Shift4 Payments Inc

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Annual Report”) contains forward-looking statements. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“the Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“the Exchange Act”). All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this Annual Report, including, without limitation, statements relating to our position as a leader within our industry, our future results of operations and financial position, business strategy and plans, and objectives of management for future operations, including, among others, statements regarding expected growth, international expansion, future capital expenditures, debt covenant compliance and debt service obligations, are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “could,” “intend,” “target,” “project,” “contemplate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions, though not all forward-looking statements can be identified by such terms or expressions. The forward-looking statements in this Annual Report are only predictions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this Annual Report and are subject to a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, those factors described in the sections titled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in this Annual Report and in our subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

Moreover, we operate in an evolving environment. New risk factors and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all risk factors and uncertainties.

You should read this Annual Report and the documents that we reference herein completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements. Except as required by applicable law, we do not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.

SUMMARY RISK FACTORS

Our business is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including those described in Part I Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in this Annual Report. You should carefully consider these risks and uncertainties when investing in our common stock. The principal risks and uncertainties affecting our business include the following:

•substantial and increasingly intense competition worldwide in the financial services, payments and payment technology industries may adversely affect our overall business and operations;

•potential changes in the competitive landscape, including disintermediation from other participants in the payments chain, could harm our business;

•global economic, political and other conditions may adversely affect trends in consumer, business and government spending, which may adversely impact the demand for our services and our revenue and profitability;

•we are exposed to fluctuations in inflation, which could negatively affect our business, financial condition and results of operations;

•our ability to anticipate and respond to changing industry trends and the needs and preferences of our merchants and consumers may adversely affect our competitiveness or the demand for our products and services;

•because we rely on third-party vendors to provide products and services, we could be adversely impacted if they fail to fulfill their obligations;

•acquisitions create certain risks and may adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations;

•our inability to protect our IT Systems and Confidential Information, as well as the IT Systems of third parties we rely on, from continually evolving cybersecurity risks, security breaches and/or other technological risks could affect our reputation and brand among our merchants and consumers and may expose us to material financial penalties and legal liability;

•we collect, process, store, and use data, including personal information, which subjects us to governmental regulation and other legal obligations, particularly related to privacy, data protection and information security, marketing, cryptocurrency, and consumer protection laws across different markets where we conduct our business. Our actual or perceived failure to comply with such obligations could harm our business and/or result in reputational harm, loss of customers, material financial penalties and legal liabilities;

•we may not be able to continue to expand our share of the existing payment processing markets or expand into new markets which would inhibit our ability to grow and increase our profitability;

•as we expand into new markets, we are subject to additional risks associated with our international operations, including compliance with and changes in foreign governmental policies. Moreover, our results of operations may be adversely affected by changes in foreign currency exchange rates;

•our services and products must integrate with a variety of operating systems, software, devices, and web browsers, and our business may be materially and adversely affected if we are unable to ensure that our services interoperate with such operating systems, software, devices, and web browsers;

•we depend, in part, on our merchant and software partner relationships and strategic partnerships with various institutions to operate and grow our business. If we are unable to maintain these relationships and partnerships, our business may be adversely affected; and

•our Founder (as defined herein) has significant influence over us, including control over decisions that require the approval of stockholders.

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

As used in this Annual Report, unless the context otherwise requires, references to:

•“we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company,” “Shift4” and similar references refer to Shift4 Payments, Inc. and, unless otherwise stated, all of its subsidiaries.

•“Blocker Companies” refers to certain direct and/or indirect owners of LLC Interests in Shift4 Payments, LLC, collectively, prior to the Reorganization Transactions that are taxable as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes and each of which is an affiliate of Searchlight (as defined below).

•“Blocker Shareholders” refers to the owners of Blocker Companies, collectively, prior to the Reorganization Transactions.

•“Continuing Equity Owners” refers collectively to Rook, Searchlight, and certain affiliates of Searchlight, who may redeem at each of their options, in whole or in part from time to time, their LLC Interests for, at our election, cash or newly-issued shares of Shift4 Payments, Inc.’s Class A common stock.

•“Founder” refers to Jared Isaacman, our Chief Executive Officer and the sole stockholder of Rook.

•“IPO” refers to our initial public offering of shares of Class A common stock, completed on June 9, 2020.

•“LLC Interests” refers to the common units of Shift4 Payments, LLC.

•“Reorganization Transactions” refer to certain organizational transactions that we effected in connection with our IPO in June 2020.

•“Rook” refers to Rook Holdings Inc., a Delaware corporation wholly-owned by our Founder and for which our Founder is the sole stockholder.

•“Searchlight” refers to Searchlight Capital Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and certain of its affiliated funds.