy has been negatively impacted by the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Furthermore, governments in the United States, United Kingdom and European Union have each imposed export controls on certain products and financial and economic sanctions on certain industry sectors and parties in Russia, and Russia has imposed counter- sanctions in response. Although we have no direct operations in Russia or Ukraine or government-imposed sanctions on our products currently, we could experience the impact of sanctions in the future and/or shortages in materials, increased costs for raw material and other supply chain issues due in part to the negative impact of the Russia-Ukraine military conflict on the global economy. Further escalation of geopolitical tensions related to the military conflict, including increased trade barriers or restrictions on global trade, could result in, among other things, cyberattacks, additional supply disruptions, lower consumer demand and changes to foreign exchange rates and financial markets, any of which may adversely affect our business and supply chain.
The loss of key leadership or the inability to attract, develop, engage, and retain qualified employees could have a material adverse effect on our ability to run our business.
We may be adversely affected if we lose members of our senior leadership. We are highly dependent on our senior leadership team as a result of their expertise in our industry and our business. The loss of key leadership or the inability to attract, retain and motivate sufficient numbers of qualified management personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, our continued success depends, in part, on our ability to identify and attract qualified candidates with the requisite education, background, and experience as well as our ability to develop, engage, and retain qualified employees. Failure to attract, develop, engage, and retain qualified employees, whether as a result of an insufficient number of qualified applicants, difficulty in recruiting new employees, or inadequate resources to train, integrate, and retain qualified employees, could impair our ability to execute our business strategy and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The issuances of additional common and preferred stock may adversely affect the market price of our Common stock.
Under our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, there are additional authorized shares of our common stock. We may issue additional shares in connection with acquisitions or otherwise. For example, in connection with the Lima Acquisition, as part of the consideration paid to the seller, we issued to the seller 1,942,686 shares of Company common stock. Additionally, in order to fund a portion of the cash consideration for the Lima Acquisition, on October 24, 2023, we issued $460 million aggregate principal amount of the 2028 Notes (as defined herein), which are convertible by the holders into shares of Company common stock at their election under certain conditions. We also may issue a significant number of additional shares, either into the marketplace through an existing shelf registration statement or through other mechanisms. Additional shares issued, including the shares issuable upon conversion of the 2028 Notes, could have a dilutive effect on our earnings per share.
Provisions in our governing documents and Delaware law may delay or prevent an acquisition of Enovis that may be beneficial to our stockholders.
Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, Amended and Restated Bylaws, and Delaware law contain provisions that may make it difficult for a third-party to acquire us without the consent of our Board of Directors. These include provisions prohibiting stockholders from taking action by written consent, prohibiting special meetings of stockholders called by stockholders, prohibiting stockholder nominations and approvals without complying with specific advance notice requirements, and mandating certain procedural steps for stockholders who wish to introduce business or nominate a director candidate. In addition, our Board of Directors has the right to issue Preferred stock without stockholder approval, which our Board of Directors could use to affect a rights plan or “poison pill” that could dilute the stock ownership of a potential hostile acquirer and may have the effect of delaying, discouraging or preventing an acquisition of Enovis.
The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.